From the following options, select the word which cannot be formed using the letters of the word MOTLIEST, assuming that no letter is used more times than it appears in the original word.

Introduction / Context:
Here, you must work with the base word MOTLIEST and decide which of the given options cannot be formed from its letters. These problems test the ability to track a limited pool of letters and to see quickly when a requested letter is not part of that pool. Being comfortable with such tasks is useful in many competitive examinations and also sharpens general attention to spellings and letter combinations.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Base word: MOTLIEST.
• Letters available: M, O, T, L, I, E, S, T (T appears twice, all others once).
• Options: SMITE, MINES, TILES, EMITS.
• No letter may be used more frequently than it appears in MOTLIEST.

Concept / Approach:
The method is to list the letters of the base word and then examine each option letter by letter. If all letters of an option appear within the base word and no letter is required in excess, that option is possible. If any letter is completely absent, the corresponding option cannot be formed and becomes our answer. Because MOTLIEST does not contain every alphabet letter, we should look especially for new letters like N, R, or similar.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Record letters in MOTLIEST: M, O, T, L, I, E, S, T. Step 2: Check SMITE: S, M, I, T, E all appear in the base word and within allowed frequency, so SMITE can be formed. Step 3: Check TILES: T, I, L, E, S are all available, so TILES can be formed. Step 4: Check EMITS: E, M, I, T, S all occur in MOTLIEST, so EMITS can be formed. Step 5: Check MINES: M, I, N, E, S are required. The letter N does not occur anywhere in MOTLIEST, so MINES cannot be formed from the base word.

Verification / Alternative check:
For a quick verification, scan the base word visually for each option. You will spot S, M, I, T and E easily, enabling SMITE. The same check shows that T, I, L, E, S and E, M, I, T, S all appear. However, when looking for N in MOTLIEST, it is clearly missing. This confirms that MINES is the only impossible option, and hence the required answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
SMITE, TILES and EMITS all consist solely of letters drawn from the base word, without any extra symbols and without exceeding the available T. Therefore they can all be formed and do not satisfy the condition of being impossible. Because the question explicitly asks for the word which cannot be formed, these options must be rejected as final answers.

Common Pitfalls:
The main pitfall is not noticing the missing letter N in MINES. Under exam pressure, many candidates mistakenly assume any common English word can be formed if some letters look similar. Others forget that the letter pool is limited and consider repeated letters without checking frequency. To avoid mistakes, write down the base letters and then actively look for each letter of every option, paying attention to new letters that are not present in the pool.

Final Answer:
The word that cannot be formed from MOTLIEST is MINES, so MINES is the correct answer.