Wonderlic 60 Question Practice
Exam – Full-Length Test with Correct
Answers & Step-by-Step Explanations
– 2026/2027 Updated
Prepared For: Candidates and Academic Applicants preparing for the Wonderlic Personnel
Test (WPT-R), Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam (SLE), and Wonderlic Select Assessments.
Date: October 2025 (Valid for 2026/2027 Testing Cycles)
Subject: Comprehensive Psychometric Analysis, Full-Length Simulation, and Cognitive
Strategy Guide for the Modern Wonderlic Assessment Suite.
1. The Psychometric Architecture of the Modern
Wonderlic Assessment
The landscape of pre-employment and academic admission testing has undergone a rigorous
evolution over the last decade, culminating in the refined 2026/2027 iterations of the Wonderlic
Personnel Test (WPT-R) and the Scholastic Level Exam (SLE). While the core objective remains
the assessment of general mental ability (GMA)—often referred to in psychometric literature as
the g-factor—the mechanisms of delivery and the nuance of item calibration have shifted to
accommodate modern hiring and admissions standards. The Wonderlic is not merely a test of
knowledge; it is a stress-test of cognitive efficiency. It measures the rate at which a candidate
can process complex verbal, quantitative, and spatial information under extreme temporal
constraints.
1.1 The Theoretical Basis: Speed vs. Power
Standardized tests are generally categorized as either "power tests," where the difficulty of
items determines the score and time is ample, or "speed tests," where the difficulty is moderate
but the time constraint is severe. The Wonderlic is the quintessential speed test. The standard
protocol grants candidates exactly 12 minutes to attempt 50 questions. This equates to
approximately 14.4 seconds per item. However, considering the cognitive load required to
switch between disparate task types—for example, moving from a spatial rotation problem
directly into a complex word problem—the effective time per item is often less than 10 seconds
for candidates aiming for elite percentiles.
The 2026/2027 protocols have introduced adaptive elements in the "Select" versions of the test
(formerly Wonscore), where the difficulty of subsequent questions adjusts based on the
candidate's performance on previous items. This Item Response Theory (IRT) model allows for
a shorter test duration (often 8 minutes for 30 questions in the SLE-Q) while maintaining high
predictive validity for job performance and academic success. The algorithm extrapolates the
score to the traditional 50-point scale, ensuring continuity with historical data.
,1.2 Cognitive Domains and Item Distribution
To dominate the Wonderlic, one must deconstruct the test into its constituent cognitive domains.
The items are not randomly generated noise; they are carefully calibrated probes designed to
test specific faculties of intelligence.
Crystallized Intelligence (Verbal Reasoning)
Approximately 40% of the exam assesses crystallized intelligence—the ability to utilize learned
knowledge and experience. This manifests in vocabulary tests (synonyms, antonyms), semantic
relationships (analogies), and syntactic processing (sentence rearrangement). The modern
exam places a heavy emphasis on "proverb matching," a task that requires the candidate to
read two metaphorical statements and determine if their underlying meanings are similar,
contradictory, or unrelated. This tests the ability to abstract meaning from text rapidly, a skill
highly correlated with managerial potential and high-level communication.
Fluid Reasoning (Quantitative and Logic)
The remaining bulk of the exam, roughly 40-50%, tests fluid reasoning—the capacity to solve
novel problems independent of acquired knowledge. The quantitative section includes number
series, ratios, algebraic word problems, and data interpretation. Importantly, calculators are
strictly prohibited. This forces the candidate to rely on mental arithmetic and estimation
heuristics. The "logic" component often includes spatial reasoning tasks such as cube folding
(mentally restructuring 2D nets into 3D objects) and deductive syllogisms (determining the truth
value of a conclusion based on abstract premises).
Clerical Speed and Accuracy (General Knowledge)
A smaller fraction (10-20%) consists of general knowledge and clerical checking items. These
include date sorting, name matching, and basic science or geography facts. While deceptively
simple, these items serve a dual purpose: they act as "cognitive relief" points that allow a
candidate to bank points quickly, but they also penalize inattention to detail. A candidate who
rushes might miss a subtle spelling difference in a name matching question, signaling a lack of
conscientiousness to a potential employer.
1.3 The 2026/2027 Strategic Imperative
The average score on the Wonderlic is historically around 20/50. A score of 30 is typically
considered the threshold for intelligence-intensive roles such as engineering, while scores
above 35 place a candidate in the 90th percentile or higher. To achieve these elite scores in the
2026 landscape, a candidate must abandon the perfectionist mindset taught in academic
settings. The Wonderlic rewards "triage"—the ability to instantly recognize a question that will
take too long to solve and making an educated guess to conserve time for three easier
questions. The simulation provided in this report is designed to force these strategic decisions.
