These consonants have suddenly appeared in the groups below. The words in each group are related. Can you figure out what they are?

-1. dlwr, mntn, flrd
-2. frgt, frry, glln
-3. stn, dyl, twd, chrst, rwlng
-4. frc, rp, strl
-5. nttr, chth, bbn
-6. sntr, hldy, blfnt
-7. nptn, rns, rth
-8. rbn, drtc, srgss
-9. mrld, prdt, mnstn
-10. mhmh, prch, trt

2. frigate, ferry, galleon - ships/boats

8. Arabian, Adriatic, Sargasso seas

1. Delaware, Montana, Florida - states

9. emerald, peridot, moonstone - gems

7. Neptune, Uranus, Earth - planets

6. Sinatra, Holiday, Belafonte - singers

4. Africa, Europe, Australia

I think that 3 is fabrics, being Satin and Tweed with a third one I cannot work out but which could be Viyella if the D is a typo for V.

5. anteater, cheetah, baboon, animals.

Hi Cue. Nice puzzle.

You all amaze me

Lex, you picked a real toughie. I was thinking about this clue and thought it didn't give much to go on. I thought about changing the way the puzzle works the next time I put one together. Anyway, I added a bit to the clue for #3.

Thanks, Curly

10. mahimahi, perch, trout - fish

You caught a nice group there.

I think the puzzle is great as it stands, despite the fact that I have no idea of the answer to 3!

Added a couple more clues to the group for #3.

3 now looks like writers, perhaps Austen, Doyle, Atwood, Christie and Rowling

(although that does not quite fit with your earlier vowel hint... )

Keeping you on your toes, Lex

I did notice that I'd missed a "u" in that hint when I posted these add ons. Anyway, future clues will have to be more adequate to be able to come up with an answer without too much gray hair and head scratching.

My main problem was picking Doyle and having to check that Conan Doyle was not a hyphenated surname (as I thought it might be)!

No harm at all in having something in The Garden causing extra brain damage.