📖 Content (मुख्य सामग्री + परीक्षक का जाल बॉक्स)
CHAPTER 5: SIMPLE PUZZLES
Tame the puzzle, don’t let it tame you.
🎯 WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
Identify 4 common types of simple puzzles — arrangement, comparison, scheduling, direction.
Convert puzzle clues into easy diagrams in under 30 seconds.
Spot definite information and use it to eliminate wrong cases.
Avoid the 3 most common traps examiners set in easy puzzles.
Solve any simple puzzle set (2–3 questions) in under 2 minutes with zero mistakes.
🔥 THE HOOK: A PUZZLE THAT TEASES YOUR BRAIN
Five friends — Amit, Bunty, Chetan, Deep, and Ehsan — are standing in a ticket queue.
Only two clues are given:
Chetan is standing immediately behind Deep.
Amit is not first.
Question: Who is definitely last?
Take a moment.
If you thought, “I need more info,” you are absolutely right. This is what a simple puzzle looks like when clues are half-hidden. And yet, with a clear system, you can still find some answers confidently while discarding assumptions. That’s what this chapter will do — give you a system that never fails.
😰 WHY SIMPLE PUZZLES FEEL HARD
Most students struggle not because the puzzle is tough, but because:
They start drawing before understanding the clues.
They treat all clues equally and lose time.
They forget that “immediately” and “somewhere” are worlds apart.
Panic sets in when two cases appear.
But here is the truth: Simple puzzles are logic equations wearing a story. And logic becomes easy when you break it into tiny, bite-sized steps.
🧩 STEP 1: KNOW YOUR ENEMY — THE 4 TYPES
In simple puzzles, you will almost always meet one of these 4 patterns. Recognising the type is half the victory.
| Type | What it looks like | Example trigger words |
|---|---|---|
| Arrangement | Sitting/standing in a row, circle, or facing each other | “left of”, “right of”, “opposite” |
| Comparison / Ranking | Tallest, richest, fastest, marks, age | “taller than”, “scored more”, “younger” |
| Scheduling | Days of week, months, time slots | “Monday”, “after two days”, “3 p.m.” |
| Direction-Distance | Moving left-right, north-south, turns | “moved east”, “turned right” |
🧠 Active Recall: Close your eyes and name the 4 types without looking. Now, which one does the ticket queue puzzle belong to? (Answer: Arrangement.)
🛠️ STEP 2: YOUR MAGIC TOOL — THE DIAGRAM
Puzzles are never solved in your head. You build a visual skeleton. Here’s how to draw it for each type:
Row arrangement (all facing same direction): Draw boxes numbered 1, 2, 3... and use arrows for left/right (← L, R →).
Circular arrangement: Draw a circle with 4, 6, or 8 points. Mark “Facing centre” (F.C.) or “Facing outside” (F.O.) if given.
Comparison: Use a vertical arrow ↑ (higher) or horizontal line with > symbols.
Scheduling: Draw a simple Monday–Sunday strip or a timeline.
Direction: Use a tiny compass (N↑, S↓, E→, W←) and plot step-by-step.
Golden rule: Put only one letter or symbol per position — your diagram must stay clean.
🧠 Active Recall: In a row where all are facing North, whose “right” is on the East side? (Answer: Everyone’s right is East, left is West.)
🔍 STEP 3: DECODE CLUES — DEFINITE vs RELATIVE
Every clue is either:
Definite (pins a person or value to a fixed spot) — Example: “Deep is at position 3.”
Relative (links two or more things) — Example: “Chetan is to the left of Bunty.”
Your job: hunt for definite clues first. Place them directly in the diagram. Then use relative clues to build cases.
📦 STEP 4: CASES — YOUR FRIEND, NOT YOUR FOE
When a clue fits in two possible ways, create Case 1 and Case 2.
Now, one by one, test the remaining clues. The case that breaks a clue gets struck out. You are left with the true arrangement.
Example:
Clue: P is second to the right of Q.
If Q can sit at position 1 or 4, make two cases. Later clues will kill one.
🧠 Active Recall: What should you do when you have two possible placements for a person?
(Answer: Make Case 1 and Case 2, then test further clues.)
🧠 MNEMONIC TRICK: D.R.A.C. (Dracula’s Secret)
Remember the solving flow with D.R.A.C.:
D — Diagram draw (first 10 seconds)
R — Read clues and mark Definite ones
A — Add Relative clues using cases
C — Cross-check all clues at the end
Say it once: “Draw-Read-Add-Cross-check.” It sticks.
⚡ THE 2-MINUTE DRILL (PER SET OF 3 QUESTIONS)
0:00–0:20 → Identify puzzle type & draw diagram.
0:20–0:40 → Place all definite clues.
0:40–1:10 → Add relative clues; build max. 2 cases.
1:10–1:40 → Strike off invalid cases; fix final arrangement.
1:40–2:00 → Answer questions by matching options with your diagram.
📌 COMMON ERRORS THAT COST MARKS
“Immediate” skipped: “A is left of B” does NOT mean “immediate left”. Always check if the word immediately is present.
Left-right confusion in circular facing outside: When facing outside, a person’s left hand points anti-clockwise. Reverse mental compass.
Assuming all names are distinct genders: If not given, never assume.
Overwriting cases: If you’re making more than 3 cases, re-read — you missed a definite clue. Simple puzzles rarely need more than 2.
📊 SUMMARY TABLE: SIMPLE PUZZLES AT A GLANCE
| Aspect | Key Action |
|---|---|
| Type identification | Spot keywords: left/right, taller, day, direction |
| Definite vs Relative | Place definite first; relative after |
| Case building | Max 2 cases; eliminate with next clues |
| Diagram | Clean, single letters, direction arrows |
| Time target | 2 minutes per set of 3 questions |
| Mnemonic | D.R.A.C. — Diagram, Read definite, Add relative, Cross-check |
📅 REVIEW THIS AFTER 2 DAYS
Set a reminder. After two days, solve any 5 simple puzzle sets from Practice section. Use D.R.A.C. and the 2-minute drill. Check how many sets you completed within time.
⚠️ CAUTION: EXAMINER’S TRAP
Boxed section:
⚠️ EXAMINER’S TRAP — Simple Puzzles
The “Misplaced Immediate” Trap
Examiners love to write “A is left of B” when the question in options asks “Who is immediately left?” You assume immediate, but it wasn’t given.
Escape: Underline the word immediately wherever you see it in the question. If it’s not in the clue, don’t assume it.
The “Vague Direction” Trap
In circular puzzles, they often omit “facing centre/outside”. Then an option says, “X is second to the left of Y.” Without facing direction, “left” can mean opposite things. The examiner knows you’ll fix a direction mentally.
Escape: If facing direction isn’t specified, treat left/right as relative to seating order only, and choose options that are true in both possibilities, or wait for a directional anchor.
The “Extra Relationship” Trap
A simple puzzle may add an extra link like “A, who is tallest, likes blue.” You then spend time processing the colour link, which has zero use in answering the seating question. The examiner wants you to waste time.
Escape: Always read the question first. If colour isn’t asked, completely ignore the colour part of the clue.
End of chapter.