Practice the SHL inductive reasoning test
Beat the SHL inductive reasoning test
SHL's inductive (abstract) reasoning test is one of the most widely used assessments in graduate and corporate hiring. Practice the matrix-style logic it's built on, under the same kind of time pressure you'll face on test day.
10 questions · no sign-up required
Fresh puzzles every time
Every test is a freshly generated set of 10 questions in the exact 3×3 matrix-reasoning format — retake as often as you like without seeing the same puzzle twice.
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See your score right away, with a full review of every question and a clear explanation of the underlying rule.
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Choose easy, moderate, or hard sets — or adaptive mode, which adjusts to your answers. Add an optional time limit for realistic exam pressure.
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Know the rule families
Nearly every matrix-reasoning question — whichever test you're facing — is built from a handful of recurring rule types. Learn to recognise them and you'll solve most puzzles in seconds.
Progression
Something changes step by step along the row or column: an element is added or removed, or the figure grows, shrinks, or changes colour.
Rotation
The figure turns by a fixed angle with every step. Work out the direction and the angle, then picture the last figure turned once more.
Frequency
The order of the figures doesn't matter — what matters is how often each feature appears in a row or column: shapes, colours, alignments or quantities.
Construction
Two cells combine into the third. In harder versions the combination has extra logic — for example, overlapping parts cancel each other out.
Motion
Objects change position inside the cell with each step. Track each object's direction and distance — different objects can follow different movement rules.
Complex questions
Several rules operate at once — and some elements may be pure decoys. If one rule doesn't explain everything, look for a second (or third) before answering.
A solving strategy that holds up under pressure
Scan first
Sweep the rows and columns quickly. When the rule is obvious, the answer often jumps out — no deep analysis needed.
One characteristic at a time
No luck? Examine a single feature — shape, colour, quantity, position, alignment — and check whether a pattern governs it across rows, columns, or both.
Test the rule against the answers
Apply your rule to the six options and eliminate. If more than one option fits, your rule is incomplete — there's probably a second rule in play.
Don't get stuck
Most timed assessments give you a minute or less per question. If one won't crack, move on and come back at the end with the time you saved.
What is the SHL inductive reasoning test?
SHL is one of the largest providers of pre-employment assessments globally, and its inductive reasoning test — often bundled with numerical and verbal reasoning into a wider assessment battery — is a core part of graduate and professional hiring processes at many large employers. The inductive reasoning section presents grids or sequences of abstract figures governed by a hidden rule, timed at roughly a minute per question, and asks you to identify the pattern and select the figure that completes it. It's designed to measure your ability to spot rules and relationships quickly, independent of prior knowledge or vocabulary — the same skill our matrix-puzzle practice tests build.
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