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
10graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis
Four friends—P, Q, R, and S—sit in two parallel rows of two seats each. Row 1 faces Row 2. P sits in Row 1, left seat. Q sits in Row 2, right seat. R sits immediately to the right of P. Which seat does S occupy?
Practice 2easy
Five people—M, N, O, P, and Q—sit in two parallel rows. Row 1 has three seats; Row 2 has two seats. Row 1 faces Row 2. M sits in Row 1, middle seat. N sits in Row 1, left seat. O sits in Row 2, left seat. P sits immediately to the right of M. Who sits in Row 2, right seat?
Practice 3easy
Six people—A, B, C, D, E, F—sit in two parallel rows of three seats each. Row 1 faces Row 2. A sits in Row 1, right seat. B sits in Row 2, middle seat. C sits in Row 1, left seat. D sits immediately to the right of C. E sits in Row 2, left seat. Who sits in Row 2, right seat?
Practice 4easy
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 immediately to the right of A. C sits in Row 2, left seat. D sits immediately to the right of C. E sits in Row 1, left seat. Who sits in Row 2, middle seat?
Practice 5medium
Six friends—Arun, Bhavna, Chitra, Deepak, Esha, and Farhan—sit in two parallel rows of 3 seats each, facing each other. Row 1 faces South; Row 2 faces North. The following conditions apply:
1. Arun sits in Row 1, middle seat.
2. Bhavna sits directly opposite to Arun.
3. Chitra sits to the left of Arun (from Arun's perspective).
4. Deepak sits in Row 2, right seat.
5. Esha is not adjacent to Bhavna in any direction.
6. Farhan sits in Row 1, right seat.
Who sits in Row 2, left seat?
Practice 6medium
Eight employees—P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W—sit in two parallel rows of 4 seats each. Row A faces East; Row B faces West. They face each other. The following conditions apply:
1. P sits in Row A, seat 2 (counting from left).
2. Q sits directly opposite P.
3. R sits to the right of P in Row A.
4. S sits in Row B, seat 1 (leftmost).
5. T sits in Row B, seat 4 (rightmost).
6. U and V are not in the same row.
7. W sits in Row A, seat 1.
Which of the following must be true?
Practice 7medium
Five people—A, B, C, D, E—sit in two parallel rows. Row 1 has 3 seats; Row 2 has 2 seats. Row 1 faces South; Row 2 faces North. The following conditions apply:
1. A sits in Row 1, left seat.
2. B sits in Row 1, middle seat.
3. C sits in Row 2, left seat.
4. D sits directly opposite B (i.e., in Row 2, middle seat).
5. E sits in Row 2, right seat.
Based on the above, which of the following is NOT possible?
Practice 8medium
Six people—M, N, O, P, Q, R—sit in two parallel rows of 3 seats each, facing each other. Row X faces West; Row Y faces East. The following conditions apply:
1. M sits in Row X, left seat.
2. N sits in Row X, middle seat.
3. O sits in Row X, right seat.
4. P sits in Row Y, left seat.
5. Q sits directly opposite N.
6. R sits in Row Y, right seat.
From M's perspective (facing West), who sits to M's right?
Practice 9medium
Seven people—A, B, C, D, E, F, G—sit in two parallel rows. Row 1 has 4 seats; Row 2 has 3 seats. Row 1 faces South; Row 2 faces North. The following conditions apply:
1. A sits in Row 1, seat 1 (leftmost).
2. B sits in Row 1, seat 2.
3. C sits in Row 1, seat 3.
4. D sits in Row 1, seat 4 (rightmost).
5. E sits in Row 2, seat 1 (leftmost).
6. F sits in Row 2, seat 2 (middle).
7. G sits in Row 2, seat 3 (rightmost).
8. No two people in Row 1 are directly opposite each other in Row 2.
Which of the following is true?
Practice 10hard
Eight people — A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H — sit in two parallel rows of 4 each, facing North. Row 1 is in front; Row 2 is behind. Positions are numbered 1–4 from left to right in each row.
Clues:
1. A sits in Row 1, Position 2.
2. B sits directly behind A (Row 2, Position 2).
3. C sits to the right of A in Row 1.
4. D sits in Row 2, Position 1.
5. E sits in Row 1, Position 4.
6. F sits directly behind E.
7. G sits in Row 2, Position 3.
8. H is the only person not yet placed.
Who sits in Row 1, Position 1?
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