Cognitive Test logical: how to crack pattern-completion fast

Logical reasoning questions look hard until you realise they're four patterns wearing different costumes.

Pattern 1: shape sequence

Rows of shapes that change by rotation, addition, colour, or count. Spotting trick: check one dimension at a time (rotation, then count, then colour). The change is usually monodimensional within each row.

Pattern 2: matrix completion

3×3 grid, find the missing cell. Spotting trick: read across rows first, then down columns, then diagonals. Usually one of the three reading directions has the cleanest rule.

Pattern 3: number / letter series

Sequences with one rule or alternating rules. Spotting trick: compute first differences. If the differences themselves form a pattern, you have a polynomial rule. If they alternate, you have two interleaved series.

Pattern 4: relational logic

"If all A are B, and some B are C..." — pure deductive logic. Spotting trick: draw Venn circles, however roughly. Visualising prevents the common error of conflating "some" with "all".

Routine

• Identify the pattern type (2 seconds).
• Test the most likely rule against two cells (10 seconds).
• If it holds, apply to the missing cell (5 seconds).
• If it fails, flip to the second-most-likely rule.

Total: 20 seconds per question. Anything longer means you're force-fitting a wrong rule.

When to skip

Logical reasoning has a higher skip-cost than numerical because partial credit doesn't exist. Skip if you can't identify the pattern type in 10 seconds. Better to spend that minute on three numerical wins.

Practice

Build a deck of 50 logical questions. Tag each by pattern type. Drill the weakest type until your accuracy matches the others. The Cognitive Test rarely gives you a pattern you haven't seen — the recombinations are limited.