ZE
ZESTEXAM

SSC CHSL Box / Stack Puzzle

Study Material · Concept Notes · Shortcuts

This page covers SSC CHSL Box / Stack Puzzle with complete concept notes, 13 graded practice MCQs, key points and exam-specific tips. Free to study.

0 PYQs
none yet
13 Practice
MCQs
8 Key Points
to remember
Free
no login needed
Take Free Mock →Full Practice Set
Also for:CGLMTSGDCPO
PYQs
0
Practice
13
Key Points
8
Access
Free
Concept Notes

Box / Stack Puzzle— Rules & Concept

1.Core Concept

Read this first — the foundation of the topic

Box/Stack puzzles involve arranging items in a vertical stack or boxes on different floors. Items are placed one above the other based on given conditions. Think of it like stacking books or placing boxes in a tower.

2.Key Rules

Core rules you must know cold

Only one item can occupy each position. Items are numbered from bottom to top or top to bottom. Conditions link items using words like 'above', 'below', 'immediately above', 'between', 'top', 'bottom'. Key Properties: 'Immediately above' means direct contact with no gap. 'Above' means anywhere higher, with possible gaps. 'Between' means exactly one item separates two others. 'Second from top' means one item above it.

3.Exam Patterns

What examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs

SSC asks 3-5 questions per puzzle. Common formats include 7-floor buildings, 8-box stacks, or 5-item arrangements. Questions test position identification, relative placement, and counting gaps between items.

4.Shortcuts

Use these to save 30–60 seconds per question

Use the 'Fixed Point Method'. Find items with maximum constraints first. Items mentioned as 'top', 'bottom', or with multiple conditions become anchor points.

Build the arrangement around these fixed positions.

5.Worked Example

Solve this step-by-step before moving on
1
Step 1

Fix definite positions. C is at position 7 (top). A is at position 6 (immediately below C). D is at position 1 (bottom).

2
Step 2

Analyze 'between' condition. B is between E and F means E-B-F or F-B-E arrangement.

3
Step 3

Use remaining condition. G is above E but below F. This gives us F-G-E sequence when read from top to bottom.

4
Step 4

Combine sequences. From F-G-E and E-B-F, we get F-G-E-B-F. But F cannot repeat, so we arrange as F-G-E-B with F above this group.

5
Step 5

Final arrangement from bottom to top: D(1), E(2), B(3), G(4), F(5), A(6), C(7). Verification: C at top ✓, A immediately below C ✓, D at bottom ✓, B between E and F ✓, G above E but below F ✓. Second Shortcut: Draw a rough vertical line and mark positions 1-7. Fill known positions first, then work with remaining conditions.

6.Exam Traps

Common mistakes students make — avoid these

Students confuse 'above' with 'immediately above'. 'Above' allows gaps, 'immediately above' means direct contact. Also, misreading 'between' conditions leads to wrong sequences. Always verify final arrangement against all given conditions.

Key Points to Remember

  • Box puzzles arrange items vertically with one item per position
  • 'Immediately above' means direct contact, 'above' allows gaps between items
  • 'Between' means exactly one item separates two others in the stack
  • Use Fixed Point Method - identify items with maximum constraints first
  • Number positions from 1 (bottom) to n (top) or vice versa consistently
  • Draw vertical arrangements to visualize relationships clearly
  • Always verify final arrangement against every given condition
  • Common question types: position finding, gap counting, relative placement

Exam-Specific Tips

  • Box puzzles typically involve 5-8 items arranged vertically
  • SSC asks 3-5 questions per box arrangement puzzle
  • 'Second from bottom' means position 2 when counting from bottom
  • 'Third from top' means position 3 when counting from top
  • Maximum gap between two items in 7-box puzzle is 5 positions
  • Minimum items needed for 'between' relationship is 3 items
  • 'Immediately below' means direct contact from lower position
  • Box puzzles appear in 80% of SSC CGL Tier-1 question papers
Practice MCQs

Box / Stack Puzzle — Practice Questions

13graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis

All MCQs →
Practice 1easy

Five boxes labeled P, Q, R, S, and T are stacked vertically. Box S is not at the top. Box R is above Box Q. Box P is at the bottom. Box T is above Box S. Box Q is above Box P but below Box R. Which box is at position 4?

