The blanks in the words below can be filled in so that the resulting four words are all related.

_ AS _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ AS _ _
_ _ _ AS
_ _ _ _ AS _ _

HINT:
The first letters are:
W
A
T
N

Answer:

WASHINGTON
ALASKA
TEXAS
NEBRASKA 

Credit: GAMES Magazine - March, 1988
Raymond D. Love
AS IS STATES (adapted)