The term 'PLANT OF A SORT' can be solved by the crossword solutions MOLE (4 letters) and SPY (3 letters). A MOLE is a type of subterranean mammal that lives underground and has a cylindrical body covered in fur. A SPY is a person who secretly collects information about an enemy or competitor, usually for political or military purposes. Both moles and spies are plants of a sort, as they are both covertly gathering information.