14 September 2025 · Shift 3

Middle letter APPLICATION has 11 letters, so the middle one is the 6th (5 letters on each side). Count: A-P-P-L-I-C-A-T-I-O-N. The 6th letter is C. Hence option (c).

Letter series (−1 each) Track each position: O, N, M — every letter moves −1. The same −1 applies to all three positions (R→Q→P and T→S→R). Next: M−1 = L, P−1 = O, R−1 = Q. Hence LOQ — option (b).

Letter series (+1, +2, −1) 1st letters: P, Q, R — +1 each ⇒ next is S. 2nd letters: J, L, N — +2 each ⇒ next is P. 3rd letters: L, K, J — −1 each ⇒ next is I. Hence SPI — option (a).

Odd one — flower vs fruits Guava, banana and papaya are all FRUITS. Marigold is a FLOWER. The category breaks at marigold. Hence option (a).

Factorial series Recognise the factorials: 6 = 3!, 24 = 4!, 120 = 5!, 720 = 6!, 5040 = 7!. The next term is 8!. 8! = 5040 × 8 = 40320. Hence option (b).

Series — second differences First differences: 22, 42, 68, 100. Second differences: 20, 26, 32 — rising by +6, so the next one is 38. Next first difference = 100 + 38 = 138; next term = 241 + 138. = 379 — option (b).

Arguments — voting age A strong argument must be directly relevant AND practically weighty. Argument I is a sweeping claim — greater awareness of all youth is an assumption, not an established fact. Argument II points to the real, practical issue: decision-making maturity is generally not developed at 16 — the very basis of the 18-year threshold. Hence Only argument II — option (b).

Assumptions — renewable energy A government announces a target only if it believes it has the resources — I is implicit. Doubling renewables presumes the country needs to cut dependence on conventional sources — II is implicit. The push for renewable energy rests on its environmental benefit — III is implicit too. Hence All assumptions — option (d).

Alphabetical arrangement — ORANGE ORANGE arranged alphabetically: A, E, G, N, O, R. Fourth from the left = N; first from the right = R. Letters between N and R in the alphabet: O, P, Q — count 3. Hence Three — option (c).

Alphabetical arrangement — CELEBRATION CELEBRATION (11 letters) arranged alphabetically: A, B, C, E, E, I, L, N, O, R, T. First from the left = A; fourth from the right = the 8th letter = N. Letters between A and N in the alphabet: B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M — count 12. Hence option (a).

Address matching Compare each set with the given address, character by character. Set 2 changes the sector to 39; Set 3 to 59; Set 4 changes the PIN to 142006. Only Set 1 matches everything — Sector 49 and PIN 142005. Hence 1 Only — option (b).

Opposite-letter analogy Check the first pair with opposite letters (A↔Z, B↔Y …): A→Z, E→V, K→P, Q→J — exactly ZVPJ ✓. So each letter is replaced by its opposite (positions add to 27). CFGL: C→X, F→U, G→T, L→O. Hence XUTO — option (b).

Antonym analogy The relationship is word : its OPPOSITE. Ignorance is the opposite of knowledge. The opposite of truth is a lie (falsehood). Hence option (a).

Odd word — silence set Speechless, silent, quietness and calm all describe the ABSENCE of sound or disturbance. Noise means loud, unwanted sound — the exact opposite idea. The odd word is therefore Noise. Hence option (d).

Letter rearrangement ERODES → ORESED: the 1st and 3rd letters swap (E↔O) and the 4th and 6th letters swap (D↔S); the 2nd and 5th stay put. Apply the same to EXCUSE (E X C U S E): Swap 1st↔3rd: C X E; swap 4th↔6th: E S U. Result CXEESU — option (b).

Blood relation E's father's wife is E's mother. Her only daughter D is therefore E's sister. Since E is male, E is D’s brother. Hence option (c).

Odd number — cubes Test for cubes: 1 = 1³, 8 = 2³, 27 = 3³, 64 = 4³, 216 = 6³. 169 is NOT a cube — it is 13², a perfect square. Every other number in the list is a perfect cube. Hence 169 — option (b).

Coded relations Break it up: M × N means M is the mother of N. N + R means N is the husband of R. So M is the mother of R's husband — that makes M the mother-in-law of R. Hence option (a).

Odd triple — position+1 Compare each number with the alphabetical position of its letter. O = 15 and 16 = 15 + 1 ✓; P = 16 and 17 = 16 + 1 ✓; V = 22 and 23 = 22 + 1 ✓. J = 10, but 13 = 10 + 3 — the +1 rule breaks here. Hence (13, J, !) — option (b).

Number puzzle ((a+b)²) Test the rule a @ b = (a + b)². Check: (3 + 4)² = 49 ✓ and (4 + 5)² = 81 ✓. Apply: 6 @ 7 = (6 + 7)² = 13². = 169 — option (a).

Coding (+1) Compare letter by letter: B→C, O→P, O→P, K→L — every letter moves +1. Apply +1 to READ: R→S, E→F, A→B, D→E. Hence SFBE — option (a).

SI — sum triples Becoming 3 times means the INTEREST alone equals 2 times the principal, i.e. 200% of P. This 200% accrues over 10 years of simple interest. Rate = $\frac{200}{10}$ = 20% per annum. Hence option (d).

Blood relation A is the father of P, and P and Q are brothers — so A is also the father of Q. B is the daughter of R, and R is the wife of Q — so B is the daughter of Q. A son's daughter is a granddaughter. Hence option (b).

Verify the pair Plug each option (a, b) into b² − a and look for the value 2. Option (a): 2² − 2 = 4 − 2 = 2 ✓. The rest fail: 1² − 8 = −7; 5² − 4 = 21; 6² − 9 = 27. Hence a = 2, b = 2 — option (a).

Direct arithmetic First the sum: 41 + 41 = 82. Then multiply by 4: 82 × 4. = 328. Hence option (a).