Puzzle Reasoning for RBI Assistant Exam: Puzzle War Set 2 Practice Questions

Scheduling puzzles are a key part of the reasoning section in banking exams like RBI Assistant. These puzzles test your logical thinking, analytical skills, and ability to manage multiple conditions simultaneously. 

In this set, we focus on Day-Based, Month-Based, Date-Based, and combined puzzles, providing step-by-step examples and strategies to solve them efficiently. By practicing these problems, you can improve accuracy, speed, and confidence, which are essential for scoring well in competitive exams.

RBI Assistant Puzzle Power: Part 2 - Scheduling Puzzles 

Building on previous discussions about Floor, Flat, and Box puzzles, this session delves into Scheduling Puzzles, a critical component of reasoning sections in competitive exams like the RBI Assistant. We will specifically cover Day, Month, Date, and Year-based puzzles, providing structured approaches and practical examples to enhance problem-solving skills for these commonly encountered question types.

Day-Based Puzzle (1)

This day-based puzzle requires arranging individuals' off days across a week.

Core Concept for Day-Based Puzzles: Always identify the starting day of the week and list the sequence of days. In this problem, the week starts on Sunday.

Problem Solving Walkthrough:

1. E has an off day on Thursday.

2. One day off between E and B.

3. A has an off day just before E (A is on Wednesday).

4. One day off between A and C, C's off day is not on Friday.

5. F has an off day neither on Sunday nor Friday.

6. Two days off between F and D.

7. The remaining person, G, fills the last slot.

Resulting Arrangement:

• Sunday: G

• Monday: B

• Tuesday: F

• Wednesday: A

• Thursday: E

• Friday: C

• Saturday: D

Question: If G is related to Monday and D to Saturday, A is related to which day?

Answer: Following the pattern (day after off day), A is related to Thursday.

Day-Based Puzzle (2)

This day-based puzzle involves scheduling 5 persons over weekdays. This type requires very careful and thoughtful solving within 1.5 to 2 minutes.

Setup: The week starts on Monday, with five persons scheduled from Monday to Friday.

Problem Solving Walkthrough:

1. Mayank goes on holiday after Tuesday.

2. John goes immediately before Mayank.

3. Two people between John and Lalit.

4. At least one person goes between Nitin and Karan.

5. Karan goes after Nitin.

Resulting Arrangement:

• Monday: Nitin

• Tuesday: John

• Wednesday: Mayank

• Thursday: Karan

• Friday: Lalit

Question: How many people go on a holiday after Mayank?

Answer: Two people (Karan and Lalit) go after Mayank. This is a simple question, typical for RBI Assistant.

Day-Based Puzzle (3)

Another day-based puzzle, with the week starting on Sunday.

Problem Solving Walkthrough:

1. Three people between Golu and Bittu.

2. Less than two people watch the movie after Bittu, who did not watch on Saturday (Bittu is on Friday).

3. Given Bittu is Friday, Golu is on Monday (due to three people between them).

4. Ekta watches the movie before Golu.

5. Three people between Ajit and Ekta.

6. Chiku watches the movie after Ajit.

7. Farhan watches the movie before Dinesh, filling the remaining slots.

Resulting Arrangement:

• Sunday: Ekta

• Monday: Golu

• Tuesday: Ajit

• Wednesday: Chiku

• Thursday: Farhan

• Friday: Bittu

• Saturday: Dinesh

Question: How many people watch the movie before Dinesh?

Answer: Three people watch before Dinesh. Day-based puzzles for RBI Assistant are usually straightforward and unlikely to include variables.

Month-Based Puzzle (1)

This puzzle involves six persons taking trips in specific months.

Core Setup for Month-Based Puzzles: Always explicitly list the number of days in each month at the start. This is a crucial step to avoid errors.

Setup: Six persons; Months: January, March, April, May, July, August.

Days in Months: January (31), March (31), April (30), May (31), July (31), August (31).

Problem Solving Walkthrough:

1. A went for the trip in a 30-day month (A is in April).

2. One employee between X and A.

3. Two employees between X and Z.

4. B went on a trip before Z.

5. The number of employees before B is the same as after C (symmetrical placement).

6. Y does not go on a trip in August.

Resulting Arrangement:

• January: B

• March: Y

• April: A

• May: X

• July: C

• August: Z

Question (Odd One Out): Identify the odd one out based on correct person-month combinations.

Answer: The combination where B is in January is correct.

Month-Based Puzzle (2)

This month-based puzzle involves cities visited in various months.

Setup: Months: January to August.

Days in Months: Jan (31), Feb (28), Mar (31), Apr (30), May (31), Jun (30), Jul (31), Aug (31).

