NSW Selective Thinking Skills free practice questions with answers
Read question 1 and its full worked answer from paper 1 of our 20-paper NSW Selective Thinking Skills set, then download the 5-page PDF. These are original practice questions, not official past papers. Page updated 3 November 2026.
Tom, Kai, Quin, Nia, Jade and Yara sit in a row of 6 chairs numbered 1 to 6 from left to right. Nia sits exactly three chairs away from Jade. Tom sits somewhere to the left of Jade. Kai sits somewhere to the left of Quin. Tom sits exactly two chairs away from Jade.
Kai and Jade sit in neighbouring chairs. Yara sits somewhere to the left of Nia. Which statement MUST be true?
A Yara sits in an odd-numbered chair
B Nia sits in chair 6
C Kai sits in an even-numbered chair
D Tom sits in an even-numbered chair
[Logical deduction from several clues]
Correct answer: C — Kai sits in an even-numbered chair
- Use every clue to cross out arrangements that break it. Exactly 4 arrangements fit all the clues (listed as person and chair number):
- Arrangement 1: Tom 1, Kai 2, Jade 3, Quin 4, Yara 5, Nia 6.
- Arrangement 2: Tom 1, Kai 2, Jade 3, Yara 4, Quin 5, Nia 6.
- Arrangement 3: Tom 1, Yara 2, Jade 3, Kai 4, Quin 5, Nia 6.
- Arrangement 4: Yara 1, Nia 2, Tom 3, Kai 4, Jade 5, Quin 6.
- The statement 'Kai sits in an even-numbered chair' is true in all 4 arrangements. Each of the other statements fails in at least one.
- Why the other options are wrong:
- A: This is true in 2 of the 4 arrangements but false in arrangement 2, so it does not HAVE to be true.
- B (Nia sits in chair 6): This is true in 3 of the 4 arrangements but false in arrangement 4, so it does not
HAVE to be true.
- D: This is false in every possible arrangement, so it can never be true.
Use the most restrictive clues first to fix positions, then test each statement in every arrangement left.
Your sample is downloading. Liked it? NSW Selective Thinking Skills Paper 1 is the full paper: 40 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes (4 options each, no calculator), with a worked solution for every question.
Get Paper 1 for A$11.99See all 20 papers from A$11.99More free NSW Selective High School samples
Questions about this sample
What is in the NSW Selective Thinking Skills free sample?
The first 3 questions from paper 1 of the set, in the real exam layout, followed by the step-by-step worked answers. It is a 5-page PDF; this page shows question 1 with its answer.
How many full NSW Selective Thinking Skills papers are there?
20 original papers for Year 6 students preparing for Year 7 selective entry. Each is 40 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes (4 options each, no calculator), with a worked solution for every question. Papers start at A$11.99 and download instantly as a PDF.
Are these official past papers?
No. The sample is taken from our own original practice paper and is not an official past paper or affiliated with any exam authority.