Letter sequences

Find the fixed steps and build the next pair

HintNothing is random — measure how the letters move, then carry the movement on.

The whyEach pair of letters moves by two constant steps at once — one between the pairs and one inside each pair. Work both out from the pairs you are shown.

Nothing — a sequence never wraps past Z back to A

HintThis is where sequences differ from codes — no circle here, just a straight line of letters.

The whyLetter CODES wrap round (after Z comes A); letter sequences do not. If your rule forces a letter past Z, the rule is wrong — try a different step.

The first letters or the word lengths

HintLook at how each one starts — or count how long each is.

The whyCheck the opening letters for a constant alphabet step; if that fails, check whether each word grows or shrinks by the same amount. One rule runs the whole series.

A fixed jump through the alphabet, the same for every pair

HintMeasure the gap in a complete example — that distance holds all the way down.

The whyThe step can run forwards or backwards. Work it out from the finished pairs, then complete the unfinished one.

Count the gap between two letters you are given

HintUse your alphabet line — how far is it from one to the next?

The whyThen check the same gap against the next pair too: a rule that only fits once is a guess, not a rule.

Forwards or backwards

HintDo not assume the letters climb — check which way the gap points.

The whyD then B could be a step of two back. If a forward rule will not fit, try the reverse before giving up.

Write the alphabet out and count along it

HintPut all 26 down on paper before the first question.

The whyCounting on fingers slips; a written line does not. Mark the letters you use so you can see the pattern taking shape.

That your rule fits every pair shown, not just the first

HintOne match could be luck — the pattern must hold from start to finish.

The whyA step that works for the opening letters can still fail later on. Test the rule across everything you can see before you commit.

outer and inner

HintOne step travels along the row; the other stays within a single pair.

The whyThe two steps are separate rules. Find each on its own — muddling them together is the commonest slip in pair sequences.

No — only the jump inside each pair is fixed

HintDo not hunt for a rule that is not there — one measurement is all you need.

The whyThat is the difference from letter sequences, where the opening letters do march in step. Read which type you are in before you start measuring.