SSC Seating Arrangement Questions Practice Set (New Pattern)

About This Practice Set

Seating arrangement is a favourite topic in SSC reasoning, and it is also one of the easiest to master, because every puzzle can be solved by the same three steps: draw the empty seats, place the definite clues first, and then fit in the rest by elimination.

This set has six puzzles with a total of 29 questions. It starts with simple row arrangements and moves on to circular seating, two-row seating (the newer pattern) and a circular puzzle in which some people face outwards. Each question has four options, the correct answer and a short explanation. The final arrangement of each puzzle is given after its questions so that you can check your own diagram.

Read This First: Left and Right

• Row facing north: Left means towards the left side of the page and right means towards the right side.
• Circle facing the centre: The left of a person is the clockwise direction and the right is the anticlockwise direction.
• Persons facing outside: It is the opposite. For them, left is anticlockwise and right is clockwise.
• Two rows facing each other: Left and right are always from the point of view of the person who is facing that way.

Three Steps to Solve Any Puzzle

1. Draw the seats (a line of boxes or a circle) and number them.
2. Start with the clue that gives a fixed position, such as "sits at the right end" or "sits opposite A".
3. Fill in the remaining clues one by one, and use elimination for the last few persons.

Puzzle 1: Six Persons in a Row

Six persons P, Q, R, S, T and U are sitting in a row facing north.

• R sits second from the left end.
• S sits to the immediate right of R.
• T sits at one of the extreme ends.
• U does not sit at an extreme end and is not adjacent to T.
• Q sits at the right end, and P sits to the immediate left of Q.

Q1. Who sits at the left end?
(a) Q   (b) R   (c) T   (d) S
Answer: (c) T
Explanation: Reading the final arrangement from left to right, T, R, S, U, P, Q, the person at the left end is T.

Q2. Who sits third from the left?
(a) R   (b) T   (c) U   (d) S
Answer: (d) S
Explanation: The third seat from the left is S.

Q3. How many persons sit between T and P?
(a) 4   (b) 5   (c) 2   (d) 3
Answer: (d) 3
Explanation: T is in seat 1 and P is in seat 5, so the seats between them hold R, S, U.

Q4. Who sits to the immediate left of P?
(a) T   (b) U   (c) P   (d) Q
Answer: (b) U
Explanation: The seat to the left of P (seat 5) is seat 4, which is U.

Final arrangement (left to right): T – R – S – U – P – Q

Puzzle 2: Seven Persons in a Row

Seven persons A, B, C, D, E, F and G are sitting in a row facing north.

• A sits third from the left end.
• B sits at the right end.
• C sits to the immediate left of A.
• D sits second to the right of A.
• F sits between D and B.
• G sits to the immediate right of A.

Q5. Who sits at the left end?
(a) G   (b) A   (c) E   (d) B
Answer: (c) E
Explanation: The order from left to right is E, C, A, G, D, F, B, so the left end is E.

Q6. How many persons sit between C and D?
(a) 3   (b) 4   (c) 2   (d) 1
Answer: (c) 2
Explanation: C is in seat 2 and D is in seat 5. A and G sit between them.

Q7. Who sits third from the right end?
(a) D   (b) B   (c) C   (d) E
Answer: (a) D
Explanation: Third from the right in a row of seven is seat 5, which is D.

Q8. Who sits to the immediate right of G?
(a) C   (b) D   (c) E   (d) F
Answer: (b) D
Explanation: G is in seat 4, and the seat to its right is seat 5, which is D.

Q9. What is the position of F from the left end?
(a) 7   (b) 6   (c) 8   (d) 5
Answer: (b) 6
Explanation: F is in seat 6 from the left.

Final arrangement (left to right): E – C – A – G – D – F – B

Puzzle 3: Six Persons Around a Circle

Six persons P, Q, R, S, T and U are sitting around a circular table and all of them face the centre.

• P sits opposite S.
• Q sits to the immediate left of P.
• R sits second to the right of P.
• T sits between Q and S.

Q10. Who sits opposite Q?
(a) P   (b) Q   (c) T   (d) R
Answer: (d) R
Explanation: Going clockwise from P the order is P, Q, T, S, R, U. Q is three seats away from R on the other side, so R sits opposite Q.

Q11. Who sits to the immediate right of T?
(a) Q   (b) T   (c) S   (d) R
Answer: (a) Q
Explanation: Right means anticlockwise. The person anticlockwise from T is Q.

Q12. Who sits between R and P?
(a) T   (b) U   (c) S   (d) R
Answer: (b) U
Explanation: R and P have exactly one seat between them on the side where U is sitting.

Q13. Who sits second to the left of U?
(a) R   (b) U   (c) Q   (d) P
Answer: (c) Q
Explanation: Left means clockwise. Two seats clockwise from U is Q.

Q14. Who sits opposite U?
(a) U   (b) P   (c) Q   (d) T
Answer: (d) T
Explanation: U and T are three seats apart, so they sit opposite each other.

