A quick IQ test: five questions, about five minutes

Grab a pen and give yourself about a minute per question. Keep track of how many you get right, then check the scoring note at the bottom. Every question here is original.

1. Odd one out

Copper, iron, bronze, zinc. Which one doesn’t belong?

Show the answer

Bronze. Copper, iron, and zinc are pure elements. Bronze is an alloy, made mostly of copper and tin.

2. Number rule

What comes next? 6, 11, 21, 41, …

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81. Double and subtract one: 41 × 2 − 1 = 81.

3. One logical step

Some wrens sing at dawn. Every bird that sings at dawn is awake at 5 a.m. Which must be true?
A) All wrens are awake at 5 a.m. B) Some wrens are awake at 5 a.m. C) No wrens sleep in D) Only wrens sing at dawn

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B) Some wrens are awake at 5 a.m. The wrens that sing at dawn are awake at 5 a.m. We know nothing about the other wrens, so A and C go too far.

4. Drop a letter

Drop the first letter of “brook” and you still have a word: “rook.” Which of these does not work that way? plate, swing, glove, frame

Show the answer

Frame. Plate becomes late, swing becomes wing, glove becomes love. “Rame” isn’t an English word.

5. Paper fold

Fold a sheet of paper in half, then in half again the other way. Punch one hole through every layer near the middle of the folded square, then unfold it. How many holes are there?

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4. Two folds stack four layers, and one punch goes through all four.

Scoring your quick test

5 of 5: you’re quick at spotting rules, so the full test’s harder later items are your real challenge. 3–4: a solid start. Most misses on a short set come from rushing. 0–2: five questions is far too few to say anything about you. Warm up with the logic puzzles and try again.

Five questions are a warm-up, not a measurement. That’s why the full test uses 24 and mixes three kinds of reasoning.

How the full test works

The Lumen Lab IQ Test is 24 original questions in three groups: verbal and logic, numerical patterns, and visual and spatial figures. It runs in your browser, nothing is uploaded, and there is no time limit. The clock only records how long you took.

Taking the test costs nothing. When you finish, a free teaser shows your score range, for example “the 110s”, and whether you cleared the certificate line. If you want the details, the full reading is $9. It includes your exact Lumen Score on a 70–145 scale, how each category went, and the key for every item with a one-line explanation. A certificate is offered only if your score earns one (105 or higher).

Questions people ask

How long does the full Lumen Lab test take?

There is no time limit. You answer 24 questions at your own pace, and the elapsed time is shown in your reading.

What do I get for free?

The whole test, plus a teaser at the end that shows your score range and whether you cleared the certificate line.

Liked the quick five? Try the full 24.

The full test mixes verbal logic, number rules, and visual puzzles. Taking it is free, and you see your score range at the end.

Start the Lumen Lab IQ Test

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