IBPS PO Scheduling Puzzles, Check Types and Most Asked Questions

Scheduling Puzzles are an important and frequently asked topic in the reasoning section of the IBPS PO exam. 1 to 2 sets of scheduling puzzles are asked in the exam. These puzzles are based on events that occurred on specific days, months, dates, and years, and you are asked to organize them. They are a little tricky and take time to answer the questions based on scheduling puzzles. By following a simple strategy, it is possible to solve them in less than 5 minutes. Read on to know how to solve scheduling puzzles in the IBPS PO exam and get a free PDF of practice questions with solutions.

What are Scheduling Puzzles?

Scheduling puzzles are puzzles that contain the arrangement of events, days, dates, time slots, and months. They involve questions about arranging people, events, or tasks based on specific time-based parameters like:

• Days of the week (Monday to Sunday)
• Months (January to December)
• Time slots (9:00 AM to 10:00 AM)
• Specific dates (like 1st to 10th of a month)

Example of Scheduling Puzzle:

Seven people – A, B, C, D, E, F, and G – attend a workshop on seven different days of the week starting from Monday to Sunday, but not necessarily in the same order.

• C attends on Wednesday.
• Only two persons attend between C and G.
• D attends immediately before B.
• A attends after E but not on Saturday.
• F does not attend on Monday or Sunday.
• B does not attend on Friday.

Steps to solve it:

1. Draw a row for 7 days → Mon to Sun.
2. Place C on Wednesday.
3. Count 2 spaces from C to place G.
4. Use clues like “immediately before,” “after but not on,” etc., to arrange the others.

Difficulty Level of Scheduling Puzzles in IBPS PO Exam

The scheduling puzzle questions asked in the IBPS PO exam are moderate to difficult level. Below, we have provided a bifurcation of the difficulty levels of different types of scheduling puzzles.

Puzzle Type	Difficulty	Tip
Day-Based	Easy to Moderate	Focus on unique days and linking words.
Month-Date Based	Moderate to Hard	Use double table format (You have 2 or 3 sets of variables to track).
Mixed Variables (Person + Day + Profession)	Hard	Start with fixed placements.
Time Slot Based	Moderate	Split days into shifts or sessions.

Types of IBPS PO Scheduling Puzzles

There are mainly four types of scheduling puzzles that are asked in the IBPS PO exam. They are named as day-based puzzles, month-based, or date-based puzzles, time-slot based puzzles, or day/month combination puzzles, and puzzles with/without variables (profession, colour, hobbies, etc.).

Type 1: Day-Based Puzzles

The questions based on day-based puzzles involve people doing activities on different days (e.g., A to G do different tasks from Monday to Sunday).

Example Question:

Seven friends — A, B, C, D, E, F, and G — attend classes on different days of the week, starting from Monday to Sunday. Each friend attends the class on a different day. The following information is known:

1. A attends the class on Wednesday.
2. Only one person attends between A and B.
3. C attends the class immediately after G.
4. Only one person attends between F and E, who attends before F.
5. D attends the class on Friday.

Type 2: Month-Based Scheduling

These types of puzzles involve events held on different dates in different months (e.g., 7 people attended a seminar in February, March, and June on either the 6th or 10th).

Eight people — A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H — attend seminars in four different months: January, March, June, and August. In each month, two people attend, and the seminars are scheduled on either the 5th or 22nd of the month. No two people attend on the same date in the same month.

The following information is known:

1. C attends in March.
2. Only one person attends between C and A, who attends on the 22nd.
3. B attends immediately before D, but not in the same month.
4. Only one person attends in August on the 5th.
5. G attends in the same month as H.
6. F does not attend in June.
7. E attends on 5th of June.

Type 3: Date-Based Scheduling Puzzle

These types of puzzles involve events happening on different dates, and you need to organize them to answer the question based on this puzzle.

Eight persons – A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H – were born in either January or February, on either the 12th or 25th of the month. Each date and month has exactly one person. No two persons share the same date or month.

The following information is known:

1. A was born on 12th January.
2. Only one person was born between A and B.
3. D was born immediately after B.
4. C was born on 25th February.
5. F was born two persons after E (not necessarily in the same month).
6. G was born just before H, and both were born in February.

Type 3: Time Slot-Based Scheduling Puzzle

This type of puzzle is based on the events happening on different time slots, and you need to organize them such that you answer all the questions given according to the puzzle.

