MISSING TRIOS II
Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzle
August, 2019

For each numbered group, fill in the same three missing letters (not necessarily in the same order) to complete a 7-letter, 6-letter, 5-letter, 4-letter, and 3-letter word. The missing trio is different for each group.

1)
_ _ P _ S S E
   _ _ L_ C E
    M _ X _ _
         _ _ _ L
            _ _ _

2)
_ _ S _ E S S
  _ _ R N E _
     _ _ _ R N
        B _ _ _
           _ _ _

3)
F R _ E _ A _
   _ E _ K L _
      _ _ E D _
          D _ _ _
              _ _ _

4)
_ E _ P A R _
   _ _ L _ A R
      _ _ _ G E
         _ _ L _
            _ _ _

5)
_ A R Q _ E _
      S _ _ _ I D
         _ _ L I _
           _ O _ _
               _ _ _

Answers:

1) The letters are IMA:
        IMPASSE
        MALICE
         MAXIM
          MAIL
           AIM

2) The letters are HOT:
          HOSTESS
          HORNET
           THORN
             BOTH
              HOT 

3) The letters are EWY:
          FREEWAY
          WEEKLY
           WEEDY
            DEWY 
             YEW 

4) The letters are LOD:
        LEOPARD
         DOLLAR
          LODGE
            DOLL
             OLD 

5)  The letters are PUT:
        PARQUET
          STUPID
          PULPIT
           POUT
            PUT