WORDS OF ACCOMMODATION
Credit: GAMES Magazine
May, 2013
Douglas Tench  (adapted)

The letters in each clue below can change the word that follows them in a certain way. The changed words are different, but the relationship is similar for all the letters. Can you determine what the relationship is?

D - MOLE
E - PORT
K - BALE
L - MEAD
N - BEAT
P - SOUR
T - SALE

Answer:

Each word can "accommodate" its corresponding letter in three positions. That is, the letter can be substituted for any one of three of the four letters in the word:

D - MOLE  (DOLE, MODE, MOLD)
E - PORT  (PERT, POET, PORE)
K - BALE  (KALE, BAKE, BALK)
L - MEAD  (LEAD, MELD, MEAL)
N - BEAT  (NEAT, BENT, BEAN)
P - SOUR  (POUR, SPUR, SOUP)
T - SALE  (TALE, SATE, SALT)