1. The same three letters, in the same order, will complete the following words:

AR _ _ _ IC 

PEN _ _ _ NT

ME _ _ _ NIC

2. The same three-letter word will complete the following partial words.

ST _ _ _ ING

_ _ _ OCATE

G _ _ _ ERY

R _ _ _ Y

_ _ _ OT

3. The same three-letter word will complete the following partial words:

_ _ _ T

_ _ _ E

_ _ _ GE

_ _ _ SEL

HINTS:
1. EN _ _ _ NT
2. The first of the missing letters is A.
3. The first of the missing letters is T.

Answers:

1. The letters are CHA.

(ARCHAIC/PENCHANT/MECHANIC)

2. The three-letter word is ALL:
(STALLING/ALLOCATE/GALLERY/RALLY/ALLOT

3. The three-letter word is TIN:
(TINT/TINE/TINGE/TINSEL)