WORD WEAVING II (Not original title)
Credit: GAMES Magazine
July, 2005
Stephen Sniderman

The answers to the first two clues in each set of three below can be "woven" together to form the answer to the third clue. The number of letters in the first two answer words are given in parentheses. For example, given the three clues

Wields - as power (6)
Peach, cherry, or apple (3)
Mastery,

The answer to Wields - as power would be EXERTS
The answer to Peach, cherry, or apple would be PIE
and these two words could be woven together to define Mastery as EXPERTISE.

The letters remain in left-to-right order and do not need to be re-arranged. The number of letters in the answer to the third clue is always 9.


1)
Snare (4)
Robbery (5)
Counselor

2)
Ideas on how to get something done (4)
Seeker's quarry in a children's game  (5)
Be a womanizer

3)
Burst, as a balloon (3)
Pelted with rocks (6)
Rescheduled

4)
_____ Alto
Writer Chekhov
Commedia dell'arte role

5)
Walk proudly (arrogantly) (5)
Remedy (4)
Building

6)
Mist (3)
Spoiled - as food (6)
Unrecalled

7)
Eye covering (5)
Stash belowdecks (4)
Timing device

8)
Prison, in slang (3)
Heartily enjoy (6)
Fill again

Answers:

1. TRAP - HEIST - THERAPIST
2. PLAN - HIDER - PHILANDER
3. POP - STONED - POSTPONED
4. PALO - ANTON - PANTALOON
5. STRUT - CURE - STRUCTURE
6. FOG - ROTTEN - FORGOTTEN
7. PATCH - STOW - STOPWATCH
8. PEN - RELISH - REPLENISH

Note from JA: This puzzle can be made more challenging if you mix up the order of the clues in each set, as they are in the original version. 

Original title:

THREESOMES