Word ladder

shames

(You are as cute as the Bluebird bluegems.)

shakes

(sorry about that...wrong game)

shame

has

haste 

chasten 

teach 

the

tenth

hutment

(I cheated )

Munte   (Romania)

sometimes you feel like a

nut

sometimes you don't :-)

input

puniest

I am guilty of breaking Rule 5 by using a proper name sometimes, like the name of a city. But I plead innocent this time as punist is not hyphenated, abbreviated, contracted. not a proper name, a prefix nor a suffix.  Now, one might claim it is not a real word  as I could only find it in the urban dictionary. BUT language is an evolving media and we have here the opportunity to be on the cutting edge of elocution. Please know my reply is totally tongue in cheek and I will bow to Merriam Webster as my guide  from now on but may not be able to contribute as often when constrained by rules!