This is based on the Add-A-Gram puzzles by wildBillMunson. You need to find a chain of words, such that each next word is an anagram of the previous word plus an additional letter.

Example: a doctor inside a rejection inside an elector; the solution is "vet", "veto", "voter".

Here is the chain for you to solve:

a root inside a symbol inside a division inside a landing inside dullness inside brightness inside a counter inside a liar inside a lie inside commanders inside substitutes inside instruments.

Each one is a single word. That's 12 different words in total. Can you identify them?

• Haha this is fun to see from the other side! :) – wildBillMunson Jan 12 '17 at 6:58

Here we go -

a root — i   ($i=\sqrt{-1}$)
a symbol — pi
a division — rip
a landing — pier
dullness — tripe
brightness — esprit
a counter — riposte
a liar — imposter
a lie — misreport
commanders — imperators
substitutes — temporaries
instruments — polarimeters or vaporimeters

• Haha you literally beat me at my own game! :) – wildBillMunson Jan 12 '17 at 7:41
• @wildBillMunson Lol! well played. – Rubio Jan 12 '17 at 7:41
• It's both rewarding and humbling to create a puzzle type and then get beaten on said puzzle type within 24 hours! :D – wildBillMunson Jan 12 '17 at 7:43
• @Rubio You are right that "pie" is not right. – MikeQ Jan 12 '17 at 12:21
• @Rubio You may want to change that 'pie' part to either 'pri' (primera division) or 'rpi', also known as rensselaer polytechnic institutes, that has its own sport clubs and divisions (e.g. ice hockey). Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute – Mike Limburg Jan 12 '17 at 13:15