I apologize for the mistake in the code. Here's a brief explanation of the "circle packing by iterative removal" algorithm:

1. Start with an empty container (e.g. a rectangle or a circle).

2. Add the first circle to the container at a random location.

3. For each subsequent circle, find the largest circle that can be packed into the container without overlapping with any of the existing circles.

4. If no circle can be packed without overlap, remove the smallest circle from the container and try again with the next circle.

5. Repeat steps 3-4 until all circles have been packed.

This algorithm can be implemented in various ways, depending on the specific requirements of the problem. The code I provided earlier attempted to implement the algorithm using a "growing" variable to determine whether a circle was still able to grow without overlapping with any of the existing circles. However, as you pointed out, there was an error in the code.

I hope this explanation helps! Let me know if you have any further questions.