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The word that won't quit being a word


bonanova
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Question

Can you write down a 9-letter word that permits you to erase it, one letter at a time, such that after each erasure a valid (English) word remains? (As implied, the letter order remains the same throughout.)

Clue:

Spoiler

the word contains an "A" or an "I" or both... B))

Example:

Spoiler

SCANT
SCA T
 CA T
  A T
  A


 

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Spoiler

ATROPHIES:  wasting aways
- A => TROPHIES: awards
- E => TROPHIS: a tropical American tree genus
- S => TROPHI: the mouthparts of an arthropod
- R => TOPHI: a deposit of urates in tissues
- H => TOPI: a pith helmet
- I => TOP: uppermost
- T => OP: operation
- P => O: oh
other possible final sequences: ...>TOI>TO>O; ...> TOI>TI>I'; ...>TOI>OI>I; ...>TOI>OI>O; ...>TOP>TO>O
   TOI = the mountain cabbage tree; TO = toward; TI = a musical note; OI = a type of punk music/oy; I = me

There are many possible solutions.

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Two of the many other possible solutions -- the second of which begins with a 12-letter word, and the first having only the beginning or ending letters being erased, thus not forming words with additional white space within the word.

 

Spoiler

9) prelatesS: (archaic) a female prelate or wife of a prelate
8) Prelates: a ecclesiatic of high order
7) relateS: gives an account of; establishes a connection
6) Relate: to give an account of; to establish a connection

5) Elate: to make very happy or proud
4) Late: tardy
3) atE: consumed
2) aT: preposition used to indate a location or position
1) a: indefinite article

12) abranchiateS : an organism without branchiae
11) Abranchiate: without branchiae
10) branchiaTe: having branchiae
9) branchiaE: plural of branchia

8) braNchia: a gill or other organ having the same function
7) brachIa: plural of brachium, the part of the arm from shoulder to elbow
6) brachA: (in Judaism) blessing
5) braCh: (archaic) a hound
4) Brah: a brother; a male friend or buddy
3) Rah: (interjection) used as an exclamation of encouragement to a team or player
2) aH: (interjection) an exclamation expressing pleasure, pain, sympathy, etc.

1) a: indefinite article

 

 

Edited by DejMar
formatting to remove invisible line breaks
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