The following array of "*'s" 'masks' four three letter words which are to be read in the usual practice of left to right, and top down.

* * * * * * * *

Now here are some considerations.
1. Letter frequency is not restricted.
2. When all places are filled, all letters are rotated one place (direction is immaterial) around the square. At that point you must still have four three letter words.
3. Common English words are preferred.

(Words borrowed from other languages are acceptable, but try to limit words rarely found in English.)

(In reply to computer solutions by Charlie)

To tell whether a given solution is double (actually, triple) in that the rotation could go either way from the way presented (that is, CCW in addition to the CW already accounted for), the 4th and 8th listed words on the first, linear, line just have to spell a word when spelled backward, such as

ago god ode wed awe law ala lag
ago
l d
awe

where wed backward is dew and lag backward is gal.

The rest of the words take care of themselves.

Posted by Charlie on 2008-08-06 17:13:58