The rule says to change only one letter. "Change"... as in changing the letter M in "smear" to B, then re-arrange it to "bears".
However, no where does it specify we cannot double up letters, re-arrange them, or even drop more than one letter. If no one did this, the game would come to a dead end, which has already happened. It's not rule-breaking, it's just adding our own yet still following the original one.
Let's just let people follow the rule the best they can and enjoy sharing new words with each other without trying to offend anyone. There is no that "one guy that can't play by the rules" here. :)
"Craved"
Removing the D, yet changing only the v to a t =
crate