Easy as ABC – Hard

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Easy as ABC (also known as "ABC End View" or "Last Man Standing") is a logic puzzle played on a square grid. The objective is to place a specific set of letters (for example, A through E) in the grid such that each letter appears exactly once in each row and each column, with the rest of the cells left blank. Clues are given around the edges of the grid, indicating the first letter seen from that direction.

Basic Rules

• The puzzle grid is square, with each row and column containing each letter exactly once.
• Only one of each letter should appear in any given row or column, with remaining cells left empty.
• Letters placed outside the grid indicate which letter will appear first when viewing the row or column from that direction.

Additional Rules

• If a letter clue is placed on the outside of a row or column, it signifies that this is the first letter visible in that direction, ignoring any blank cells.

Basic Solving Tips

1. Start with clues: Begin by filling in cells that must contain a specific letter based on the clues around the grid.
2. Work systematically: As each letter can only appear once per row and column, you can eliminate possible placements based on where other letters are located.
3. Use blank spaces to your advantage: Remember that cells can be left empty. Use this fact to work around restrictions imposed by filled cells.
4. Look for contradictions: If placing a letter creates a conflict (such as two of the same letter in a row or column), backtrack and reassess.

Tips Specific to Easy as ABC

• Utilize directional clues early: These clues tell you the first visible letter in that row or column. Starting with these can give you a strong foundation, as they often narrow down possibilities in multiple rows and columns simultaneously.
• Cross-check rows and columns: After filling in cells based on one directional clue, cross-check with clues from the opposite side to see if additional restrictions apply.
• Leave empty cells deliberately: Since not all cells need to be filled, you can leave certain cells blank to better satisfy both the row/column uniqueness and directional clue requirements.