#13 - Local, Must Be True

[Dave Killoran]

Complete Question Explanation
(The complete setup for this game can be found here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=15652)

The correct answer choice is (D)

The question stems in these two questions each establish that O must live east of the MK block. For this to occur, O must live in houses 5, 6, or 7. Consequently, O, P, and L must occupy the fifth, sixth, and seventh houses in some order, and M must live in the third house:

Dec91_Game_#2_#12_diagram 1.png

Only N and R remain unplaced, and we can infer from the first rule that R must live in the second house and that therefore N must live in the first house. Thus, the scenario for both questions turns out to be identical:

Dec91_Game_#2_#12_diagram 2.png

The scenario above proves answer choice (D) is correct.

[andy12]

Thanks for this explanation!

I understand why D (N R neighboring) is correct given the following order: N R M K O P L, but since this is the order, how is E (O P) not also correct?

[Adam Tyson]

Glad it's helpful, Andy! Take a look at the way Dave diagrammed those last three variables: (O, P-L). You can read that as if it says "within these three spaces you must have O somewhere, and you must also have P somewhere before L." That gives you three possible orders:

OPL
POL
PLO

In each case, the O is somewhere in those three spaces. It doesn't have to be first (in the 5th space), and that last order shows that it doesn't have to be next to P. That's why E is incorrect - O and P could be next to each other, but they don't have to be, and this is a "must" question.

I hope that clears it up for you!