When they smile in their guile, and hiss as they sing,
And hide under flatteries a venomous sting."
Answer: Wasp, Asp, Was, As.
The following words will be found suitable for use in puzzles of this nature:—
Span. (Snap, spa, asp, pan, nap.)
Price. (Rice, ice, rip, rep.)
Lady. (Lad, day, lay.)
Angel. (Angle, glean, leg, glen, lane, gale, Lea.)
Degrade. (Grade, dare, dear, ear, are, dad, gear.)