NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle
June 21, 2009
Will Shortz

All three words in each set below can be preceded by the same three letters to make new words. The preceding letters are different for each set. What are the letters and the new words?

1)
SOON
ARCH
EYED

2)
LOON
LAST
DING

3)
DUAL
NITE
SPED

4)
RICE
SIZE
ABLE

5)
LOIN
SUIT
POSE

Answers:

1)
MON:
MONSOON
MONARCH
MONEYED

2)
BAL:
BALLOON
BALLAST
BALDING

3)
GRA:
GRADUAL
GRANITE
GRASPED

4)
CAP:
CAPRICE
CAPSIZE
CAPABLE

5)
PUR:
PURLOIN 
PURSUIT
PURPOSE