Six persons — A, B, C, D, E, and F — have interviews scheduled on the same day at six different time slots: 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, and 2:00 PM. The order of interviews is from earliest (9:00 AM) to latest (2:00 PM). The following information is known:

1. A’s interview is scheduled immediately before C’s.
2. Only one person’s interview is between D and A.
3. B is not interviewed at 9:00 AM or 2:00 PM.
4. E is interviewed immediately after B.
5. D is interviewed after 12:00 PM.

Note: To make this type of puzzle more difficult, they are asked with two or more variables like people, colour, profession, city, etc.

IBPS PO Scheduling Puzzles Questions Asked in Exams

Try to solve the scheduling puzzle questions given here, and check the detailed solution in the free PDF provided below, and also get more questions with solutions in the PDF.

Directions (1-5): Answer the questions based on the information given below.

Exams of 10 subjects is held on different dates among 12^th, 14^th, 15^th, 17^th, 20^th, 21^st, 24^th, 25^th, 26^th and 28^th of August. Five exams are held before Civics exam. Maths exam is held on 15^th.History exam is held two days after English exam. History and Hindi exams are held before Physics exam. Hindi exam is held three days after Chemistry exam. Two exams are held between Chemistry and Economics exam. Biology exam is held before Sanskrit exam, which is not held on 28^th.Neither Economics nor Biology exam is held on 12^th.

Common solution:

Starting Point: First we shall consider the direct clues and then proceed by placing History and English exam, so as to get least number of cases.

Direct Clues:

Five exams are held before Civics exam.

Maths exam is held on 15^th.

Date	Subject
12th
14th
15th	Maths
17th
20th
21st	Civics
24th
25th
26th
28th

Clues:

History exam is held two days after English exam.

History and Hindi exams are held before Physics exam.

Hindi exam is held three days after Chemistry exam.

Inference:

History exam is held on either 14^th or 26^th.

Chemistry exam is held on either 17^th or 14^th.

	Case I	Case II
12th	English
14th	History	Chemistry/
15th	Maths	Maths
17th	Chemistry	Hindi/Chemistry
20th	Hindi	Hindi/
21st	Civics	Civics
24th		English
25th
26th		History
28th		Physics

Clues:

Two exams are held between Chemistry and Economics exam.

Biology exam is held before Sanskrit exam, which is not held on 28^th.

Neither Economics nor Biology exam is held on 12^th, this is not possible in case II, so case II is rejected.

Inference:

Economics exam is either held on 24^th.

Biology exam is held on 25^th.

Sanskrit exam is held on 26^th and thus, Physics exam is held on 28^th.

The final table is given below:

Date	Subject
12th	English
14th	History
15th	Maths
17th	Chemistry
20th	Hindi
21st	Civics
24th	Economics
25th	Biology
26th	Sanskrit
28th	Physics

Question 1: Biology exam is held on ____.

A) 14^th

B) 20^th

C) 24^th

D) 25^th

E) None of the above

Question 2: How many exams are held before Economics exam?

A) Five

B) Two

C) Six

D) Three

E) None of the above

Question 3: Which exam is held on 26^th?

A) Chemistry

B) History

C) Biology

D) Sanskrit

E) None of the above

Question 4: How many exams are held between English and Hindi exams?

A) Four

B) Six

C) Three

D) Five

E) None of the above

Question 5: More than two exams are held between Civics and ____ exams.

A) History

B) Sanskrit

C) Hindi

D) Economics

E) None of the above

IBPS PO Scheduling Puzzles PDF

Get a Free PDF for IBPS PO for Scheduling Puzzles Questions. Improve your score in the exam.

Best Way to Approach Scheduling Puzzles in IBPS PO 2025

Follow the given tips below to solve the scheduling puzzle-based question.

Tip 1: Draw a proper structure based on the type:

• For 7 days → Make a horizontal table with 7 boxes.
• For months/dates → Draw a 2D table (Month × Date).

Tip 2: Use the direct information given in the question first.

Tip 3: Look for linking clues (e.g., B comes before D but not immediately).

Tip 4: Use “either-or” logic smartly.

Tip 5: Mark the negative clues and handle them properly. (e.g., A does not visit on Sunday).

Tip 6: Eliminate options logically.

Disclaimer: This blog provides practice scheduling puzzle questions for IBPS PO preparation. Content is illustrative, not official. Candidates must consult IBPS PO exam notices for authentic details. Use these examples to strengthen reasoning skills, not as guaranteed exam material.

Click the link below to join our exclusive Telegram group for expert guidance, real-time doubt clearing, and personalized tips to boost your banking exam prep.

Also Read:

IBPS PO Exam Pattern	IBPS PO Salary
IBPS PO Syllabus	IBPS PO Cut Off

Scheduling Puzzles for IBPS PO 2025: FAQs