The clues below lead to two words that differ by only a single letter.

1. A cad - Wander 

2. Fossil fuel - Persuade

3. Income - Getting even

4. Young male - Container 

5. Comply - A place to live

6. Wooden support of a roof - Suitor

7. A sweet gesture - A mean gesture

8. Playground staple - Going to court

9. Numbers - Small, Medium, and Large

10. Basketball players, usually - Interesting story

11. A device regulating liquid flow - A moral standard

12 Inventor's concern - Existing, but not yet developed

13. A union or association - Brief or casual involvement

14. Iconic Italian astronomer's first name - His last name

15. Wide-spread and unchecked - Defensive wall of a castle or city 

Answers:

 

1. ROUE - ROVE

2. COAL - COAX

3. REVENUE - REVENGE

4. BOY - BOX

5. ABIDE - ABODE

6. BEAM - BEAU

7. KISS - HISS

8. SWING - SUING

9. SIXES - SIZES

10. TALL - TALE

11. VALVE - VALUE*

12. PATENT - LATENT

13. ALLIANCE - DALLIANCE

14. GALILEO - GALILEI

15. RAMPANT - RAMPART 

 

Credit: 

A. Ross Eckler

WORD WAYS

The Journal of Recreational Linguistics

 

*VALVE and VALUE are the only two English words that can interchange V and U to get valid words.