OC Thinking Skills Practice Test 9 — 2027 NSW Opportunity Class Exam

For Ordering puzzles, do not draw a grid with ticks and crosses. Instead, draw a simple timeline with blank spaces.

Step 1: Draw the Timeline & Find the Anchor

Draw four blank slots. Look for the absolute rule. The last rule tells us Olivia cannot be 4th. We write that beneath the 4th slot so we don't forget it.

[ 1st ]   [ 2nd ]   [ 3rd ]   [ 4th ]
  ___       ___       ___       ___
                              (NOT Olivia)

Step 2: The "What-If" Test (Pushing the Domino)

Look at the first rule: "Leo will perform either 1st or 4th." We don't know which one, so we must run a What-If Test. We look at the "If" rules below it and see they are triggered by Leo being 1st.

Assumption: What if we put Leo in the 1st slot?

Let's watch the dominoes fall:

• Domino 1: If Leo is 1st, the rules say Maya must be 3rd.
• Domino 2: If Maya is 3rd, the rules say Ned must be 2nd.

Let's write this out on our test timeline:

[ 1st ]   [ 2nd ]   [ 3rd ]   [ 4th ]
  LEO       NED       MAYA      ___
                              (NOT Olivia)

Step 3: The CRASH! 💥

Look at the 4th slot on our Test Timeline! Because our chain reaction filled up the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd slots, there is only one slot left in the entire show. That means Olivia is forced to take the 4th slot.

But wait! Our Anchor Fact explicitly says Olivia cannot perform 4th!

We have forced Olivia into an impossible position. CRASH!

Step 4: The Final Deduction

Because our assumption caused a timeline crash, our assumption was wrong.

• Leo cannot perform 1st.
• Go back to his very first rule: "Leo will perform either 1st or 4th."
• Since we just proved he can't be 1st, there is only one possible truth left. Leo MUST perform 4th.

Let's look at what the timeline actually looks like:

[ 1st ]   [ 2nd ]   [ 3rd ]   [ 4th ]
  ___       ___       ___       LEO

We don't know the exact order for Maya, Ned, or Olivia—and the test doesn't want us to know! Option B is the only fact we can prove with 100% certainty.

🧠 The "Repeatable Approach" for Ordering Puzzles

When you see a puzzle with times, days of the week, or 1st/2nd/3rd places:

• Ditch the Grid: Draw a simple blank timeline.
• Write the "NOTs" underneath: If someone cannot go on Tuesday, write "(Not X)" under Tuesday. This acts as a landmine.
• Run the Domino: Push the first "If" rule. Your goal is to see if the chain reaction accidentally pushes someone onto a landmine. If it does, you've found the crash!

The rule: "To make your teammates feel valued, make sure you ALWAYS celebrate their successes AND support them during mistakes."

Two conditions are needed: (1) always celebrate successes, and (2) support during mistakes.

Check Oscar: Oscar says "I always bring snacks to practice" as evidence his teammates feel valued.

• Bringing snacks is not the same as celebrating successes or supporting during mistakes.
• The rule does not mention snacks as a way of making teammates feel valued.
• Oscar cannot conclude his teammates feel valued just from bringing food.
• Oscar's reasoning is wrong. ✗

Check Luna: Luna says "I was distracted and did not cheer for them during the last game, so my teammates must resent me."

• Missing one cheer does not mean she never celebrates successes — the rule says "always," implying a pattern, not a single incident.
• The rule talks about making teammates feel valued, not about causing resentment. "Resentment" is a much stronger claim that the rule doesn't support.
• Luna's reasoning goes beyond what the rule says. ✗

Answer: Neither Oscar nor Luna