2. Comprehensive Practice Exam: The 55-Item
, Simulation
This section presents a full-length simulation of the Wonderlic SLE/WPT-R. It contains 55
questions—exceeding the standard 50 to provide exposure to the experimental "unscored"
items often embedded in real testing environments to calibrate future test banks. The questions
are ordered to simulate the random distribution of difficulty and domain found in the actual
exam. Following the exam section, a detailed "Psychometric Autopsy" is provided for every
single question, analyzing the cognitive mechanisms, common traps, and optimal solution
paths.
2.1 The Examination Battery
Question 1 The words BENEVOLENT and ALTRUISTIC have meanings that are: A. Similar B.
Contradictory C. Unrelated
Question 2 A train travels 60 miles in 0.75 hours. What is its average speed in miles per hour?
A. 45 B. 75 C. 80 D. 90 E. 100
Question 3 SKEIN is to YARN as REAM is to: A. Paper B. Wool C. String D. Cotton E. Fabric
Question 4 Which of the following dates is the latest? A. January 12, 1991 B. March 02, 1991
C. February 28, 1991 D. December 15, 1990 E. January 30, 1991
Question 5 Rearrange the words to form a complete sentence. If the sentence is true, mark A.
If false, mark B. water oil and mix do not A. True B. False
Question 6 What is the next number in the series? 3, 6, 12, 24, 48,? A. 64 B. 72 C. 96 D. 56 E.
100
Question 7 The eleventh month of the year is: A. October B. November C. December D.
September E. January
Question 8 MITIGATE is the opposite of: A. Alleviate B. Aggravate C. Soothe D. Calm E.
Improve
Question 9 How many of the five pairs listed below are exact duplicates?
● M. A. Hoeffner | M. A. Hoeffner
● CR-4558-9 | CR-4558-9
● 33445 Western | 33455 Western
● Dr. Alan Grant | Dr. Allan Grant
● 990812 | 990812
A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4 E. 5
Question 10 Two of the following proverbs have similar meanings. Which ones are they?
1. A penny saved is a penny earned.
2. Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
3. Waste not, want not.
4. Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
5. There's no use crying over spilled milk.
A. 1 and 3 B. 2 and 5 C. 1 and 4 D. 3 and 5 E. 2 and 4
Question 11 A store buys a widget for $40 and sells it for $50. What is the profit percentage
based on the cost? A. 10% B. 20% C. 25% D. 50% E. 15%
Question 12 LOQUACIOUS is to TALKATIVE as TACITURN is to: A. Loud B. Silent C. Angry
D. Friendly E. Active
Question 13 Which number represents the smallest amount? A. 0.6 B. 5/8 C. 0.55 D. 1/2 E. 4/7
Question 14 Assuming the first two statements are true, is the final statement:
Exam – Full-Length Test with Correct
Answers & Step-by-Step Explanations
– 2026/2027 Updated
Prepared For: Candidates and Academic Applicants preparing for the Wonderlic Personnel
Test (WPT-R), Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam (SLE), and Wonderlic Select Assessments.
Date: October 2025 (Valid for 2026/2027 Testing Cycles)
Subject: Comprehensive Psychometric Analysis, Full-Length Simulation, and Cognitive
Strategy Guide for the Modern Wonderlic Assessment Suite.
1. The Psychometric Architecture of the Modern
Wonderlic Assessment
The landscape of pre-employment and academic admission testing has undergone a rigorous
evolution over the last decade, culminating in the refined 2026/2027 iterations of the Wonderlic
Personnel Test (WPT-R) and the Scholastic Level Exam (SLE). While the core objective remains
the assessment of general mental ability (GMA)—often referred to in psychometric literature as
the g-factor—the mechanisms of delivery and the nuance of item calibration have shifted to
accommodate modern hiring and admissions standards. The Wonderlic is not merely a test of
knowledge; it is a stress-test of cognitive efficiency. It measures the rate at which a candidate
can process complex verbal, quantitative, and spatial information under extreme temporal
constraints.
1.1 The Theoretical Basis: Speed vs. Power
Standardized tests are generally categorized as either "power tests," where the difficulty of
items determines the score and time is ample, or "speed tests," where the difficulty is moderate
but the time constraint is severe. The Wonderlic is the quintessential speed test. The standard
protocol grants candidates exactly 12 minutes to attempt 50 questions. This equates to
approximately 14.4 seconds per item. However, considering the cognitive load required to
switch between disparate task types—for example, moving from a spatial rotation problem
directly into a complex word problem—the effective time per item is often less than 10 seconds
for candidates aiming for elite percentiles.
The 2026/2027 protocols have introduced adaptive elements in the "Select" versions of the test
(formerly Wonscore), where the difficulty of subsequent questions adjusts based on the
candidate's performance on previous items. This Item Response Theory (IRT) model allows for
a shorter test duration (often 8 minutes for 30 questions in the SLE-Q) while maintaining high
predictive validity for job performance and academic success. The algorithm extrapolates the
score to the traditional 50-point scale, ensuring continuity with historical data.
,1.2 Cognitive Domains and Item Distribution
To dominate the Wonderlic, one must deconstruct the test into its constituent cognitive domains.
