Position Deduction Practice Test Worksheets
Build confidence with printable position deduction worksheets and focused logic practice tests. Students learn to decode spatial clues, connect multi-level grid relationships, apply elimination strategies, and determine exact positions systematically.
For students who can read individual position clues, but need targeted practice connecting spatial relationships across multi-level grids to find missing locations.
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What Do Position Deduction Questions Look Like?
Position deduction questions test systematic spatial deduction across multi-level grids, using anchor clues, vertical and horizontal relationships, and number comparisons. Here is a worked example.
Starting with Fixed Positions
6 families (Anna, Cynthia, Ines, Mateo, Rita, and Sasha) have storage units in this building.
Clues:
- Ines is next to Sasha.
- Sasha has unit 1.
- Anna is directly above Sasha.
- Mateo's unit number is higher than Cynthia's.
- Rita is next to Anna.
Which unit belongs to each family?
Anna: _______ Mateo: _______ Ines: _______
Worked Method
- Sasha = 1
Clue 2 gives Sasha unit 1, the lower-left position.
- Anna = 4
Anna is directly above Sasha, so she has unit 4 in the same column.
- Rita = 5
Rita is next to Anna. Unit 5 is the only position immediately beside unit 4 on that row.
- Ines = 2
Ines is next to Sasha. Unit 2 is the only position immediately beside unit 1 on that row.
- Cynthia = 3, Mateo = 6
Only units 3 and 6 remain. Mateo needs the higher number, so Mateo has 6 and Cynthia has 3.
Full Assignment:
| 4: Anna | 5: Rita | 6: Mateo |
| 1: Sasha | 2: Ines | 3: Cynthia |
Answers: Anna = 4, Mateo = 6, Ines = 2
Tip: Place the person with a stated number first, then follow the clues connected to that position.
Rules to Help You Solve Position Deduction Questions
The worked example above shows how finding an anchor position unlocks connected clues. Most position deduction puzzles rely on four core rules:
📌 Rule 1: Anchor Clues First
Scan all clues first for direct statements giving a specific unit, flat, or mailbox number. These fixed points act as anchors from which relative clues can be resolved.
Example: Knowing "Sasha has unit 1" immediately locks down position 1 and unlocks clues about who is next to or above Sasha.
↕️ Rule 2: Vertical Alignments (Above & Below)
"Directly above" or "directly below" means sharing the exact same column across adjacent floors or levels. It never shifts left or right into another column.
Example: In a 2×3 grid numbered 1–3 (bottom) and 4–6 (top), unit 4 is directly above 1, 5 is above 2, and 6 is above 3.
↔️ Rule 3: Horizontal Adjacency & Betweenness
In these papers, "next to" and "between" refer to positions on the same floor or row. "Next to" means an immediate horizontal neighbour. "Directly between" places someone immediately beside both named people, one on either side. In a row of three positions, a "between" clue fixes the middle position.
Example: With Peter at 5 and Sunil at 8, Leo being directly between Peter and Jane forces Leo into 6 and Jane into 7.
🔢 Rule 4: Compare Numbers and Eliminate Positions
Compare the position numbers when a clue says "higher number" or "lower number". A higher number does not necessarily mean a higher floor: rooms 4 and 5 are on the same floor in the 3×3 grid. Odd/even clues help rule out remaining positions.
Example: If only units 3 and 6 remain and Mateo > Cynthia, Cynthia must take unit 3, leaving unit 6 for Mateo.
Two More Worked Examples
Combining horizontal and vertical clues in a 2×4 grid, and solving a 3×3 hotel room puzzle with number comparisons.
Combining Horizontal and Vertical Clues
8 people (Jane, Leo, Mena, Peter, Rita, Sunil, Tom, and Valentina) live in this block of flats.
Clues:
- Peter lives in flat 5.
- Sunil lives in flat 8.
- Leo lives directly between Jane and Peter.
- Tom is directly below Jane.
- Mena is next to Rita.
- Rita is directly below Leo.
Where do these people live?
Tom: _______ Valentina: _______ Leo: _______
Worked Method
- Peter = 5, Sunil = 8
The first two clues fix the two ends of the top floor.
- Leo = 6, Jane = 7
Leo is directly between Jane and Peter. With Peter at 5, Leo must be at 6 and Jane at 7. The order is Peter, Leo, Jane, even though Jane is named first in the clue.
- Rita = 2
Rita is directly below Leo (6), so she lives in flat 2.
- Tom = 3
Tom is directly below Jane (7), so he lives in flat 3.
- Mena = 1
Mena is next to Rita (2). Flat 3 is occupied by Tom, leaving flat 1 as the only available neighbour.
- Valentina = 4
Flat 4 is the only unassigned position.
Full Assignment:
| 5: Peter | 6: Leo | 7: Jane | 8: Sunil |
| 1: Mena | 2: Rita | 3: Tom | 4: Valentina |
Answers: Tom = 3, Valentina = 4, Leo = 6
Tip: A “directly between” clue does not specify which named person is on the left. Use the fixed positions to decide the order.
Combining Number Comparisons and Odd Numbers
9 guests (Akash, Ben, Charlene, Hana, Ivan, Jack, Paloma, Richard, and Sema) stay in this hotel.
Clues:
- Paloma's room number is not even.
- Akash stays between Jack and Sema.
- Sema stays in room 7.
- Ben's room number is higher than Ivan's.
- Paloma's room number is higher than Ben's.
- Hana's room number is higher than Richard's.
- Ivan's room number is higher than Hana's.
Where do these guests stay?
Hana: _______ Ivan: _______ Richard: _______
Worked Method
- Sema = 7
Clue 3 places Sema in room 7, at the left of the top floor.
- Akash = 8, Jack = 9
Akash is between Jack and Sema on the same floor. In this row of three rooms, Akash must occupy the middle room, 8, and Jack room 9.
- Put the number comparisons in order
The clues give Richard < Hana < Ivan < Ben < Paloma. These signs compare room numbers, not floors. Rooms 7, 8 and 9 are already occupied, leaving rooms 1–6 for this chain and Charlene.
- Paloma = 5
Four people in the chain need lower room numbers than Paloma. Rooms 1–4 do not leave enough lower numbers, so Paloma must have room 5 or 6. Her number is not even, which rules out 6 and leaves 5.
- Richard = 1, Hana = 2, Ivan = 3, Ben = 4
With Paloma in room 5, the other four people in the chain must fill rooms 1–4 in increasing order. Ben (4) and Paloma (5) are on the same floor, even though Paloma has the higher room number.
- Charlene = 6
Room 6 is the only unassigned position.
Full Assignment:
| 7: Sema | 8: Akash | 9: Jack |
| 4: Ben | 5: Paloma | 6: Charlene |
| 1: Richard | 2: Hana | 3: Ivan |
Answers: Hana = 2, Ivan = 3, Richard = 1
Tip: Join number comparisons into one ordered chain. Count how many lower numbers are needed, then apply the odd/even clue.
