In a certain code language, ‘BAKE’ is coded as ‘FDMF’ and ‘TURN’ is coded as ‘XXTO’. How will ‘MOCK’ be coded in the given language?

Correct — B. The shift depends on where the letter sits in the word, not on the letter itself.

Rule: +4, +3, +2, +1 on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th letters.

BAKE: B+4=F, A+3=D, K+2=M, E+1=F → FDMF
TURN: T+4=X, U+3=X, R+2=T, N+1=O → XXTO

MOCK: M+4=Q, O+3=R, C+2=E, K+1=L

That spells QREL, option (b).

Why the others are wrong

• (a)
  RQGL — RQGL uses the steps +5, +2, +4, +1. The order is scrambled — both worked codes fall steadily 4, 3, 2, 1 from left to right.
• (c)
  QSEL — QSEL is right except at the second letter, where it moves O by +4 to S. The second position takes +3, as A→D and U→X show.
• (d)
  RRFL — RRFL shifts the first letter +5 (M→R) and the third +3 (C→F). Both examples fix those positions at +4 and +2.

SSC's letter-coding items usually hide a positional shift: each slot in the word has its own step.

Write the alphabet position under every letter of both worked words, subtract, and four numbers appear. A step that holds for both words is the rule.

Here the steps descend 4, 3, 2, 1, which is why the last letter of every coded word sits just one place ahead of the original.

Key facts

• Alphabet positions used here: C=3, K=11, M=13, O=15.
• The shift is decided by the letter's position in the word, not by the letter.
• Two worked examples are printed so the rule can be verified before it is applied.

Common traps

• Reading the rule off one worked word only
• Applying a single constant shift to all four letters
• Miscounting positions in the middle of the alphabet, where M=13 and N=14

No directly related past PYQ was found.