SSC CGL 2024 Tier-I · 26 September 2024, Shift 1 · General Intelligence and Reasoning · Question 9 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.

Based on the position in the English alphabetical order, three of the following letter- clusters are alike in some manner and one is different. Select the odd letter-cluster. Note: The odd one out is not based on the number of consonants/vowels or their position in the letter cluster.

(a)SUZY
(b)MPUT
(c)PRWV
(d)QSXW

Answer

Why

Correct — B. Write each cluster as alphabet positions and read the gaps between consecutive letters.

Rule: the gap pattern for three of the four clusters is +2, +5, −1.

SUZY = 19, 21, 26, 25 → +2, +5, −1
PRWV = 16, 18, 23, 22 → +2, +5, −1
QSXW = 17, 19, 24, 23 → +2, +5, −1
MPUT = 13, 16, 21, 20 → +3, +5, −1

MPUT breaks the pattern at the very first gap, so it is the odd cluster — option (b).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
SUZY — SUZY is 19, 21, 26, 25, giving +2, +5, −1. It matches PRWV and QSXW step for step, so it belongs to the group.
(c)
PRWV — PRWV is 16, 18, 23, 22 — the same +2, +5, −1. Nothing about it stands apart from the other two.
(d)
QSXW — QSXW is 17, 19, 24, 23, again +2, +5, −1. Three clusters sharing a pattern cannot contain the odd one.

Concept

An odd-one-out on letter clusters is decided by structure, not by the letters themselves. Convert with A = 1 to Z = 26, then list the gaps between consecutive letters. Three clusters will share a gap pattern and one will differ.

The stem's note is a genuine hint rather than boilerplate: by ruling out vowel and consonant counts it tells you the answer lies in alphabet positions, which is where you should look first.

Work all four clusters before deciding. Reading the pattern off one cluster and testing the others against it fails when the cluster you started from happens to be the odd one.

The gaps here go forwards twice and then back once, so the fourth letter sits just before the third. That backward step is shared by all four clusters, which is why the discriminating difference is the small one at the start.

Key facts

Convert with A = 1 through Z = 26 before comparing clusters.
Compare the gaps between consecutive letters rather than the letters.
SUZY, PRWV and QSXW all run +2, +5, −1, while MPUT runs +3, +5, −1.
The stem's note rules out vowel and consonant counting, which points at alphabet positions.

Study next

Odd-one-out where the gaps wrap past Z back to AOdd-one-out on number sets decided by divisibilityClusters compared by the sum of their alphabet positions

Common traps

Checking the first gap only, or the last gap only, and stopping.
Assuming the first cluster sets the pattern instead of finding which three agree.

The stem is printed word for word, note included, at 13 Sep 2024, 12:30, Reasoning Q.23 (SVXZ, TWYZ, EHJK, YBDE) and at 23 Sep 2024, 9:00, Reasoning Q.1 (PSKI, TWGD, JMQN, MPNK).

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.