THE LAST WORD II
Credit: GAMES Magazine
January, 1987
Fraser Simpson

Each set of words below has a common denominator, some unusual factor that is shared by the six words in the set. Identify that factor and determine which of the three words under the list has it too.

1)                                    2)
TEA                                RING          
EYE                                TOPS
SEA                                MANATEE
CUE                               WINDLESS
ARE                                EARTH                            
WHY                              ANGER

a. YOU                           a. MATTER
b. ATE                            b. TUNES
c. WEE                           c. OUGHT


3)                                    4)
YOUTH                          CIVIC
THEME                           LIVID
USHER                            MIX
SHEIK                             MILL
ITALICS                          VIVID
MEDIUM                         DILL

a. THEATER                 a. MIMIC
b. WEEVIL                   b. LICIT
c. DOMESTIC              c. MINIM

Answers:

1. a - YOU (Homophones of letters)
2. c - OUGHT (words that become new words when the last letter is shifted to the front)  
3. b - WEEVIL (words beginning with a pronoun)
4. a - MIMIC (words consisting of letters that are Roman numerals) 

NOTE: See also THE LAST WORD I - posted Oct. 30, 2014