Futoshiki: Another Numerical Logic Puzzle

Adding to the group of numerically based logic puzzles like Sudoku, Kakuro, Ken-Ken, and Hidato, which I already regularly play, Futoshiki recently came to my attention.  It is a puzzle based on inequalities between the squares, with "greater than" and "lesser than" symbols separating them, either vertically or horizontally.  The occasional absence between squares of such a symbol means that the relationship between the two adjacent numbers is not revealed...not exactly an aid in solving the puzzle.  Otherwise, Futoshiki operates in similar fashion to Sudoku in that each row or column contains unique numbers covering those available...e.g., in a five-digit game, 1,2,3,4, and 5 each appear once in each row and column...in different orders, of course, based on the inequality signs that direct the flow of the game.

Right now, I'm focusing on the "easy" Futoshiki puzzles as I develop my own strategies for solving them.  On different websites that provide these puzzles, they often provide a section revealing strategies for filling them in.  That would, for me, take away much of the pleasure I derive from this pastime, since developing my own techniques is a major part of the activity...