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The 3rd and 4th logic games from the December '07 prep test are difficult for me. The set-up I have tried using takes too long, and isn't very efficient. What would be the best way to set up these games:

---The three highest-placing teams in a high school debate tournament are the teams from Fairview, Gillom, and Hilltop high schools. Each team has exactly two members. The individuals on these three teams are Mei, Navarro, O'Rourke, Pavlovich, Sethna, and Tsudama. The following is the case:

Sethna is on the team from Gillom High
Tsudama is on the second-place team.
Mei and Pavlovich are not on the same team.
Pavlovich's team places higher than Navarro's team
The team from Gillm High places higher than the team from Hilltop High.

----Detectives investigating a citywide increase in burglaries questioned exactly seven suspects--S, T, V, W, X, Y, and Z--each on a different one of seven consecutive days. Each suspect was questioned exactly once. Any suspect who confessed did so while being questioned. The investigation conformed to the following:

T was questioned on day three.
The suspect questioned on day four did not confess.
S was questioned after W was questioned.
Both X and V were questioned after Z was questioned.
No suspects confessed after W was questioned.
Exactly two suspects confessed after T was questioned.


I've been using the powerscore method...if anyone knows which category these games fall under, that would be helpful as well. Even if you do not know the powerscore method but know of an efficient way of setting these games up, please feel free to respond. Thanks so much for your time!!!

I do not know what it is called in PS lingo, but for the Suspect game I just made a grid with columns for the days and two rows - one for the suspect and the other for confession (Y/N). Once you put in all the stuff you know (Day 1 is not S, V or X, Day 3 is T, Day 6 is not Z, Day 7 is not W or Z and Day 4 is a confession) you look at your restrictions and realize the most restricted suspect remaining is W. There are two confessions after Day 3 (where T is). Day 4 is not one of them. Therefore two out of three of Days 5-7 must have confessions. How does that relate to W? Since there are no confessions after W, W cannot be Days 1-5. W also cannot be last. Therefore, W must be Day 6 and S is Day 7. That means the two post-T confessions are Days 5 and 6 (since not Day 4 and not after W). Add that Z is not Day 4 or 5 (since no room for the trailing X/V) and place the remaining possibilities in the grid you get: (I can't make it line up. Each set of parenthesis is a day)

First row = Suspect (Z or Y) (Z, Y, X or V) (T) (Y, X or V) (Y, X or V) (W) (S)
Second row = Confessed? ( ) ( ) ( ) (No) (Yes) (Yes) (No)

That should get you off to a very good start.

Bump! I just did this practice test, and am also having a real problem figuring out how to diagram the debate tea question. Any tips from the TLS masses? Thank you in advance!

This is what i used:

http://img230.imageshack.us/my.php?image=setupkb3.jpg

i realize that this is a thread from 2 years ago but i also am having some trouble setting up the debate team game. the posted image neglects what order the teams place in. does anyone else have any ideas about how best to diagram this game?

By using the numbers as a base, your diagram will incorporate the ordering element. A lot can be done with this game before heading to the questions. Since G must place either first or second, you can draw up scenarios based on this. When G is second, the rules dictate a complete solution. When G is first, you can create two scenarios around whether P is on the first-place team or the second-place team.