Evaluating the Logical Reasoning Abilities of Large Reasoning Models
On the map: LLM reasoning → Test-time compute and efficient thinking
Abstract (arXiv)
Large reasoning models, often post-trained on long chain-of-thought (long CoT) data with reinforcement learning, achieve state-of-the-art performance on mathematical, coding, and domain-specific reasoning benchmarks. However, their logical reasoning capabilities - fundamental to human cognition and independent of domain knowledge - remain understudied. To address this gap, we introduce LogiEval, a holistic benchmark for evaluating logical reasoning in large reasoning models. LogiEval spans diverse reasoning types (deductive, inductive, analogical, and abductive) and task formats (e.g., logical sequence, argument analysis), sourced from high-quality human examinations (e.g., LSAT, GMAT). Our experiments demonstrate that modern reasoning models excel at 4-choice argument analysis problems and analogical reasoning, surpassing human performance, yet exhibit uneven capabilities across reasoning types and formats, highlighting limitations in their generalization. Our analysis reveals that human performance does not mirror model failure distributions. To foster further research, we curate LogiEval-Hard, a challenging subset identified through a novel screening paradigm where small-model failures (Qwen3-30B-A3B) reliably predict difficulties for larger models. Modern models show striking, consistent failures on LogiEval-Hard. This demonstrates that fundamental reasoning bottlenecks persist across model scales, and establishes LogiEval-Hard as both a diagnostic tool and a rigorous testbed for advancing logical reasoning in LLMs.
Key facts. Cited by 7 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Placed in Test-time compute and efficient thinking, one of 17 directions in LLM reasoning. Builds on 29 of its 37 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 17 May 2025.
Builds on
29 of 37 references.
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Same direction, newest first
- 2025s1: Simple test-time scaling31 Jan
Other references · 28
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- 2022Language Models Are Greedy Reasoners: A Systematic Formal Analysis of Chain-of-Thoughtcited by 337
- 2025Towards Large Reasoning Models: A Survey of Reinforced Reasoning with Large Language Modelscited by 293
- 2020Transformers as Soft Reasoners over Languagecited by 270
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- 2020Retrieve, Program, Repeat: Complex Knowledge Base Question Answering via Alternate Meta-learningcited by 216
- 2019CLUTRR: A Diagnostic Benchmark for Inductive Reasoning from Textcited by 162
- 2025LLM Post-Training: A Deep Dive into Reasoning Large Language Modelscited by 135
- 2024LogicBench: Towards Systematic Evaluation of Logical Reasoning Ability of Large Language Modelscited by 68
- 2025Logical Reasoning in Large Language Models: A Surveycited by 55
- 2025VisualPuzzles: Decoupling Multimodal Reasoning Evaluation from Domain Knowledgecited by 55
- 2024The Clever Hans Mirage: A Comprehensive Survey on Spurious Correlations in Machine Learningcited by 41
- 2022RobustLR: Evaluating Robustness to Logical Perturbation in Deductive Reasoningcited by 22
- 2022True Detective: A Deep Abductive Reasoning Benchmark Undoable for GPT-3 and Challenging for GPT-4cited by 19
- 2023How well do SOTA legal reasoning models support abductive reasoning?cited by 13
- 2023GLoRE: Evaluating Logical Reasoning of Large Language Modelscited by 13
- 2023ANALOGICAL -- A Novel Benchmark for Long Text Analogy Evaluation in Large Language Modelscited by 12
- 2023Can language models learn analogical reasoning? Investigating training objectives and comparisons to human performancecited by 9
- 2024Relevant or Random: Can LLMs Truly Perform Analogical Reasoning?cited by 8
- 2025DeepMath-Creative: A Benchmark for Evaluating Mathematical Creativity of Large Language Modelscited by 5
Built on by
Citing papers per year: 2025: 1; 2026: 6.
7 papers.
- 2026Wiring the 'Why': A Unified Taxonomy and Survey of Abductive Reasoning in LLMscited by 5
- 2025Do Language Models Follow Occam's Razor? An Evaluation of Parsimony in Inductive and Abductive Reasoningcited by 4
- 2026Compliance vs. Sensibility: On the Reasoning Controllability in Large Language Modelscited by 1
- 2026X-RAY: Mapping LLM Reasoning Capability via Formalized and Calibrated Probescited by 0
- 2026LGMT: Logic-Grounded Metamorphic Testing for Evaluating the Reasoning Reliability of LLMscited by 0
- 2026Blind-Spots-Bench: Evaluating Blind Spots in Multimodal Modelscited by 0
- 2026SAGE: Mitigating Long-Horizon Reasoning Biases via Topological Guidancecited by 0
- 2026SAGE: Mitigating Long-Horizon Reasoning Biases via Topological Guidance24 Sep 2026
- 2026Blind-Spots-Bench: Evaluating Blind Spots in Multimodal Models9 Jul 2026
- 2026LGMT: Logic-Grounded Metamorphic Testing for Evaluating the Reasoning Reliability of LLMs12 May 2026
- 2026Compliance vs. Sensibility: On the Reasoning Controllability in Large Language Models29 Apr 2026
- 2026Wiring the 'Why': A Unified Taxonomy and Survey of Abductive Reasoning in LLMs9 Apr 2026
- 2026X-RAY: Mapping LLM Reasoning Capability via Formalized and Calibrated Probes5 Mar 2026
- 2025Do Language Models Follow Occam's Razor? An Evaluation of Parsimony in Inductive and Abductive Reasoning3 Sep 2025
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