Multiple-choice (MC) items typically consist of a stem, which presents a question or problem, and a set of response options, including one correct answer (key response) and several plausible but incorrect alternatives (distractors). The positioning of the key response and distractors can influence the cognitive response process, potentially affecting item difficulty. This pilot study explores how the placement of response options impacts item difficulty in two tests – numerical series (NS) and paper fold and cut (PFC) – designed to assess logical ability for admission to basic military training in Sweden. Two overarching research questions were examined: (i) how the difficulty of an item is affected by the placement of the key response and (ii) how the difficulty of an item is affected by the placement of distractors in relation to the key response. Items were scaled in conjoint scales – one for the NS items and one for the PFC items – and differences in task difficulty were compared in the corresponding items. The findings suggest that item difficulty may be affected by response option placement. However, the limited number of significant findings and occasional inconsistencies indicate that the effects of ordering and the influence of distractors in MC items are inherently complex.