Dictionary Order & Alphabet
🔒 Log in to trackArranging words as in a dictionary, alphabet-position arithmetic (EJOTY anchors, from-right = 27 − p, shifts), modified-alphabet sequences, and the dictionary rank of a word among its letter arrangements. The whole topic runs on one rule — the first differing letter decides, and a prefix comes before its extensions — plus small, careful counting on paper.
One page per subtopic: detailed notes, every question type, formulas, tricks and practice sets.
Every formula on one printable page, grouped by subtopic.
4 exam-level questions worked step by step.
51 questions — untimed practice or a timed test with analysis.
Track record in the exam
Questions per shift in recent SSC CGL papers.
Test difficulty mix (51 questions)
Question patterns exams keep repeating
Taken from previous-year papers. If a pattern is marked "very common", expect to see it in your exam.
Letter-by-letter sorting
very commonWords with a shared opening; 'which comes first/last/third'.
How to solve: Compare to the first differing letter; earlier letter wins; prefix sorts before extensions; sort once, number, read.
Example: Arrange Scant, Scan, Scandal. Which comes last?
Scan (prefix) → Scandal (5th d) → Scant (5th t) → last = Scant.
Slot picking in a 4-6 word sort
very commonA list of near-identical words plus 'which is the Nth'.
How to solve: Strip the stem, sort tails letter by letter, number the list, read the slot; convert 'from the right' to N+1−k.
Example: Arrange Statue, Status, Station, Statute, Stature. Which is third from the left?
Station, Statue, Stature, Status, Statute → third = Stature.
EJOTY positions and mirrors
very common'Nth letter', 'k-th from the right', 'letters between X and Y'.
How to solve: Anchors E=5 J=10 O=15 T=20 Y=25; between = difference − 1; mirror = 27 − position.
Example: Which letter is 9th from the right of the English alphabet?
→ R.
Modified alphabet strips
common'Half the alphabet reversed' plus a position lookup.
How to solve: Write the new strip once, then count on paper; full reverse: position p ↔ letter 27−p.
Example: Alphabet reversed (Z first). Which letter is 5th from the left?
Z Y X W V → 5th = V.
Dictionary rank of a word
very common'Rank of the word among all arrangements of its letters'.
How to solve: Position by position: smaller unused letters × arrangements of the rest; add, then +1; divide by repeat factorials.
Example: Rank of BEAD among all arrangements of its letters?
B: A smaller → 1 × 3! = 6. E: A and D smaller → 2 × 2! = 4. A: nothing smaller. Rank = 6 + 4 + 0 + 1 = 11.
Word from a letter bag
common'Which word can/cannot be formed from the letters of X?'
How to solve: Bag with repeat counts; check each option's rarest letter first; a missing letter or an over-used repeated letter kills the option.
Example: Which word CANNOT be formed from the letters of DISTRIBUTION: STUDIO, BIRD, ROBUST, BRUSH?
The bag has no H → BRUSH cannot be formed; the rest fit inside the letter counts.