What exceptional words turn into other words by transposition of letters?
language/english/spelling/operations.on.words/transposition Added material
Problem
What exceptional words turn into other words by transposition of letters?
Show solution
longest well-mixed transposal
CINEMATOGRAPHER, MEGACHIROPTERAN (15)
CENTAUROMACHIAS, MARCHANTIACEOUS (15)
[BASIPARACHROMATIN, MARSIPOBRANCHIATA (17)]
longest transposition list for each word length
03: ATE,TAE,TEA,EAT,ETA (5) [AET]
EAR,ERA,AER,ARE,REA (5)
YAR,RYA,ARY,RAY,AYR (5)
04: RASE,SERA,REAS,EARS,ARES,ARSE,ERAS,AERS,SEAR (9) [RESA,ESRA]
05: SALET,SETAL,SLATE,TALES,STALE,STEAL,STELA,TEALS,LEATS,TESLA,LEAST,
LATES,LAETS,TAELS,ATLES (15)
06: STALER,SALTER,ARTELS,SLATER,ALERTS,STELAR,RATELS,TALERS,LASTER,ALTERS,
ESTRAL,TARSEL (12) [RELAST,LASTRE,RESALT,RASTLE]
PERCAS,PACERS,CRAPES,SCARPE,SPACER,RECAPS,SCRAPE,PARSEC,CAPERS,ESCARP,
SPARCE,SECPAR (12)
07: RATINES,NERITAS,RETAINS,TANIERS,STARNIE,RETINAS,STEARIN,STAINER,
RETSINA,RESIANT,ANTSIER,RESTAIN,ANESTRI,NASTIER (14) [ASTERIN,ERANIST]
08: TEARINGS,GANTRIES,ANGRIEST,ASTRINGE,GANISTER,GRANITES,TANGIERS,
ANGRITES,INGRATES,RANGIEST (10) [SATINGER, SIGNATER]
09: TRICOSANE,CREATIONS,REACTIONS,CANOTIERS,ANORETICS,ATROSCINE,CONARITES,
CERTOSINA (8) [OSTRACINE,NARCOTISE,TINOCERAS]
10: CRENATIONS,CONTAINERS,SANCTIONER,COTARNINES,CONNARITES,NARCOTINES (6)
[RESANCTION]
11: CREATIONISM,REACTIONISM,MISCREATION,MARCIONITES,ANISOMETRIC (5)
[ROMANTICISE,RAMISCETION]
12: CONSARCINATE,TRANSOCEANIC,NARCACIONTES,ANACREONTICS (4)
ARENICOLITES,NEOREALISTIC,LECTIONARIES,RICINOLEATES (4)
13: CRETIFICATION,CERTIFICATION,RECTIFICATION (3)
IMPERCEPTIONS,PERCEPTIONISM,MISPERCEPTION (3)
[PICTORIALISED,PROIDEALISTIC,PERIDIASTOLIC,PERIODICALIST (4)]
14: CERTIFICATIONS,RECTIFICATIONS,CRETIFICATIONS (3)
BILATERALITIES,RELATABILITIES,ALTERABILITIES (3)
15: NOMOGRAPHICALLY,MONOGRAPHICALLY,PHONOGRAMICALLY (3) [GRAMOPHONICALLY]
16: PATHOPHYSIOLOGIC,PHYSIOPATHOLOGIC (2)
PHOTOCHRONOGRAPH,CHRONOPHOTOGRAPH (2)
CONSERVATIONISTS,CONVERSATIONISTS (2)
PRECHLORINATIONS,PERCHLORINATIONS (2)
SILICOTUNGSTATES,TUNGSTOSILICATES (2)
PHOSPHOGLYCERATE,GLYCEROPHOSPHATE (2)
PHOTOTELEGRAPHIC,TELEPHOTOGRAPHIC (2)
PHOSPHOMOLYBDATE,MOLYBDOPHOSPHATE (2)
BIOPSYCHOLOGICAL,PSYCHOBIOLOGICAL (2)
INTERNATIONALISM,INTERLAMINATIONS (2)
RADIOPHOTOGRAPHS,PHOTORADIOGRAPHS (2)
MACROPHOTOGRAPHY,PHOTOMACROGRAPHY (2)
MACROPHOTOGRAPHS,PHOTOMACROGRAPHS (2)
INTRACRYSTALLINE,INTRACISTERNALLY (2)
ALUMINOSILICATES,SILICOALUMINATES (2)
PETROGRAPHICALLY,PTERYLOGRAPHICAL (2)
CHONDRODYSPLASIA,DYSCHONDROPLASIA (2)
SACCULOUTRICULAR,UTRICULOSACCULAR (2)
THERMOBAROGRAPHS,BAROTHERMOGRAPHS (2)
AUTORADIOGRAPHIC,RADIOAUTOGRAPHIC (2)
17: PHOTOFLUOROMETRIC,FLUOROPHOTOMETRIC (2)
