1. The same three letters, in the same order, when properly placed, will change each of the words below into new ones.

POD
VIAL
FLING

2. The same three-letter word will complete the following words.

_ _ _ HER
W _ _ _ E

W _ _ _ TLE
GRAP _ _ _ E

Answers:

1. The letters are TRI:

TRIPOD
TRIVIAL
TRIFLING

2. The word is HIT:

HITHER
WHITE
WHITTLE
GRAPHITE