Box Arrangement Reasoning Puzzle for IBPS PO — Box E, Box F, Box A, Box H
The puzzle
Box E, Box F, Box A, Box H — are kept one above another in a stack — position 1 is the bottom, position 4 the top. Using the clues below, work out the arrangement.
- Box H is kept 4th from the bottom of the stack.
- Exactly one box is kept between Box E and Box A.
- Box E is kept at the bottom of the stack.
- Box F is kept somewhere below Box A.
Question: Determine the arrangement.
Reveal the answer
Answer: Position 4: Box H (top) down to Position 1: Box E (bottom).
- Start: 24 possible stackings of 4 boxes.
- Clue 3 — "Box E is kept at the bottom of the stack." ⇒ Box E → position 1 (bottom) (6 possibilities left).
- Clue 1 — "Box H is kept 4th from the bottom of the stack." ⇒ Box H → position 4 (top) (2 possibilities left).
- Clue 2 — "Exactly one box is kept between Box E and Box A." ⇒ Box F → position 2, Box A → position 3 (1 possibility left).
- Exactly one stacking survives every clue — that is the answer.
How to crack box arrangement puzzles faster
- A box stack is a vertical row — number positions 1 (bottom) to N (top) on paper before reading a single clue.
- Lock the ends first — "at the top / at the bottom / k-th from the top" fixes a position instantly.
- "Exactly k boxes between" gives a fixed vertical gap — try it at each valid pair of positions, in both directions.
- "Kept above" only means somewhere higher — never assume adjacency unless the clue says "immediately".
FAQ
Which box is kept at the top of the stack?
Box H is kept at the top. The full stack from top to bottom: Box H, Box A, Box F, Box E.
How do you solve box arrangement puzzles for bank exams?
Treat the stack as a vertical line numbered 1 (bottom) to N (top). Place the absolute clues first (top, bottom, k-th from an end), then apply above/below and exactly-k-between clues, eliminating positions until a single stacking satisfies every clue.
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