The 3^rd question was the hardest game on the June 2016 LSAT. Which has been the pattern on the last couple of LSAT’s. However, if there is one thing I have learned from teaching the LSAT it is that the LSAT likes to be somewhat unpredictable. So you can’t count on the 3^rd questions always being the hardest. However, that said, usually the 3^rd or 4^th question is the hardest on the test, because they don’t want to completely un-nerve you from the beginning.

Question 3 was a pure sequencing question, which isn’t too common. And not only was it pure sequencing, but it was an “options game”. Which means the best way to attack this game is to solve it upfront.

The question starts off by telling us an antique dealer is going to auction 6 items one at a time over the course of 6 days. This could be a linear game or pure sequencing game based on the initial paragraph so I would start by setting up my game like this:

Then I would write out all of the rules like this:

Since the last rule has two different scenarios happening that can’t both occur at the same time I know I can split my game board into at least 2 different options, because one of them HAS to happen. Either, V –T – H or H – T – V

So I would start by testing out my options with the first scenario. I have two other rules talking about V and H so I will be able to combine my rules, because S must come before V. So I will have an order of 5 of my variables, BUT S cannot come first so I will have to add L before S to avoid breaking that rule.

Your drawing should look like:

Next I will test the other scenario starting with H – T – V because S still has to come before V I can combine those rules to make a diagram, which looks like this:

However, I do not need to put L First since H could be first in this scenario. So I will have to write out two different things happening for this option, because L could come before H or it could come after H. But, If I put L before H it will also have to come before S, because S is not allowed to come first and only L can go before S in this option.

My option should look like:

However, L could also come after H so I will have a third option. But this will trigger my first conditional rule of M also having to come before L. And since S cannot go first I also know H will come before S, since H is the only other variable that could have come first in that option.

So my drawing should look like:

And now I have figured out all of my options. I have a total of three different scenarios that could happen. So when I attack the questions I will just have to pay attention to which scenario I am in.

You should now have all the information you will need to attack the questions.