# Order and Ranking Reasoning Puzzle for IBPS PO — 7 Oct 2026

> 5-person order and ranking puzzle (2026-10-07) — Varun, Sanjay, Vikram, Deepak, Lata. 4 logic clues, one provable answer. Free IBPS PO & SSC practice.

Source: https://deducepuzzles.com/blog/2026-10-07-order-ranking-puzzle

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Published: 2026-10-07 · Difficulty: medium · 4 clues · 5 people
Exams: IBPS Clerk · SBI Clerk · SSC CHSL

## The puzzle

Varun, Sanjay, Vikram, Deepak, Lata — are ranked from 1 (highest) to 5 (lowest) — work out each person's exact rank. Using the clues below, work out the arrangement.

1. Exactly 3 people are ranked between Varun and Sanjay.
2. Deepak is ranked immediately below Varun.
3. Lata is 3rd from the bottom.
4. Exactly 1 person is ranked between Vikram and Deepak.

## Answer

Varun, Deepak, Lata, Vikram, Sanjay (rank 1 = highest, down to rank 5 = lowest).

Rank 1: Varun · Rank 2: Deepak · Rank 3: Lata · Rank 4: Vikram · Rank 5: Sanjay

## Step-by-step solution

1. Start: 120 possible rankings of 5 people.
2. Clue 3 — "Lata is 3rd from the bottom." ⇒ Lata → rank 3 (3rd from top) (24 possibilities left). Board (rank 1 → 5): _ · _ · Lata · _ · _
3. Clue 2 — "Deepak is ranked immediately below Varun." narrows it to 4 possibilities. Board (rank 1 → 5): _ · _ · Lata · _ · _
4. Clue 1 — "Exactly 3 people are ranked between Varun and Sanjay." ⇒ Varun → rank 1 (top), Sanjay → rank 5 (bottom), Vikram → rank 4 (4th from top), Deepak → rank 2 (2nd from top) (1 possibility left). Board (rank 1 → 5): Varun · Deepak · Lata · Vikram · Sanjay
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?

Varun holds rank 1 (highest). The full order from rank 1 to rank 5: Varun, Deepak, Lata, Vikram, Sanjay.

### 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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