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Logic Games Questions

Armed with your sketch and a deduction or two, you’re ready to tackle some questions.

This is the third in a series of articles that discusses the TestSherpa LSAT Method for Logic Games. The series includes the following articles:

First let’s review the game setup. For practice, create your own sketch based on what you learned from the previous articles in this series.

A team of researchers releases eight homing pigeons–A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H–from various locations at the same time on the same day. Each pigeon is expected to return to the same location on different days.

     A arrives after D arrives.
     E is the fastest pigeon and arrives 12 days after being released.
     Another pigeon arrives every two days after E arrives.
     H arrives after C.
     F arrives six days after E arrives.
     B arrives 8 days after G arrives.

Take the time to make your own logic games sketch based on what you learned from the last article in this series and then let’s look at some questions that would be typical of this type of game.

1. On how many pairs of days could G and B arrive?
(A) five
(B) four
(C) three
(D) two
(E) one

Just as promised, making deductions led to a gimme point. In the absence of additional hypothetical information and rules, the LSAT has to rely on combining the initial rules to get its questions. We already saw that G can only fit on day 14 or 16, so the answer must be (D).

2. Which of the following statements CANNOT be true?
(A) G arrives after A
(B) G arrives after C
(C) B arrives before C
(D) C arrives before D
(E) C arrives after A

This question is looking for a false answer, one that could never be true given the system we’re dealing with. The easiest way to tackle this kind of question is just to try out the answer choices. If you can imagine even one single instance where the answer choice could be true, then it has to be wrong. So, go through each answer choice and try to make them true. If you succeed, cross it out. If you can’t make it true, mark it and move on. For example:

(A) We know that G has to arrive on either day 14 or 16. Since A has to follow D, there just isn’t any room for this answer to be correct. If this were the actual test, save time by marking (A) and moving on. There can only be one right answer so why waste time with the rest? For practice, however, let’s look at the other answer choices.

(B) Suppose G arrived on day 16, and Q arrived on day 14. That may not be the way it happened in real life, but it could have happened that way. No rule prohibits it. Since it’s possible, it can’t be the right answer.

(C) If B arrived on day 24, you still have room to fit in C and H later. It’s possible, therefore it’s wrong.

(D) There is enough room for C and H to arrive and still precede D and A.

(E) Like answer choice (D), you could flip the C-H pair with the D-A pair and still fit them in.

3. Which one of the following statements could be true?
(A) Both G and A arrive before F
(B) Both H and A arrive before B
(C) Both E and H arrive before G
(D) Both D and C arrive before B
(E) Both D and A arrive before F

In this question you’re looking for an answer that could be true. That means the wrong answers must be false. The strategy for this type of question is to try out the answers. If you can fit one into the sketch and not break a rule, it must be the right answer.

(A) can’t work. We know G has to fit in day 14 or 16, and D has to come before A. There’s no room to make that happen before F on day 18.

(B) can’t work. The latest B can fit is day 24. With G taking up day 16, there isn’t enough time to fit in A and H which require D and C before them.

(C) can’t work. First, don’t even test E, we know it comes first. Nevertheless, if H arrives before G, C has to as well, and there is no room for that.

(D) is possible. The order could go E – G – D – F – C – B – A – H. It doesn’t have to, but it could. You should mark this and move on.

(E) leaves no room for G to fit on day 14 or 16.

Logic Games Questions Summary Tips

The TestSherpa method for Analytical Reasoning has five steps:

  1. Read the setup
  2. Make a sketch
  3. Paraphrase the rules
  4. Make deductions
  5. Attack the questions

The puzzles do not appear in any order, so pick the puzzle you want to start with based on the type of puzzle it is, its rules, and the type and number of questions.

Consider entities, actions, and limits when reading the setup or introduction to the puzzle.

Don’t rush your sketch. Your time is well spent making an easy to understand sketch rather than a sloppy and hard to use sketch.

You can do three things with rules:

  1. Add them to your sketch.
  2. Paraphrase next to the sketch using your own shorthand.
  3. Circle and return.

If a deduction occurs to you, write it down or add it to your sketch. Don’t wait for step four.

Deductions will give you some easy points and make your understanding of the game much stronger.

Now return to our LSAT course page to read another lesson.

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