Code:
<table border="1" width="400" height="200">
  <tr>
    <td width="20" > One </td>
    <td width="20" > Two </td>
    <td width="20" > Three </td>
    <td width="20" > Four </td>
    <td > Padding </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td colspan="5">Not much text!</td> 
    <!-- <td colspan="5">There is quite a lot of text here...and it messes up the table :(</td> -->
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td colspan="5">Test</td>
  </tr>
</table>
Stick this code in an html file and view it...that is how is should look. The first four cells are small and the forth fills up the width.
Now comment the first bold line and uncomment the second. Now the width of the cells on the first row are buggered WTH is happening?

I am using IE 6 btw.