Overview

This set of 20 verbal reasoning questions is based on scheduling puzzles, designed for students preparing for the 11+ exam. Scheduling puzzles require logical thinking and organisation skills to determine how a series of events, tasks, or activities can fit into a timetable or sequence. These puzzles challenge students to use reasoning to find solutions based on specific conditions or constraints.

Example Question:

Example 1

Four friends—Alice, Ben, Charlie, and David—are scheduling their playtime at the park. The park is open from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Each person will play for exactly one hour, and no one will play at the same time. The following conditions apply:

  • Alice must play before Charlie.
  • Ben will play at 4:00 pm.
  • David will play immediately after Charlie.

Question: What is the order of play for the four friends?

Solution:
By using the clues and filling in the schedule, you can deduce that the order of play is Alice, Ben, Charlie, David.

Questions

Basic Scheduling Puzzle Tasks

Question 1

Five students—Emma, Fred, Grace, Harry, and Isla—are scheduled for library time between 9:00 am and 12:00 pm. Each student has 30 minutes in the library. The following conditions apply:

  • Emma goes before Isla.
  • Fred goes after Grace.
  • Harry goes at 11:00 am.

Question: In what order do the students visit the library?

Question 2

Four classmates—Jack, Katie, Liam, and Mia—are assigned different times to give their presentations. The presentations start at 10:00 am and end at 12:00 pm. Each presentation lasts 30 minutes. The following rules apply:

  • Jack presents after Liam.
  • Katie presents immediately before Mia.
  • Liam presents at 10:30 am.

Question: What is the order of the presentations?

Question 3

Three teachers—Mr Barnes, Mrs Clark, and Ms Dean—have meetings at different times during the afternoon: 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm, and 4:00 pm. The following conditions apply:

  • Mr Barnes must meet before Mrs Clark.
  • Ms Dean’s meeting is at 4:00 pm.

Question: In what order are the meetings?

Question 4

Six children—Amy, Bella, Chris, Dan, Eva, and Finn—are playing on a trampoline, each for 10 minutes between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm. The following rules apply:

  • Bella plays immediately after Amy.
  • Chris plays before Dan.
  • Finn plays after Eva.
  • Amy plays first.

Question: What is the order in which the children play on the trampoline?

Question 5

Three people—John, Sarah, and Mark—are each taking part in a race. The race takes place at different times during the afternoon: 2:00 pm, 2:30 pm, and 3:00 pm. The following rules apply:

  • John races before Sarah.
  • Mark races at 2:30 pm.

Question: In what order do they race?

Intermediate Scheduling Puzzle Tasks

Question 6

Five friends—Olivia, Peter, Quinn, Rachel, and Sam—are visiting a museum. Each friend spends exactly 30 minutes in the museum between 1:00 pm and 3:30 pm. The following conditions apply:

  • Olivia goes immediately before Quinn.
  • Peter goes after Rachel.
  • Sam visits at 2:30 pm.

Question: What is the order of the museum visits?

Question 7

Four siblings—David, Emma, George, and Helen—are doing chores. The chores start at 9:00 am and end at 11:00 am, with each sibling doing a 30-minute chore. The following rules apply:

  • George finishes his chore after Emma.
  • Helen starts her chore at 10:00 am.
  • David finishes his chore before George.

Question: What is the order of the chores?

Question 8

Six people—Anna, Brian, Clara, Dave, Ellie, and Fiona—are scheduled to take part in a talent show. Each person performs for 15 minutes between 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm. The following rules apply:

  • Ellie performs immediately after Clara.
  • Dave performs before Fiona.
  • Anna performs at 1:00 pm.

Question: What is the order of the performances?

Question 9

Three runners—Mike, Sally, and Tim—are practising their sprints. They each sprint at different times: 10:00 am, 10:30 am, and 11:00 am. The following conditions apply:

  • Tim sprints after Sally.
  • Mike sprints at 10:00 am.

Question: In what order do the runners practise?

Question 10

Four friends—Lucy, Jack, Hannah, and Ben—are taking turns on a go-kart track. Each friend races for 15 minutes between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm. The following rules apply:

  • Jack races after Lucy.
  • Ben races immediately after Hannah.
  • Lucy races at 2:15 pm.

Question: What is the order of the go-kart races?

Advanced Scheduling Puzzle Tasks

Question 11

Five students—Laura, Oliver, Zoe, Kevin, and James—are presenting their projects between 9:00 am and 11:30 am. Each presentation lasts 30 minutes. The following rules apply:

  • Laura presents before Oliver.
  • Kevin presents after Zoe.
  • James presents at 10:30 am.

Question: What is the order of the presentations?

Question 12

Four friends—Sam, Leo, Mia, and Chloe—are meeting for lunch. Each friend arrives at a different time between 12:00 pm and 1:30 pm. The following rules apply:

  • Leo arrives before Sam.
  • Chloe arrives immediately after Mia.
  • Mia arrives at 12:30 pm.

Question: What is the order of their arrivals?

Question 13

Six students—Aiden, Bella, Chris, Daisy, Ellie, and Frank—are attending a reading group. The group meets from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, and each student reads for 20 minutes. The following rules apply:

  • Aiden reads before Chris.
  • Daisy reads immediately after Ellie.
  • Frank reads last.

Question: What is the order in which the students read?

Question 14

Four actors—Tom, Nina, Paul, and Emily—are rehearsing a play. Each actor rehearses for 30 minutes between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm. The following rules apply:

  • Paul rehearses after Emily.
  • Nina rehearses immediately before Tom.
  • Emily rehearses at 3:30 pm.

Question: What is the order of the rehearsals?

Question 15

Three friends—Olivia, Harry, and Jake—are playing a board game. They each take turns, and the game lasts from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm. The following rules apply:

  • Olivia plays before Harry.
  • Jake plays at 4:30 pm.

Question: What is the order of their turns?

Expert-Level Scheduling Puzzle Tasks

Question 16

Four scientists—Dr. Green, Dr. Black, Dr. White, and Dr. Brown—are scheduled to give lectures in different time slots between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. Each lecture lasts 30 minutes. The following rules apply:

  • Dr. Green presents before Dr. Brown.
  • Dr. Black presents after Dr. White.
  • Dr. White presents at 2:00 pm.

Question: In what order are the lectures given?

Question 17

Five classmates—Alice, Bob, Claire, Daniel, and Eva—are scheduled to meet their teacher individually between 10:00 am and 12:30 pm. Each meeting lasts 30 minutes. The following rules apply:

  • Alice meets before Bob.
  • Claire meets after Daniel.
  • Eva meets immediately before Claire.

Question: What is the order of the meetings?

Question 18

Six performers—Peter, Sarah, Tom, Ursula, Victor, and Wendy—are performing in a concert between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm. Each performer has a 20-minute slot. The following rules apply:

  • Wendy performs immediately before Victor.
  • Peter performs before Sarah.
  • Tom performs at 6:40 pm.

Question: What is the order of the performances?

Question 19

Three colleagues—Alice, Brian, and Clare—are giving presentations at a conference between 11:00 am and 12:30 pm. Each presentation lasts 30 minutes. The following rules apply:

  • Brian presents before Clare.
  • Alice presents at 11:30 am.

Question: What is the order of the presentations?

Question 20

Four children—Isabella, Liam, Noah, and Sophie—are each taking turns on the swings in the playground. Each child spends 15 minutes swinging between 10:00 am and 11:00 am. The following rules apply:

  • Noah swings before Sophie.
  • Liam swings immediately after Isabella.
  • Isabella swings at 10:15 am.

Question: In what order do the children use