Square Seating Reasoning Puzzle for IBPS PO — 18 Oct 2026
The puzzle
Gauri, Kiran, Pooja, Harsh, Zoya, Jaya, Yash, Varun — sit around a square table — 4 at the corners, 4 at the middle of the sides; each clue states its own facing convention — work out the seating order clockwise. Using the clues below, work out the arrangement.
- Harsh sits 2nd to the left of Kiran (all facing the centre).
- Yash sits 2nd to the right of Kiran (all facing the centre).
- Jaya sits 2nd to the left of Pooja (all facing the centre).
- Kiran sits directly opposite Varun.
- Gauri sits next to Kiran.
- Varun sits at one of the corners of the table.
- Kiran sits next to Jaya.
- Zoya sits immediately to the left of Harsh (all facing the centre).
Question: Determine the arrangement.
Reveal the answer
Answer: Kiran, Gauri, Harsh, Zoya, Varun, Pooja, Yash, Jaya (clockwise; position 1 is a corner, so odd positions are corners and even positions are side-middles).
- Start: 10080 distinct seatings (up to rotating the square frame) of 8 people — 4 at corners, 4 at the middle of the sides. Numbering clockwise from a corner, seats 1, 3, 5, 7 are the corners and 2, 4, 6, 8 the side-middles.
- Clue 6 — "Varun sits at one of the corners of the table." narrows it to 5040 possibilities. Frame (clockwise from corner seat 1): _ · _ · _ · _ · _ · _ · _ · _
- Clue 4 — "Kiran sits directly opposite Varun." narrows it to 720 possibilities. Frame (clockwise from corner seat 1): _ · _ · _ · _ · _ · _ · _ · _
- Clue 5 — "Gauri sits next to Kiran." ⇒ Gauri → seat 2 (a side-middle) (240 possibilities left). Frame (clockwise from corner seat 1): _ · Gauri · _ · _ · _ · _ · _ · _
- Clue 7 — "Kiran sits next to Jaya." narrows it to 48 possibilities. Frame (clockwise from corner seat 1): _ · Gauri · _ · _ · _ · _ · _ · _
- Clue 1 — "Harsh sits 2nd to the left of Kiran (all facing the centre)." narrows it to 12 possibilities. Frame (clockwise from corner seat 1): _ · Gauri · _ · _ · _ · _ · _ · _
- Clue 2 — "Yash sits 2nd to the right of Kiran (all facing the centre)." narrows it to 4 possibilities. Frame (clockwise from corner seat 1): _ · Gauri · _ · _ · _ · _ · _ · _
- Clue 3 — "Jaya sits 2nd to the left of Pooja (all facing the centre)." ⇒ Kiran → seat 1 (a corner), Pooja → seat 6 (a side-middle), Harsh → seat 3 (a corner), Zoya → seat 4 (a side-middle), Jaya → seat 8 (a side-middle), Yash → seat 7 (a corner), Varun → seat 5 (a corner) (1 possibility left). Frame (clockwise from corner seat 1): Kiran · Gauri · Harsh · Zoya · Varun · Pooja · Yash · Jaya
- Exactly one seating (up to rotation) survives every clue: Kiran, Gauri, Harsh, Zoya, Varun, Pooja, Yash, Jaya clockwise, seat 1 being a corner.
How to crack square seating puzzles faster
- Draw the square with 8 marked seats — 4 corners, 4 side-middles — before reading a single clue.
- Place every "sits at a corner / middle of a side" clue first: each one halves the possibilities.
- Check WHO faces which way before any left/right clue — for an outward-facing sitter, left and right reverse.
- "Directly opposite" is always 4 seats away and never depends on facing — corner faces corner, middle faces middle.
FAQ
What is the seating order around this square table?
The order clockwise is: Kiran, Gauri, Harsh, Zoya, Varun, Pooja, Yash, Jaya, starting from a corner. Relative positions are what matter — any rotation of the square that keeps corners on corners is the same answer.
How do you solve square table seating arrangement puzzles?
Mark the 8 seats (4 corners, 4 side-middles) and place the corner/middle clues first. Then apply left/right clues, checking each person's facing direction — a person facing outward has left and right reversed compared to someone facing the centre.
Learn the method for this puzzle type
This post is one worked example. The topic page for circular and square seating carries the full method, the clue-wording table, the mistakes that cost marks and more practice questions.
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