A combinatorial interpretation of \((1/k!)\Delta ^ kt^ n\) (Q1117931)

The noncentral Stirling number of the second kind \(S^ n_ k(t)\) is the iterated forward difference of the polynomial \(x^ n\) evaluated at \(x=t\). \(S^ n_ k(0)\) gives back the usual Stirling numbers of the second kind. The authors prove that for \(t\geq 0\), \(S^ n_ k(t)\) is the number of Graham-Rothschild k-parameter words of length n over a t-letter alphabet. For \(t\leq 0\), a more complicated combinatorial interpretation is given for \(S^{n-2t}_{k-2t}(t)\), it is also the cardinality of a word set. The exponential generating function of noncentral Bell numbers contains a typo.