RETINOCHOROIDITIS,CHOROIDORETINITIS (2)
SPECTROMICROSCOPE,MICROSPECTROSCOPE (2)
IMPRESSIBLENESSES,PERMISSIBLENESSES (2)
PHOSPHOTUNGSTATES,TUNGSTOPHOSPHATES (2)
PHYSIOPATHOLOGIES,PATHOPHYSIOLOGIES (2)
MISREPRESENTATION,REPRESENTATIONISM (2)
PYELOURETEROGRAMS,URETEROPYELOGRAMS (2)
PHOTOTELEGRAPHIES,TELEPHOTOGRAPHIES (2)
PNEUMOHYDROTHORAX,HYDROPNEUMOTHORAX (2)
CHRONOPHOTOGRAPHY,PHOTOCHRONOGRAPHY (2)
PHOTOCHRONOGRAPHS,CHRONOPHOTOGRAPHS (2)
PHOSPHOGLYCERATES,GLYCEROPHOSPHATES (2)
PHOTOMICROGRAPHED,MICROPHOTOGRAPHED (2)
MICROPHOTOGRAPHIC,PHOTOMICROGRAPHIC (2)
MOLYBDOPHOSPHATES,PHOSPHOMOLYBDATES (2)
CHONDRODYSPLASIAS,DYSCHONDROPLASIAS (2)
AUTORADIOGRAPHIES,RADIOAUTOGRAPHIES (2)
18: PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGIES,PHYSIOPSYCHOLOGIES (2)
REPRESENTATIONISMS,MISREPRESENTATIONS (2)
PHOTOMICROGRAPHING,MICROPHOTOGRAPHING (2)
PHOTOMICROGRAPHIES,MICROPHOTOGRAPHIES (2)
SOCIOPSYCHOLOGICAL,PSYCHOSOCIOLOGICAL (2)
HEXAKISTETRAHEDRON,TETRAKISHEXAHEDRON (2)
PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL,PHYSIOPATHOLOGICAL (2)
MACROPHOTOGRAPHIES,PHOTOMACROGRAPHIES (2)
19: RETINOCHOROIDITISES,CHOROIDORETINITISES (2)
PNEUMOHYDROTHORAXES,HYDROPNEUMOTHORAXES (2)
PHOTOCHRONOGRAPHIES,CHRONOPHOTOGRAPHIES (2)
MENINGOENCEPHALITIS,ENCEPHALOMENINGITIS (2)
PHYSIOPSYCHOLOGICAL,PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL (2)
CORTICOADRENOTROPIC,ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC (2)
TETRAKISHEXAHEDRONS,HEXAKISTETRAHEDRONS (2)
TRANSUBSTANTIATIONS,TRANSSUBSTANTIATION (2)
21: ENCEPHALOMENINGITISES,MENINGOENCEPHALITISES (2)
27: HYDROXYDEOXYCORTICOSTERONES,HYDROXYDESOXYCORTICOSTERONE (2)
longest letter exchange PERCHLORINATIONS,PRECHLORINATIONS (16)
for each letter
13 : ACCOUTERMENTS,ACCOUTREMENTS
13 : ALTITUDINALLY,LATITUDINALLY
11 : BUFFELHEADS,BUFFLEHEADS
15 : CONCESSIONAIRES,CONCESSIONARIES
14 : DISCREETNESSES,DISCRETENESSES
12 : EDIFICATIONS,DEIFICATIONS
11 : ECTOMORPHIC,CETOMORPHIC
13 : FORWARDNESSES,FROWARDNESSES
13 : FUNCTIONAIRES,FUNCTIONARIES
11 : GUSTINESSES,GUTSINESSES
10 : GEOCENTRIC,EGOCENTRIC
12 : HYPOCHONDERS,HYPOCHONDRES
13 : INSATURATIONS,INSTAURATIONS
07 : JAEGERS,JAGEERS
09 : KAOLIANGS,KOALIANGS
08 : KASTURAS,KATSURAS
11 : LALOPATHIES,ALLOPATHIES
11 : LATERNARIAS,ALTERNARIAS
12 : MILLIONAIRES,MILLIONARIES
12 : NEOGENESISES,NOEGENESISES
11 : NEARTHROSIS,ENARTHROSIS
11 : NIDOLOGISTS,INDOLOGISTS
11 : NONENTRESES,NONENTRESSE
12 : ORTHOCENTERS,ORTHOCENTRES
11 : OPINIASTERS,OPINIASTRES
10 : OCTILLIONS,COTILLIONS
10 : OPTOMETERS,POTOMETERS
16 : PERCHLORINATIONS,PRECHLORINATIONS
14 : PARADISAICALLY,PARADISIACALLY
14 : PERVIOUSNESSES,PREVIOUSNESSES
14 : PETROGRAPHICAL,PTEROGRAPHICAL
13 : QUESTIONAIRES,QUESTIONARIES
12 : RECONNOITERS,RECONNOITRES
