Matrix Reasoning Practice for the Aon Assessment (cut-e style)

About the real Aon assessment

What the real Aon test looks like

The format details below describe the actual Aon assessment as published by Aon. Our practice test above is independent and uses our own question bank.

Aon Assessment Solutions (formerly cut-e) publishes a suite of short, high-pressure cognitive assessments. Its inductive reasoning test is scales ix: each item is an image of several objects that all follow one governing rule except one, and you select the one that does not. Speed under pressure is the dominant constraint, not absolute item difficulty.

• Test name

  Inductive Reasoning (scales ix), the test cut-e sold before Aon acquired it and Aon now runs under its own name. Used by many large European graduate employers.

• Question style

  An image of 9 objects. Every object follows one governing rule except one, and you select the object that does not fit. There is only one correct answer per item.

• Timing

  5 minutes for 20 items, about 15 seconds each. Aon says you are not expected to answer every question: work quickly and accurately and get as many right as you can in the time.

• Difficulty and scoring

  Aon does not describe scales ix as adaptive: every administration is 20 items presented in increasing levels of difficulty. Aon says points are usually added for each correct answer and deducted for every incorrect one.

• Employer usage

  Common at European graduate employers — Lufthansa, Siemens, Allianz, ABN AMRO, several Big-Four offices, and many UK graduate schemes that adopted cut-e before the Aon rebrand.

Skills being tested

What this practice trains

• Visual pattern recognition under tight time pressure
• Inductive reasoning
• Quick rule identification across multiple cell attributes
• Sustained accuracy over short bursts
• Speed-accuracy tradeoff management

Common mistakes

The four most common ways candidates underperform

1. 1

   Pacing too slowly on the first few items

   scales ix gives you about 15 seconds an item. Lingering on one early item costs the time of several later ones, and the later ones are the harder ones.

2. 2

   Over-checking each rule before answering

   Aon questions are usually single-rule or simple two-rule. Confirming a rule with one extra cell, then committing, is correct strategy. Confirming with three extra cells loses time.

3. 3

   Guessing blind at the end

   Aon says points are usually deducted for every incorrect answer. A blind guess in the last seconds can cost you a mark that an unanswered item would not, so guess only when you can rule out most of the objects.

4. 4

   Expecting to finish

   scales ix gets harder as it goes, and Aon says you are not expected to answer every question. Bank the early items quickly and accurately rather than rushing to reach the end.

How to improve

The most efficient preparation path

scales ix rewards quick rule identification over deep deliberation. Start with the untimed Odd One Out practice to learn how to test a rule against every object, then take the timed Odd One Out test, which runs at the scales ix envelope on the same layout. Practise with a visible timer and aim for a steady pace of about 15 seconds an item.

Full aptitude batteries usually include numerical and verbal reasoning sections alongside the abstract questions. If your assessment covers those too, you can practise free numerical reasoning and free verbal reasoning on our sister sites.

Frequently asked

Aon test FAQ

What is the Aon cut-e matrix reasoning test?

It is Aon's inductive reasoning test, scales ix, and despite the name it is an odd-one-out test rather than a matrix: each item shows 9 objects that all follow one governing rule except one, and you select the one that does not fit. You get 5 minutes for 20 items, about 15 seconds each, which makes pacing the main challenge for most candidates.

How many questions are on the Aon cut-e Inductive Reasoning test?

20. Aon says each scales ix administration consists of 20 items presented in increasing levels of difficulty, with 5 minutes to complete them. Always confirm the exact test with the assessment invitation email.

Is the Aon cut-e test timed?

Yes: 5 minutes for the whole test of 20 items, about 15 seconds each. Aon says you are not expected to answer every question, and that points are usually deducted for incorrect answers, so accuracy matters as much as speed.

Is the Aon cut-e test adaptive?

Aon does not describe scales ix as adaptive. Its practice guide says every administration is 20 items presented in increasing levels of difficulty, so the test gets harder as you go rather than adjusting to your answers.

What companies use the Aon cut-e assessment?

Aon's cut-e is widely used by European graduate employers including Lufthansa, Siemens, Allianz, ABN AMRO, several Big-Four offices, and many UK graduate schemes. After Aon's acquisition of cut-e the suite was rebranded but the underlying tests remained similar.

Can you practise for the Aon cut-e inductive test?

Yes. The rule families Aon uses (rotation, symmetry, progression, simple combined rules) are exactly the families covered on this site. Practising with a visible timer is the most effective single change — it shifts your reasoning from 'is this rule certain' to 'is this rule probable enough to commit'.

Is this an official Aon test?

No. This practice material is independently created and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or provided by Aon or cut-e. The questions are our own, designed to give you provider-style practice — not real Aon questions.

Also preparing for

Related provider prep