Order and Ranking Reasoning Puzzle for IBPS PO — Manish, Geeta, Nikhil, Isha, Pooja
The puzzle
Manish, Geeta, Nikhil, Isha, Pooja — are ranked from 1 (highest) to 5 (lowest) — work out each person's exact rank. Using the clues below, work out the arrangement.
- Exactly 2 people are ranked between Manish and Pooja.
- Manish is 5th from the bottom.
- Exactly 1 person is ranked between Isha and Pooja.
- Geeta is ranked higher than Pooja.
- Nikhil is ranked lower than Manish.
Question: Determine the arrangement.
Reveal the answer
Answer: Manish, Isha, Geeta, Pooja, Nikhil (rank 1 = highest, down to rank 5 = lowest).
- Start: 120 possible rankings of 5 people.
- Clue 2 — "Manish is 5th from the bottom." ⇒ Manish → rank 1 (top) (24 possibilities left).
- Clue 1 — "Exactly 2 people are ranked between Manish and Pooja." ⇒ Pooja → rank 4 (4th from top) (6 possibilities left).
- Clue 3 — "Exactly 1 person is ranked between Isha and Pooja." ⇒ Isha → rank 2 (2nd from top) (2 possibilities left).
- Clue 4 — "Geeta is ranked higher than Pooja." ⇒ Geeta → rank 3 (3rd from top), Nikhil → rank 5 (bottom) (1 possibility left).
- Exactly one ranking survives every clue — that is the answer.
How to crack order & ranking puzzles faster
- "Ranked higher" means a smaller rank number — rank 1 outranks rank 2. Fix that direction before anything else.
- Lock the anchors first — "exactly k-th from the top/bottom" fixes a rank instantly.
- "Exactly k people between" gives a fixed gap — try it at each valid pair of ranks.
- Treat it as a row: write ranks 1 to N on paper and fill names as each clue eliminates possibilities.
FAQ
Who is ranked highest in this puzzle?
Manish holds rank 1 (highest). The full order from rank 1 to rank 5: Manish, Isha, Geeta, Pooja, Nikhil.
How do you solve order and ranking puzzles for bank exams?
Fix direct rank anchors first (k-th from the top/bottom), then apply relative clues (higher/lower, immediately above, exactly k between). Remember rank 1 is the highest — 'higher than' means a smaller rank number. Eliminate until one order satisfies every clue.
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