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Ok, here is a simple puzzle to think :-
Find the largest lettered word such that deleting one letter at a time can give you a meaningful word in each step .
Note that only deletions are allowed, in each step you can only delete one letter.
Also proper nouns, abbreviations or acronyms, rearrangements of words or anagrams are not allowed.
Each word should be a valid word according to the MW dictionary .

Have Fun. :-)

Bonus :- Find the largest lettered word if deletions and insertions, both are allowed. (You cannot delete and insert alternatively, or you probably have no solutions) .

Anonymous
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    What does "rearrangements of words or anagrams" mean? Can we anagram the letters? Can we have an intermediate step that is an anagram? What does your bonus mean? (I'm having trouble parsing the rules for it at all) – bobble Oct 18 '20 at 16:02
  • I think a couple of examples of legal and illegal words will help greatly. Using few letters, of course. I'm really confused by your "Also proper nouns, abbreviations or acronyms, rearrangements/anagrams." Also what? They are also allowed? They are also banned? – Anthony Ingram-Westover Oct 18 '20 at 16:30
  • @Anonymous. A suggestion. I think for this to work you should put a lower limit for the word : like minimum 10 letters. Oherwise you might get too many answers starting with 5 letter words. I am sure you have a word in mind. – DrD Oct 18 '20 at 17:54
  • Please check out this question and answers. https://puzzling.stackexchange.com/questions/9890/the-most-words-that-can-be-made-by-successively-adding-one-letter-to-the-origina#:~:text=If%20you%20start%20with%3A%20dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane,form%2C%20is%2029%20letters%20long. – DrD Oct 18 '20 at 18:13

1 Answers1

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Here is my 10 letter word:

Shearlings

shearlings: skin from a recently sheared sheep or lamb that has been tanned and dressed with the wool left on

shearling: skin from a recently sheared sheep or lamb that has been tanned and dressed with the wool left on

shearing: to cut off the hair from

hearing: the process, function, or power of perceiving sound

earing: a line used to fasten a corner of a sail to the yard or gaff or to haul a reef cringle to the yard

aring: to make a telephone call to (someone)

ring: a circular band for holding, connecting, hanging, pulling, packing, or sealing

rig: to fit out with rigging

ri: refractive index

i: the one who is speaking or writing

risky mysteries
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