Types of Puzzles a Banking Aspirant Must Practice: How to prepare them?

Importance of Puzzles in Bank Exams

• There will be around 3-5 sets of puzzles in every Bank and Insurance exam. The weightage of this section is very high in Bank exams.
• You just can not neglect this section.
• In Prelims, you may expect an easy-moderate level of puzzles but in Mains, you will encounter very tricky, lengthy, and tough puzzles.
• You have to practice this section regularly.
• With proper practice and strategy, you can score good marks in this section.

Types of Puzzles Asked in Banking Exams

In banking exams, the difficulty level of the puzzles depends on the level of the exams. In IBPS Clerk or SBI Clerk, puzzles are relatively easier than what we find in IBPS PO or SBI PO or SBI SO. We can categorize puzzles into the following types:

1. Seating Arrangement:

Seating arrangements are the most common type of puzzle that is being asked in the banking exams. You will surely find 1-2 sets of Seating Arrangement puzzles in all the banking exams and in both Prelims and Mains levels of the banking exam. In these questions, a certain number of people are seated in a particular fashion. Some clues about their seating arrangement are given in the form of a passage. On the basis of the information given you have to identify the final seating arrangement. Seating Arrangements are of the following type.

Type of Seating Arrangement	Details
Circular Sitting Arrangement	People are sitting around a circular table Can be Bi-direction of UniDirection.  Mostly 1-2 variable based
Linear Sitting Arrangement	People are sitting in a line. Can be Bi-direction of UniDirection.  Mostly 1-2 variable based
Square/ Rectangle Sitting Arrangement	Seating around square/ rectangle. Can be Bi-direction of UniDirection.  Mostly 1-2 variable based
Dual Row Seating Arrangement	People seating facing each other Can be Bi-direction of UniDirection.  Mostly 1-2 variable based
Unknown/ Uncertain Number of People	The number of people seating is unknown. Can be Bi-direction of UniDirection.  Mostly 1-2 variable based
Miscellaneous	Figure Based Seating Arrangement Blood Relation Based  Direction Based  Combination of any two types of seating arrangement  Combination of seating arrangement with puzzles.

You can practice the most expected puzzle questions for the upcoming Bank and Insurance exams in the Bank Online Test series.

2. Puzzles:

Just like seating arrangement, Puzzles are also an important part of the Banking exams. Most of the puzzles are asked in the examination in the form of a paragraph. Under the paragraph, some clues are given regarding the puzzles and you have to solve accordingly. Following are the type of puzzles. 

Type of Puzzles	Details
Scheduling	Time/ Day/ Week/ Month/ Year/ or combination of any of the two type Age-Based  Mostly 1-2 variable based
Floor Puzzles	Single Story Multistory  Wing based Empty Floor type  Mostly 1-2 variable based
Tabulation	Box based Shelf Based Person-Based Item-based Ranking Based
Miscellaneous	Any combination of two puzzles.  Direction based puzzles Blood Relation Based Puzzles Order and Ranking Based Puzzles.

These are the common types of puzzles asked in banking exams. However, with changing trends and with an increased level of completion in all banking exams, we can see puzzles in exams that don’t follow any particular pattern.

To watch conceptual classes for puzzle and seating arrangements by exam-qualified experts, you can try our Bank Online Coaching.

How to Prepare and Solve Puzzles?

Now, let us see how to solve puzzles effectively:

• Read the puzzles before solving:
  • Read the entire puzzle and the questions to learn the type and level of the puzzle and seating arrangement, before you start solving the puzzles, 
  • If you feel it is going to take a lot of time or it is beyond your ability, leave the question and proceed to the next one.
  • If you want to attempt it, start reading it from the beginning again.
• Make all the possible Cases:
  • Make the draft of the puzzle and put all the available information.
  • Try to give it a basic structure and try with the information to fill the blanks.
  • Another important point to bear in mind while solving puzzles is not to ignore the important key points while reading the question.
• Use the help of assumptions:
  • A very successful way to solve puzzles with accuracy is to make 2-3 possibilities and keep canceling them out as you proceed.
  • Here candidates can make two or three parallel tables or diagrams and put the information in all possible ways.
  • Once you proceed, you will be able to cancel the possibilities and will reach the final destination.
• Be mindful in using indirect clues:
  • Puzzles are basically designed to map one’s mental and logical ability and how fast someone can reach the conclusion.
  • Hence, candidates must be in a sound mind while solving the puzzles, especially while using indirect clues.
  • A wrong turn will lead in the wrong direction and you will end up losing time without gain.

Puzzle questions are important for the following bank exams.

S. No	Name of the exam
1	SBI Clerk
2	SBI PO
3	IBPS Clerk
4	IBPS PO
5	IBPS RRB
6	RBI Assistant
7	RBI Grade-B
8	NABARD Grade-A
9	Bihar State Cooperative Bank
10	SBI Apprentice
11	Bank Note Press Dewas
12	LIC AAO
13	FCI

Here we have discussed all types of puzzles that may be asked in various Bank and Insurance Exams and some effective tips and tricks to tackle them. You are suggested to go through the complete article.

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