Seven persons A, B, C, D, E, F and G travel by three cars X, Y, Z. A and another two of them travel by X. Only E travels with G. C travels by Z, but B does not travel by Y. Besides, A and B do not travel by the same car. Then which of the following are correct?
- I.No one travels alone.
- II.Only D travels with F.
- III.Only C travels with B
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) I and III only
B cannot be in Y or with A in X, so B joins C in Z. E and G ride alone together, which leaves them car Y; D and F then fill X with A. So cars are X: A, D, F; Y: E, G; Z: B, C — D is not the only one with F, since A is there too.
- B is not in Y and not in X (A is in X and A, B are apart), so B is in Z with C.
- E and G travel together with nobody else; X has A and Z has B, C, so E and G take Y.
- X has A and two others: the only ones left are D and F.
- Cars: X = A, D, F; Y = E, G; Z = B, C.
- I true (no car has one person); II false (A also travels with F); III true (Z has only B and C).
- ✓ I Each car carries two or three persons.
- ✗ II F shares car X with both A and D, so D is not the only one.
- ✓ III Car Z carries only B and C.
Remember · Place the person with the most 'not' conditions first; the rest usually falls into place.
Question and answer: UPSC's provisional GS Paper II (2026, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·