SSC CGL 2024 Tier-I · 9 September 2024, Shift 3 · General Intelligence and Reasoning · Question 13 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 6 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)PSUV
(b)BEHI
(c)FIKL
(d)TWYZ

Answer

Why

Correct — B. Convert each cluster to alphabet positions and read the gaps between consecutive letters.

PSUV: P(16) S(19) U(21) V(22) gives +3, +2, +1
FIKL: F(6) I(9) K(11) L(12) gives +3, +2, +1
TWYZ: T(20) W(23) Y(25) Z(26) gives +3, +2, +1

BEHI: B(2) E(5) H(8) I(9) gives +3, +3, +1

Rule: the gaps shrink 3, then 2, then 1.

Three clusters obey it. BEHI's second gap is 3 where it should be 2, so BEHI is the odd one, which is option (b).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
PSUV — PSUV obeys the pattern exactly: P to S is +3, S to U is +2, U to V is +1. It belongs with the group of three.
(c)
FIKL — FIKL obeys the pattern: F to I is +3, I to K is +2, K to L is +1. Its letters sit early in the alphabet, which changes nothing about the gaps.
(d)
TWYZ — TWYZ obeys the pattern: T to W is +3, W to Y is +2, Y to Z is +1. Ending on Z makes it look special, but the gaps are the ordinary 3, 2, 1.

Concept

An odd-one-out on letter clusters is decided by the gaps between the letters, not by the letters themselves. Convert to positions, subtract consecutive pairs, and compare the three-number gap signatures.

The stem's own note rules out the two shortcuts candidates reach for first: counting vowels and consonants, and looking at where a vowel sits in the cluster.

Three signatures matching and one differing is the whole test. You never need to know what makes the pattern natural.

BEHI also happens to be the only cluster of the four holding two vowels, so the vowel count points at the same answer here. The note tells you not to rely on it, and on another set it would point the wrong way.

Key facts

PSUV, FIKL and TWYZ all have the gap signature +3, +2, +1.
BEHI has the signature +3, +3, +1, which is why it is the odd one.
The stem's note bars an answer based on vowel or consonant counts.

Study next

Gap signatures for four-letter clusters, and the families they fall intoOdd-one-out where the rule is a constant gap rather than a shrinking oneReading a stem's exclusion note before choosing a method

Common traps

Counting vowels, which the note forbids even on a set where it agrees with the key.
Checking only the first gap, when all four clusters open with +3.
Miscounting E to H as +2, when E is 5 and H is 8.

Alphabet positions also decide the analogy at Reasoning Q.1, the series at Q.2 and the rearrangement at Q.12 (9 Sep 2024, 16:00).

All four are faster once the position numbers are written under the letters.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.