Problem Solving Walkthrough:

1. Kanpur visited in either February or March.

2. Three visits between Kanpur and Dehradun.

3. Lucknow visited in a 31-day month.

4. Visit to Lucknow made immediately after Bengaluru.

5. Hyderabad and Delhi visited in consecutive months.

6. Delhi visited before Jaipur, with three visits between them.

7. Mumbai is the remaining city.

Resulting Arrangement:

• January: Hyderabad

• February: Delhi

• March: Kanpur

• April: Jaipur

• May: Bengaluru

• June: Lucknow

• July: Mumbai

• August: Dehradun

Question (Odd One Out): Identify the odd one out based on the number of days in the month of visit.

Answer: Bengaluru is the odd one out, visited in a 30-day month, while others are in 31-day months (excluding February).

Month-Based Puzzle (3)

This puzzle involves 7 persons with birthdays in specific months, featuring gaps between months.

Setup: Seven persons; Months: January, March, April, May, June, July, August.

Days in Months: Jan (31), Mar (31), Apr (30), May (31), Jun (30), Jul (31), Aug (31).

Problem Solving Walkthrough:

1. K's birthday is in January.

2. The same number of persons have their birthday before and after I (I is in the middle, May).

3. Only one person's birthday is between H and I.

4. J's birthday is in a 31-day month but not August.

5. Two birthdays between J and E.

6. G's birthday is before F.

7. J's birthday is not before I.

Resulting Arrangement:

• January: K

• March: J

• April: G

• May: I

• June: F

• July: E

• August: H

Question (Odd One Out): Identify the odd one out based on the number of days in the birth month.

Answer: K, H, F, and I have birthdays in 31-day months. G is the odd one out as G's birthday is in a 30-day month.

Date-Based Puzzle (1)

This frequently asked date-based puzzle involves events on two specific dates across multiple months.

Setup: Dates: 16 and 27. Months: September, October, November, December.

Days in Months: Sep (30), Oct (31), Nov (30), Dec (31).

[Memory Tip] Importance of Cross-Checking: Even with easy questions and quick solutions, always cross-check your final arrangement against all original conditions before marking your answer. Small mistakes can lead to an incorrect answer, costing valuable marks. This step is crucial.

Problem Solving Walkthrough:

1. U attends on an odd date (27th) in a 31-day month.

2. Two persons between U and P.

3. One person between P and S; P attends before S.

4. At most two persons attend after Q (0, 1, or 2 persons).

5. V attends immediately before W.

6. R attends on an odd number date (27th).

7. Two persons between R and T.

8. V attends after T, and R attends before T.

Resulting Arrangement (After Correction):

• September 16: P

• September 27: R

• October 16: T

• October 27: Q

• November 16: U

• November 27: S

• December 16: V

• December 27: W

Question: How many persons are between S and V?

Answer: Three persons are between S and V.

Date-Based Puzzle (2)

Another date-based puzzle.

Setup: Dates: 7 and 18. Months: March, May, October, November.

Days in Months: Mar (31), May (31), Oct (31), Nov (30).

Problem Solving Walkthrough:

1. V celebrates birthday in October.

2. T does not celebrate on the 7th (T is on 18th).

3. Three people between P and V.

4. Q celebrates immediately before S in the same month, but not in May.

5. R celebrates immediately after P.

6. Three people between R and U.

7. W is the remaining person.

Resulting Arrangement:

• March 7: Q

• March 18: S

• May 7: P

• May 18: R

• October 7: V

• October 18: U

• November 7: W

• November 18: T

Question: Which of the following combination is correct?

Answer: May W 7.

Month and Date-Based Puzzle

This complex puzzle involves 10 persons born on specific dates across several months.

Setup: Dates: 13 and 24. Months: May, June, July, August, September.

Days in Months: May (31), June (30), July (31), August (31), September (30).

Problem Solving Walkthrough:

1. P was born on 13th July.

2. U was the youngest person (last chronologically).

3. Four people between N and O; N was born before O in a 31-day month.

4. S was born immediately after V; V was not born in May, and they were born in different months.

5. M was born immediately before R on the same date as N.

6. Q was born before T.

Resulting Arrangement:

• May 13: N

• May 24: M

• June 13: R

• June 24: V

• July 13: P

• July 24: S

• August 13: Q

• August 24: O

• September 13: T

• September 24: U

Question: Who among the following was born on the 13th of a month having 31 days? (Considering T, N, O).

Answer: As per the speaker's stated logic, T and N are correct. Based on the arrangement provided, N (May 13th) fits the criteria. T (September 13th) does not, as September has 30 days.