Plan B Forum

A common English language word nine (9) letters long; remove a letter and it becomes another common English language word, etc.; down to a single letter common English language word.

The correct response requires nine separate words.

I could give a swell surprise to the first one who gets it right and posts that in this thread; or, to make it even more fun, PM me what you think is the answer to preserve the opportunity for your fellow posters to play, too.

Have fun! (I'll tell you in advance, I got a brain cramp working out the answer. )

There are at least three valid answers and, with plural form starts, many more. (And yes, I cheated)

Cheater!!!!

Plural forms are also cheating, Meade.

I guess nobody was interested in the word teaser, but anyway, here's the answer (there are at least 4 words that work):

startling
remove the l, and the word becomes: starting
remove one t, and the word becomes: staring
remove the a, and the word becomes: string
remove the r, and the word becomes: sting
remove the other t, and the word becomes: sing
remove the g, and the word becomes: sin
remove the s, and the word becomes: in
remove the n, and the word becomes: I

stringier
remove one r, and the word becomes: stingier
remove one i, and the word becomes: stinger
remove the t, and the word becomes: singer
remove the other r, and the word becomes: singe
remove the g, and the word becomes: sine
remove the e, and the word becomes: sin
remove the s, and the word becomes: in
remove the n, and the word becomes: I

strapping
remove the s, and the word becomes: trapping
remove the t, and the word becomes: rapping
remove one p, and the word becomes: raping
remove the r, and the word becomes: aping
remove the a, and the word becomes: ping
remove the g, and the word becomes: pin
remove the other p, and the word becomes: in
remove the n, and the word becomes: I

scrapping
remove the s, and the word becomes: crapping
remove the c, and the word becomes: rapping
remove one p, and the word becomes: raping
remove the r, and the word becomes: aping
remove the a, and the word becomes: ping
remove the g, and the word becomes: pin
remove the other p, and the word becomes: in
remove the n, and the word becomes: I