P, Q, R, S, T, U, V and W are sitting around a circle facing the centre. P is second to the right of T, who is a neighbour of both R and V. V is a neighbour of U. S is not a neighbour of P. Q is not between S and W. W is not between U and S. Who is sitting directly opposite to U?

Introduction / Context:
This is a circular seating arrangement puzzle involving eight persons P, Q, R, S, T, U, V and W who are all facing the centre. Several conditions about neighbours and relative positions are given. The goal is to determine who sits directly opposite U. Such puzzles are common in reasoning tests and require systematic deduction of positions using all conditions together.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Eight persons P, Q, R, S, T, U, V and W sit around a circle facing the centre.
• P is second to the right of T.
• T has R and V as neighbours (one on each side).
• V is a neighbour of U.
• S is not a neighbour of P.
• Q is not between S and W.
• W is not between U and S.
• We must find which person sits opposite U.

Concept / Approach:
Circular seating questions are best handled by fixing one person's position (for example T) and then placing others step by step according to the conditions. Because all face the centre, the right side means clockwise. Once a consistent arrangement is found, the position directly opposite any person is four seats away in a circle of eight. It is important to check that all conditions are satisfied and that no contradictions arise.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Fix T at any convenient position, say at the top. Since everyone faces the centre, second to the right of T means move two seats clockwise to place P. Step 2: Place P two seats to the right of T. This fixes relative positions of T and P in the circle. Step 3: T must have R and V as immediate neighbours, so place R and V on the two sides of T. The order of R and V on left and right is tested in separate possibilities until one arrangement satisfies all conditions. Step 4: V must also be a neighbour of U, so place U adjacent to V on one of its free sides. Step 5: S must not be a neighbour of P, so S cannot be directly adjacent to P. This restricts possible seats for S. Step 6: Q is not between S and W, so the clockwise order S Q W or W Q S is forbidden. Similarly, W is not between U and S, so neither U W S nor S W U can appear clockwise. Step 7: By trying all consistent placements of R, V, U, S, Q and W around T and P while respecting the neighbour conditions, we find that only arrangements where P lies exactly opposite U satisfy all conditions without conflict. Step 8: In these valid arrangements, the seat directly opposite U is always occupied by P.

Verification / Alternative check:
A more formal method is to list all possible permutations of the eight positions with T and P fixed relative to each other and then discard those that violate any condition. When this is done carefully, all valid seating patterns agree that P is opposite U. This confirms that the answer is unique and consistent with every given statement in the puzzle.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
If Q, R or W were opposite U, at least one of the conditions about who sits between whom or who is a neighbour of whom would be violated in every attempted arrangement. For example, placing W opposite U tends to force W into a position that makes W between U and S or Q between S and W, both of which are forbidden by the conditions.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners often try to solve such puzzles mentally without systematically drawing the circle, leading to missed conditions and contradictions. Another frequent pitfall is misunderstanding the direction of "right" in a circular arrangement where everyone faces the centre. Drawing a clear diagram, fixing one person, and methodically applying each condition one by one greatly reduces these errors.

Final Answer:
The person sitting directly opposite U is P.