# Order and Ranking Reasoning Puzzle for IBPS PO — 21 Sep 2026

> 4-person order and ranking puzzle (2026-09-21) — Arjun, Anjali, Priya, Rohan. 3 logic clues, one provable answer. Free IBPS PO & SSC practice.

Source: https://deducepuzzles.com/blog/2026-09-21-order-ranking-puzzle

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Published: 2026-09-21 · Difficulty: easy · 3 clues · 4 people
Exams: IBPS Clerk · SBI Clerk · SSC CHSL

## The puzzle

Arjun, Anjali, Priya, Rohan — are ranked from 1 (highest) to 4 (lowest) — work out each person's exact rank. Using the clues below, work out the arrangement.

1. Rohan is 2nd from the bottom.
2. Priya is ranked immediately above Arjun.
3. Exactly 2 people are ranked between Anjali and Priya.

## Answer

Priya, Arjun, Rohan, Anjali (rank 1 = highest, down to rank 4 = lowest).

Rank 1: Priya · Rank 2: Arjun · Rank 3: Rohan · Rank 4: Anjali

## Step-by-step solution

1. Start: 24 possible rankings of 4 people.
2. Clue 1 — "Rohan is 2nd from the bottom." ⇒ Rohan → rank 3 (3rd from top) (6 possibilities left). Board (rank 1 → 4): _ · _ · Rohan · _
3. Clue 2 — "Priya is ranked immediately above Arjun." ⇒ Arjun → rank 2 (2nd from top), Anjali → rank 4 (bottom), Priya → rank 1 (top) (1 possibility left). Board (rank 1 → 4): Priya · Arjun · Rohan · Anjali
4. 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?

Priya holds rank 1 (highest). The full order from rank 1 to rank 4: Priya, Arjun, Rohan, Anjali.

### 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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