Satellite Codes: a non-verbal reasoning codes game for the 11+

About Satellite Codes

Satellite Codes practises three non-verbal reasoning question types: vertical codes, horizontal codes and connecting shapes. A round is 12 signals: three orbits of three satellites, then a solar storm of three harder signals worth 1,000 bonus points each. Each topic comes up four times a round, and every signal has four or five answers to choose from.

A wrong answer is static on the line: a card names the trap, such as letters in the wrong order or a piece flipped instead of turned, and shows the right answer. Questions get harder after three right in a row and easier after two misses in a row. The review at the end scores each topic and explains every trap. Satellite Codes is part of the full 11+ Arcade, included in every Prep4All plan.

How to play Satellite Codes

1. Choose a starting level: Cadet (easy), Controller (medium) or Director (hard).
2. Press Power up the dishes, or switch on Daily challenge first to play today’s signals at Controller level.
3. Read each signal and tap an answer, or press keys 1 to 5.
4. Get three right in a row for a full uplink with double points, and six in a row for triple.
5. Hold the shields in the solar storm: each of the last three signals is worth 1,000 bonus points.

What it practises for the 11+

Vertical Codes

Each figure carries two or three letters stacked top to bottom, and each letter stands for one feature, such as the shape, the shading or how many small shapes there are; your child finds the missing code, or the figure that matches a code. Crack one letter at a time: find two figures that share a letter and ask what else they have in common. Learn the topic →

Horizontal Codes

Here the letters sit side by side under each figure, and each letter place stands for one feature, so your child works out the code for a new figure or picks the figure that fits a given code. Look out for features that are easy to miss, such as a dashed outline, a smaller size or the number of dots. Learn the topic →

Connecting Shapes

Pieces join edge to edge like a jigsaw: sides with the same letter meet along their whole length, a tab fits a notch of the same size and shape, and pieces may be turned but never flipped. At home, cut two shapes from card, letter the sides and join them on the table without turning either one over. Learn the topic →

Codes questions are part of non-verbal reasoning, which GL Assessment, CEM, ISEB and many independent schools set; FSCE and CSSE set no reasoning papers.

More non-verbal reasoning games

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All non-verbal reasoning games → · All 11+ games →