Babbage's Other Engine

Hints & Solutions
Highlight the white text inside the block for hints ranging from vague to specific...

Hint 1: In order, the answers to the "in" clues are TANGO, NATION, CORSET, CONCESSION, SHORTER, DRESS, BENCH, PANE, AUNT, DIRECT. Solution: The transformations (in order) are:

Add a music note at the front: NATION -> DONATION

Change the fourth letter to N: CORSET -> CORNET

Drop the last letter and reverse: TANGO -> GNAT

Insert L after the first letter: PANE -> PLANE

Change the third letter to A: -> BENCH -> BEACH

Replace the first letter with CO: AUNT -> COUNT

Move the third letter one later and double it: DIRECT -> DISSECT

Replace a conjunction with UT: SHORTER -> SHUTTER

Move the fourth letter 3 forward: CONCESSION -> CONFESSION

Apply all this to the leftover word DRESS:

DRESS -> REDRESS -> REDNESS -> SENDER -> SLENDER -> SLANDER -> COLANDER -> COMMANDER -> COMMUTER -> COMPUTER