Arrange the following words in the sequence in which they occur in the dictionary: 1. Decollete 2. Desecrate 3. Decorous 4. Desipicable 5. Destitute

Introduction / Context:
This dictionary order problem involves five words that all begin with “De-”: Decollete, Desecrate, Decorous, Desipicable and Destitute. Even though some spellings look slightly unusual, the alphabetical rules remain the same: compare letters from left to right, and place words in the order dictated by those comparisons.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Words with indices:
1. Decollete
2. Desecrate
3. Decorous
4. Desipicable
5. Destitute
- We assume standard alphabetical ordering, ignoring accents or stylistic marks.

Concept / Approach:
All words share the prefix “de”. The next letters “c” and “s” divide the list into two main groups: those starting with “dec…” and those starting with “des…”. Since c comes before s, all “dec…” words must appear before any “des…” words. Inside each group, we compare further letters to determine the precise order. Within “des…”, we again separate based on subsequent letters e, i and t.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Split the words by their third letter after “de”. Decollete → d e c… Decorous → d e c… Desecrate → d e s e… Desipicable → d e s i… Destitute → d e s t… Step 2: Since c comes before s, all “dec…” words (1 and 3) come before all “des…” words (2, 4, 5). Step 3: Order the “dec…” words: Decollete vs Decorous. Decollete: d e c o l l e t e; Decorous: d e c o r o u s. Up to “deco”, letters are the same. Next letters are l (Decollete) vs r (Decorous). Since l comes before r, Decollete (1) comes before Decorous (3). Step 4: Order the “des…” words based on the fourth letter: Desecrate (d e s e…), Desipicable (d e s i…), Destitute (d e s t…). Alphabetically, e < i < t. So the “des…” group is Desecrate (2), then Desipicable (4), then Destitute (5). Step 5: Combine: Decollete (1), Decorous (3), Desecrate (2), Desipicable (4), Destitute (5) → 1,3,2,4,5.

Verification / Alternative check:
Imagine scanning a dictionary starting at “dec…”. You would see “decollete” then “decorous”. After finishing “dec…”, you would move to “des…”, where words are ordered by their fourth and fifth letters, giving “dese…”, then “desi…”, and finally “dest…”. This mental check reproduces the sequence 13245, confirming the answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- 15243 wrongly inserts Destitute (des t…) among the “dec…” words, which contradicts the c < s rule at the third letter.
- 32451 starts with Decorous and Desecrate, even though Decollete should precede Decorous and all “dec…” words should precede any “des…” word.
- 45231 places Desipicable first, mixing “des…” words before “dec…” words, which is not alphabetically valid.

Common Pitfalls:
A key source of error is failing to divide the words into “dec…” and “des…” groups and attempting to order all five at once. Some candidates also misread or overlook the third letter because the words look long and similar. By consciously grouping and then comparing only at the first point of difference, you can handle such problems reliably.

Final Answer:
The correct dictionary order is Decollete, Decorous, Desecrate, Desipicable, Destitute, corresponding to 13245.