Practice 2easy

Four colored boxes are stacked in a tower. The Red box is directly above the Blue box. The Green box is at the bottom. The Yellow box is at the top. What is the correct order from bottom to top?

Practice 3easy

Four boxes W, X, Y, Z are arranged in a vertical stack. Box Y is not at the bottom. Box X is immediately below Box Y. Box Z is at the bottom. Which box is at the top?

Practice 4easy

Six gift boxes are arranged in a single stack from bottom to top. The Red box is not at the bottom. The Green box is exactly 2 positions above the Yellow box. The Blue box is at position 3. The Purple box is above the Blue box. The Orange box is at the bottom. Which box is at position 5?

Practice 5easy

Seven storage boxes are stacked vertically. Box 1 is at the bottom. Box 4 is in the middle (position 4). Box 2 is below Box 5. Box 3 is above Box 6. Box 7 is at the top. Which box is at position 2?

Practice 6easy

Five boxes labeled A, B, C, D, and E are stacked vertically on top of each other. Box C is immediately above Box A. Box B is at the bottom. Box E is above Box D. Box D is above Box C. Which box is at the top of the stack?

Practice 7easy

Seven boxes are stacked vertically. Box 3 contains a red ball. Box 5 contains a blue ball. The box with the red ball is 2 positions below the box with the blue ball. Box 1 is at the bottom. Which box is at the top?

Practice 8easy

Five boxes labeled A, B, C, D, and E are stacked vertically from bottom to top. Box C is immediately above Box A. Box E is at the top. Box B is immediately below Box D. Which box is at the bottom?

Practice 9medium

Six boxes are arranged in a stack from bottom to top: positions 1 through 6. Box P is 2 positions above Box Q. Box R is immediately below Box S. Box T is at position 4. Box U is not adjacent to Box T. If Box Q is at position 2, which box is at position 5?

Practice 10medium

Nine boxes are stacked in positions 1 to 9. Box G is 4 positions below Box C. Box A is immediately above Box E. Box F is at position 5. Box I is at position 9. Box D is not at position 1 and not at position 2. Box B is 2 positions above Box H. If Box C is at position 8, which box is at position 3?

Practice 11medium

Five boxes labeled A, B, C, D, and E are stacked vertically on top of each other. Box C is exactly in the middle. Box A is directly above Box D. Box E is at the bottom. Which box is directly above Box E?

Practice 12hard

Eight boxes are stacked vertically in positions 1 (bottom) to 8 (top). Each box contains a different number from 1 to 8. The following conditions apply: 1. The box containing 5 is exactly 3 positions above the box containing 2. 2. The box containing 3 is immediately below the box containing 7. 3. The box containing 8 is at an odd-numbered position. 4. The box containing 1 is not adjacent to the box containing 5. 5. There is exactly 1 box between the box containing 4 and the box containing 6. Which number is in the box at position 5?

Practice 13hard

Five boxes labeled A, B, C, D, and E are stacked vertically in positions 1 (bottom) to 5 (top). The following conditions apply: 1. Box C is exactly 2 positions above Box A. 2. Box B is immediately above Box D. 3. Box E is not at the top. 4. Box A is not at the bottom. 5. Box D is below Box A. Which box is at position 3?

60-Second Revision — Box / Stack Puzzle

  • Remember: Fix definite positions (top/bottom/immediately) first
  • Formula: Total positions minus 1 equals maximum possible gaps
  • Trap: 'Above' and 'immediately above' have different meanings
  • Method: Use vertical line diagram for clear visualization
  • Check: Verify final answer against all given conditions
  • Shortcut: Items with most constraints become anchor points
  • Pattern: Between A and B means A-X-B or B-X-A arrangement
←Scheduling / Day-Month PuzzleParallel Row Puzzle→
Studied the notes? Now test yourself
See how Box / Stack Puzzle appears in the real SSC CHSL paper
Full timed mock · Instant All-India percentile · Free
Start Free Mock →Practice Panel
✓ Free forever for basic prep✓ No app download✓ Real exam-pattern questions
Test Box / Stack Puzzle under exam conditions
Free SSC CHSL mock · instant rank · no login
Free Mock →