RATIOS
Credit: GAMES Magazine
March, 1984
Scott Marley

Most analogies are based on relationships between words and what they mean. For example, in the analogy

ROOSTER:HEN::RAM :EWE,
the relationship is between the male and female of two kinds of animals.

In the following analogies the relationships are based on wordplay - on the words themselves and not their meanings. Can you fill in the missing word?

1. BOREDOM:BEDROOM::THICKEN:?????
2. PLOVER:PLUNDER::SHIN:?????
3. HOLD:COT::WHACK:?????
4. DAZE:KNIGHTS::EYE:?????

Answers:

1. KITCHEN (anagrams)
2. SHOUT (plOVER:plUNDER::shIN:shOUT) 
3. BLIGHT (Spoonerisms - cold-hot/black/white) 
4. NEIGH (homophones of opposites - days/nights-aye/nay)