Q11

[rmolina8]

I got A for this question and can't seem to figure out why D is correct here. Thanks in advance.

[ohthatpatrick]

For this type of (nightmarish) question, a correct answer is a rule that leads to the exact same game.

Incorrect answers are either
TOO RESTRICTIVE (they forbid something that used to be allowed)
or
TOO PERMISSIVE (they allow something that used to be forbidden)

(D) creates the same game:
P and R will always be 1 and 7 (in either order).
If no more than two spots can separate P from the nearest R, then that means

when P is 1
P _ _ _ _ _ R
the other R can only go as far as spot 4 (otherwise spot 2 or 3).

when P is 7
R _ _ _ _ _ P
the other R can only go as far as spot 4 (otherwise spot 5 or 6).

When R is in 7, the closest the other R can get is spot 4.
When R is in 1, the closest the other R can get is spot 4.

So this is creating the same limitation that the two R's will always be separate by at least two spots.

Meanwhile, (A) is too permissive. It would allow the two R's to be in 5 and 7, which was previously forbidden. For example, according to (A), it's legal for us to have
P V O T R S R

Since this scenario is legal, according to (A), but it was previously illegal according to the original rules of the game, we know that (A) does not create the same game.

Hope this helps.