This page covers Agniveer Army CEE Parallel Row Puzzle with complete concept notes, 6 graded practice MCQs, key points and exam-specific tips. Free to study.
Core ConceptRead this first — the foundation of the topic
Core Concept
In parallel row puzzles, you arrange people in two rows based on given conditions. The key challenge is tracking who sits where and their facing directions. Most commonly, people in Row 1 face south and people in Row 2 face north, so they look at each other
Key Rules
Always establish the facing direction first. If Row 1 faces south and Row 2 faces north, then left-right positions are opposite when viewed from each person's perspective. When someone in Row 1 looks at Row 2, their left corresponds to the right side of people in Row 2. Distance relationships work normally - adjacent means next to each other, and counting positions follows the established direction.
Exam PatternsWhat examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs
SSC CGL typically asks 3-5 questions from one parallel row puzzle. Questions focus on who sits opposite to whom, who sits at ends, counting positions from left or right, and identifying neighbors. The puzzle usually involves 6-10 people with 3-4 people in each row.
ShortcutsUse these to save 30–60 seconds per question
1
Draw two horizontal lines and mark positions as 1,2,3,4 in Row 1 and 1,2,3,4 in Row
2
When Row 1 faces Row 2, position 1 of Row 1 faces position 1 of Row 2 directly. Use arrows to show facing directions. This visual method prevents confusion about left-right orientations.
Worked ExampleSolve this step-by-step before moving on
1
Step 1
Draw two rows. Row 1 faces north, Row 2 faces south (given A faces north in Row 1).
2
Step 2
D sits at left end of Row 1, so D is at position 1.
3
Step 3
A sits second from left in Row 1, so A is at position 2.
4
Step 4
B sits opposite to A, so B is at position 2 in Row 2.
5
Step 5
C sits immediate right of B. Since Row 2 faces south, C's right means position 1 in Row 2.
6
Step 6
Who sits opposite to C? C is at position 1 in Row 2, so the person opposite is at position 1 in Row 1, which is D.
Answer: D sits opposite to C.
Exam TrapsCommon mistakes students make — avoid these
Students confuse left-right directions when people face different directions. Always remember that when two people face each other, their left-right sides are opposite. Draw diagrams with clear direction arrows to avoid this confusion.
Another mistake is not establishing the total number of positions in each row before placing people.
Key Points to Remember
Two parallel rows with people facing each other or same direction
Row 1 typically faces south, Row 2 faces north in standard setup
Left-right positions are opposite when people face each other
Always draw diagram with direction arrows to avoid confusion
Opposite positions have same number in both rows
Adjacent means immediately next to each other in same row
Distance counting follows the established facing direction
End positions are leftmost and rightmost in each row
Exam-Specific Tips
Standard setup has Row 1 facing south and Row 2 facing north
Parallel row puzzles typically contain 6-10 people total
Each row usually has 3-5 positions maximum
Opposite positions share the same numerical position across rows
Left end means position 1, right end means last position
Immediate neighbor means adjacent position with no gap
Second from left means position 2 in the row
Third from right means third position counting from rightmost end
Practice MCQs
Parallel Row Puzzle — Practice Questions
6graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis
In a parallel row puzzle, there are two rows of 5 people each sitting face-to-face. Row 1 has Arun, Bhavna, Chitra, Deepak, and Esha sitting from left to right. Row 2 has Faisal, Govind, Harsh, Isha, and Jaya sitting from left to right, facing Row 1. Who sits directly opposite to Chitra?
Practice 2easy
Two parallel rows contain 6 people each sitting face-to-face. Row A (left to right): P, Q, R, S, T, U. Row B (left to right): V, W, X, Y, Z, K. If we need to find who sits opposite to the 5th person from the left in Row A, who is it?
Practice 3medium
In a parallel row puzzle, there are two rows with 6 people each. Row 1 has Amit, Bhavna, Chetan, Deepa, Eshaan, and Fiona sitting left to right. Row 2 has the same people but in a different order. If Amit sits 2nd from left in Row 1 and 4th from left in Row 2, and Bhavna sits immediately to the right of Amit in Row 1, where does Bhavna sit in Row 2 given that she sits exactly 3 positions away from Amit in Row 2?
Practice 4medium
Two parallel rows contain 5 people each arranged in different sequences. In Row 1, person P sits at position 3. In Row 2, person P sits at position 5. If person Q sits immediately to the left of person P in both rows, at which position does person Q sit in Row 2?
Practice 5medium
In a parallel row puzzle with 7 seats per row, Row 1 has persons arranged as: X, Y, Z, W, V, U, T (left to right). Row 2 has the same persons rearranged. If Z sits 2 positions to the right of X in Row 1, and in Row 2 the distance between X and Z remains 2 positions but Z is to the left of X, at what position does Z sit in Row 2 if X sits at position 5?
Practice 6hard
Eight people—A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H—are seated in two parallel rows of 4 each, facing north. Row 1 faces Row 2. The following conditions must be satisfied: (1) A sits directly opposite to E; (2) B sits immediately to the left of C in Row 1; (3) D sits at one end of Row 2; (4) F sits immediately to the right of E in Row 2; (5) H sits directly opposite to B. If G sits in Row 2 between D and E, who sits directly opposite to D?
60-Second Revision — Parallel Row Puzzle
Remember: Draw two lines with direction arrows first
Formula: Opposite positions have same numbers across rows
Trap: Left-right confusion when people face each other
Key: Establish total positions in each row before solving
Trick: Use position numbers 1,2,3,4 instead of left-right terms
Pattern: SSC asks who sits opposite, at ends, and neighbors
Speed tip: Mark known positions first, then use given relationships