Directions : Read the given information carefully and answer the questions…
2023
Directions : Read the given information carefully and answer the questions based on it:
There is a matrix contains 4 rows (I, II, III and IV) top to bottom and 4 columns (I, II, III and IV) left to right.
Meaningful Word will be formed only when we go left to right in row and top to bottom in column.
Condition:
• No letters are repeated more than twice.
• Alphabets are coded as A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4, E-5, F-1, G-2, H-3, I-4…………. Y-5, Z-1.
• Place value of column and row are added to get cell value of particular row or column.
• If a column/row has one letter then the entire column/row should not have that letter. For ex- if row 1
and column 1 has ‘M’ letter then that letter should not be repeated in entire row 1 and column 1.
4 letter meaningful word has to be formed in each column:
In column I: I, II, IV positions contain letter V, A, T respectively.
In column II: III, IV positions contain letter H, O respectively.
In column III: II position contain letter R.
In column IV: I, III, IV position contain letter N, T, S respectively.
Which alphabet will come in (III, III) to make the meaningful word of row III and column III?
- A.
U
- B.
I
- C.
O
- D.
R
- E.
None of the above
Attempted by 5 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Concept:
This is a crossword-style word matrix. Reading any column top to bottom and any row left to right must each spell a valid 4-letter English word, and wherever a row and a column cross they must share the same letter at that cell. The technique is to start from a line that already shows three of its four letters, complete it to the only word that fits, and then use each crossing line to pin down the remaining blanks. The letter-coding (A-1, B-2, ...) and place-value rules only restrict which letters may legally co-occur; the actual answers are found by reading meaning across the rows and columns.
Application (filling the grid step by step):
Column I shows V, A, _, T at positions I, II, III, IV. The only word matching V A _ T is VAST, fixing (III, I) = S.
Column IV shows N, _, T, S at positions I, II, III, IV. N _ T S has multiple candidate real-word fits (e.g. NETS, NUTS, NITS); only NETS is confirmed once Row II is checked next, since none of the alternative fillers there completes a valid English word in that row, so E is provisionally fixed at (II, IV), pending that check.
Row IV now shows T, O, _, S (column I from VAST = T, column II = O given, column IV from NETS = S). T O _ S completes to TONS, fixing (IV, III) = N.
Row II now shows A, _, R, E (column I = A, column III = R given, column IV from NETS = E). A _ R E completes to ACRE, fixing (II, II) = C — and confirms E over the other candidates at (II, IV), since substituting them here (A _ R U, A _ R I) forms no valid English word.
Column II now shows _, C, H, O (rows I-IV). _ C H O completes to ECHO, fixing (I, II) = E.
Row I now shows V, E, _, N (column I = V, column II = E, column IV = N). V E _ N completes to VEIN, fixing (I, III) = I.
Column III now shows I, R, _, N at positions I, II, III, IV. I R _ N completes to IRON, fixing (III, III) = O.
Solved grid:
Col I | Col II | Col III | Col IV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Row I | V | E | I | N |
Row II | A | C | R | E |
Row III | S | H | O | T |
Row IV | T | O | N | S |
Result: By rows the words are VEIN, ACRE, SHOT, TONS; by columns they are VAST, ECHO, IRON, NETS. The cell (III, III) lies where row III (SHOT) crosses column III (IRON); both readings agree the shared letter there is O.
Cross-check: Read row III on its own: S, H, _, T with the new letter gives S H O T = SHOT, a valid word, and column III reads I R O N = IRON, also valid. Counting letters across the whole grid, none appears more than twice, so every stated condition holds. The letter at (III, III) is O.