Order and Ranking Reasoning Puzzle for IBPS PO — 15 Oct 2026
The puzzle
Uma, Rohan, Sneha, Farhan — are ranked from 1 (highest) to 4 (lowest) — work out each person's exact rank. Using the clues below, work out the arrangement.
- Uma is ranked higher than Farhan.
- Sneha is 4th from the top.
- Exactly 2 people are ranked between Rohan and Sneha.
Question: Determine the arrangement.
Reveal the answer
Answer: Rohan, Uma, Farhan, Sneha (rank 1 = highest, down to rank 4 = lowest).
- Start: 24 possible rankings of 4 people.
- Clue 2 — "Sneha is 4th from the top." ⇒ Sneha → rank 4 (bottom) (6 possibilities left). Board (rank 1 → 4): _ · _ · _ · Sneha
- Clue 3 — "Exactly 2 people are ranked between Rohan and Sneha." ⇒ Rohan → rank 1 (top) (2 possibilities left). Board (rank 1 → 4): Rohan · _ · _ · Sneha
- Clue 1 — "Uma is ranked higher than Farhan." ⇒ Uma → rank 2 (2nd from top), Farhan → rank 3 (3rd from top) (1 possibility left). Board (rank 1 → 4): Rohan · Uma · Farhan · Sneha
- 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?
Rohan holds rank 1 (highest). The full order from rank 1 to rank 4: Rohan, Uma, Farhan, Sneha.
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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