This puzzle is based on sequences of words where each adjacent pair also combines to create a single word. (I'm using dictionary.com as my reference on which of these compounds are single words.) Fill in the blanks in the chains. I've tried to order them roughly by difficulty.
EX: quick - _____ - storm
The blank is "sand", since "quicksand" and "sandstorm" are both words, as is "sand" itself. Note that all of the blanks are words by themselves.
- hard - _____ - pile
- _____ - acetic
- re - _____ - lop
- tit - _____ - ode
- anima - _____ - _____
- be - _____ - close - _____
- in - _____ - ion
- _____ - cob - _____
- door - _____ - _____ - per
- back - _____ - yard
- plain - _____ - _____ - age
- _____ - base - _____ - _____ - _____ - ward
Note that there may be more than one answer for blanks (though I've tried to limit the possibilities). I'll put up my answers later this afternoon. Feel free to post any questions about the puzzle, boasts about solve times, rants about how easy/hard it was, or whatnot -- but no answers! (Comments are unscreened.) Enjoy!
