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 meaningful word is formed in column III?

  1. A.

    AREA

  2. B.

    None of these

  3. C.

    DRUM

  4. D.

    CRUX

  5. E.

    IRON

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: E

Concept

This is a matrix word-grid: each of the 4 columns (read top to bottom) and each of the 4 rows (read left to right) must spell a meaningful English word. The reliable method is to treat the grid as a crossword — every cell sits in BOTH a row word and a column word, so a letter is fixed only when both the row and the column it belongs to admit exactly that letter. Fill the cells that are uniquely forced first, then let each newly fixed letter constrain its crossing word.

Setting up the grid

Place the clue letters at their stated positions (rows I–IV top to bottom, columns I–IV left to right):

  • Column I has V, A, T at positions I, II, IV → V A _ T.

  • Column II has H, O at positions III, IV → _ _ H O.

  • Column III has R at position II → _ R _ _ (the target word).

  • Column IV has N, T, S at positions I, III, IV → N _ T S.

Solving step by step

  1. Column I is V A _ T; the only meaningful word is VAST, so position III of column I is S.

  2. Column IV is N _ T S; this needs a vowel in position II. Look at Row II instead: it is A C R _ (from column I = A, column II = C once we fix it, column III = R). The only word is ACRE, forcing the last cell of Row II to E — so Column IV position II = E, giving NETS.

  3. Column II is _ _ H O; with Row I starting V_ and Row II = ACRE giving C in position II, Column II becomes E C H O = ECHO. So Row I position II = E and the grid's second column is fixed.

  4. Row I is now V E _ N; the meaningful word is VEIN, so the column III top cell (position I) = I.

  5. Column III now reads I R _ _. Completing it as a meaningful word gives IRON, which fixes position III = O and position IV = N.

  6. Cross-check the remaining rows: Row III = S H O T = SHOT and Row IV = T O N S = TONS — both meaningful, confirming the O and N just placed.

The completed 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

Column words: VAST, ECHO, IRON, NETS. Row words: VEIN, ACRE, SHOT, TONS — all eight are valid English words, and no letter appears more than twice, satisfying the repetition rule.

A note on the coding/place-value condition in the prompt: the four position clues together with the requirement that every row and column be a meaningful word already pin down a unique grid, so column III is determined without needing the A–1, B–2 … coding or the place-value addition. Those numeric clues act only as a redundant consistency layer and do not change the answer.

Result

Reading column III top to bottom gives IRON.

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