NY Times Crossword
July 15, 2000
David J. Kahn (adapted)

The clues below can be answered with words which have two things in common. The first thing has to do with a common letter and its placement in the answer words. The second thing has to do with the answer words without the common letter.

Latex, for one
Dominant
Saw
Damp
Make into a god
Debris
Innocent
Coolness

Answer words:

PAINT
CHIEF
SPIED
MOIST
DEIFY
RUINS
NAIVE
POISE 

What they have in common:

The letter I is placed exactly in the middle of each answer word.

What they have in common without the common letter:

The answer words remain valid words when the I is dropped:

PANT
CHEF
SPED
MOST
DEFY
RUNS
NAVE
POSE 

BONUS: What personality trait would be helpful in finding the first eight answer words?

Answer:

EGOCENTRICITY ("I" in the middle of everything)