1. What do the following words have in common?

RENT
FLOOD
CRUISE
THOUGHT

 2. Can you determine what the ten words below have in common?

AIL
ARIA
ATE
AWN
AURA
EARL
ERA
ERN
LICE
PAL

Answers:

1. Each word is commonly followed by CONTROL.

2. Each word can be preceded by a single letter to form a woman's name:

GAIL
MARIA
KATE
DAWN
LAURA
PEARL
VERA
FERN
ALICE
OPAL

Credit: #1: LA Times Crossword
Sylvia Bursztyn and Barry Tunick
LOSING CONTROL  (adapted)

Credit: #2: Idea - John Chaneski