If the word STANZA is coded as TSBMAZ, then PARA is coded as?

Concept

In this coding pattern, the letters of the word are shifted through the alphabet one step at a time, but the DIRECTION of the shift alternates with each letter's position: letters in odd positions (1st, 3rd, 5th, ...) move one step forward, and letters in even positions (2nd, 4th, 6th, ...) move one step backward. The alphabet is treated as cyclic, so a forward step from Z wraps to A, and a backward step from A wraps to Z.

Application

First confirm the rule against the given example, STANZA -> TSBMAZ, letter by letter:

1. S (1st, forward) -> T

2. T (2nd, backward) -> S

3. A (3rd, forward) -> B

4. N (4th, backward) -> M

5. Z (5th, forward, wraps) -> A

6. A (6th, backward, wraps) -> Z

This reproduces TSBMAZ exactly, confirming the alternating forward/backward rule. Now apply the same rule to PARA, letter by letter:

1. P (1st, forward) -> Q

2. A (2nd, backward, wraps) -> Z

3. R (3rd, forward) -> S

4. A (4th, backward, wraps) -> Z

Cross-check

Decode the derived code back the opposite way: applying the reverse shift (backward on odd positions, forward on even positions) to the derived code should return PARA. Reversing the derived letters this way reproduces P, A, R, A exactly, confirming the forward derivation is correct.

Result

So PARA is coded as QZSZ.