Solution to Problem 24: "Letter Bourse #2"

Five letters will be in every row and column, so one cell in every row and column will be blank.  When we identify the blank cell in a row or column, we will say that the others will be "filled in", and illustrate this by painting the cells yellow.

This description will be terse.  If you followed along with the solution to Letter Bourse #1, you should have no trouble.

	Of A3 and A4, one is E and the other is blank, so A1, A2, A5, and A6 are all filled in.  A5 is D. Of D6 and E6, one is C and the other is blank, so B6, C6, and F6 are filled in.  C6 is B.  A6 isn't B, C, D, or E, so it must be A.   A2 isn't A, B, D, or E, so it must be C, and A1 must be B.  E1 must be blank, so E2 is B and F2 is blank.  The other entries is rows 1 and 2 and columns E and F are filled in.  D6 is blank, so the rest of column D is filled in.  D5 and E6 are both C, and F4 is A.
	E4 isn't A, B, C, or E, so it must be D.  E3 isn't B, C, D, or E, so it must be A, so E5 is E.  D4 and F5 must be B.  The B in column B must be at B3, so A3 is E, A4 and C3 and B5 are blank, and B4 is E. C4 is C and C5 is A. B6 is D, so F6 is E.  D3 is D, so F3 is C and F1 is D.  C1 is E, so C2 is D.  D2 is E, so D1 and B2 are both A and B1 is C.
	The rows in order are BCEAD CADEB EBDAC ECBDA DACEB ADBCE.

Comments: Like I said in the previous solution, I didn't put any time into either of the Letter Bourse puzzles during the test.  This was the hardest ten-point puzzle in the test, which might explain why only one person gave a solution for it.  (I am told that the lone solver is a veteran member of the US team and as such has seen enough Letter Bourses that he could solve them in his sleep.)