The total number of biscuits = 5, the total number of candies =3 and the total number of savouries = 12-(3+5)=4
Representing the candies as C, biscuits as B and savories as S. K is to be placed in shelf number 16. D, E and F are savouries and are to be placed in consecutively numbered shelves in increasing order after all the biscuits and candies.
Since there is no empty shelf between the items of same type, D,E,F and K are savouries and placed at 13,14,15 and 16 respectively. This can be tabulated as follows:
The shelf 12 will be empty.
It is given that items are to be placed such that all items of same type are clustered together.
From 1, A and B are to be placed in consecutively numbered shelves in increasing order.
From 6, C is a candy and is to be placed in a shelf preceded by two empty shelves and from 7, L is to be placed in a shelf preceded by exactly one empty shelf.
Hence C and L are items of different types. Since C is a candy, L will be a biscuit.
From 5, L and J are items of the same type, while H is an item of a different type.
Since I and J are clustered together, I, J and L are biscuits and H is a candy.
So C,H are candies and I,J,L are biscuits. It is given that A, B are place consecutively. Hence A and B are items of same types. So A, B should be biscuits because if they are candies, there will be 4 candies.
Hence, I,J,L,A,B are biscuits and C,H and G are candies.
Now there are two empty shelves before C and exactly one empty shelf before L, then the different cases can be tabulated as follows:
Case 1:
Case 2:
Option A and C are wrong as candies can come before biscuits and vice versa. B is not necessarily true as there can be one empty shelf too as shown in the table. Option D is true as there are at least 4 shelves between B and C. Hence D is the answer.