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Puzzles & Seating Arrangement
Carries 15-25 marks in both Prelims and Mains. The most important topic for banking exams.
Types of Arrangements
- Linear: People in a row; some facing North (default), some South.
- Circular: People around a table; can face inward or outward or mixed.
- Square/Rectangular: People at corners and sides; facing centre unless stated.
- Floor-based: People on different floors, sometimes with professions/cities.
Circular Arrangement Rules
• “Immediate left/right” — relative to the person facing inward (centre).
• “3rd to the right of A” = count 3 positions clockwise from A (when facing inward).
• Always draw a rough circle first, mark one known position, then fill clues one by one.
Puzzle Strategy
• Read all clues before placing any. Identify the “definite” clue first (no ambiguity).
• Create a grid/table for floor puzzles (rows = floors, columns = attributes).
• Mark possibilities with small letters; confirm with “√” when certain.
• Answer questions as you go — don’t wait to complete the puzzle fully.
Deductive reasoning from two or more statements to a conclusion. 3-5 questions per set.
Venn Diagram Method — Basic Cases
All A are B: A circle entirely inside B circle.
No A is B: A and B circles completely separate.
Some A are B: A and B circles partially overlapping.
Some A are not B: Part of A is outside B.
| Statement | Conclusion Type | Valid if |
|---|
| All A are B + All B are C | All A are C ✓ | Definite |
| All A are B + No B is C | No A is C ✓ | Definite |
| Some A are B + All B are C | Some A are C ✓ | Definite |
| Some A are B + No B is C | Some A are not C ✓ | Definite |
| No A is B + No B is C | No conclusion about A&C | Indeterminate |
Either-Or Conclusions
“Either I or II follows” applies when: Both I and II are individually invalid, but together they form a complementary pair (one is “some are” and the other is “some are not” about the same subjects).
Old Pattern
A word in a sentence is coded by a number or symbol. Look for letter position, reverse alphabet, +/-N pattern.
Alphabet Position
A=1, B=2 ... Z=26. Reverse: Z=1, Y=2 ... A=26. Opposite of a letter: A↔Z, B↔Y, C↔X (sum = 27). EJOTY trick: E=5, J=10, O=15, T=20, Y=25.
New Pattern (Machine Input)
A word+number string undergoes shifts in each step. Find the pattern in Step 1, verify with Step 2, apply to Input.
Tip
Look for: words arranged alphabetically or reverse, numbers arranged ascending/descending, alternating word-number placements. Most IBPS PO new pattern coding arranges words and numbers in alternating positions.
Key Relations
Father’s father = Grandfather • Mother’s brother = Maternal Uncle • Father’s sister = Aunt
Son’s wife = Daughter-in-law • Daughter’s husband = Son-in-law
Brother’s wife = Sister-in-law • Wife’s/Husband’s parents = In-laws
Strategy
Draw a family tree. Use M/F labels for gender. Start from the person whose relation to others is known. In coded blood relation questions, decode all “+/-/@#” symbols first into relation terms, then solve.
Rules
• A > B > C ⇒ A > C (direct chain works)
• A ≥ B > C ⇒ A > C (≥ and > chain: stronger sign survives)
• A > B < C ⇒ No definite relation between A and C
• A = B > C ⇒ A > C (equality passes through)
Coded Inequalities
When “@” means “>” and “#” means “<” etc., first write the decoded chain, then apply rules. Spend 5 seconds decoding, not re-reading the code for each question.
Direction Rules
• Turning right → clockwise. Turning left → anti-clockwise.
• North-South are opposite. East-West are opposite.
• Shadow: morning sun is in the East, so shadow falls to the West. Evening sun is in West, shadow falls East.
• Final distance: use Pythagoras theorem for diagonal distance.