SSC CGL 2024 Tier-I · 13 September 2024, Shift 1 · General Intelligence and Reasoning · Question 18 of 100

Text as printed on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; answer per SSC's tentative key as marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 10 September 2026.

Where this paper and its answers come from

SSC does not publish CGL question papers or a public answer key. The questions and options here are reproduced as printed on a candidate's own response sheet for this shift — the Commission's text, unchanged. Each answer is SSC's tentative key as marked on that sheet; SSC allowed challenges to it and never publishes a final key. The solutions are written by UnlockIAS.

Four letter-clusters have been given, out of which three are alike in some manner and one is different. Select the letter-cluster that is different. Note: The odd one out is not based on the number of consonants/vowels or their position in the letter cluster.

(a)NMI
(b)LKF
(c)YXT
(d)SRN

Answer

Why

Correct — B. Convert each cluster to alphabet positions and read the two gaps.

Rule: step down 1, then down 4.

N M I = 14, 13, 9 → −1, −4
Y X T = 25, 24, 20 → −1, −4
S R N = 19, 18, 14 → −1, −4
L K F = 12, 11, 6 → −1, −5

Three clusters fall by 1 then 4. Option (b) falls by 1 then 5, so it is the cluster that does not belong.

Why the others are wrong

(a)
NMI — Option (a) is N M I: 14, 13, 9, gaps of −1 and −4. That is the shape two other clusters also show, so it is part of the group.
(c)
YXT — Option (c) is Y X T: 25, 24, 20, gaps of −1 and −4. Its letters sit late in the alphabet, but absolute position is not the relation being tested.
(d)
SRN — Option (d) is S R N: 19, 18, 14, gaps of −1 and −4, identical to the shared shape. Nothing about its letters sets it apart.

Concept

Letter-cluster odd-one-out is an alphabet-position exercise in disguise. Write A = 1 through Z = 26, convert, and compare the differences between consecutive letters rather than the letters themselves.

SSC's note is a fence. It tells you the answer does not turn on how many vowels or consonants a cluster has, or where they sit, which removes the tempting non-numeric readings and leaves the gap pattern.

Compute the gaps for all four clusters before deciding. Three matching and one different is the shape you are hunting.

The gap between the second and third letters is where the difference lies; the first gap is −1 in all four clusters and settles nothing.

Key facts

Converted on A = 1 through Z = 26, the four clusters read 14-13-9, 12-11-6, 25-24-20 and 19-18-14.
N M I, Y X T and S R N all step −1 then −4.
L K F steps −1 then −5, which is why it is the odd cluster.
The question's note explicitly rules out vowel and consonant counts as the basis.

Study next

Four-letter cluster odd-one-out, where three gaps must be comparedLetter-cluster analogies of the form ABC : DEF :: GHI : ?

Common traps

Comparing the letters by eye instead of converting them to numbers.
Wrapping backwards past A when no cluster here needs a wrap.
Computing only two clusters, finding they differ, and picking one of them.

The same three-letter version is at 17 Sep 2024, 12:30, Reasoning Q.16, where the group steps +4 then −2 and G I K breaks it with +2, +2.

A four-letter version, with three gaps to compare, is at 26 Sep 2024, 12:30, Reasoning Q.16. The note about vowels and consonants is printed in both.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.