Thanks so much, Paul and Karl! I tested continuity and the wire passed--assuming "passed" means I heard a beep when I set the DMM to continuity and touched the test leads to the terminals.
Karl, does using electrical tape pose a functional problem or is it more that it gets in the way?
Paul, fortunately, I can't see the wire through the burn spot, just a patch of unsightly burnt insulation. From the photo of the final build in the manual, it looks like this wire is not at risk of contacting any other wires or components. Would you say I'm okay to move forward with the kit?