Circular Seating Reasoning Puzzle for IBPS PO — Tanvi, Sanjay, Aditi, Kiran, Harsh
The puzzle
Tanvi, Sanjay, Aditi, Kiran, Harsh — sit around a round table, all facing the centre — work out the seating order clockwise. Using the clues below, work out the arrangement.
- Kiran sits immediately to the right of Tanvi (all facing the centre).
- Harsh sits 2nd to the right of Sanjay (all facing the centre).
- Aditi sits 2nd to the left of Tanvi (all facing the centre).
Question: Determine the arrangement.
Reveal the answer
Answer: Aditi, Sanjay, Kiran, Tanvi, Harsh (clockwise around the table).
- Start: 24 distinct seatings (up to rotation) of 5 people around the table.
- Clue 1 — "Kiran sits immediately to the right of Tanvi (all facing the centre)." leaves 6 possibilities.
- Clue 2 — "Harsh sits 2nd to the right of Sanjay (all facing the centre)." leaves 1 possibility. The surviving clockwise order is Aditi, Sanjay, Kiran, Tanvi, Harsh.
- Clue 3 — "Aditi sits 2nd to the left of Tanvi (all facing the centre)." leaves 1 possibility. The surviving clockwise order is Aditi, Sanjay, Kiran, Tanvi, Harsh.
- Exactly one seating (up to rotation) survives every clue: Aditi, Sanjay, Kiran, Tanvi, Harsh clockwise.
How to crack circular seating puzzles faster
- Circular seating has no fixed start — anchor any person first, then place others relative to them.
- "Immediately to the left" in a circle means clockwise-adjacent (when facing the centre).
- "Opposite" in an even-N circle means exactly halfway around the table.
- Draw a rough circle and mark positions as you deduce — visual elimination is faster than mental tracking.
FAQ
What is the seating order in this circular arrangement?
The order clockwise is: Aditi, Sanjay, Kiran, Tanvi, Harsh. In circular seating, all relative positions are preserved regardless of where you start — the relationship between neighbours is what matters.
How do you solve circular seating arrangement puzzles?
Start by fixing one person, then place others using relative clues (immediately left, opposite, between). In a circle, 'left' means clockwise-adjacent when facing the centre. Work outward from the anchored person.
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