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If you add an 'i', cr, it's the usual one-letter abbreviation for the resulting word. The other three letters of the answer are a word for butt shortened

Think cigarette

I see, thank you! There is a different word that one can shorten, which can also be considered a synonym as per Chambers, which results in the answer without the need for any further letters!

Ah yes, of course

Good point Chris, I hadn't even thought of that.

Before I proceed to try and negotiate the last part of what has proved to be a rather tedious slog, can someone please confirm that the graphic depiction will be slightly asymmetrical ? If not, I must have made a mistake with my 14 changed letters.

s1or1, my depiction is symmetrical but I may have failed to see what Somniloquist is expecting .. I agree that the changed characters are asymmetrical ..

There seems to be a lot of uncertainty about the depiction of the characters' fate. I saw two possibilities: one using erased cells and one using a nine-letter word. The latter neatly leaves an already changed letter as it is, so I lean towards that. But is that graphical?

Your post reassures me that my 14 letters are right, ukridge, so thanks for that. However, for what it's worth, of the two options you suggest I think erasure is preferable because firstly it is more 'graphic' and secondly your alternative will involve repeating the third word revealed by the initial step referred to in the preamble.

Even though erasure would involve removing one of the 14 letters !