There is a common English word that is nine letters long.

Each time you remove a letter from it, it still remains an English word - from nine letters right down to a single letter.

What is the original word, and what are the words that it becomes after removing one letter at a time?

Solving via computer, and deleting lines with more uncommon words produces the following list:

(This includes a couple of extra sequences starting with startling, and the more common starting words include cleansers, restarted, roadsters, splatters, stampeded, starlings, strapping, trampling, trappings and wrappings.)

abridgers abridges bridges ridges rides rids rid id I
abridgers abridges bridges ridges rides ride rid id I
abridgers abridges bridges ridges ridge ride rid id I
abridgers abridges bridges brides rides rids rid id I
abridgers abridges bridges brides rides ride rid id I
abridgers abridges bridges brides bides bids bid id I
abridgers abridges bridges brides bides bide bid id I
abridgers abridges bridges brides bride ride rid id I
abridgers abridges bridges brides bride bide bid id I
abridgers abridges bridges bridge ridge ride rid id I
abridgers abridges bridges bridge bride ride rid id I
abridgers abridges bridges bridge bride bide bid id I
abridgers abridges abridge bridge ridge ride rid id I
abridgers abridges abridge bridge bride ride rid id I
abridgers abridges abridge bridge bride bide bid id I
abridgers abridger abridge bridge ridge ride rid id I
abridgers abridger abridge bridge bride ride rid id I
abridgers abridger abridge bridge bride bide bid id I
cleansers cleanses cleanse cleans clans cans can an a
cleansers cleanses cleanse cleans clans clan can an a
cleansers cleanses cleanse cleans clean clan can an a
cleansers cleanser cleanse cleans clans cans can an a
cleansers cleanser cleanse cleans clans clan can an a
cleansers cleanser cleanse cleans clean clan can an a
pilasters plasters pasters pastes pates pats pat at a
pilasters plasters pasters pastes pates pate ate at a
pilasters plasters pasters pastes pates pate pat at a
pilasters plasters pasters pastes paste pate ate at a
pilasters plasters pasters pastes paste pate pat at a
pilasters plasters pasters pastes paste past pat at a
pilasters plasters pasters paster paste pate ate at a
pilasters plasters pasters paster paste pate pat at a
pilasters plasters pasters paster paste past pat at a
pilasters plasters plaster laster later late ate at a
pilasters plasters plaster paster paste pate ate at a
pilasters plasters plaster paster paste pate pat at a
pilasters plasters plaster paster paste past pat at a
pilasters piasters pasters pastes pates pats pat at a
pilasters piasters pasters pastes pates pate ate at a
pilasters piasters pasters pastes pates pate pat at a
pilasters piasters pasters pastes paste pate ate at a
pilasters piasters pasters pastes paste pate pat at a
pilasters piasters pasters pastes paste past pat at a
pilasters piasters pasters paster paste pate ate at a
pilasters piasters pasters paster paste pate pat at a
pilasters piasters pasters paster paste past pat at a
pilasters piasters piaster paster paste pate ate at a
pilasters piasters piaster paster paste pate pat at a
pilasters piasters piaster paster paste past pat at a
pilasters pilaster plaster laster later late ate at a
pilasters pilaster plaster paster paste pate ate at a
pilasters pilaster plaster paster paste pate pat at a
pilasters pilaster plaster paster paste past pat at a
pilasters pilaster piaster paster paste pate ate at a
pilasters pilaster piaster paster paste pate pat at a
pilasters pilaster piaster paster paste past pat at a
restarted restated restate estate state sate ate at a
restarted restated restate estate state sate sat at a
restarted restated restate estate state stat sat at a
roadsters roasters rasters raters rates rats rat at a
roadsters roasters rasters raters rates rate ate at a
roadsters roasters rasters raters rates rate rat at a
roadsters roasters rasters raters rater rate ate at a
roadsters roasters rasters raters rater rate rat at a
roadsters roasters rasters raster rater rate ate at a
roadsters roasters rasters raster rater rate rat at a
roadsters roasters roaster raster rater rate ate at a
roadsters roasters roaster raster rater rate rat at a
roadsters roadster roaster raster rater rate ate at a
