Verbal reasoning worksheet with code decryption exercises using alphabetical patterns.

Let’s solve each question step by step. We’re looking for a pattern between the original word and its coded version — usually, each letter is shifted forward or backward in the alphabet by a fixed number.

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Question 1: If the code for LEANT is MCB LU, what is the code for HELLO?

First, let’s compare LEANT → MCB LU (note: probably “MCBLU” — typo in spacing)

L → M
E → C
A → B
N → L
T → U

Wait — that doesn’t look consistent. Let’s check positions:

Alphabet positions:
A=1, B=2, ..., Z=26

L = 12 → M = 13 → +1
E = 5 → C = 3 → -2
A = 1 → B = 2 → +1
N = 14 → L = 12 → -2
T = 20 → U = 21 → +1

Pattern: +1, -2, +1, -2, +1

So alternating: odd positions +1, even positions -2?

Positions in word:
1st: +1
2nd: -2
3rd: +1
4th: -2
5th: +1

Yes! So for HELLO:

H (8) → 8+1 = 9 → I
E (5) → 5-2 = 3 → C
L (12) → 12+1 = 13 → M
L (12) → 12-2 = 10 → J
O (15) → 15+1 = 16 → P

So code: I C M J P → ICMJP

Check options: E is ICMJP → ✔

But wait — let’s double-check with LEANT:

L(12)+1=13=M
E(5)-2=3=C
A(1)+1=2=B
N(14)-2=12=L
T(20)+1=21=U → MCBLU ✔️

Perfect.

So HELLO → ICMJP → Answer: E

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Question 2: If the code for TALL is RBJM, what is the code for APPLE?

T → R
A → B
L → J
L → M

Positions:

T=20 → R=18 → -2
A=1 → B=2 → +1
L=12 → J=10 → -2
L=12 → M=13 → +1

Pattern: -2, +1, -2, +1

Alternating starting with -2 on 1st letter.

Apply to APPLE:

A (1) → 1-2 = -1 → wrap around? Wait, no negative letters. Maybe we do modulo? But let’s see:

Actually, if A=1, minus 2 would be... maybe it's not wrapping? But in codes like this, sometimes they wrap (Z before A). But let’s test:

If A=1 → 1-2 = -1 → which would be Y (25)? Because 1-2 = -1 ≡ 25 mod 26? Let’s assume standard cipher where you go back 2 from A → Y.

But let’s check the given: T→R is clear (-2), A→B (+1), L→J (-2), L→M (+1). So yes, alternating -2, +1, -2, +1.

Now APPLE has 5 letters. Pattern should continue: position 1: -2, 2: +1, 3: -2, 4: +1, 5: -2

A (1) → 1-2 = -1 → 25 → Y
P (16) → 16+1 = 17 → Q
P (16) → 16-2 = 14 → N
L (12) → 12+1 = 13 → M
E (5) → 5-2 = 3 → C

So code: Y Q N M C → YQNMC

Look at options: A is YQNMC → ✔

Double-check TALL:

T(20)-2=18=R
A(1)+1=2=B
L(12)-2=10=J
L(12)+1=13=M → RBJM ✔️

APPLE → YQNMC → Answer: A

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Question 3: If the code for SMILE is RK FHZ, what is the code for APRON?

SMILE → RK FHZ → probably “RKFHZ”

S → R
M → K
I → F
L → H
E → Z

Positions:

S=19 → R=18 → -1
M=13 → K=11 → -2
I=9 → F=6 → -3
L=12 → H=8 → -4
E=5 → Z=26 → ? 5 to 26 is +21? Or -5? 5-5=0 → not valid. 5-5=0 → maybe 26? So -5 gives Z.

Check:

S(19)-1=18=R
M(13)-2=11=K
I(9)-3=6=F
L(12)-4=8=H
E(5)-5=0 → but 0 isn't a letter. In modular arithmetic, 5-5=0 ≡ 26 → Z ✔️

So pattern: subtract increasing numbers: -1, -2, -3, -4, -5

Apply to APRON (5 letters):

A (1) → 1-1 = 0 → 26 → Z
P (16) → 16-2 = 14 → N
R (18) → 18-3 = 15 → O
O (15) → 15-4 = 11 → K
N (14) → 14-5 = 9 → I

Code: Z N O K I → ZNOKI

Options: B is ZNOKI → ✔

Check SMILE again:

S-1=R, M-2=K, I-3=F, L-4=H, E-5=Z → RKFHZ ✔️

APRON → ZNOKI → Answer: B

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Question 4: If the code for DOWN is WLD M, what does DRMWLD mean?

DOWN → WLDM (probably)

D → W
O → L
W → D
N → M

Positions:

D=4 → W=23 → ? 4 to 23 is +19? Or -7? 4-7=-3≡23 → yes, -7
O=15 → L=12 → -3
W=23 → D=4 → 23-19=4? Or 23-19=4 → -19? Not matching.

Wait, maybe reverse mapping? Or different pattern.

Try decoding the code first. The question says: "what does DRMWLD mean?" — so DRMWLD is the CODE, and we need to find the original word.

Given: DOWN → WLDM

So to decode, we need the inverse of the encoding rule.

Find how DOWN became WLDM.

D→W: 4→23 → difference: +19 or -7 (since 4-7=-3≡23)
O→L: 15→12 → -3
W→D: 23→4 → -19 or +7? 23+7=30≡4? 30-26=4 → +7
N→M: 14→13 → -1

Not obvious. Try another approach.

Maybe each letter is mapped via a fixed shift per position?

