A word puzzle. 1000 points.........

.....to anyone who can guess the answer within the next 2 hours!

What nine letter word in the English language is still a word when each of the nine letters is removed one by one?



Here's a Hint: the letters are not removed one at a time from either end, but are taken mostly from the middle, 1 at a time, until you get down to the last 3 or 4 remaining letters and you finally end up with one letter. Each time you remove a letter, the result is a new word.

Good luck!

Startling



I looked it up though, so you don't have to give me any points, lol.

Originally Posted by AlleyGirl

Startling

I looked it up though, so you don't have to give me any points, lol.

Click to expand...

Awww!! I knew that too!! But you beat me to it!

Originally Posted by AlleyGirl

Startling

I looked it up though, so you don't have to give me any points, lol.

Click to expand...

If you show everyone how it works - I'll still give you the points.

Yeah show me how it works!!

Startling
Starting
Staring
String
Sting
Sing
Sin
In
I

(You can give the points to Alley Girl, I never would have gotten the original word, I just HAD to figure this out )

It won't let me copy and paste for some reason, but its on this page

http://www.snopes.com/language/puzzlers/9letters.asp

I sent both of you the points!!

In future contests, maybe answers should be given by PM, so the whole game isn't given away before anyone can try to figure it out...