COMMON STOCK IV
Credit: GAMES Magazine
December, 2013
Amy Goldstein

The four answers to each numbered set below have something in common. To discover what, fill in the blanks to complete the words reading across. The letters you put in the blanks, taken in order from left to right, must also spell shorter words. These shorter words will all be members of the same category.

For example, the first word in set #1 is CALENDAR with the shorter word being CEDAR. The remaining three shorter words in the set will also be names of trees. Getting one answer in a set will help you get the others, but breaking into a set can be tricky. The categories for the shorter words in sets #2 - 6 are listed as a hint.

Set #1

_ AL _ N _ _ _
H_ TC _ _ E
A _ PO _ _ TM _ NT
W _ _ CO _ E

Set #2

_ _ ARTH _ NE _ _
_ A _ R _ CAD _
A _ T _ R _ _ STE
_ N _ G _ _ E

Set #3

S _ _ SITI _ IT _
_ _ OV _ _ ENC _
M _ _ A _ _ _ IAL
S _ _ GFE _ _

Set #4

DE _ _ _ QU _ _ T
_ _ N _  AMINA _ I _ _
_ _ DEWA _ _
_ C _ T _ ERBRA _ _

Set #5

_ UR _ _ _ I _ G
CAP _ _ I _
_ UTT _ R F _ N _ _ RS
_ R _ _ _ S  T _ A

Set #6

S _ _ WO _ _ _ Y
H _ _ LSTO _ M
A _ F _ _ M _ D
NE _ SC _ S _ _ _

HINTS for categories of shorter words:
Set #2:  Cheeses
Set #3: Deadly sins
Set #4: Fabrics
Set #5: Colors
Set #6: Classical elements

Answers:

Set #1:
CEDAR (calendar)
OAK (hotcake)
PINE (appointment)
ELM (welcome) 

 Set #2:
SWISS (swarthiness)
BRIE (barricade)
FETA (aftertaste)
EDAM (endgame) 

Set #3:
ENVY (sensitivity)
PRIDE (providence)
ANGER (managerial)
LUST (slugfest) 

Set #4:
LINEN (delinquent)
COTTON (contamination) 
SILK (sidewalk)
SATIN (scatterbrain) 

Set #5:
BROWN (burrowing)
TAN (captain)
BEIGE (butterfingers) 
OCHER (orchestra)

Set #6:
EARTH (seaworthy)
AIR (hailstorm)
FIRE (affirmed)
WATER (newscaster)