roadsters roadster roaster raster rater rate rat at a
shinglers shingles singles singes sines sins sin in I
shinglers shingles singles singes sines sine sin in I
shinglers shingles singles singes sings sins sin in I
shinglers shingles singles singes sings sing sin in I
shinglers shingles singles singes singe sine sin in I
shinglers shingles singles singes singe sing sin in I
shinglers shingles singles single singe sine sin in I
shinglers shingles singles single singe sing sin in I
shinglers shingles shingle single singe sine sin in I
shinglers shingles shingle single singe sing sin in I
shinglers shingler shingle single singe sine sin in I
shinglers shingler shingle single singe sing sin in I
sparkling sparking sparing spring sprig prig pig pi I
splatters platters platter latter later late ate at a
splatters platters platter latter later late ate at a
splatters splatter platter latter later late ate at a
splatters splatter platter latter later late ate at a
stampeded stampede stamped tamped tamed tame tam am a
stampedes stampede stamped tamped tamed tame tam am a
starlings starling staring string sting sing sin in I
startling starling staring string sting sing sin in I
startling starting stating sating sting sing sin in I
startling starting staring string sting sing sin in I
strapping trapping rapping raping aping ping pig pi I
strapping trapping rapping raping aping ping pin in I
strapping trapping rapping raping aping ping pin pi I
strapping trapping rapping raping aping ping pig pi I
strapping trapping rapping raping aping ping pin in I
strapping trapping rapping raping aping ping pin pi I
strapping trapping tapping taping aping ping pig pi I
strapping trapping tapping taping aping ping pin in I
strapping trapping tapping taping aping ping pin pi I
strapping trapping tapping taping aping ping pig pi I
strapping trapping tapping taping aping ping pin in I
strapping trapping tapping taping aping ping pin pi I
stringers stingers singers singes sines sins sin in I
stringers stingers singers singes sines sine sin in I
stringers stingers singers singes sings sins sin in I
stringers stingers singers singes sings sing sin in I
stringers stingers singers singes singe sine sin in I
stringers stingers singers singes singe sing sin in I
stringers stingers singers singer singe sine sin in I
stringers stingers singers singer singe sing sin in I
stringers stingers stinger singer singe sine sin in I
stringers stingers stinger singer singe sing sin in I
stringers stringer stinger singer singe sine sin in I
stringers stringer stinger singer singe sing sin in I
stringier stingier stinger singer singe sine sin in I
stringier stingier stinger singer singe sing sin in I
stringier stringer stinger singer singe sine sin in I
stringier stringer stinger singer singe sing sin in I
tramplers trampers tampers tamers tames tams tam am a
tramplers trampers tampers tamers tames tame tam am a
tramplers trampers tampers tamers tamer tame tam am a
tramplers trampers tampers tamper tamer tame tam am a
tramplers trampers tramper tamper tamer tame tam am a
tramplers trampler tramper tamper tamer tame tam am a
trampling tramping tamping taping aping ping pig pi I
trampling tramping tamping taping aping ping pin in I
trampling tramping tamping taping aping ping pin pi I
trappings trapping rapping raping aping ping pig pi I
trappings trapping rapping raping aping ping pin in I
trappings trapping rapping raping aping ping pin pi I
trappings trapping rapping raping aping ping pig pi I
trappings trapping rapping raping aping ping pin in I
trappings trapping rapping raping aping ping pin pi I
trappings trapping tapping taping aping ping pig pi I
trappings trapping tapping taping aping ping pin in I
trappings trapping tapping taping aping ping pin pi I
trappings trapping tapping taping aping ping pig pi I
trappings trapping tapping taping aping ping pin in I
trappings trapping tapping taping aping ping pin pi I
wrappings wrapping rapping raping aping ping pig pi I
wrappings wrapping rapping raping aping ping pin in I
wrappings wrapping rapping raping aping ping pin pi I
wrappings wrapping rapping raping aping ping pig pi I
wrappings wrapping rapping raping aping ping pin in I
wrappings wrapping rapping raping aping ping pin pi I

Posted by Charlie on 2003-08-19 08:59:50