Study Material — 5 PYQs (2024–2024) · Concept Notes · Shortcuts
SBI PO Comparison Puzzle is a frequently tested subtopic — 5 previous year questions from 2024–2024 papers are included below with concept notes, key rules and shortcut tricks.
5 questions from actual SBI PO papers · all shown free · click option to reveal solution
Exam Q 12024Previous Year Pattern
Four employees—Vikram, Wanda, Xavier, Yuki—have different salaries. Vikram earns more than Wanda. Xavier earns less than Yuki. Wanda earns more than Xavier. Vikram earns less than Yuki. Who earns the second-highest salary?
Exam Q 22024Previous Year Pattern
Five friends—Arun, Bhavna, Chitra, Deepak, and Esha—are sitting in a row facing North. Bhavna is immediately to the right of Arun. Chitra is not at either end. Deepak is to the right of Esha. Esha is to the left of Arun. Who is sitting at the rightmost position?
Exam Q 32024Previous Year Pattern
Three friends—Aman, Bina, Chetan—have different ages. Aman is older than Bina. Chetan is younger than Aman. Bina is younger than Chetan. What is the correct age order from oldest to youngest?
Exam Q 42024Previous Year Pattern
Five students—Priya, Qasim, Ravi, Sana, Tara—scored different marks. Priya scored more than Qasim. Ravi scored less than Sana. Qasim scored more than Ravi. Sana scored less than Priya. Tara scored more than Priya. Who scored the third-highest marks?
Exam Q 52024Previous Year Pattern
Five friends—Aman, Bhavna, Chirag, Deepak, and Esha—are sitting in a row facing North. Each has a different age: 22, 25, 28, 31, and 34 years. Based on the following clues, who is 28 years old?
1. Aman is older than Bhavna but younger than Chirag.
2. Deepak is not the oldest and not the youngest.
3. Esha is older than Aman.
4. The person sitting at the leftmost position is 34 years old.
5. Bhavna is younger than Deepak.
6. Chirag is not sitting at the rightmost position.
Concept Notes
Comparison Puzzle— Rules & Concept
Core ConceptRead this first — the foundation of the topic
Core Concept
Comparison puzzles work by giving you clues like 'A is taller than B' or 'C scored less than D'. You must use these clues to arrange all items in a line (ascending or descending order). Think of it like solving a chain where each link connects two items
Key Rules
Read all statements carefully before starting.
2
Use symbols to track relationships
> (greater), < (less), = (equal).
3. Combine individual statements to create a complete chain.
4. Check your final answer against all given statements.
5. Watch for indirect comparisons — sometimes you must link multiple statements together.
Formula BlockMemorise — at least one formula appears in every paper
If A > B and B > C, then A > C (Transitive Property). This is the backbone of all comparison puzzles.
Exam PatternsWhat examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs
SSC CGL typically asks:
- Who is the tallest/shortest/oldest/youngest?
- Arrange in increasing/decreasing order.
- Find positions of specific people in the arranged order.
- Handle 5-7 people with 4-6 comparative statements.
Shortcut/Trick:
Draw a simple line or arrow diagram. Write names and connect them with arrows showing the direction of comparison. This visual method solves 90% of puzzles faster than written logic.
Worked ExampleSolve this step-by-step before moving on
1
Step 1
Write statements using symbols.
Raj > Priya ... (1)
Anu > Raj ... (2)
Sita < Priya ... (3)
Mohan > Anu ... (4)
2
Step 2
Link the chain.
From (1): Raj > Priya
From (2): Anu > Raj, so Anu > Raj > Priya
From (4): Mohan > Anu, so Mohan > Anu > Raj > Priya
From (3): Sita < Priya, so Sita is even smaller
3
Step 3
Final order from tallest to shortest.
Mohan > Anu > Raj > Priya > Sita
Answer: Mohan is the tallest.
Exam TrapsCommon mistakes students make — avoid these
Students often ignore indirect relationships. If A > B and C > A, they sometimes forget that C > B as well. Always trace the complete chain before answering.
Also, don't assume anything not stated in the problem.
Key Points to Remember
Comparison puzzles require you to arrange items in order using given statements about relationships.
Use the transitive property: if A > B and B > C, then definitely A > C.
Always draw a visual line or arrow diagram to track relationships clearly.
Read every statement carefully; indirect comparisons are often hidden in the clues.
Check your final answer by verifying it satisfies all given statements.
Common properties compared in SSC CGL: age, height, weight, marks, salary, and speed.
Exam-Specific Tips
Comparison puzzles in SSC CGL typically involve 5-7 persons and 4-6 comparative statements.
The transitive property (if A > B and B > C, then A > C) is the mathematical foundation of all comparison puzzles.
Most SSC CGL comparison puzzles ask for the maximum or minimum person in a specific property.