The English alphabet is written as A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z. If the first five letters are reversed, the next five letters are also reversed, and so on in blocks of five letters (with the final letter Z left unchanged), what will be the second letter to the left of the seventeenth letter from the right in this new arrangement?

Introduction / Context:
Alphabet test questions are common in reasoning and aptitude exams. They test a candidate's ability to manipulate sequences, follow multi step instructions, and keep track of positions from the left and from the right. In this problem, the alphabet is divided into groups of five letters, each group is reversed, and then a positional question is asked. Careful handling of each step is essential to avoid simple counting errors.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Original alphabet sequence: A to Z in normal order.
- Grouping: letters are taken in blocks of five (A–E, F–J, K–O, P–T, U–Y) and Z stands alone.
- Each block of five letters is reversed, but Z remains as Z at the end.
- We must find the seventeenth letter from the right in the new sequence, and then the second letter to the left of that letter.

Concept / Approach:
The key idea is to construct or mentally track the transformed sequence after reversing each block. Once the new sequence is clear, standard positional counting from the right and from the left can be used. Breaking the work into smaller stages (grouping, reversing, and then counting) reduces confusion and keeps the logic transparent. Writing the sequence explicitly is often safer than relying only on mental imagery in exam conditions.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Group the alphabet into blocks of five: A B C D E, F G H I J, K L M N O, P Q R S T, U V W X Y, and the single letter Z. Step 2: Reverse each five letter block: A B C D E becomes E D C B A F G H I J becomes J I H G F K L M N O becomes O N M L K P Q R S T becomes T S R Q P U V W X Y becomes Y X W V U Z remains Z. Step 3: Combine them to form the new sequence: E D C B A J I H G F O N M L K T S R Q P Y X W V U Z. Step 4: Count the seventeenth letter from the right. There are 26 letters. Seventeenth from the right is (26 − 17 + 1) = 10th from the left. Step 5: The 10th letter from the left in the new sequence is F. Now move two letters to the left of F, which are at positions 9 and 8 from the left, namely G and H. The second letter to the left is H.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, recalculate both key positions independently. First confirm the new sequence carefully. Then recount letters from the right to ensure that the seventeenth from the right is indeed the tenth from the left. Finally, verify that positions eight, nine, and ten from the left are H, G, and F in correct order. This double checking removes the risk of a simple off by one error, which is common in such problems.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- "S" and "R" are present in the sequence but do not match the calculated positional requirement.
- "G" is the first letter to the left of F, not the second letter to the left.
Only "H" corresponds exactly to the second position to the left of the identified seventeenth from the right.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often forget to treat Z separately or miscount the number of letters in each reversed block. Another frequent error is to confuse counting from the left and from the right, or to forget to add one when converting between the two. Writing the sequence clearly, labelling a few positions, and working slowly through the conversions avoids such mistakes and improves accuracy in similar alphabet reasoning questions.

Final Answer:
After performing the indicated reversals and positional counts, the required letter is H.