Glossary
Distractor
Definition
A distractor is a wrong answer option in a multiple-choice question, built to look plausible. Good distractors are near misses that catch a specific mistake, such as applying only one of two rules, so a puzzle rewards real reasoning rather than ruling out obviously wrong choices.
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Why it matters for IQ scores
Distractors are a large part of what makes an item hard or easy. With weak distractors, guessing and elimination inflate scores. With well-built ones, an item tells the scoring model something real about reasoning, which is the point of item difficulty.
How IQ Octopus builds them
- Matrix puzzles: each wrong option changes one attribute of the correct answer, such as its fill or count, to a plausible wrong value.
- Mental rotation: the wrong options are mirror images of the figure, shown at different angles, so no turn can make them match.
- Figure analogies: wrong options perturb or drop one of the changes from the first pair, or mirror the result.
Common confusions
A distractor is not a trick. Every puzzle has exactly one option that satisfies all the rules, and the engine checks that before an item is used. Try spotting the near misses yourself in the matrix puzzles, or read matrix reasoning, explained. See also odd one out.
Try one · Abstract Reasoning
Which tile completes the grid?
Tap the option you think is right, or show the answer.
Show the answer
The missing tile has a large hatched pentagon (option 5).
How to solve it
- Start with the first row and name what changes from tile to tile.
- Every row and every column contains each shape (pentagon, triangle and square) exactly once.
- Every row and every column contains each fill (outline, hatched and solid) exactly once.
- The size (large) stays the same in every tile.
- Check the rules on the second row, then apply them to the third.
- So the missing tile has a large hatched pentagon.
That was 1 puzzle. The full test has 25.