Detective Agency
Detective agency: three cases, an evidence board and the final deduction
- Reordering Words
- Explore the Facts
3 cases · about 5 min
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11+ Verbal Reasoning
Verbal Reasoning Games for the 11+
Codes, letter sequences, hidden words, anagrams and word pairs: the 11+ verbal reasoning question types as games.
Codebreaker HQ needs no account. The trial opens every game in the Arcade.
Codebreaker HQFree to play · 16 intercepts · about 4 min
Verbal Reasoning games in the 11+ Arcade
Verbal reasoning is the 11+ subject children are least likely to meet at school, which makes short, regular practice especially useful. Each game here takes a group of verbal reasoning question types — codes and ciphers, alphabet and letter sequences, word building, synonyms and antonyms, letter and number equations — and turns them into a race, a voyage or a mystery.
Island Hopper
Island voyage: five channels, changing weather and the Storm Channel
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- Word Pairs
- Complete a Word Pair
- Odd Ones Out
- Word Connections
5 channels · about 4–5 min
Archery Arena
Archery tournament: four ends, wind challenges and a podium
- Letter Equations
- Equation Balancing
- Complete the Sum
- Number Sequences
- Related Numbers
4 ends · about 5 min
Alphabet Express
Steam railway: green signals, junctions and the Zed Terminus
- Alphabet Position
- Letter from a Clue
- Alphabetical Order
- Letter Identification
- Missing Letters
- Letter Sequences
4 legs · about 4–5 min
Word Climb
Mountain climb: from base camp to the summit flag
- Move a Letter
- Hidden Word
- Find the Missing Word
- Word Formation
- Compound Words
- Word Ladders
- Anagrams
Base camp to summit · about 4–5 min
Codebreaker HQ
Spy agency: crack intercepts and decrypt the secret message
- Letter Codes
- Letter Analogies
- Letter-Word Codes
- Number-Word Codes
16 intercepts · about 4 min
Verbal Reasoning topics covered
Each topic, and the game that practises it.
- Reordering Words
- Detective Agency
- Explore the Facts
- Detective Agency
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- Island Hopper
- Word Pairs
- Island Hopper
- Complete a Word Pair
- Island Hopper
- Odd Ones Out
- Island Hopper
- Word Connections
- Island Hopper
- Letter Equations
- Archery Arena
- Equation Balancing
- Archery Arena
- Complete the Sum
- Archery Arena
- Number Sequences
- Archery Arena
- Related Numbers
- Archery Arena
- Alphabet Position
- Alphabet Express
- Letter from a Clue
- Alphabet Express
- Alphabetical Order
- Alphabet Express
- Letter Identification
- Alphabet Express
- Missing Letters
- Alphabet Express
- Letter Sequences
- Alphabet Express
- Move a Letter
- Word Climb
- Hidden Word
- Word Climb
- Find the Missing Word
- Word Climb
- Word Formation
- Word Climb
- Compound Words
- Word Climb
- Word Ladders
- Word Climb
- Anagrams
- Word Climb
- Letter Codes
- Codebreaker HQ
- Letter Analogies
- Codebreaker HQ
- Letter-Word Codes
- Codebreaker HQ
- Number-Word Codes
- Codebreaker HQ
Verbal Reasoning in the 11+
Verbal reasoning is set by GL Assessment, CEM, ISEB and many independent schools. FSCE and CSSE do not set reasoning papers.
For every question type and topic, with worked examples, see the 11+ verbal reasoning question types.
How to use verbal reasoning games for the 11+
- Write the alphabet across the top of a piece of paper before a codes or sequences round, just as children do in the exam.
- When a question type keeps catching your child out, play the game that covers it on the easiest level until it feels routine.
- Talk through one tricky question after each round: explaining the pattern out loud fixes it faster than another round.
Classic verbal reasoning games
The original Prep4All games: quick puzzles for a spare five minutes.
- Word Puzzle — Boost your vocabulary with exciting word games! Free to play.
- Logic Grid Puzzle — Solve mysteries by matching clues and pictures!
Verbal Reasoning games: questions parents ask
Letter codes and number codes, letter analogies, alphabet positions and letter sequences, missing letters, hidden words, compound words, word ladders and anagrams, synonyms and antonyms, odd ones out, word connections, letter equations, number sequences and reordering words.
Yes. Codebreaker HQ is free to play, with no account and no sign-up. The other verbal reasoning games are part of the full 11+ Arcade, included in every Prep4All plan with a 7-day free trial.
They help with the part that comes from familiarity: knowing each question type and working through it quickly and accurately. They do not replace timed practice papers, which show how your child copes with a full paper. Short, regular rounds alongside papers work well.
GL Assessment, CEM, ISEB and many independent schools set verbal reasoning. FSCE and CSSE do not, so families preparing only for those tests can skip these games.
More 11+ games
Play every verbal reasoning game
The full 11+ Arcade, with every game, level and daily challenge, is included in every Prep4All plan alongside lessons, practice tests and mock exams. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial.