Order and Ranking Reasoning Puzzle for IBPS PO — 28 Aug 2026
The puzzle
Farhan, Deepak, Zoya, Tanvi — are ranked from 1 (highest) to 4 (lowest) — work out each person's exact rank. Using the clues below, work out the arrangement.
- Farhan is 2nd from the top.
- Deepak is ranked immediately above Zoya.
- Zoya is ranked lower than Tanvi.
Question: Determine the arrangement.
Reveal the answer
Answer: Tanvi, Farhan, Deepak, Zoya (rank 1 = highest, down to rank 4 = lowest).
- Start: 24 possible rankings of 4 people.
- Clue 1 — "Farhan is 2nd from the top." ⇒ Farhan → rank 2 (2nd from top) (6 possibilities left). Board (rank 1 → 4): _ · Farhan · _ · _
- Clue 2 — "Deepak is ranked immediately above Zoya." ⇒ Deepak → rank 3 (3rd from top), Zoya → rank 4 (bottom), Tanvi → rank 1 (top) (1 possibility left). Board (rank 1 → 4): Tanvi · Farhan · Deepak · Zoya
- 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?
Tanvi holds rank 1 (highest). The full order from rank 1 to rank 4: Tanvi, Farhan, Deepak, Zoya.
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 for this puzzle type
This post is one worked example. The topic page for order and ranking carries the full method, the clue-wording table, the mistakes that cost marks and more practice questions.
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