Figure Series Puzzles
Four figures, a hidden rule set, and a fifth figure missing. Work out what changes from frame to frame, then pick the figure that continues the series. Sixty named patterns, a fresh puzzle every time, and the full reasoning after every attempt — including why each wrong option is wrong.
Also known as series completion, complete the series, complete the sequence and next in series — all one puzzle under four labels.
What Comes Next In A Figure Series
A figure series puzzle shows a row of figures that change according to one or more hidden rules, with the last one missing. You work out what changes from each frame to the next — a shape gaining a side, a count rising, shading advancing — and apply the rule one more time. The rule is always nameable in words, and naming it is the whole skill.
Every figure here is drawn from the same eleven attributes, so the rules repeat across patterns: the same rotation, shading and count moves appear in different combinations. Once you can name a move in one puzzle, you will recognise it in the next.
How To Solve Figure Series Puzzles
- Compare frame 1 with frame 2 and name one change.
- Check the change holds between every neighbouring pair.
- Watch for attributes that stay constant — they are part of the rule too.
- Apply the rule one step past the last frame.
- Match against the options; only one continues the rule.
Name the rule before you look at the options. With the rule in words the options reduce to a checklist; without it, every option looks plausible.
| Family | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Rotation | The figure, or something inside it, turns by a fixed angle at every step. |
| Shape change | The outline itself changes — gaining sides, alternating, or cycling through a set. |
| Shading | Fill states advance, reverse or alternate through unshaded, hatched and solid. |
| Counting | Something is added or removed at every step, and the count is the rule. |
| Position | An element travels round the figure rather than changing what it is. |
| Size | The figure grows or shrinks in even steps. |
| Reflection | The figure flips to its mirror image on some or all steps. |
| Composite | Two, three or four of the above running at the same time — the hardest thing this engine builds. |
When A Rule Runs In Two Directions
Hard patterns run two changes at once — a turn and a count, shading and sides. The method does not change: name each change separately, confirm both across every pair of frames, and apply both one step further. Most wrong options apply only one of the two.
Figure Series Puzzles Frequently Asked Questions
Is figure series a logic puzzle or non-verbal reasoning?
Non-verbal reasoning. The two are often confused because logical reasoning is the umbrella term above both: it splits into verbal reasoning, which reasons in words, and non-verbal reasoning, which reasons in figures. Figure series sits firmly in the second. A logic puzzle means something different again — a grid deduction puzzle such as a zebra puzzle, sudoku or futoshiki, where you eliminate possibilities against a set of stated clues rather than infer a rule from pictures. Both are logical, but only one of them is this.
How many puzzles are there?
There is no fixed number. Each puzzle is rebuilt from the short seed in the page address, so the supply is effectively unlimited. Copying the puzzle link saves that exact puzzle permanently.
Are the explanations written by a person?
No — and that is the point. The rules that drew the figures are read back out to produce the explanation, which is why every wrong option can be explained individually rather than just marked wrong.
Can I practise one pattern at a time?
Yes. Pick any pattern from the catalogue above and the board switches to that pattern only, with its own address you can bookmark or hand out. Use Back to mixed practice to return to random patterns.
Is my score saved anywhere?
Only in your own browser. There is no account, no upload and no tracking of answers. Clearing your browser data resets the counter.
Can I use these questions with a class?
Yes. Use the Copy question link button to hand out a specific question — everyone who opens that link sees exactly the same figures.
How many figure series patterns are there on PuzzleType?
Sixty named patterns across eight families: rotation, shape change, shading, counting, position, size, reflection and composite. Each pattern generates unlimited questions rather than a fixed set.
Is it free and does it need an account?
It is completely free and there is no account. Nothing is uploaded; your score is kept only in your own browser.
What is a figure series?
A row of figures that change according to a hidden rule, with the next one missing. Something moves, turns, grows, gains a side or changes shading from one frame to the next, and your job is to work out what and apply it once more. It is the same idea as a number series, played on shapes instead of numbers.
How do you solve a figure series question?
Compare neighbouring frames rather than staring at the whole row. Take one attribute at a time — position, rotation, count, shading, size — and ask what it does from the first frame to the second, then check that same answer holds from the second to the third. Most series run two or three rules at once, so expect to find more than one, and apply every one you find before picking.