Final arrangement (clockwise from P): P – Q – T – S – R – U

Puzzle 4: Eight Persons Around a Circle

Eight persons A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H are sitting around a circular table facing the centre.

• E sits opposite A.
• B sits second to the left of A.
• F sits between A and B.
• H sits to the immediate left of B.
• D sits to the immediate right of A.
• G sits to the immediate right of D.

Q15. Who sits opposite H?
(a) D   (b) F   (c) B   (d) H
Answer: (a) D
Explanation: Going clockwise from A: A, F, B, H, E, C, G, D. H and D are four seats apart.

Q16. Who sits third to the left of G?
(a) H   (b) F   (c) E   (d) C
Answer: (b) F
Explanation: Left means clockwise. Three seats clockwise from G is F.

Q17. Who sits between E and G?
(a) H   (b) E   (c) C   (d) G
Answer: (c) C
Explanation: E and G have only one seat between them, and it is taken by C.

Q18. Who sits second to the right of B?
(a) C   (b) G   (c) D   (d) A
Answer: (d) A
Explanation: Right means anticlockwise. Two seats anticlockwise from B is A.

Q19. Who sits opposite C?
(a) F   (b) G   (c) D   (d) A
Answer: (a) F
Explanation: C and F are four seats apart, so they face each other across the table.

Final arrangement (clockwise from A): A – F – B – H – E – C – G – D

Puzzle 5: Two Rows Facing Each Other (New Pattern)

Eight persons sit in two parallel rows of four. In row 1, A, B, C and D sit facing south. In row 2, P, Q, R and S sit facing north. Each person in row 2 faces exactly one person in row 1. Left and right are taken from the point of view of the direction each person is facing.

• A sits at one of the extreme ends of row 1.
• C sits between A and B.
• D sits to the immediate left of B.
• P faces C.
• R sits at an extreme end of row 2 and faces A.
• S sits to the immediate right of P.

Q20. Who faces B?
(a) R   (b) S   (c) P   (d) Q
Answer: (b) S
Explanation: In row 1 the order (west to east) is A, C, B, D. B is in the third seat, so the person facing B is S.

Q21. Who faces D?
(a) P   (b) R   (c) Q   (d) S
Answer: (c) Q
Explanation: D is in the fourth seat, and the person opposite in row 2 is Q.

Q22. Who sits to the immediate left of Q?
(a) R   (b) A   (c) P   (d) S
Answer: (d) S
Explanation: Q faces north, so its left is the west side. The person on that side of Q is S.

Q23. Who sits to the immediate right of C?
(a) A   (b) P   (c) B   (d) D
Answer: (a) A
Explanation: C faces south, so its right is the west side. The person there is A.

Q24. Who faces the person sitting to the immediate left of B?
(a) P   (b) Q   (c) R   (d) S
Answer: (b) Q
Explanation: B faces south, so its left is the east side, where D sits. D is faced by Q.

Final arrangement (west to east): Row 1 (facing south): A – C – B – D. Row 2 (facing north): R – P – S – Q.

Puzzle 6: A Circle in Which Some Face Outwards

Six persons P, Q, R, T, U and V sit around a circular table. P, R and U face the centre. Q, T and V face outside (away from the centre).

• Q sits to the immediate left of P.
• T sits opposite P.
• R sits second to the left of P.
• U sits to the immediate right of T.
• V sits between U and P.

Q25. Who sits opposite R?
(a) P   (b) Q   (c) V   (d) R
Answer: (c) V
Explanation: Going clockwise from P: P, Q, R, T, U, V. R and V are three seats apart.

Q26. Who sits to the immediate left of V?
(a) Q   (b) R   (c) T   (d) U
Answer: (d) U
Explanation: V faces outside, so its left is the anticlockwise side. The person there is U.

Q27. Who sits second to the right of Q?
(a) T   (b) R   (c) U   (d) V
Answer: (a) T
Explanation: Q faces outside, so its right is the clockwise side. Two seats clockwise from Q is T.

Q28. Who sits between P and R?
(a) U   (b) Q   (c) V   (d) P
Answer: (b) Q
Explanation: P and R are two seats apart, and Q sits between them.

Q29. Who sits opposite U?
(a) V   (b) P   (c) Q   (d) R
Answer: (c) Q
Explanation: U and Q are three seats apart.

Final arrangement (clockwise from P): P – Q – R – T – U – V

Common Mistakes in Seating Arrangement

• Mixing up left and right in circular arrangements. Write the rule at the top of your rough sheet before you begin.
• Starting with the difficult clue. Begin with fixed positions and direct pairs, and leave "not sitting next to" clues for the end.
• Forgetting that the direction can change the meaning of left and right, especially when some persons face outside or when there are two rows.
• Not checking the last clue. Once you finish, read every clue again to make sure your final arrangement satisfies all of them.

With regular practice, each of these puzzles should take you about three to four minutes, and the questions after it only a few seconds each.