Setting 1 provides an eight-letter word with no repeating letters. Setting 2 "stretches" that word a little -- each answer is a letter bank of a Setting 1 word.
Setting 3 continues to stretch the word... but at this point one of the letters drops out. Setting 4 is still longer, but drops a second letter.
The dropped letters, ordered by the second column, spell ANSWER IS STRETCH LIMOUSINE.
| Setting 1 | Setting 2 | Setting 3 | Setting 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AN | PATERSON | ESPERANTO | PROPONENTS | SPORTS REPORTER |
| SW | WAR CHEST | THE WATCHERS | WEATHER CHART | TEACHER TEACHER |
| ER | MORE THAN | MATTERHORN | MARATHON MAN | HANNAH MONTANA |
| IS | ASTEROID | RADIO SETS | STATE ROADS | ORDERED A RETREAT |
| ST | CITADELS | DELICATES | DIALECTICAL | ALICE LIDDELL |
| RE | LICENSOR | RECONCILES | CONNIE NIELSEN | LINCOLN ILLINOIS |
| TC | MAGNETIC | ENIGMATIC | MANIAC MAGEE | GAMING ENGINE |
| HL | MANHOLES | HOME LOANS | SALMONELLA | SEA ANEMONES |
| IM | MAITRE DS | DIAMETERS | DATA STREAM | STREET ADDRESS |
| OU | OUTCRIES | COURTIERS | CITRUS TREES | SISTER CITIES |
| SI | CENTIMOS | ECONOMIST | COMMON TIME | COMMENCEMENT |
| NE | PRALINES | AIRPLANES | PEP RALLIES | SARSAPARILLA |