1. What do the following words have in common?

BUS
ALMS
VENUE
LIABLE

2. What do the following words have in common?

HIT
BAT
FAT
WHET

3. What do the following words have in common, other than ending in R?

OVER
OUTER
ANGER
ANCHOR

HINTS:
1. The same two letters, properly placed, will change each word into a new one.
2. The same three letters, properly placed, will change each word into a new one.

Answers:

1. The letters RE can precede each word to create a new one:

REBUS
REALMS
REVENUE
RELIABLE

2. The letters HER can be added to each word to create a new one:

HITHER
BATHER
FATHER
WHETHER

3. The final R of each word can be move to the front to create new words:

OVER - ROVE
OUTER - ROUTE
ANGER - RANGE
ANCHOR - RANCHO

Credit: #3: Will Shortz
NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle
Sept. 9, 2012