LR08 — Puzzle Test and Seating Arrangement

🧠 AFCAT Reasoning · LR08 ✈️ AFCAT Level

📌 AFCAT Pattern (LR08): Seating Arrangement and Scheduling puzzles contribute 3–5 questions (often as a set). A set of conditions describes how people are arranged in a row or circle. You must deduce the complete arrangement and answer questions. Always use a grid or diagram — never solve mentally.

1. Linear Arrangement — Method

Steps for Linear Puzzles

Draw n boxes for n people immediately
Fix people at absolute positions first (ends, specific seats)
Use consecutive clues next (“A is next to B”)
Use negative clues last (“C is not at position 1”)
Try both possibilities when ambiguous and eliminate

Key Directional Terms

“Immediate right” = one seat to the right
“Second to the left of A” = 2 seats left of A
If facing North: your right = East direction
If two rows face each other: their left/right is reversed

Worked Example — 5-person row

A,B,C,D,E in a row facing North. B at one end. A immediately right of C. E between D and A. D not adjacent to B.
Try B=position 1 (left end). A right of C: pairs [C,A] possible at 2,3 or 3,4 or 4,5.
E between D and A: D,E,A or A,E,D pattern. D not adjacent to B(pos1) → D≠2.
If C=2,A=3: E between D and A. D must be at 5 (right end), then E=4, sequence: B,C,A,E,D. Check: D not adj to B(1)? D=5 ✓. E between D(5) and A(3)? E=4 ✓. Final: B, C, A, E, D

2. Circular Arrangement — Method

Circular Rules

Fix one person — this eliminates rotation confusion
Facing centre: your right = clockwise neighbour
In 6-person circle: opposite = 3 seats away
In 8-person circle: opposite = 4 seats away

Scheduling Puzzles

Use a table: rows = people, columns = days/slots
Start with the most constrained condition
Mark ✗ for clear impossibilities
Fill in confirmed slots with ✓

📝 AFCAT PYQSeating Arrangement — AFCAT Pattern

Q1–Q2. Six pilots A,B,C,D,E,F sit in a circle facing centre. A sits opposite C. B is to the immediate right of A. D is to the immediate left of C. E is not adjacent to A. Who sits opposite B? (AFCAT I 2025)

(a) E
(b) D
(c) F
(d) C

Answer: (a) E
Fix A at position 1. C opposite A = position 4. B immediately right of A (clockwise) = position 2. D immediately left of C = position 3 (anticlockwise from C). Positions filled: A=1, B=2, D=3, C=4. Remaining: E,F at positions 5,6. E not adjacent to A(1): A's neighbours are 2(B) and 6. So E cannot be at 6. E=5, F=6. Opposite B(2) = position 5 (in 6-person circle, opposite = 3 seats away: 2+3=5). B's opposite = position 5 = E.

Q2. In the above arrangement, who is to the immediate left of F? (AFCAT I 2025)

(a) A
(b) C
(c) E
(d) B

Answer: (c) E
Arrangement (clockwise): A(1), B(2), D(3), C(4), E(5), F(6). Immediate left of F(6) = anticlockwise from F = position 5 = E. Verify: Facing centre, your left is anticlockwise (positions decrease). 6's anticlockwise neighbour = 5 = E.

Q3. Five officers are scheduled Mon-Fri. P goes on Wednesday. Q goes the day before R. S goes on Monday. T goes on a day after R. What day does Q go? (AFCAT II 2024)

(a) Tuesday
(b) Thursday
(c) Monday
(d) Friday

Answer: (a) Tuesday
S=Monday, P=Wednesday. Q goes day before R, T goes after R. Remaining days: Tue, Thu, Fri for Q,R,T. Q before R means Q=Tue → R=Thu → T=Fri. Check: T after R(Thu) → T=Fri ✓. Final: S=Mon, Q=Tue, P=Wed, R=Thu, T=Fri.

⚡ Quick Reference — LR08

Linear Strategy

Draw boxes immediately
Fill fixed positions first
Use “next to” and “between” clues
Use negative clues last

Circular Strategy

Fix 1 person at position 1
Opposite = n/2 seats away
Right = clockwise; Left = anticlockwise
6-person: opposite 3 seats away

Scheduling

Use grid table always
Most constrained clue first
Mark ✗ for impossibilities
Verify all clues at end

📝 AFCAT Mock Tests 🎯 Reasoning Quiz ✈️ Telegram