Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: abmab
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
In many letter-and-symbol series problems, a short motif repeats with overlaps (the tail of one occurrence reappears as the head of the next). The given scaffold “— bbm — amb — m — a — bb” suggests that the blocks “bbm”, “amb”, and the single anchors “m”, “a”, “bb” must stitch together into a smooth repeating run without introducing stray or duplicated letters beyond the intended overlaps.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
Try each 5-letter candidate left-to-right. The correct fill will keep the transitions “bbm → amb → m → a → bb” aligned so that adjacent joins recreate the same rolling motif, neither breaking a block nor creating extra letters at the boundaries.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Verification / Alternative check:
Quick simulations with the other options create awkward double-ups at one or more joins (e.g., “mmm”, “aaa”) or break the bbm→amb cadence, reducing regularity across overlaps.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Common Pitfalls:
Focusing on only one join instead of checking all boundaries; accepting a solution that fixes the front but breaks the tail.
Final Answer:
abmab
Discussion & Comments