Position 1: D→W: 4→23 → shift = +19 or -7
Position 2: O→L: 15→12 → shift = -3
Position 3: W→D: 23→4 → shift = -19 or +7
Position 4: N→M: 14→13 → shift = -1

No clear pattern. Perhaps it's a reversal or something else.

Another idea: maybe the code is created by shifting each letter by a value based on its position in the word, but decreasing or increasing.

Wait — let’s try to decode DRMWLD using the same rule that turned DOWN into WLDM.

We know:

Original: D O W N
Code: W L D M

So to get from original to code:

D → W: let’s say shift S1
O → L: shift S2
W → D: shift S3
N → M: shift S4

We can calculate shifts:

S1: W - D = 23 - 4 = +19
S2: L - O = 12 - 15 = -3
S3: D - W = 4 - 23 = -19
S4: M - N = 13 - 14 = -1

Shifts: +19, -3, -19, -1

Now, for the code DRMWLD, we want to find the original word by applying the inverse shifts.

DRMWLD has 6 letters. But DOWN was 4 letters. Hmm.

Perhaps the pattern repeats every 4 letters? Or maybe it's a different rule.

Alternative approach: maybe the code is formed by taking each letter and moving it by a certain amount, and for decoding, we reverse that.

But let’s look at the answer choices. They are words: KNIGHT, WINDOW, KINGLY, WINDER, KNOCKS.

Notice that “WINDOW” contains “DOWN” — and the code for DOWN is WLDM. Also, DRMWLD might be related.

Another idea: perhaps the coding is done by reversing the word and then shifting? Let’s try.

DOWN reversed is NWOD.

N→W? No.

Or maybe each letter is replaced by the letter that is symmetric in the alphabet? Like A↔Z, B↔Y, etc. That’s Atbash cipher.

Atbash: A=Z, B=Y, C=X, ..., M=N, N=M, ..., Z=A

Check DOWN with Atbash:

D → W (since D is 4th from start, W is 4th from end: A-Z, B-Y, C-X, D-W) ✔️
O → L (O is 15th, L is 12th? 26-15+1=12 → L) ✔️
W → D (W is 23rd, 26-23+1=4 → D) ✔️
N → M (N is 14th, 26-14+1=13 → M) ✔️

Oh! It’s Atbash cipher! Each letter is replaced by its mirror in the alphabet: A↔Z, B↔Y, C↔X, ..., M↔N.

So code for DOWN is WLDM via Atbash.

Therefore, to decode DRMWLD, apply Atbash again (since Atbash is self-inverse: applying twice gives original).

So decode DRMWLD using Atbash:

D → W
R → I (R is 18th, 26-18+1=9 → I)
M → N (M is 13th, 26-13+1=14 → N)
W → D
L → O (L is 12th, 26-12+1=15 → O)
D → W

So DRMWLD → W I N D O W → WINDOW

Check options: B is WINDOW → ✔

And indeed, DOWN is part of WINDOW, and code for DOWN is WLDM, which matches.

So answer: B

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Question 5: If the code for MANAGE is KBKBCF, what is the code for NEWT?

MANAGE → KBKBCF

Compare letter by letter:

M → K
A → B
N → K
A → B
G → C
E → F

Positions:

M=13 → K=11 → -2
A=1 → B=2 → +1
N=14 → K=11 → -3? Wait, 14 to 11 is -3
But earlier A→B is +1, now N→K is -3? Not consistent.

Wait, let’s list:

1. M(13) → K(11) : -2
2. A(1) → B(2) : +1
3. N(14) → K(11) : -3
4. A(1) → B(2) : +1
5. G(7) → C(3) : -4
6. E(5) → F(6) : +1

Pattern: -2, +1, -3, +1, -4, +1

Ah! So for odd positions (1,3,5): subtract increasing numbers: -2, -3, -4
For even positions (2,4,6): always +1

Confirm:

Pos1 (odd): M-2=K
Pos2 (even): A+1=B
Pos3 (odd): N-3=K (14-3=11)
Pos4 (even): A+1=B
Pos5 (odd): G-4=C (7-4=3)
Pos6 (even): E+1=F ✔️

Perfect.

Now apply to NEWT (4 letters):

Pos1 (odd): N → subtract 2? Wait, the subtraction starts at -2 for pos1, then -3 for pos3, etc. But for a new word, do we restart the counter?

In MANAGE, pos1: -2, pos3: -3, pos5: -4 → so for odd positions, the subtraction increases by 1 each time: first odd position -2, second odd position -3, third odd position -4, etc.

Similarly, for NEWT:

Letters: N E W T
Positions: 1,2,3,4

Odd positions: 1 and 3
Even positions: 2 and 4

For pos1 (first odd): subtract 2
Pos2 (even): add 1
Pos3 (second odd): subtract 3
Pos4 (even): add 1

So:

N (14) → 14-2 = 12 → L
E (5) → 5+1 = 6 → F
W (23) → 23-3 = 20 → T
T (20) → 20+1 = 21 → U

Code: L F T U → LFTU

Options: D is LFTU → ✔

Check with MANAGE again to ensure pattern holds:

Pos1: M-2=K
Pos2: A+1=B
Pos3: N-3=K
Pos4: A+1=B
Pos5: G-4=C
Pos6: E+1=F → KBKBCF ✔️

NEWT → LFTU → Answer: D

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Final Answers:

1. E
2. A
3. B
4. B
5. D

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Final Answer:
1. E
2. A
3. B
4. B
5. D