Cryptic Place Names

[J9PUR]

I would be very grateful for any help as to how to solve the following puzzle.

The stages of the puzzle are stated as:

1) Using the clues, make up 7 places names
2) Work out the connection to find the missing places
3) Find the final word

The clues I have are:
1) R M T S E A O
2) O O O B S P N
3) M A H S R I N
4) B L R U
5) L L N U
6) E E N I D T A
7) R E S S S


I have already spent hours on this with no progress at all. I cannot seem to find out HOW to make a place name from the clues.

Many thanks!

[Calibax]

Hi J9PUR, Is there a theme to this? Are there any more instructions you haven't posted? I too have spent ages poring over the clues without any success. They don't seem to be anagrams or cryptograms, I've tried adding letters and deleting letters but no luck. It's a real toughie.

[J9PUR]

Thank you Calibax for your time and effort - but that it all I have.

I've also tried anagrams, letter substitution, working vertically as well as horizontally.

[bulliver]

I don't understand the lines and line numbers but if you just take the letters as a complete set then it offers you the letters for 'ROME', 'LONDON', 'PARIS', 'BERLIN', 'ATHENS' and 'BRUSSELS'. This leaves six letters left over: A, T, O, S, M, U but I can't see a place name with those letters so maybe I have gone wrong somewhere or the letters are incorrect.

[J9PUR]

Thank you bulliver - that is a great help!