LG Game 4 Question 18 Explanation, by LSATHacks
For acceptable order questions, go through the rules and use them to eliminate answers one by one.
Note that I use the rules themselves. I don’t use my diagrams for these questions. Reading the rules again for this question will help you memorize them, and it’s also more efficient.
Remember that all the answers are describing committee Z. This is relevant for rules 2 and 4.
Rule 1 eliminates D. If Nash is in a group, they have to be leader.
Rule 2 eliminates C. Kwon can’t be assigned to Z.
Rule 3 eliminates no rules.
Rule 4 eliminates A and B. Joslin can’t be assigned to Z.
E is CORRECT. It violates no rules.
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Um, don’t mean to be rude here, but…
Although the rule-by-rule thing is the default mode for what you apparently call “acceptable order questions,” in this particular case, it’s an unnecessary waste of valuable time.
Your own “main diagram” shows that Committee Z HAS to have “N” as the Leader (the result of Rules 3b and 4c, the default of the other 3 characters having to be in Z, and Rule 1 placing “N” in the Leader slot).
Now, how many of the 5 answers have “N” as the leader?
.
.
.
Bingo.
It’s easy to let force of habit get in the way of noticing shortcuts when they become available. And though it’s true that such shortcuts aren’t the norm in “acceptable order” Qs, this isn’t completely unprecedented either; similar things have happened a couple times before, and are likely to happen again.
Cheers
Using the rule-by-rule method for acceptable order questions serves two invaluable functions beyond just getting the right answer to the question:
1) Helps you internalize the rules of the game for later questions. Every re-read of the main rules of the game further solidifies your short-term memory of the rules
2) Provides an important check against potential small errors in the main diagram or your initial deductions (which often happen under time pressure). After re-reading the rules, you might realize that you made a deduction you should not have been made, or that your diagram failed to take into account one crucial rule
Given that acceptable order questions are usually the first question of the game, making this method your default helps you ensure that you have the right foundation for answering later questions. Graeme has written a more detailed account of this method here: https://lsathacks.com/guide/faq/how-to-go-faster-logic-games/