Word Pryramids
A Word Pyramid is a collection of dictionary words with each word having one letter less or more than its previous one. Moreover, each word can be found by inserting or deleting a letter to the previous word and anagramming. For instance: RUE SURE USERS RHESUS USHER HERS SHE is a valid word pyramid. Finding Word Pyramids containing long words is a favorite pastime in many countries.
    In the following puzzles, the words which fill the blanks form a word pyramid. The goal is to fill the blanks. An interesting passage is obtained as a reward.

---

What Art Thou?
    A _ _ _ _ of Artists were working on their canvasses. One of them was trying to reproduce a _ _ _ _ _, while another was drawing the The Hibiscus, coloring each _ _ _ _ _ _ of the flower in a different hue. My favorite was a piece simply called Bedlam. The scene was presumably of an asylum showing the various
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ dressed in their drab white shirts and blue pyjamas. In sharp contrast, the nurses and wardens were arrayed in dazzling _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of various colors with brooches and necklaces _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ down their ornate bodies. The doctor stood in the middle of the room with the authority of a
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ controlling all the creatures around him. All in all, the piece was very _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and a whim of possessing it seemed to grow in my mind.
    Fortunately, I was able to _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ myself and I reminded myself to stay on my _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and not go dabbling in Art. For although sometimes Art may be pleasing to the _ _ _ _ _ _, my brain needs to _ _ _ _ _ a lot before I go and buy it. I have heard people _ _ _ _ and rave about it a lot, but my humble self could never appreciate the work of _ _ _.


In the Line of Fire?
    The temperature began to _ _ _ _ as the fire spread. _ _ _ _ _ was being suspected, but there was no _ _ _ _ _ _ for the suspicion. It was suspected since the
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ said so. No one really believed him, for you cannot believe these people. No one except the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of course, they believe everything as long as its in writing.
    Well it didn't matter if people believed him or not, the crime was to be investigated. On our protagonist's suggestion, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ all across the town were lined up. He explained in his _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ voice that these people were to be suspected because of their easy access to oil. I do not know if the real cause of the fire will ever come out, but the good news is that our man can surely kiss his chances of _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ good-bye.


The Meritricious Messenger

_ _ _ of integrity and honour Who don't care about their _ _ _ _ Are hard to find in any corner Of the globe. From Minsk to _ _ _ _ _, I've searched far and I've searched deep, But they always seem to somehow _ _ _ _ _ _ Hidden, as if they have secrets to keep, Revelations of which may cause them shame.

At last, in a land both remote and far At an International Postal _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Held at a place called Haroun-al-Fetz Famous for its Obelisks and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , I found one Hero, more wiser and braver, Giving a plenary talk titled: "On Damping Envelopes with Adhesives of _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Flavor To Assist Constant and Repeated _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _."

The Magic of Zhiosuan
    The _ _ _ _ was busy and crowded. At a distance, I could see the _ _ _ _ _ of the Ban-Lukh looking over majestically. Our tour guide, Ho, related stories about the temple, while I fed on the _ _ _ _ _ _ plums I ever tasted in my life. Dressed in loud _ _ _ _ _ _ _, Ho told us about the various legends of the Ban-Lukh. A myth that still _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ today among the people living around the Ban-Lukh was about a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of the temple.
It is told that she has a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ in the neighboring town performing _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ for the local people for a living. On hearing this, I lost interest in Ho's narrative and directed my interest at the multifarious shops beside the water. The antique store hung out its delicate _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ while the quaint bookstore beside it displayed old _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ which I am sure contained a truer version about the Ban-Lukh. Looking around me, I was sure this was the place all my _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ friends would love to come to. The streets with their charming shops, the market with their _ _ _ _ _ _ _ fruits and the people in their colorful _ _ _ _ _ _ : there was so much life in this small harbour town, that it made all the other big cities I have been to seem dull and _ _ _ _ _ . With the Ban-Lukh overseeing this beautiful nook, I decided that if I were ever to _ _ _ _ of my busy life, I would come back to this mini-paradise and rejuvenate myself.


The Baptist
    John left the _ _ _ on the table. Not much, for he only had a _ _ _ _ to drink. He never had more for too much made him quite _ _ _ _ _. Once, he was unable to distinguish his ankle from his _ _ _ _ _ _ leading to trouble while wearing his shoe. Apart from that silly misadventure, John was considered _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and learned among his fellow men. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ revered him especially, for he also possessed a countenance which would have sailed a thousand ships, had he been born a woman. Although John was too modest to _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ such vain beliefs himself, one part of him did fill with foolish pride. Hence, he could not explain his _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ with his spouse, whose reasons were lack of professional growth in the male implying a lack of ambition!


La mort de l'homme superbe
    Claire Deschamps was a _ _ _ and a reporter, both of which explained her fiery nature. She worked at the La planate quotidienne having a similar _ _ _ _ as Lois Lane. Of course she was much _ _ _ _ _ than her which made her flying with Superbehomme quite an _ _ _ _ _ _. She was smarter than Lois too. While Lois chose to wear a pretty airy nightdress on her aerial tours, the chic Claire chose the _ _ _ _ _ _ _, proving her flights to be suitable for all viewers.
    Seeing her, Superbehomme decided to try them himself (being a Frenchman he refused to be seen in a red underwear above his pants), which was pretty tragic. One day, in mid-flight, he discovered to his dismay that the new garment was not quite _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to his muscular frame. He crashed into a passing hot-air balloon and burst (he burst, the balloon was again a French balloon). Of course, the city of Nice mourned, which was pretty nice of them. Claire wrote a heart-wrenching _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ about him which greatly increased his fame. Toy-store owners began to horde Superbehomme toys and every house which had a kid, had a Superbehomme doll. Claire denounced all these _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, as for her Superbehomme stayed alive in her heart.


The Indolent
    _ statment was heard. "I _ _ tired." It seemed to come from the _ _ _ sitting in the corner. He had no _ _ _ _. At least, no one knew what it _ _ _ _ _. All he did was sit in that corner and _ _ _ _ _ _ about the dreadful _ _ _ _ _ _ _ he had for years. Surely, he didn't seem his _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ when he did so, but then its worth knowing his story.
    He worked as an engineer at the Grand Central station. His main duty was to take care of any mechanical problems at the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. He specialised in being a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of the tracks. One day, he refused to join them back which obviously led to a number of _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . His point was that trains were not being made _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ like cars or planes. Needless to say, his firing from the engineering job was one of the various _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of his action. He ended up cleaning _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ at the station, although some say he was lucky not to get anything _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . Since that day on, our protagonist has cried about the inability of people to see the _ _ _ _ _ _ in his actions. "No one _ _ _ _ _ to look at thing from a different angle any more!" He sat in the corner and refused to _ _ _ _ any more. "Well _ _ _ ," he answers when he _ _ questioned today about his reluctance, "_ am tired."