1. Pick up sequentially from each row a letter(one of the four eligible) to create a meaningful expression.
2. Replace each of the 12 letters by a digit (0-3), representing the corresponding column.
3. Give a substantiated explanation of the number thus created.

0 1 2 3
A T L O
H N S P
E G B L
T O A M
A U R S
J T L R
S T O I
S D F M
R F N H
A I L O
A U L N
R R Y G

They're in reverse alphabetic order, so as to place words that are later in the set farther down:

 THETA
 THEM
 THE
 OSLO
 ONE
 ON
 OH
 O
 AS
 APE
 AN
 A
  SETS
  SET
  SEOUL
  SEA
  PETAL
  PET
  PEARL
  PEAR
  PEA
  NET
  NEAR
  HEM
  HEART
  HE
   LOST
   LAST
   GOUT
   GOATS
   GOATISH
   GOAT
   GOAL
   GO
   GAS
   ETA
   EMU
   EM
   EAST
   EARLS
   EARL
   EAR
   BOUT
   BOATS
   BOAT
   BOARS
   BOARISH
   BOAR
   BOA
   BAS
   BAR
   BAA
    TUT
    TATS
    TAT
    TARTS
    TART
    TARS
    TARO
    TARIFFING
    TARIFF
    TAR
    OUT
    OURS
    OUR
    OSLO
    OR
    OATS
    OAT
    OARS
    OAR
    O
    MUTTS
    MUTT
    MULISH
    MU
    MS
    MR
    MATT
    MATS
    MAT
    MARTS
    MART
    MARS
    MAR
    MALTS
    MALT
    MA
    AUTOS
    AUTO
    AS
    ARTS
    ART
    A
     STIFFING
     STIFF
     SLOSH
     SLIM
     SLID
     ATOM
     AT
     ARTS
     ART
     ARS
     ARID
     ALT
     A
      TOM
      TO
      TIS
      TIFFANY
      TIFF
      ROM
      ROD
      RIM
      RIFFING
      RIFF
      RID
      LO
      LIMNING
      LIMN
      LID
      JOSHING
      JOSH
      JIFF
       OM
       OFFING
       OFFAL
       OFF
       OF
       O
       IS
       IF
       ID
       I
        SHINY
        SHIN
        SHILY
        MR
        FRO
        FRIAR
        DRILY
         ROAR
         RING
         RANG
         RAN
         NO
         NIL
         N
         HOUR
         HON
         HOLY
         HOAR
         HO
         HI
         HANG
         HA
         FOUR
         FLU
         FLAY
         FLAG
         FIN
         FANG
         FAN
          OUR
          ON
          OAR
          O
          LUG
          LAY
          LAG
          LA
          IN
          I
          ANY
          AN
          A
           N

Posted by Charlie on 2011-08-19 10:19:06