The items are not randomly generated noise; they are carefully calibrated probes designed to
test specific faculties of intelligence.
Crystallized Intelligence (Verbal Reasoning)
Approximately 40% of the exam assesses crystallized intelligence—the ability to utilize learned
knowledge and experience. This manifests in vocabulary tests (synonyms, antonyms), semantic
relationships (analogies), and syntactic processing (sentence rearrangement). The modern
exam places a heavy emphasis on "proverb matching," a task that requires the candidate to
read two metaphorical statements and determine if their underlying meanings are similar,
contradictory, or unrelated. This tests the ability to abstract meaning from text rapidly, a skill
highly correlated with managerial potential and high-level communication.
Fluid Reasoning (Quantitative and Logic)
The remaining bulk of the exam, roughly 40-50%, tests fluid reasoning—the capacity to solve
novel problems independent of acquired knowledge. The quantitative section includes number
series, ratios, algebraic word problems, and data interpretation. Importantly, calculators are
strictly prohibited. This forces the candidate to rely on mental arithmetic and estimation
heuristics. The "logic" component often includes spatial reasoning tasks such as cube folding
(mentally restructuring 2D nets into 3D objects) and deductive syllogisms (determining the truth
value of a conclusion based on abstract premises).
Clerical Speed and Accuracy (General Knowledge)
A smaller fraction (10-20%) consists of general knowledge and clerical checking items. These
include date sorting, name matching, and basic science or geography facts. While deceptively
simple, these items serve a dual purpose: they act as "cognitive relief" points that allow a
candidate to bank points quickly, but they also penalize inattention to detail. A candidate who
rushes might miss a subtle spelling difference in a name matching question, signaling a lack of
conscientiousness to a potential employer.
1.3 The 2026/2027 Strategic Imperative
The average score on the Wonderlic is historically around 20/50. A score of 30 is typically
considered the threshold for intelligence-intensive roles such as engineering, while scores
above 35 place a candidate in the 90th percentile or higher. To achieve these elite scores in the
2026 landscape, a candidate must abandon the perfectionist mindset taught in academic
settings. The Wonderlic rewards "triage"—the ability to instantly recognize a question that will
take too long to solve and making an educated guess to conserve time for three easier
questions. The simulation provided in this report is designed to force these strategic decisions.
2. Comprehensive Practice Exam: The 55-Item
, Simulation
This section presents a full-length simulation of the Wonderlic SLE/WPT-R. It contains 55
questions—exceeding the standard 50 to provide exposure to the experimental "unscored"
items often embedded in real testing environments to calibrate future test banks. The questions
are ordered to simulate the random distribution of difficulty and domain found in the actual
exam. Following the exam section, a detailed "Psychometric Autopsy" is provided for every
single question, analyzing the cognitive mechanisms, common traps, and optimal solution
paths.
2.1 The Examination Battery
Question 1 The words BENEVOLENT and ALTRUISTIC have meanings that are: A. Similar B.
Contradictory C. Unrelated
Question 2 A train travels 60 miles in 0.75 hours. What is its average speed in miles per hour?
A. 45 B. 75 C. 80 D. 90 E. 100
Question 3 SKEIN is to YARN as REAM is to: A. Paper B. Wool C. String D. Cotton E. Fabric
Question 4 Which of the following dates is the latest? A. January 12, 1991 B. March 02, 1991
C. February 28, 1991 D. December 15, 1990 E. January 30, 1991
Question 5 Rearrange the words to form a complete sentence. If the sentence is true, mark A.
If false, mark B. water oil and mix do not A. True B. False
Question 6 What is the next number in the series? 3, 6, 12, 24, 48,? A. 64 B. 72 C. 96 D. 56 E.
100
Question 7 The eleventh month of the year is: A. October B. November C. December D.
September E. January
Question 8 MITIGATE is the opposite of: A. Alleviate B. Aggravate C. Soothe D. Calm E.
Improve
Question 9 How many of the five pairs listed below are exact duplicates?
● M. A. Hoeffner | M. A. Hoeffner
● CR-4558-9 | CR-4558-9
● 33445 Western | 33455 Western
● Dr. Alan Grant | Dr. Allan Grant
● 990812 | 990812
A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4 E. 5
Question 10 Two of the following proverbs have similar meanings. Which ones are they?
1. A penny saved is a penny earned.
2. Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
3. Waste not, want not.
4. Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
5. There's no use crying over spilled milk.
A. 1 and 3 B. 2 and 5 C. 1 and 4 D. 3 and 5 E. 2 and 4
Question 11 A store buys a widget for $40 and sells it for $50. What is the profit percentage
based on the cost? A. 10% B. 20% C. 25% D. 50% E. 15%
Question 12 LOQUACIOUS is to TALKATIVE as TACITURN is to: A. Loud B. Silent C. Angry
D. Friendly E. Active
Question 13 Which number represents the smallest amount? A. 0.6 B. 5/8 C. 0.55 D. 1/2 E. 4/7
Question 14 Assuming the first two statements are true, is the final statement:
