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Expected availability: Fall 2026

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LSAT Available Fall 2026

LSAT^® Analytical Reasoning

LSAT Analytical Reasoning trains students to identify game types, translate rules into diagrams, and apply deduction strategies for linear, sequencing, and grouping games, ensuring rapid, accurate question solving.

Who Should Take This

Prospective LSAT test‑takers, law school applicants, and pre‑law undergraduates who have mastered basic logical reasoning and seek to master the analytical reasoning section will benefit. The course fits disciplined learners aiming to boost their game‑setup speed, diagramming precision, and deduction accuracy for a competitive edge.

What's Included in AccelaStudy® AI

Adaptive Knowledge Graph

Practice Questions

Lesson Modules

Console Simulator Labs

Exam Tips & Strategy

20 Activity Formats

Course Outline

72 learning goals

1 Game Type Identification and Setup

7 topics

Classify a game as linear/sequencing by recognizing that entities must be placed into ordered positions along a single dimension (first through last, earliest to latest).

Classify a game as grouping by recognizing that entities must be assigned to unordered categories, selected for inclusion/exclusion, or distributed among distinct groups.

Classify a game as hybrid by recognizing that it combines elements of both sequencing and grouping, requiring entities to be both assigned to groups and ordered within or across those groups.

Identify rare game types including mapping games (connecting nodes), circular sequencing (no fixed first/last), and process games (entities change state through stages).

Determine the appropriate diagram framework for a game based on its type, establishing the correct number of positions, groups, or layers before translating individual rules.

Identify the key numerical parameters of a game setup: how many entities exist, how many positions or slots are available, whether positions can be empty or shared, and whether all entities must be used.

Determine valid numerical distributions for a game (such as 2-2-3 or 1-3-3) by analyzing how many entities can be assigned to each group given the constraints, and recognize when only a few distributions are possible.

2 Rule Translation and Diagramming

8 topics

Translate fixed-placement rules (X is assigned to position 3, Y is in group A) directly onto the game diagram as established facts that constrain all subsequent deductions.

Translate relative ordering rules (X comes before Y, X is ranked higher than Y) into diagram notations that capture the constraint without fixing either entity to a specific position.

Translate block and adjacency rules (X and Y are consecutive, X is immediately before Y) into diagram notation, noting whether the block is ordered or unordered.

Translate spacing rules (X and Y have exactly two positions between them, X and Y are not adjacent) into diagram constraints, tracking both minimum and maximum separation.

Translate conditional rules (if X is selected then Y must be selected, if X is in group 1 then Y is in group 2) into formal conditional notation and immediately derive their contrapositives.

Translate biconditional rules (X and Y are always together, X is selected if and only if Y is selected) and recognize when two separate conditional rules combine to form a biconditional.

Translate not-together and separation rules (X and Y cannot be in the same group, X and Y are never adjacent) into diagram constraints and derive their logical implications.

Identify and record not-laws (positions or groups where specific entities cannot be placed) by applying individual rules and their contrapositives to the game diagram.

3 Deduction Strategies

7 topics

Identify when two or more rules share a common variable and combine those rules to derive new constraints that neither rule alone establishes.

Construct conditional chains by linking the consequent of one conditional rule to the antecedent of another, deriving transitive inferences across multiple rules.

Apply the limited-options strategy by identifying a highly constrained variable or rule that splits the game into two or three exhaustive scenarios, then completing each scenario with further deductions.

Determine must-be-true deductions by recognizing when the combination of all rules forces a specific entity into a specific position or group regardless of other arrangements.

Apply the frame/template approach by enumerating all valid complete configurations of a game when the total number of solutions is small enough to list exhaustively.

Identify the most constrained entity or position in a game and use it as the starting point for deductions, placing it first to maximize the cascade of inferences that follow.

Evaluate whether a deduction is valid by testing it against all rules simultaneously, confirming that no rule is violated and that the deduction holds across all possible configurations.

4 Linear and Sequencing Games

4 topics

Diagram a single-row linear game with one set of entities placed into a fixed number of ordered positions, incorporating all rule types into a unified visual representation.

Diagram a double-row or multi-layer linear game where two or more attributes must be assigned to each position (such as assigning both a person and a task to each time slot).

Determine the minimum and maximum positions available to each entity in a sequencing game after applying all ordering and block constraints, narrowing placement possibilities.

