This is interesting. I can see what the author is trying to express, although it is very hard to explain why I agree or disagree with any of their choices. I think it comes down to the context where these words are normally used. "skulk" is associated with danger. If somebody is trying to avoid you, they are "a stranger hiding in the shadows". If somebody might be preparing to rob you, or they are spying on you, they are "a stranger skulking in the shadows". The difference in wording makes you think of a very different situation with a much less friendly stranger. "tucker" is a very dated term, and I would associate it with an excessively polite, gentle way of speaking from rural areas of the US, particularly the South and Midwest, and particularly 70+ years ago. It's like a term you'd see in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird more than something you'd hear somebody from New York say in 2023. I'm not sure "turpitude" sounds "buttery" to me, although I can't say why (I think I would have matched it with "crawl, blubber, squeal, drip"). And "estivate" I have never heard used, so it would seem unwise to comment. 😂 Best of luck with this exercise!