FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS I
Credit: GAMES Magazine
April, 2005
Stephen Sniderman

Each numbered two-word phrase below can be turned into a single word by a simple process. Change one letter in the first word, then insert the second word somewhere within that changed first word. As a solving hint, each letter change involves a neighbor letter: that is, an A can only change to Z or B, B can only change to A or C, and so on. For the purposes of this puzzle, a Q-less alphabet is the rule, so pretend that R comes right after P. For example, given the clue phrase

SUED ROLL, change the U to T (making STED), then insert ROLL between the T and E, making ST(ROLL)ED.  Note: Changing the first word does not have to result in a real word.

1. REIGN  OVER
2. VETO  ERA
3. BURGEON  MUD
4. TALE  HIM
5. TONES  MAT
6. DIVING  ONCE
7. COLT  PLAIN
8. BAA  ONAN
9. CUE  ASSET
10. SPHERE MEW
11. MANE KIN
12. PARENT THESE
13. TEE THERE
14. JACK NAPS
15. EIGHT ORES

Answers:

1. SOVEREIGN
2. VETERAN
3. CURMUDGEON
4. THIMBLE
5. TOMATOES
6. CONCEIVING
7. COMPLAINT
8.  BONANZA
9. CASSETTE
10. SOMEWHERE
11. MANKIND
12. PARENTHESES
13. TETHERED
14. KNAPSACK
15. FORESIGHT