Answers for Daily #9

The starting word was

First moves

8 words are one letter away from DINING.

FINING: verb present participle and gerund of fine
LINING: noun A covering for the inside surface of something.
MINING: noun The activity of removing valuable resources (often minerals) from the earth.
PINING: verb present participle and gerund of pine
WINING: verb present participle and gerund of wine
DICING: verb present participle and gerund of dice

Also: DIKING, DIVING

DINING → DIKING → BIKING → BIKINI

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

Every Daily hides one golden word a few moves from the start. This one was FILING.

From DINING, 294 words can be reached one letter at a time.

Definitions from Wiktionary