Most logic games include a complete and accurate list question. This is usually the first question. e.g. “Which of the following could be a complete and accurate list…?”
For most LSAT logic game questions the best way to approach them involves redrawing your diagram. For the complete and accurate list questions, however, there is a better way.
The best way to approach this type of question is to apply each of the rules to all of the answer choices in turn. Cross off any answer choices that violate the rule. The only answer choice left remaining that does not violate a rule is your correct answer.
Here is an example:
Assume that these are your rules:
4 runners finish a race from 1st to 4th
The runners are Bob, Jim, Sarah and Angel
Rule 1: Bob finishes before Jim
Rule 2: Sarah finishes before Bob
Rule 3: Angel does not finish last
Which of the following could be a complete and accurate list of runners in the order they finish the race?
(A) Bob, Sarah, Angel, Jim
(B) Sarah, Bob, Jim, Angel
(C) Angel, Sarah, Bob, Jim
If we apply the first rule to each answer choice we see that no answer choices violate rule 1.
Next we apply rule 2. (A) violates rule 2 because B is before S.
Next we apply rule 3 (B) violates rule 3 because Angel is last.
The only remaining answer choice is (C), so (C) is our correct answer choice.
If after applying all of your rules you are still left with more than one answer choice you have either missed a rule or there is some other information in the game set up that needs to be applied as a rule. For example if in the question above we had another answer choice (D) Angel, Sarah, Bob, Jim, Ryan
This does not violate any of our rules but it does violate part of our game set up because it has 5 runners not 4 and it includes Ryan, a runner not included in our race.
Greg Smith
Greg took the LSAT in 2002 receiving a high score that got him into the law school of his choice. This led him to teach LSAT classes while attending law school at the University of British Columbia and continued teaching while practicing law with top international law firms Borden Ladner Gervais LLP and later Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP, in the area of Securities and Capital Markets. Read more
