# Order and Ranking Reasoning Puzzle for IBPS PO — 4 Aug 2026

> Solve this 4-person order and ranking puzzle for IBPS PO, SBI Clerk, SSC exam practice. 3 logic clues, one answer. Free daily reasoning puzzle with step-by-step walkthrough.

Source: https://deducepuzzles.com/blog/2026-08-04-order-and-ranking-order-ranking-puzzle

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Published: 2026-08-04 · Difficulty: easy · 3 clues · 4 people
Exams: IBPS Clerk · SBI Clerk · SSC CHSL

## The puzzle

Meera, Harsh, Lata, Bhavna — are ranked from 1 (highest) to 4 (lowest) — work out each person's exact rank. Using the clues below, work out the arrangement.

1. Meera is 2nd from the bottom.
2. Bhavna is ranked immediately above Harsh.
3. Lata is ranked LAST (lowest).

## Answer

Bhavna, Harsh, Meera, Lata (rank 1 = highest, down to rank 4 = lowest).

Rank 1: Bhavna · Rank 2: Harsh · Rank 3: Meera · Rank 4: Lata

## Step-by-step solution

1. Start: 24 possible rankings of 4 people.
2. Clue 3 — "Lata is ranked LAST (lowest)." ⇒ Lata → rank 4 (bottom) (6 possibilities left). Board (rank 1 → 4): _ · _ · _ · Lata
3. Clue 1 — "Meera is 2nd from the bottom." ⇒ Meera → rank 3 (3rd from top) (2 possibilities left). Board (rank 1 → 4): _ · _ · Meera · Lata
4. Clue 2 — "Bhavna is ranked immediately above Harsh." ⇒ Harsh → rank 2 (2nd from top), Bhavna → rank 1 (top) (1 possibility left). Board (rank 1 → 4): Bhavna · Harsh · Meera · Lata
5. 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?

Bhavna holds rank 1 (highest). The full order from rank 1 to rank 4: Bhavna, Harsh, Meera, Lata.

### 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.

## Learn the method

This post is one worked example. The topic page for order and ranking carries the full method,
the clue-wording table and the mistakes that cost marks: https://deducepuzzles.com/reasoning/order-and-ranking

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