Odd One Out: NVR Figures

N3Odd One Out (Figures)

Four obey the rule. One breaks it.

Figure odd-one-out: find the property four figures share and one lacks.

Which figure is the odd one out?

Three are grey; d is white — shading is the rule, shape is the decoy.

Run the 5-point scan across all figures — the rule lives in ONE dial.

Learn the 3-Step Method

1Scan each dial across the set.

Shapes: 3, 4, 5, 4 sides — varied, so shape isn’t the rule. Shading: grey, grey, grey, white — found it.

dial by dial

2State the rule for the majority.

‘All the figures are grey.’ Precise words, like VR categories.

say the rule

3Confirm exactly one breaks it.

Only d is white. One breaker = correct rule; two breakers = wrong dial, rescan.

one breaker only

💡 Key IdeaVaried dials are decoys — if shapes differ across ALL figures, shape can't be the rule. The rule hides in the dial where four agree.

Worked Example

Odd one out:

Scan dials

shapes vary (decoy) · all white · sizes same · dot: yes, yes, NO, yes

→

Rule

‘Every figure has a centre dot.’

→

✓ Odd one

the square (no dot)

Watch Out! Common Mistakes

Picking the ‘different-looking’ figure.

Different isn’t odd! The circle LOOKS unusual among polygons — but the rule was the dot. Scan dials; don’t trust first impressions.

Rules that two figures break.

Rescan! If your rule leaves two outsiders, it’s the wrong dial. The correct rule strands exactly one figure.

Stopping at the first dial.

Sweep all five! Shape is checked first but is the answer least often — setters hide rules in shading, dots and position.

⬇ Cheat Sheet

ODD ONE OUT (FIGURES)

Scan each of the 5 dials across all figures.
Ignore dials that vary everywhere — they're decoys.
State the majority rule in words.
Exactly one figure must break it.

Example: shapes vary (decoy); 'all have a dot' → the dotless square is odd.

📖 Continue Your Journey

✓ N1 Reading NVR Figures ✓ N2 Shape Series N3 Odd One Out (Figures)N4 Shape Analogies N5 Matrices N6 Rotation vs Reflection N7 Mirror Images N8 Nets and Cubes N9 Paper Folding and Hole Punching N10 Shape Codes N11 Counting and Overlaps N12 NVR Exam Technique

→

Next Lesson: N4 Shape AnalogiesDo to C what was done to A.

📄 Free printable: Download the Odd One Out (Figures) cheat sheet (PDF) — keep it by your child's desk.

Quick summary

Scan each dial (shape, shading, size, count, position) across the whole set.
Dials that vary everywhere are decoys — the rule sits where four figures agree.
State the rule in words; exactly one figure must break it.
The odd figure is rarely the one that merely looks different.

Frequently asked questions

How do you find the odd figure out?

Check each of the five dials across all figures until you find one where four agree and one differs — that shared property is the rule, and the outsider is the answer.

What's the biggest odd-one-out trap?

Choosing the figure that looks most unusual. Setters make a decoy figure eye-catching while hiding the real rule in a quieter dial like a dot or shading.

What if two figures break my rule?

Then the rule is wrong — rescan the other dials. A correct rule always leaves exactly one figure outside.

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