SSC CGL 2025 PYQs

Concept: In each triad the second gap is double the first gap.

1. (A) 10, 20, 40: gaps 10, 20 ✓.
2. (C) 20, 32, 56: gaps 12, 24 ✓; (D) 14, 28, 56: gaps 14, 28 ✓.
3. (B) 15, 20, 35: gaps 5, 15 – triple, not double ✗.

Trick: Equivalent check: 3rd = 2 × 2nd − 1st. For (B): $2\times 20-15=25\ne 35$.

Answer: (B) 15, 20, 35

Concept: Replace each relation with a simpler one step by step.

1. Man's only brother's wife = his sister-in-law (bhabhi).
2. Her daughter = his brother's daughter.
3. Brother's daughter = niece.

Trick: Options “Grandson” and “Son” are male – eliminate them since the person is a woman.

Answer: (C) niece

Concept: Translate each symbol, then join the two relations through B.

1. A # B → A is the father of B.
2. B & C → B is the husband of C.
3. A is the father of C's husband → A is C's father-in-law.

Trick: Father + husband link always gives “in-law” – look for the option with “in-law”.

Answer: (C) A is the father-in-law of C

Concept: “Only daughter of my mother” refers to the speaker's own sister.

1. Only daughter of the man's mother = his sister.
2. The woman's mother is his sister.
3. Sister's daughter = niece.

Trick: The woman is female → Brother and Son are out; she is one generation below, so not Cousin.

Answer: (B) Niece

Concept: Swap the symbols first, then solve with BODMAS.

1. 5 + 6 × 6 − 2 → 5 × 6 + 6 ÷ 2.
2. 5 × 6 = 30; 6 ÷ 2 = 3.
3. 30 + 3 = 33.

Trick: Rewrite the whole expression first – never substitute and calculate at the same time.

Answer: (D) 33

Concept: Count words from the end to find the 2nd last.

1. Words: Software, development, is, progressing, very, quickly → 6 words.
2. Last (6th) = quickly; 2nd last = 6 − 1 = 5th word.
3. 5th word = very.

Trick: 2nd last = (total words − 1)th word from the left.

Answer: (C) very

Concept: Compare each part (spelling, words, PIN) character by character.

1. (A): 'Heigts' and PIN 560266 – wrong.
2. (C): 'Main Road' changed to 'Rd' – wrong.
3. (D): 'Bangaluru' – spelling changed.
4. (B) matches every part exactly.

Trick: Check the PIN code and city spelling first – most traps hide there.

Answer: (B) C-205, Lotus Heights, Whitefield Main Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka - 560066

Concept: The terms are consecutive letters of the Greek alphabet.

1. Greek order: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, Kappa, Lambda, Mu, Nu, Xi …
2. After Kappa (10th) comes Lambda (11th).

Yaad rakhein: Greek letters 7–14: Eta, Theta, Iota, Kappa, Lambda, Mu, Nu, Xi.

Answer: (C) Lambda

Concept: The series is a 5-letter unit repeated.

1. Total = 15 letters → 3 groups of 5.
2. qrstu | qrstu | qrstu → unit 'qrstu'.
3. Blanks: s, q, t, r.

Trick: Count letters + blanks; divide into equal groups to spot the repeating unit.

Answer: (A) s, q, t, r

Concept: 'Only son' rules out any other male child.

1. X's mother's husband = X's father.
2. Father's only son = Y, and X ≠ Y.
3. So X cannot be a son → X is a daughter → Y's sister.

Trick: 'Only son' + speaker is a different person ⇒ speaker is female (sister).

Answer: (A) Sister

Concept: Mother and father of the same child are spouses.

1. X = mother of Y, Z = father of Y.
2. Both are Y's parents → husband and wife.
3. Z (male) is X's husband.

Yaad rakhein: Same child's father = mother's husband.

Answer: (A) Husband

Concept: Each term is n raised to the power n.

1. $1=1^1,4=2^2,27=3^3,256=4^4,3125=5^5$.
2. Next = $6^6=6^3\times 6^3=216\times 216=46656$.

Trick: $6^6$ ends in 6 and is even; only 46656 fits among options ending in 6.

Answer: (C) 46656

Concept: Each term = previous term × 2 + 2.

1. $6\times 2+2=14;14\times 2+2=30;30\times 2+2=62$.
2. $62\times 2+2=126$.
3. Next: $126\times 2+2=254$.

Trick: Add 2 to every term: 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 → powers of 2, so next = $256-2=254$.

Answer: (D) 254

Concept: Find the common rule a @ b = (a + b) × 2.

1. 5 @ 2 = 7 × 2 = 14 ✓; 6 @ 3 = 9 × 2 = 18 ✓; 4 @ 4 = 8 × 2 = 16 ✓.
2. 7 @ 3 = 10 × 2 = 20, but 22 is written ✗.

Trick: All correct results are even multiples of the sum – test the rule on 2 options, then check the rest.

Answer: (B) 7 @ 3 = 22

Concept: An assumption is what the writer takes for granted to make the statement.

1. Saying incentives are 'necessary' because batteries are costly → price blocks adoption: I implicit.
2. Incentives are proposed as the fix → they can make batteries affordable: II implicit.
3. Savings in bills/environment are never mentioned: III not implicit.

Trick: Reject assumptions that add new benefits or facts not hinted in the statement.

Answer: (A) Only I and II are implicit

Concept: Conclusions must follow directly from the stated timings.

1. Library works only 10 AM–6 PM.
2. I: borrowing after 6 PM contradicts the timing → does not follow.
3. II: before 10 AM it is closed → follows.

Trick: Opening hours imply 'closed' outside them – any conclusion needing access outside hours fails.

Answer: (B) Only Conclusion II follows

Concept: Sort the letters, pick positions, then count letters between them in A–Z.

1. FORMATION → A F I M N O O R T.
2. 3rd from left = I; 4th from right = 9 − 4 + 1 = 6th = O.
3. Between I(9) and O(15): 15 − 9 − 1 = 5 (J K L M N).

Trick: Letters between two letters = difference of positions − 1.

Answer: (A) 5

Concept: First pair are opposites, so find the opposite of Encourage.

1. Illuminate (light up) ↔ Darken – opposite meanings.
2. Encourage ↔ discourage(d).
3. Cheer, Support, Praise are similar in meaning to Encourage.

Trick: When three options are synonyms of the given word, the odd one is the antonym.

Answer: (B) discouraged

Concept: Every letter moves one step forward.

1. A→B, G→H, O→P, W→X (each +1).
2. C→D, I→J, Q→R, Y→Z.
3. Answer = DJRZ.

Trick: Check only the last letter: Y+1 = Z – only DJRZ ends in Z.

Answer: (B) DJRZ

Concept: Group the personalities by the office they held.

1. Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh were Prime Ministers of India.
2. Bhagat Singh was a revolutionary, hanged in 1931 – never held office.

Yaad rakhein: Nehru was the first and longest-serving PM; Indira Gandhi the first woman PM.

Answer: (A) Bhagat Singh