| A | B |
| conventional | usual; traditional |
| forerunner | person or thing that came before |
| predatory | given to stealing from or hunting others for one's own gain |
| impasse | a situation in which no progress can be made; a deadlock |
| decoy | person or thing used to distract others or lead them in a different direction |
| puny | weak and small |
| brindled | light brownish yellow or grayish with streaks or spots of a darker color |
| hustle | to gain by energetic effort |
| cohort | companion or associate |
| alcove | a small hollow space in a wall |