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.
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Exam Patterns
What 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.
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Shortcuts
Use 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.
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Worked Example
Solve 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.
Common Mistake: 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.
Six friends—Anil, Bina, Charan, Diya, Eshan, and Fiona—sit in two parallel rows of three seats each. Row A faces Row B.
Constraints:
1. Anil sits in Row A, left seat.
2. Bina sits directly opposite Anil (Row B, left seat).
3. Charan sits to the right of Anil in Row A.
4. Diya sits directly opposite Charan.
5. Eshan sits in Row A, right seat.
6. Fiona sits directly opposite Eshan.
Who sits in the middle seat of Row B?
Practice 2easy
Eight people sit in two parallel rows of four seats each. Row 1 faces Row 2. Seats are numbered 1–4 from left to right in each row. Person X sits in Row 1, Seat 2. Person Y sits in Row 2, Seat 3. Person Z sits in Row 1, Seat 4. Person W sits in Row 2, Seat 2. How many people sit between X and Z in Row 1?
Practice 3easy
Six friends—M, N, O, P, Q, R—sit in two parallel rows of three seats each. Row North faces Row South. M sits in Row North, left seat. N sits in Row South, middle seat. O sits in Row North, middle seat. P sits in Row South, left seat. Q sits in Row North, right seat. R sits in Row South, right seat. Who sits directly opposite to O?
Practice 4easy
Five people—M, N, O, P, and Q—sit in two parallel rows. Row 1 has three seats (left, middle, right), and Row 2 has two seats (left, right). Row 1 faces Row 2.
Constraints:
1. M sits in Row 1, middle seat.
2. N sits directly opposite M (Row 2, left seat).
3. O sits to the left of M in Row 1.
4. P sits to the right of M in Row 1.
5. Q sits in Row 2, right seat.
Who sits in Row 2, left seat?
Practice 5easy
Six people—A, B, C, D, E, and F—sit in two parallel rows of three seats each. Row 1 faces Row 2. A sits in Row 1, middle seat. B sits to the immediate right of A. C sits in Row 2, directly opposite to B. D sits in Row 2, to the left of C. E sits in Row 1, to the left of A. F sits in Row 2, to the right of C. Who sits directly opposite to E?
Practice 6easy
Five people—A, B, C, D, E—sit in two parallel rows. Row 1 has three seats; Row 2 has two seats. A sits in Row 1, middle seat. B sits in Row 1, left seat. C sits in Row 2, left seat. D sits in Row 1, right seat. E sits in Row 2, right seat. Which person sits directly opposite to A?
Practice 7easy
Six people—A, B, C, D, E, and F—sit in two parallel rows of three seats each. Row 1 faces Row 2. The seating follows these rules:
1. A sits in Row 1, middle seat.
2. B sits directly behind A (Row 2, middle seat).
3. C sits to the left of A in Row 1.
4. D sits to the right of B in Row 2.
5. E and F occupy the remaining seats.
Who sits to the right of C in Row 1?
Practice 8easy
Eight people sit in two parallel rows of four seats each, facing each other. Row 1 (top) and Row 2 (bottom) are numbered 1–4 from left to right.
Constraints:
1. P sits in Row 1, seat 2.
2. Q sits directly opposite P (Row 2, seat 2).
3. R sits to the left of P.
4. S sits to the right of Q.
5. T sits in Row 1, seat 4.
6. U sits directly opposite T.
7. V and W occupy the remaining seats.
Which seat in Row 2 is occupied by S?
Practice 9easy
Four couples sit in two parallel rows of four seats each. Each person has a unique name. Row 1 faces Row 2.
Constraints:
1. Husband H1 sits in Row 1, seat 1.
2. His wife W1 sits directly opposite him (Row 2, seat 1).
3. Husband H2 sits to the right of H1.
4. Wife W2 sits directly opposite H2.
5. Husband H3 sits in Row 1, seat 4.
6. Wife W3 sits directly opposite H3.
7. The remaining couple (H4 and W4) occupy the remaining seats.
In which row and seat does W4 sit?
Practice 10medium
Six people—A, B, C, D, E, F—sit in two parallel rows of three seats each. Row 1 faces Row 2. The seating follows these rules: (1) A sits in Row 1, middle seat. (2) B sits directly opposite to A. (3) C sits to the left of A in Row 1. (4) D sits to the right of B in Row 2. (5) E and F occupy the remaining seats. (6) E is not adjacent to C. Who sits in the right seat of Row 2?
Practice 11medium
Six people—M, N, O, P, Q, R—sit in two parallel rows of three seats each. Row A faces Row B. Seats are numbered 1–3 from left to right. The conditions are: (1) M sits in Row A, seat 2. (2) N sits directly opposite M. (3) O sits in Row A, seat 1. (4) P sits in Row B, seat 1. (5) Q sits to the right of P in Row B. (6) R sits in the remaining seat. (7) The person in Row A, seat 3 is not the same as the person in Row B, seat 3. Who sits in Row B, seat 3?
