Our free LSAT Analytical Reasoning Practice Tests are each a selection of 10 to 12 questions, which will give you a cross-section of topics from the Analytical Reasoning section of the official LSAT. You might think of them as little quizzes, which you can use to hone your skills. Whether you need top LSAT tutors in New York, LSAT tutors in Chicago, or top LSAT tutors in Los Angeles, working with a pro may take your studies to the next level.

LSAT Analytical Reasoning / Logic Games Section

What are Logic Games?

The Analytical Reasoning section of the LSAT is often referred to as “Logic Games,” due to the game-like nature of the questions posed. Each Logic Games section is comprised of four separate “games:” each game is made up of a single scenario, several “rules,” and anywhere from five to eight questions.

The scenario is the main setup of the game itself. It will include the basic information you need in order to understand the fundamentals of the game—are you scheduling students in a specific order? Are you creating three PTA teams from a group of ten parents?

The rules will immediately follow the scenario. These are restrictions placed on the setup that will limit the ways in which the game can be solved. These can include constraints such as “Ben and Luke cannot present consecutively,” or “Jane can perform only if Alex also performs.”

The questions can ask for general truths about the game, such as “Which of the following must be true?” or they can give specific information to elicit specific answers, such as “If Allison is third, who can be fourth?” Varsity Tutors also offers resources like free LSAT Analytical Reasoning Flashcards to help with your self-paced study, or you may want to consider an LSAT Analytical Reasoning tutor.

Where do Logic Games appear on the LSAT? How many Analytical Reasoning sections are on an LSAT, and where do they appear?

There are five graded sections on the LSAT—two Logical Reasoning, one Reading Comprehension, one Logic Games section, and the Writing Sample. There is also an extra experimental section on each LSAT that does not count towards your score; it is used by the test-makers to help create questions for future tests. The experimental section can be any one of the three sections, but you are not told which one is the unscored section. You can guess which one is experimental based on how many sections of each type are included. For example, if you face two Logic Games sections you can be assured that one of them was experimental, although you do not know which one.

The order of sections on the LSAT is random—except for the Writing Sample, which will always be the last section you complete. You could encounter three Logical Reasoning sections right off the bat (if you get an experimental Logical Reasoning section), or you could have a nice mix of sections. There is no way to know before you sit down to take the test; therefore, you could do Logic Games first, last or in the middle, depending on your specific test.

How much time do you have to complete the LSAT Analytical Reasoning section?

Every section on the LSAT is a timed 35-minute section. The Logic Games section is no different. There are always four separate games in each full Logic Games section—each game has anywhere from five to eight questions included. Each Analytical Reasoning section always has between twenty-two and twenty-four questions in total.

If you attempt to do every game, you have 8 minutes and 45 seconds for each game. Not all test takers will attempt every game. If Logic Games are tough for you, you might choose to do three games per section, knowing that you may have a better chance to get questions correct if you take your time. Also, the LSAT does not penalize for wrong answer choices, so you can always pick up one or two correct answers through guessing. If you attempt three games, you have 11 minutes and 40 seconds per game.

What are the different types of Logic Games?

Different people will categorize Logic Games in different ways; some may say there are two different types; some may say there are five. A very basic breakdown of games will include at least two types: Linear/Ordering games and Grouping/Distributional games.

Linear or Ordering games always require you to order the given variables in a specific way. Examples include a doctor scheduling patients, placement of runners in a relay race, or where people live in an apartment building. In these examples, the inherent sense of order comes from the hours in the day, the order of the runners (who comes first, second, etc.), and the floors of the building. In these types of games, the rules will constrict the different ordering possibilities, often restricting who can be next to whom, who must come before whom, etc.

Grouping or Distributional games do not have an inherent sense of order. In these types of games you simply distribute the given variables into one or more groups. Examples include taking a picture of three out of five friends, figuring out how many birds are present in a forest, or seating ten people at three different tables. In each of these scenarios the order of variables does not matter; only the grouping matters. The rules in these types of games will often require one person always to be chosen when another person is chosen, prevent two people from being in the same group, etc.

These are the most basic types of games. There are also Sequential Ordering games that vary slightly from Linear games due to the nature of the rules given. Linear games can get more complicated based on the number of variable sets present, and the Linear games can be combined with Grouping games to create more complex games, which require the skills necessary for both types.

What are some basic Logic Game strategies?

Student should work on their own or with a tutor to develop strategies that work best for them when it comes to the different types of Logic Games, but there are a few basic skills that every strategy should include. In order to be successful in solving Logic Games, you must be able to diagram the overall set-up of the game clearly and in a way that is intuitive to you. Similarly, you must be able to diagram each rule either on or off your main diagram in a way that immediately and clearly stands out to you as the rule that it represents. Varsity Tutors provides some free LSAT Practice Tests for the Logic Games section (along with the other sections of the test). Use these free LSAT Practice Tests to challenge yourself and to hone your skills.

Time management is a huge part of Logic Games, since time is so short and you are asked to do some very complex thinking. Learning to split your time between setting up the game and answering the questions in the way that works best for you is imperative.

You should also know exactly how to approach each question—deciding whether to go straight to eliminating answer choices or to do your own side work first can really make or break your ability to finish games in the time allotted. In addition to the LSAT Analytical Reasoning Practice Tests and LSAT Analytical Reasoning tutoring, you may also want to consider taking some of our LSAT Analytical Reasoning Diagnostic Tests.  

How should I study for the LSAT Analytical Reasoning section? Where can I practice doing LSAT Logic Games?

You can study for the LSAT Analytical Reasoning section by practicing Logic Games on the Varsity Tutors Learning Tools website, which offers free LSAT Analytical Reasoning Practice Tests, free LSAT Analytical Reasoning Flashcards, and a free LSAT Analytical Reasoning Question of the Day. All of the LSAT resources on Learning Tools are written by teachers, professors, content specialists, tutors, and lawyers. Explanations are given for each question, so if you miss a question, you can find out where you went wrong.

One of the most helpful Learning Tools available are the Full-Length LSAT Analytical Reasoning Practice Tests, which can give you a general overview of your current skill level. Try beginning your preparation with one of these free exam-simulating practice tests. The online practice tests ask you questions spanning the full range of concepts that could be covered on the actual exam. The longer format also gives you the opportunity to work on your test-taking pace so you can feel confident you’ll have plenty of time to finish the actual exam. Both the concept-specific practice tests and the complete practice tests’ results pages offer helpful feedback including detailed explanations for each correct answer and links to more resources to review key concepts. The free online practice tests can also help you streamline your LSAT study plan by showing you which of the concepts you still need to work on. Once you’ve reviewed, you can evaluate your growth by returning to take another Full-Length LSAT Analytical Reasoning Practice Test.