Practice puzzles
IQ test practice questions, with every answer explained
These are 30 original visual reasoning puzzles in the four pattern types the Cogniva IQ test uses: Progression, Rotation, Combination and Distribution. Pick an option and the page shows the rule, the steps and why the wrong answers look right. They are free, need no signup, and none of them is one of the 20 test questions.
9 easy, 13 medium and 8 hard. Last updated November 1, 2026.
Try one now: Puzzle #4, Growing Crosses
An easy progression puzzle, built to take about 14 seconds.
Which option completes the pattern?
How to solve it (answer: E)
The rule
In each row, the shape gets one size bigger at each step.
Step by step
- Look at the top row: a small solid cross, then a medium solid cross, then a large solid cross.
- The middle row follows the same step.
- The bottom row goes a tiny solid cross, then a small solid cross, so next comes a medium solid cross.
Tip: Find what changes by the same amount each step, then check that the amount holds in every row.
The four pattern types
| Pattern type | What it tests | Puzzles here | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progression | Something changes by the same step across a row | 7 | How to solve progression puzzles |
| Rotation | A shape turns or moves by a fixed angle | 7 | How to solve rotation puzzles |
| Combination | Two cells combine into the third | 7 | How to solve combination puzzles |
| Distribution | Each element appears once per row and column | 9 | How to solve distribution puzzles |
Progression puzzles
Rotation puzzles
Combination puzzles
Distribution puzzles
How to practice with these puzzles
- Start with the easy ones of each type, so you learn the four rules before they combine.
- Name the rule before you look at the options. The options are built to look right, so reading them first makes it harder.
- When you miss one, read why the wrong option looked right. Most misses repeat the same trap.
- Move to medium and hard puzzles, where two rules run at once. The guide of each type lists the variants.
For the method behind all four types, read how to solve matrix puzzles. Practice makes you better at puzzles like these. Whether it changes IQ is a different question, answered in what the studies say about practice and IQ.
Ready for 20 in a row?
The Cogniva test has 20 puzzles across these four pattern types and gives you a free score band in about 7 minutes. None of the puzzles on this page is in it.
Take the 20-question testFree to take. Report $29.90 once, tax included. 14-day refund.