11 : REPERTOIRES,REPERTORIES
14 : SACRIFICATIONS,SCARIFICATIONS
12 : TENUIROSTERS,TENUIROSTRES
09 : TOLOACHES,TOOLACHES
08 : THICKEST,THICKSET,THICKETS
11 : USABILITIES,SUABILITIES
10 : UNTHATCHES,NUTHATCHES
10 : URINATIONS,RUINATIONS
07 : VAILING,AVILING
07 : VERSETS,VERSTES
10 : WARRANTIES,WARRANTISE
06 : YAREST,AYREST
05 : YAKAS,YAKSA
05 : YELMS,YLEMS
07 : ZAFFERS,ZAFFRES
05 : ZAMAN,NAMAZ
05 : ZORRA,ARROZ
04 : ZEUS,SUEZ
04 : ZIWS,SWIZ
most words in list
4 : ARUAS,AURAS,ARAUS,ARUSA
4 : BAED,ABED,BEAD,BADE
4 : BALAS,BLAAS,BAALS,BALSA
4 : BALE,ABLE,BLAE,BAEL
4 : GORES,OGRES,GOERS,GORSE
4 : LIAS,ILAS,LAIS,LISA
4 : MAIS,AMIS,MIAS,MASI
4 : MARAS,AMRAS,MAARS,MARSA
4 : NAIS,ANIS,NIAS,NASI
4 : RUES,URES,REUS,RUSE
4 : VIAS,IVAS,VAIS,VISA
longest reversal DESSERTS,STRESSED (8)
for each letter
7 : AMAROID,DIORAMA
6 : BRUTED,DETURB
5 : CABOB,BOBAC
5 : CABOT,TOBAC
5 : CAMUS,SUMAC
5 : CANAL,LANAC
5 : CARES,SERAC
5 : CIRES,SERIC
8 : DESSERTS,STRESSED
7 : DENOTES,SETONED
6 : ECITON,NOTICE
6 : ELIDES,SEDILE
6 : ELUTES,SETULE
6 : EVILER,RELIVE
5 : FIRES,SERIF
6 : GANGAN,NAGNAG
6 : HALLAN,NALLAH
5 : ILLUK,KULLI
5 : IZBAS,SABZI
5 : JAMAS,SAMAJ
5 : KAMIA,AIMAK
5 : KAYAN,NAYAK
5 : KEELS,SLEEK
5 : KEETS,STEEK
5 : KITAB,BATIK
5 : KITHS,SHTIK
5 : KNAPS,SPANK
5 : KNITS,STINK
5 : KNOTS,STONK
5 : KNUTS,STUNK
5 : KORAT,TAROK
5 : KRANS,SNARK
6 : LAKOTA,ATOKAL
6 : LAMINA,ANIMAL
6 : LEMMAS,SAMMEL
6 : LEVINS,SNIVEL
6 : LOOTER,RETOOL
6 : MUILLA,ALLIUM
6 : NAILED,DELIAN
6 : NAVARS,SRAVAN
6 : NEDDER,REDDEN
6 : NIMROD,DORMIN
6 : NIZIES,SEIZIN
6 : OTUSES,SESUTO
6 : PUPILS,SLIPUP
8 : REDRAWER,REWARDER
7 : SAGENES,SENEGAS
7 : SETOVER,REVOTES
7 : STINKER,REKNITS
7 : TRESSED,DESSERT
4 : UKUS,SUKU
4 : ULUA,AULU
4 : ULUS,SULU
4 : URUK,KURU
4 : USUS,SUSU
4 : UTIA,AITU
4 : VALS,SLAV
7 : WAH-WAH,HAW-HAW
6 : WARDER,REDRAW
6 : WOLFER,REFLOW
5 : WARTS,STRAW
5 : WORTS,STROW
4 : YAHS,SHAY
4 : YAOS,SOAY
4 : YAPS,SPAY
4 : YARD,DRAY
4 : YAWS,SWAY
5 : ZAMAN,NAMAZ
5 : ZORRA,ARROZ
transposition with deletion, insertion, or substitution
longest well-mixed transdeletion
SONOLUMINESCENCES, UNECONOMICALNESSES (17/18)
longest word transdeletable to a single letter
CONCENTRATIONS-CONSTERNATION-CONTORNIATES-TRANSECTION-
STENTORIAN-TRANSIENT-ENTRAINS-NASTIER-ASTERN-TEARS-SATE-TEA-AT-A (14)
longest Baltimore transdeletion (word transdeletable on every letter)
IDOLATERS: DELATORS, SOTERIAL, DILATERS, ASTEROID,
STOLIDER, SOREDIAL, DILATORS, DIASTOLE, TAILORED (9)
shortest word that cannot be transadded to another word SYZYGY (6)
longest well-mixed transubstitution
MICROELECTROPHORESIS, SPECTROCOLORIMETRIES (20)
****
All unbracketed words occur in Webster's Third New International Dictionary,
Merriam-Webster, Springfield, MA, 1961.
