Answers for Daily #2

The starting word was

First moves

12 words are one letter away from WADE.

FADE: adjective Weak; insipid; tasteless.
JADE: noun A semiprecious stone, either nephrite or jadeite, generally green or white in color, often used for carving figurines.
MADE: noun A grub or maggot.
WIDE: adjective Having a large physical extent from side to side.
WAGE: noun An amount of money paid to a worker for a specified quantity of work, usually calculated on an hourly basis and expressed in an amount of money per hour.
WAKE: verb (often followed by up) To stop sleeping.

Also: WALE, WANE, WARE, WAVE, WADI, WADS

WADE → WADS → WAYS → WHYS

Once the words before it are used, nobody can change WHYS: a dead end, worth 3 extra points.

From WADE, 2,140 words can be reached one letter at a time.

11 players. Best: 7 words and 12 points. Average: 1.5 words.

Definitions from Wiktionary