This is a logic grid puzzle requiring some basic music theory. Based on the thirteen clues, Alex, Blake, Casey, and Drew must be assigned the correct ordering, voice parts, and note-naming systems, which are shown here:
| Singer | Alex | Blake | Casey | Drew |
| Order | 2nd | 1st | 4th | 3rd |
| Part | tenor | alto | bass | soprano |
| System | solfege | letters | solfege | letters |
By examining the alto part, it can be deduced that the chorale must be in the key of D minor. The “practice routine” is reconstructed by identifying the syllables that each singer uses in the proper order, using the key of D minor for the movable-do solfege and the chromatic syllable te for the flatted seventh in the bass.
- Blake sings the alto part on letters → D, E
- Alex sings the tenor part on solfege → SOL
- Drew sings the soprano part on letters → A
- Casey sings the bass part on solfege → TE
Thus, the solution is DE + SOL + A + TE = DESOLATE.