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I see what you're saying - if the teeth were narrowed such that the difference in pitch could be accommodated throughout the entire length of chain that wraps around the cog, it wouldn't have to skip (although the cog could only pull with one tooth at a time).
I suspect however, that the amount the chain has to slip back is exactly the same amount of 'extra' pull brought about by the increased cog diameter.
Dramatic_Hammer
Actually, in theory this could work.
For a gear ratio it is not relevant how many teeth the chainwheel has. What is relevant is its diameter in relation to the diameter of the cog.
A circumference of, lets say, 42 teeth is usually a fixed length.
Now what they do, is stretch these 42 teeth over a greater length (by making the teeth smaller, allowing the chain to slip in place) and thus increasing the diameter of the chainwheel, which in turn increases the gear ratio.
I don't think it's a good idea and I don't think it's necessary but it is possible...