THREE TO ONE
The Puzzlemaster Presents Vol. 2
Will Shortz

Each of the following sentences has two blanks. Switch the first and third letters of the word that goes in either blank to get the other. For example,

When her manufacturer's _______ didn't arrive fast enough, the customer called to ________ company officials.

The answer words would be REBATE and BERATE.

1. Hurry up! Don't ________ if you want to see the duck ________ across the road.

2. After Fort ________ was fired upon at the start of the Civil War, Confederate officials worked to ________ support for their cause.

3. Anyone who commits a crime in Katmandu will experience the harsh ________ system of ________.

4. In India, a can of tomato ________ costs just one ________.

5. After coming indoors from mowing the lawn, I had to ________ my steps across the ________ to get back to the mower.

6. The biochemist raced to find a cure for the ________ infection before his bitter ________ did.

7. The closing of the  ________ quarry was a ________ in environmental progress.

8. Cleaning up the water along the Maine coast should ________ the ________ production for fishermen.

9. The fruit stand was stocked with both ________ and ________.

Answers:

1. DAWDLE - WADDLE
2. SUMTER - MUSTER
3. PENAL - NEPAL
4. PUREE -RUPEE
5. RETRACE - TERRACE
6. VIRAL - RIVAL
7. LIMESTONE -  MILESTONE
8. BOLSTER - LOBSTER
9. LEMONS - MELONS (either order)