Integrate block rules with ordering rules in linear games to determine where blocks can and cannot be placed, accounting for both the block's internal structure and external constraints.

5 Grouping Games

5 topics

Diagram an in/out selection game where a subset of entities is chosen from a larger pool, establishing a selected group and an unselected group with conditional selection rules.

Diagram a distribution game where all entities must be assigned to two or more groups, tracking group size constraints and applying conditional and not-together rules across groups.

Diagram a matching game where entities must be paired with one or more attributes from a defined set, tracking which attributes can and cannot co-occur for each entity.

Apply conditional chain deductions in grouping games to determine which entities must be selected or excluded together based on linked if-then rules and their contrapositives.

Evaluate the impact of numerical distribution constraints on grouping games, determining how group size limits interact with conditional rules to force or prohibit certain assignments.

6 Hybrid and Complex Games

4 topics

Diagram a hybrid game that combines sequencing and grouping by establishing a framework that captures both the group assignments and the ordering within or across groups.

Integrate sequencing rules and grouping rules within a single hybrid diagram, ensuring that ordering constraints within groups do not conflict with assignment constraints across groups.

Construct a diagram for mapping games where entities are connected by directional or bidirectional paths, tracking which connections exist and which routes are possible between nodes.

Formulate a strategy for process or circular games where the standard linear left-to-right framework does not apply, adapting diagramming and deduction techniques to non-standard structures.

7 Question Type Strategies

8 topics

Classify Analytical Reasoning questions into their type (acceptability, must-be-true, could-be-true, must-be-false, could-be-false, complete list, maximum/minimum, rule substitution, new condition) by reading the question stem.

Apply the rule-testing method to acceptability questions by checking each answer choice against each rule in sequence, eliminating choices that violate any single rule.

Determine whether a statement must be true by verifying it holds in every valid configuration of the game, using deductions and scenario testing to confirm no counterexample exists.

Determine whether a statement could be true by finding at least one valid configuration in which it holds, using targeted scenario construction to test the possibility.

Apply new-condition (if) questions by adding the temporary constraint to the existing diagram, making all deductions that follow from the combined constraint set, and answering the question from the restricted scenario.

Evaluate rule-substitution questions by determining which new rule produces exactly the same set of valid configurations as the replaced rule, testing equivalence through scenario analysis.

Determine the maximum or minimum number of entities that can satisfy a condition by systematically testing boundary cases and using deductions to establish upper or lower limits.

Construct complete-and-accurate-list answers by systematically testing each possible value to determine whether it can or must appear, then assembling the exhaustive list of valid options.

8 Efficiency and Time Management

5 topics

Recognize when previously constructed scenarios from earlier questions in the same game can be reused to answer subsequent questions, avoiding redundant work.

Assess which games in a four-game section are likely easiest and hardest based on game type, number of rules, and constraint density, and allocate time accordingly.

Evaluate the tradeoff between investing time in a thorough upfront setup with complete deductions versus moving quickly through questions with minimal initial deductions for each game type.

Apply the strategy of attempting all acceptability questions first across all four games before tackling harder question types, maximizing easy points within the time limit.

Determine when to split a game into limited scenarios upfront versus when to answer questions individually, based on the number of possible splits and the number of questions associated with the game.

9 Conditional Logic in Games

4 topics

Recognize conditional rule triggers in game scenarios, determining when a placement or assignment activates a conditional rule and requires its consequent to be applied.

Apply contrapositives of conditional rules in games to determine what must be excluded or avoided when a consequent is known to be false, triggering reverse-direction inferences.

Construct and traverse multi-step conditional chains in games where one rule's consequent triggers another rule's antecedent, deriving cascading effects across multiple entities.

Evaluate the logical equivalence between unless/except/until phrasings in game rules and their standard conditional translations, applying the correct contrapositive in each case.

10 Scenario Testing and Verification

5 topics

Construct a valid test scenario by placing entities one at a time in a manner consistent with all rules, verifying each placement before proceeding to the next entity.

Identify when a hypothetical placement leads to a contradiction by tracing its consequences through all applicable rules and discovering that some rule must be violated.

Apply proof by contradiction to determine that an entity must or must not occupy a particular position by assuming the opposite and deriving a rule violation.

Evaluate whether a constructed scenario is truly complete by verifying that every entity is placed, every position is filled (if required), and no rule is violated in the final arrangement.

Assess the minimum number of scenarios needed to definitively answer a question, choosing between constructing a single counterexample and exhaustively testing all possibilities.

11 Floater Management and Unrestricted Entities

3 topics

Identify floater entities that are not directly constrained by any rule and recognize how their flexibility affects the number of valid configurations and the difficulty of the game.

Determine the indirect constraints on floater entities by analyzing how the placement of constrained entities limits the remaining positions or groups available to unconstrained entities.

Evaluate how floater entities create uncertainty in must-be-true and could-be-true questions, recognizing that a floater's ability to occupy multiple positions often prevents definitive conclusions.

12 Advanced Rule Interaction Patterns

6 topics

Recognize when two or more block rules overlap or conflict, determining whether the blocks can coexist in the available positions and what configurations they force.

Identify when a set of conditional rules creates a closed loop of dependencies that severely restricts the game, forcing most or all entities into fixed positions.

Determine when separation rules and ordering rules together create a minimum spacing requirement that restricts an entity to only one or two possible positions in a linear game.

Evaluate how numerical constraints interact with conditional rules in grouping games, recognizing when a group reaching its maximum size triggers contrapositives that exclude remaining entities.

Identify reciprocal rule relationships where two entities constrain each other bidirectionally, and determine whether this creates a biconditional, a mutual exclusion, or a forced pairing.

Synthesize all rule interactions in a game to identify the global constraints that emerge only when all rules are considered together, not visible from any single rule in isolation.

13 Rule and Constraint Recognition Patterns

6 topics

Recognize standard phrasing patterns for conditional rules in game setups, including if/then, only if, when, and whenever formulations that signal a conditional relationship.

Distinguish between rules that create fixed constraints (entity X is always in position 3) and rules that create relative constraints (entity X is before entity Y) based on the language of the game setup.

Identify when a game's setup language implies a one-to-one assignment (each entity to exactly one position) versus a one-to-many or many-to-one assignment (entities sharing positions or positions receiving multiple entities).

Recognize when a rule is stated in negative form (X does not go in position 3, X and Y are not in the same group) and correctly translate the negative constraint into a not-law or exclusion on the diagram.

Classify each rule in a game as either a placement rule, a relationship rule, or a conditional rule, and recognize how each type constrains the solution space differently.

Recognize when a game setup describes entities with multiple attributes (such as name and color, or person and task) that require a multi-layer or matrix diagram to track all assignments.

Scope

Included Topics

All game types appearing on the LSAT Analytical Reasoning section: linear/sequencing games (single-row and double-row), grouping games (in/out selection, distribution into fixed groups, matching), hybrid games combining sequencing and grouping, and rare game types (mapping, process/circular sequencing).
Rule types and their formal representations: conditional rules (if-then with contrapositives), biconditional rules (if and only if), block/adjacency rules (consecutive placement), spacing rules (exactly N spaces apart), assignment/fixed-placement rules, relative ordering rules, not-together/separation rules, and numerical distribution constraints.
Deduction strategies: combining rules that share variables, deriving chain deductions from linked conditionals, identifying limited options that split a game into two or three complete scenarios, finding must-be-true deductions from rule interactions, and applying the frame/template approach to enumerate all valid configurations.
Question types: acceptability questions (which list satisfies all rules), must-be-true, could-be-true, must-be-false, could-be-false, complete-and-accurate-list, maximum/minimum questions, rule-substitution questions (which rule has the same effect), and new-condition (if) questions that add a temporary constraint.
Diagramming conventions and visual representations: standard linear game diagrams, grouping tables, slot notation, conditional chains, and shorthand for blocks, splits, and not-laws.
Efficiency strategies: using prior work from previous questions, recognizing when a new-condition question resolves the game to one or two solutions, identifying the most constrained variable to place first, and managing time across a four-game section.

Not Covered

Logical Reasoning argument analysis, flaw identification, and assumption-based reasoning, which are covered in a separate domain specification.
Reading Comprehension passage analysis, comparative reading, and textual interpretation strategies, which are covered in a separate domain specification.
LSAT Writing section content and essay evaluation criteria.
Formal set theory, combinatorics, and mathematical proof techniques beyond the logical deductions required for LSAT games.
Computer science constraint-satisfaction algorithms, backtracking search, and formal constraint propagation theory that go beyond the intuitive methods used in LSAT preparation.
Law school admissions strategy and score conversion tables unrelated to Analytical Reasoning skill development.