Additional material
In article <2sisbe$g17@franklin.MR.Net> Earl Keyser
<earl_keyser@hopkins.k12.mn.us> writes:
> Wanted - linking anagrams
> Example: a, an, ant, tang, giant, eating, ETC.
a
an
can
acne
enact
nectar
certain
interact
intricate
recitation
ratiocinate
ratiocinated
accreditation
contraindicate
contraindicated
`Contraindicated' is 15 letters long and therefore beats the solution in
the archives [Editor: CONCENTRATIONS, 14, under "longest word
transdeletable to a single letter"]. All 15 words are common
correctly-spelled words (I hope) although the word list I used was that
supplied by James Cherry with his anagram program.
While testing the software that found this solution I happened to print
a list of long transdeletables. Here are some of the best:
This was the funniest (15,16) transdeletable:
15 sycophantically --> psychoanalytical
Here are some other funny "synonym" pairs:
12 corporations --> coconspirator
12 creationists --> obstetricians
12 inconsistent --> nonscientists
11 indigestion --> disorienting
11 sustainable --> habitualness
11 parliaments --> planetariums
Here are some quasi-antonym pairs:
14 traditionalize --> detribalization
13 germinability --> impregnability
12 competitions --> protectionism
12 horribleness --> brotherliness
12 romanticized --> democratizing
11 harmonistic --> misanthropic
11 solemnities --> impoliteness
11 tunableness --> unstableness
Many other transdeletions seemed potentially "useful"; here's just a
few:
13 psychiatrists --> astrophysicist
12 arithmetical --> theatricalism
12 astronomical --> proclamations
12 heartstrings --> restraightens
12 stonecutters --> reconstitutes
11 fairgrounds --> surfboarding
11 comradeship --> demographics
11 greasepaint --> exasperating
11 inseminates --> intimateness
11 maraschinos --> anachronisms
11 obsolescent --> cobblestones
11 prehistoric --> directorship
11 priesthoods --> orthopedists
11 priesthoods --> spinsterhood
11 anglicanism --> malignancies
11 politicians --> implications
11 retaliation --> alliteration
11 scientology --> gynecologist
ObPuzzle: There are so many words in English that these types of
puzzles are dense with solutions. Can any other language approach
this?
-- James Allen <james@crc.ricoh.com>
In article <1994Jun15.131928.7847@crc.ricoh.com>, James Allen wrote:
Here are some 17-word chains from Webster's Third New International:
fEatherlessnesses nitrosoguanidineS observationalismS
Fatherlessnesses nitrosOguanidine observationalIsm
Heartlessnesses nitroguanidineS malobservationS
tEarlessnesses Nitroguanidine Malobservation
artlessnesseS reaudItioning obserVational
tearlesSness Unoriginated elaBorations
alerTnesses deniGration areOlations
realNesses Inordinate senAtorial
Snareless Rodentian laiRstone
realNess antInode tOenails
earleSs aNtedon salienT
Resale Donate alieNs
leasE Oaten aislE
Seal aNte Sail
lEa tEa aIl
La aT La
a a a
(The `featherlessnesses' list, BTW, gets a pristine
sigh of admiration from the BSD `spell'.)
From each word in the chain, remove the letter which I've upper-cased;
you can transpose the remaining letters to make the next word down.
-- quoted by Richard Sabey <rsa@swindon.gpsemi.com>
[ Editor: from James Allen's June 1994 posting of the 17-word
"linking anagram" chains (featherlessnesses, nitrosoguanidines,
observationalisms) given above, on how Webster's Third was searched. ]
ObPuzzle: if James refuses to release his search software and Chris
refuses to release his machine-readable Webster's, is there a method to
allow the software to search the list?
Anyway a `zero-knowledge protocol' was concocted, Webster's was
searched, and (drumroll, please!) as shown above there were three
families of 17-letter solutions! Each solution was 2 letters longer
than any solution previously encountered on the planet.
-- James Allen <james@crc.ricoh.com>