Wisdom Helps · Reasoning
Puzzles: Number, Floor-based & General
Spot the pattern in a diagram, build a tower floor by floor, or untangle a word puzzle. Learn the method once and every puzzle becomes a step-by-step job.
- Number diagrams
- Floor-based
- General puzzles
- Bank · SSC · RRB · Placements
How to read the diagram
1Compare the figures
Most puzzles show three figures side by side. One rule works in all of them. The last figure has a ? to find.
2Test on a full figure
Pick Figure 1, which has no ?. Try adding, multiplying, squaring or subtracting its numbers until you reach the number in the middle.
3Confirm on Figure 2
A rule that works once may be luck. Check it on Figure 2, then use it on Figure 3.
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Sum of all the numbers | 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 = 10 |
| Product and sum | 3 × 4 = 12 and 3 + 4 = 7 |
| Product minus a number | 5 × 3 − 4 = 11 |
| Difference of cross products | 3 × 5 − 2 × 4 = 7 |
| Sum times difference | (4 + 2) × (5 − 3) = 12 |
| Sum of cubes | 1³ + 2³ = 9 |
Number puzzles with diagrams
Look at the diagram, tap your answer, then open the step-by-step solution.
Floor-based puzzles
Here people live on different floors of a building. Draw the tower, number the floors from the bottom (floor 1 is the lowest), and place the clues one by one.
1Draw a tower
Sketch one box per floor. Write 1 at the bottom and the biggest number at the top.
2Fixed clues first
Top floor, lowest floor and exact floor numbers go in before any relative clue.
3Read the words slowly
“Immediately above” means the next floor up. “Between” counts only the floors in the middle. “Midway” is the exact middle floor.
General puzzles
Everyday logic: ordering, ages, calendars and worst-case thinking. No diagram is given, so write the clues down in your own short notes.
