NY Times Crossword
March 18, 2004
Lee Glickstein and Nancy Salomon

What do the following words have in common?

RAT
PASS
STAT
SECT
PORT
MISS
NATAL

Answer:

The letters ION can be added to the ends of the first six words and inserted into the seventh to make new words:

RATION
PASSION
STATION
SECTION
PORTION
MISSION
NATIONAL