Lsat Preptest 02, Analytical Game 04: October 1991

In this LSAT logic game exactly six dogs enter a dog show. Of the six dogs, the first four win a ribbon. The dogs are either female or male and either greyhound or labrador. The challenge of the test taker is to determine the sequence and type of dog that placed in the first four of the dog show.

This logic game has the potential to be exceedingly difficult as it is basically a sequence of four variables overlapping with a group of three of each of those variables and, not to mention, one other group of two variables that have no sequential order but do have a subset of three variables in each of those variables.

Logic games with this type of potential for complexity are typically not complex at all. This game is no exception as there is literally one scenario template to be constructed from the rules presented. The difficulty of this analytical game arises from the intuitively complex set up and the application of more than rule at one time.

As a preliminary matter the test taker must determine what type of LSAT logic game she is asked to solve. Logic games fall under four broad categories: 1) sequential; 2) grouping; 3) sequential game with grouping aspects; and 4) grouping game with sequential aspects. When the test taker is faced with a sequential game the test taker must quickly ascertain whether the sequential game has any grouping aspects and/or dual sequential aspects.

Grouping aspects to a sequential game mainly occur in three ways: 1) one or more variables that occur in a sequence have a distinguishing characteristic, such as a color; 2) two or more variables occur in one spot in the sequence; and 3) there are some variables that do not occur in the sequence at all.

Once the test taker has determined the type of LSAT logic game that she is asked to solve, the test taker must then decide which solution strategy to employ. Four basic solution strategies are listed as follows in order of solution preference: 1) wholly solved scenarios; 2) intuitively solved scenarios; 3) scenario templates; and 4) nuts and bolts.

A wholly solved scenarios solution strategy occurs when the rules of the logic game allow for the creation of scenarios that show every permutation of the variables and/or groups in the logic game. The test taker employs various distribution strategies and is generally able to create anywhere from four to twelve scenarios. The scenarios are said to be wholly solved due to the fact that there are simply no other possible variations of variables and/or groups in the logic game.

As always the test taker should apply the hierarchy of rules to solve the scenarios. The test taker is not given a first or second order rule directly. The test taker is given, however, a number of third order rules, which, when combined with the rule that only one labrador can place, is sufficient to show the entire sequence.

Armed with the sequence, the test taker should understand that S is a female and a labrador. Next the test taker should know that the rest of the dogs that place are males. The test taker should also understand that U, which can never place is a male and a Labrador. While the test taker has not solved the scenario, the test taker has solved the scenario intuitively. At this point, the test taker can easily answer all of the questions.

This game is considered difficult solely due to the complex setup. An experienced test taker should expect to spend nine minutes on this analytical game.