Logic Games Timing

[anabil@umich.edu]

You state in your book that you have just under 9 minutes per section.
How much of that time should be spent reading the story, creating the diagram, and making inferences?
How much time should you allow yourself to answer questions. Let's just assume that all four sections will be evenly split up 6 questions each.

If I come across a linear games or advanced linear games section, should this be a section that I should be quicker at so that I have more time for the other games? I haven't gotten to the grouping portion of the book so I'm assuming advanced/linear games is the easiest.

Thanks!

[Nikki Siclunov]

Hi anabil,

For clarify's sake, let's not refer to each of the four games as a "section," as the test itself is composed of four sections (2LR, 1LG, 1RC). A LG section contains four games

How long you spend on each game depends on the difficulty of the game, as well as on the number of questions in it. Linear games are not always easier than grouping games; in fact, difficulty - while possible to measure objectively - is ultimately a fairly subjective determination. For some, putting variables in order is an inherently more difficult task than putting variables in groups. As you progress through the LGB, you'll get a better sense of what types of games come more naturally to you.

You should also keep in mind that whether the task is linear or grouping has less of an effect on the overall difficulty of the game than the nature of the rules at hand. Unbalanced games are usually more difficult than Balanced games; Undefined games are typically more difficult than Defined games; games with conditional rules are often more difficult than games that don't use conditionality; games that feature a complex Numerical Distribution element are more difficult than games that do not. Etc.

To answer your other question (about pacing), the average amount of time per game is slightly under 9 minutes. Some games can easily be done in less than 7 minutes, while others may require as much as 10 mins to complete. Setup and inferences can take as little as 2-3 minutes on a relatively easy game (or a game that doesn't have much in terms of rules/setup), and as much as 4-5 minutes on a game with a limited number of solutions, where you decide to undertake a Templates-based approach. The latter may seem time-consuming, but - if applied to a game with a limited number of solutions - often results in a lighting-fast execution of the questions.

As you can see, games vary widely, which is why it is difficult - if not counterproductive - to limit yourself to a specific number of minutes per game. Keep the general recommendation of spending 3-4 min/setup and 8-10 min/game as a ballpark number, but recognize that both numbers will vary somewhat. Focus on accuracy, and don't rush! Your pace will improve on its own.

Check out these blog posts that address your questions in greater detail:

LSAT Section Strategy, Part 1: Logic Games
LSAT Logic Games: Global/Local Question Answering Strategies
Attacking LSAT Logic Games - Focus on Certainty!
How to Recognize Limited Solution Set Games

Let me know if this answers your question.

Thanks!

[anabil@umich.edu]

Thank you for the clarification!