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Brain Teaser Quant Interview Prep & Practice

Brain teasers test how you reason when there is no formula to reach for. The puzzles below come from the logic sections of our mock screens.

Sample Brain Teaser Questions

  1. Question 1 · SIG Problem-Solving Assessment

    On an island, every person always lies or always tells the truth. Ava says: "Ava and Ben are both liars." What are they?

    • Ava tells the truth, Ben lies
    • Both are liars
    • Ava lies, Ben tells the truth
    • Both tell the truth
    See the solution ↓

  2. Question 2 · SIG Quantitative Evaluation

    What is the smaller angle between the hands of a clock at 1:36? Answer in degrees.

    See the solution ↓

  3. Question 3 · Akuna Math and Sequences

    Today is Monday. What day is it 120 days from now?

    • Wednesday
    • Sunday
    • Saturday
    • Tuesday
    See the solution ↓

  4. Question 4 · Belvedere Technical Challenge

    Some analysts are certified. Everything certified is also badged. What must be true?

    • Only analysts are badged
    • All analysts are badged
    • Some analysts are badged
    • No analysts is badged
    See the solution ↓

  5. Question 5 · CTC Aptitude Assessment

    Four runners finished with no ties. Cara finished ahead of Jonas. Iris finished ahead of Ana. Ana finished ahead of Cara. Who finished last?

    • Iris
    • Jonas
    • Cara
    • Ana
    See the solution ↓

Step-by-Step Solutions

  1. Solution 1

    On an island, every person always lies or always tells the truth. Ava says: "Ava and Ben are both liars." What are they?

    Answer: Ava lies, Ben tells the truth

    A truth-teller cannot call themself a liar, so Ava lies - meaning the statement is false, so they are not BOTH liars: Ben must be truthful.

  2. Solution 2

    What is the smaller angle between the hands of a clock at 1:36? Answer in degrees.

    Answer: 168

    Hour hand sits at 48 degrees, minute hand at 216. The gap is 168, and the smaller side is 168.

  3. Solution 3

    Today is Monday. What day is it 120 days from now?

    Answer: Tuesday

    120 = 17 weeks and 1 day, so count 1 on from Monday: Tuesday.

  4. Solution 4

    Some analysts are certified. Everything certified is also badged. What must be true?

    Answer: Some analysts are badged

    The analysts that are certified must also be badged, because everything certified is. That gives "some", and no more: the premises say nothing about the analysts that are not certified, so "all" overreaches. "Only" reverses the direction of the second premise, and "no" contradicts what was just derived.

  5. Solution 5

    Four runners finished with no ties. Cara finished ahead of Jonas. Iris finished ahead of Ana. Ana finished ahead of Cara. Who finished last?

    Answer: Jonas

    Chaining the three statements gives Iris then Ana then Cara then Jonas, so Jonas is last and Iris is first.

How to Pass the Brain Teaser Screen

Solve a smaller case first. Two pirates, three prisoners or four coins usually shows the pattern the full puzzle hides.

Say your reasoning out loud. Interviewers grade the route as much as the answer, and a clear wrong turn you correct is worth more than a silent right one.

Check the edge cases before you commit. Most trick puzzles turn on the one case the obvious answer forgot.

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