LSAT 90, Logic Game 4, Question 20, LSATHacks

If O is performed on day 3, that means that M can’t go on days 2 or 4 (rule 3). This also means M can’t go on day 7 (rule 2). All these restrictions heavily affect H, which needs to go before M at least once.

HM can now only go in two places. I highlighted them with boxes. Try to place HM anywhere else, and you’ll either have an H over a “not H” or an M over a “not M”.

(You might wonder why you can’t place HM in 6 and 7. It’s cause if you have M in 7, you’d have M in 2, and them M would be beside O. So only 4/5 and 7/8 work)

So, we can make two scenarios, one with HM in 4/5 and one with HM in 7/8.

Scenario 1: HM in 4/5

Let’s start with 4/5. Since M is in 5, M must also be in 1 (rule 1):

Next, we need to put J before H (rule 5). The only space to do that is slot 2, which means J must also go in slot 7 (rule 2):

G and L are random and can go in either spot.

Scenario 2: HM in 7/8

Next, let’s draw HM in 7/8. H has to go in slot 2 as well, since 2 and 7 need to be the same (rule 2):

Next, we have to put J before H (rule 5). The only space before H is slot 1. So J goes there as well as slot 5, since both slots 1 and 5 need to be the same (rule 1):

G and L go in the remaining two spots, in either order. This is possible because G and L have no rules.

This question is asking what could be true. Since we have both scenarios, we can check each answer against them to see if it is possible.

A isn’t possible. G can’t go on day 2, because in one scenario J goes second, and in the other scenario, H does.

B is CORRECT. In scenario 2, H is second.

C is not possible. Slot 1 has M in scenario 1 and J in scenario 2.

D is not possible. L can’t go on day 7. In scenario 1, J does. In scenario 2, H does.

E is not possible. If M went 7th, it would have to go 2nd (rule 2). This would place it beside O, which is in slot 3 on this question. That violates rule 3: M and O can’t be beside each other.

A, C and D might have seemed like tempting answers because G and L are plays with no restrictions. However, placing O third adds so many constraints in this game that it just doesn’t work. G and L can only go very few places

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