Practice 12medium
Seven people—A, B, C, D, E, F, G—sit in two parallel rows. Row 1 has four seats (1–4 from left to right), and Row 2 has three seats (1–3 from left to right). The conditions are: (1) A sits in Row 1, seat 2. (2) B sits directly opposite A. (3) C sits to the left of A in Row 1. (4) D sits to the right of A in Row 1. (5) E sits in Row 2, seat 1. (6) F sits to the right of E in Row 2. (7) G sits in the remaining seat. (8) The person in Row 1, seat 4 is not adjacent (in the same row) to the person in Row 1, seat 2. Who sits in Row 1, seat 4?
Practice 13medium
Five people—X, Y, Z, W, V—sit in two parallel rows. Row 1 has three seats (1–3 from left to right), and Row 2 has two seats (1–2 from left to right). The conditions are: (1) X sits in Row 1, seat 1. (2) Y sits directly opposite X. (3) Z sits in Row 1, seat 3. (4) W sits in Row 2, seat 2. (5) V sits in the remaining seat. (6) The person in Row 1, seat 2 is not Y. Who sits in Row 1, seat 2?
Practice 14medium
Six people—M, N, O, P, Q, and R—sit in two parallel rows of three seats each. Row X faces Row Y. The following conditions apply:
1. M sits in Row X, seat 2 (middle).
2. N sits directly opposite to M.
3. O sits to the left of M in Row X.
4. P sits to the right of N in Row Y.
5. Q and R occupy the remaining seats.
6. Q sits in Row X.
Who sits in Row Y, seat 1 (leftmost)?
Practice 15medium
Six friends—Arun, Bhavna, Chirag, Deepa, Esha, and Farhan—sit in two parallel rows of three seats each. Row 1 faces Row 2. The following conditions apply:
1. Arun sits in Row 1, middle seat.
2. Bhavna sits directly opposite to Arun.
3. Chirag sits to the left of Arun in Row 1.
4. Deepa sits to the right of Bhavna in Row 2.
5. Esha and Farhan occupy the remaining seats.
6. Esha does not sit in the middle of any row.
Who sits in the right seat of Row 2?
Practice 16medium
Seven people—P, Q, R, S, T, U, and V—sit in two parallel rows: Row A (4 seats) and Row B (3 seats). Row A faces Row B. The following conditions apply:
1. P sits in Row A, seat 2.
2. Q sits directly opposite to P.
3. R sits to the left of P in Row A.
4. S sits to the right of Q in Row B.
5. T sits in Row A, seat 4 (rightmost).
6. U and V sit in the remaining seats.
7. U does not sit in Row B.
Who sits in Row B, seat 1 (leftmost)?
Practice 17medium
Eight people—A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H—sit in two parallel rows of four seats each. Row 1 faces Row 2. The following conditions apply:
1. A sits in Row 1, seat 3.
2. B sits directly opposite to A.
3. C sits to the left of A in Row 1.
4. D sits to the right of B in Row 2.
5. E sits in Row 1, seat 1 (leftmost).
6. F sits directly opposite to E.
7. G and H occupy the remaining seats.
8. G sits to the left of H.
Who sits in Row 2, seat 4 (rightmost)?
Practice 18medium
Nine people—1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9—sit in two parallel rows: Row Alpha (5 seats) and Row Beta (4 seats). Row Alpha faces Row Beta. The following conditions apply:
1. Person 1 sits in Row Alpha, seat 3.
2. Person 2 sits directly opposite to Person 1.
3. Person 3 sits to the left of Person 1 in Row Alpha.
4. Person 4 sits to the right of Person 2 in Row Beta.
5. Person 5 sits in Row Alpha, seat 1 (leftmost).
6. Person 6 sits directly opposite to Person 5.
7. Person 7 sits in Row Alpha, seat 5 (rightmost).
8. Persons 8 and 9 occupy the remaining seats.
9. Person 8 sits in Row Beta.
Who sits in Row Alpha, seat 4?
Practice 19hard
Six people—P, Q, R, S, T, and U—sit in two parallel rows of three seats each. Row 1 faces Row 2. Constraints:
1. P sits at the left end of Row 1.
2. Q sits directly opposite R.
3. S sits to the right of P in Row 1.
4. T sits at the right end of Row 2.
5. U sits directly opposite P.
6. The person at the right end of Row 1 is not Q.
Who sits at the right end of Row 1?
Practice 20hard
Six people—Aman, Bhavna, Chirag, Diya, Eshan, and Fiona—sit in two parallel rows of three seats each. Row 1 faces Row 2. The following conditions apply:
1. Aman sits directly opposite to Diya.
2. Bhavna sits to the left of Chirag in Row 1.
3. Eshan sits to the right of Fiona in Row 2.
4. Chirag is not at either end of Row 1.
5. The person opposite to Bhavna is Fiona.
Who sits directly opposite to Eshan?
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