Question 1

Eight people—V, W, X, Y, Z, U, T, S—live on eight different floors (1 to 8). (i) V lives on floor 1. (ii) W lives on floor 4. (iii) X lives on an even-numbered floor. (iv) Y lives immediately above X. (v) Z lives on floor 7. (vi) U lives on an odd-numbered floor. (vii) T lives on floor 6. (viii) S lives on the remaining floor. On which floor does Y live?

Accepted Answer

From the clues: V=1, W=4, Z=7, T=6 (fixed). Remaining floors: 2, 3, 5, 8 for X, Y, U, S. From clue (iii), X is even, so X ∈ {2,8}. From clue (iv), Y is immediately above X. If X=2, then Y=3. If X=8, then Y=9 (impossible, only 8 floors). So X=2 and Y=3. From clue (vi), U is odd, so U ∈ {3,5}. Since Y=3, U≠3, so U=5. The remaining floor is 8, so S=8. Verification: V=1, X=2, Y=3, W=4, U=5, T=6, Z=7, S=8. Check all clues: V=1 ✓, W=4 ✓, X=2 (even) ✓, Y=3 (immediately above X=2) ✓, Z=7 ✓, U=5 (odd) ✓, T=6 ✓, S=8 ✓. Therefore, Y lives on floor 3.

Question 2

Four boxes—A, B, C, D—are placed on four different shelves (1 to 4, where 1 is the lowest). (i) B is on shelf 2. (ii) A is on a shelf higher than B. (iii) C is on shelf 1. (iv) D is on a shelf higher than C but lower than A. On which shelf is box A?

Accepted Answer

From clue (i), B is on shelf 2. From clue (ii), A is higher than B, so A is on shelf 3 or 4. From clue (iii), C is on shelf 1. From clue (iv), D is higher than C (shelf 1) but lower than A. So C < D < A. Since C=1, D ∈ {2,3}. Since B=2, D ≠ 2, so D=3. Since D=3 and D < A, A must be on shelf 4. Verification: C=1, B=2, D=3, A=4. Check: B=2 ✓, A>B ✓, C=1 ✓, C<D<A (1<3<4) ✓. Therefore, A is on shelf 4.

Question 3

Eight boxes—P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W—are stacked on 8 shelves (1 to 8, bottom to top). Each box is on exactly one shelf. The following conditions hold:
(i) R is on shelf 3.
(ii) S is exactly 2 shelves above Q.
(iii) P is on an even-numbered shelf.
(iv) T is on shelf 7.
(v) U is on a shelf higher than R but lower than T.
(vi) V is on the highest shelf (8).
(vii) W is on shelf 1.

Which box is on shelf 5?

Accepted Answer

From given clues: W on shelf 1, R on shelf 3, T on shelf 7, V on shelf 8. U must satisfy shelf 3 < U < shelf 7, so U ∈ {4, 5, 6}. S = Q + 2. Remaining boxes: P, Q, S, U for shelves 2, 4, 5, 6. P is on even shelf: P ∈ {2, 4, 6}. If Q=2, S=4. If Q=4, S=6. If Q=5, S=7 (occupied by T). If Q=6, S=8 (occupied by V). Valid: Q∈{2,4}. Case 1: Q=2, S=4. Then P, U on shelves 5, 6. P even means P=6, U=5. Case 2: Q=4, S=6. Then P, U on shelves 2, 5. P even means P=2, U=5. Both cases yield U=5.

Question 4

Six people—M, N, O, P, Q, R—live on 6 floors of a building (1 to 6, bottom to top). Each person lives on exactly one floor. The following conditions apply:
(i) O lives on floor 2.
(ii) M lives on a floor higher than O but lower than Q.
(iii) P lives on floor 6.
(iv) N lives on an even-numbered floor.
(v) R lives on floor 1.
(vi) Q lives on floor 5.

Which floor does N live on?

Accepted Answer

From given clues: R on floor 1, O on floor 2, P on floor 6, Q on floor 5. From constraint (ii): O(2) < M < Q(5), so M ∈ {3, 4}. Remaining people: M, N for floors 3, 4. N must be on an even floor (constraint iv). Floor 3 is odd, floor 4 is even. Therefore N must be on floor 4, and M on floor 3.

SBI Clerk Floor-Based Puzzle

Floor-Based Puzzle— Rules & Concept

Key Points to Remember

Exam-Specific Tips

Floor-Based Puzzle — Practice Questions

60-Second Revision — Floor-Based Puzzle