BUILDING ON FOUR-LETTER WORDS
Credit: Will Shortz
NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle
June 21, 2009

Each group of four-letter words below can be preceded by the same three letters to make seven-letter words. For example, given the clue words EACH.....ROVE.....LODE, the three preceding letters could be IMP - which would form IMPEACH, IMPROVE, and IMPLODE.

1. RIOT.....LICE.....GRIN
2. GAIN.....RACKS.....RAGE
3. MITE.....RACE.....MINUS
4. ROOF.....LACE.....TILE
5. VERB.....PANE.....FUSE
6. SOON.....ARCH.....EYED
7. LOON.....LAST.....DING
8. DUAL.....NITE.....SPED
9. RICE.....SIZE.....ABLE
10. LOIN.....SUIT.....POSE

Answers:

1. CHA - CHARIOT/CHALICE/CHAGRIN
2. BAR - BARGAIN/BARRACKS/BARRAGE
3. TER - TERMITE/TERRACE/TERMINUS
4. REP - REPROOF/REPLACE/REPTILE
5. PRO - PROVERB/PROPANE/PROFUSE
6. MON - MONSOON/MONARCH/MONEYED
7. BAL -  BALLOON/BALLAST/BALDING
8. GRA - GRADUAL/GRANITE/GRASPED
9. CAP - CAPRICE/CAPSIZE/CAPABLE
10. PUR - PURLOIN/PURSUIT/PURPOSE