You have a Cubiks test invite, a deadline, and probably no clear idea which test you are actually sitting. It might be a Logiks assessment covering verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning. It might include a PAPI personality questionnaire or a situational judgement test. It could be all three.
What works in your favour is that the Cubiks format is consistent and well-documented. Candidates who practise the right test at the right difficulty level score higher. Those who guess at the format and practise broadly tend not to. This guide tells you exactly what each assessment involves, how Intermediate and Advanced Logiks differ, and what to focus on in each section. Start with our free Cubiks practice tests if you want to get into the questions immediately.
What Is a Cubiks Assessment?
Cubiks is a talent assessment brand now operating under Talogy, part of PSI Services. You may see either name in your invite email or test portal login, depending on your employer. Both refer to the same suite of assessments.
Three core test types make up the Cubiks range. Logiks is the ability test: a timed, multiple-choice assessment covering verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning. PAPI is the personality questionnaire, available in two formats depending on the stage of recruitment. The situational judgement test presents workplace scenarios and asks you to evaluate different responses.
Most candidates encounter Logiks first. PAPI and the situational judgement test tend to appear at mid-to-senior level stages, often after an initial ability screen. Employers may use one test type in isolation or run a combined battery. Your invite should indicate which tests are included, though it will not always be explicit about the difficulty level.
The three sections of the Logiks test map directly to practisable question types. Verbal reasoning tests, numerical reasoning tests, and abstract reasoning tests are all available on PAT with worked explanations.
Logiks Intermediate vs Advanced: Key Differences
This is the distinction that changes the preparation approach entirely.
Logiks Intermediate is the version used for graduate and entry-level roles: 50 questions across three sections in 12 minutes, which works out to roughly 4 minutes per section. The format rewards speed. You need to be accurate, but the primary challenge is working quickly enough to attempt all the questions. Candidates who slow down to verify every answer tend to run out of time.
Logiks Advanced is used for professional and managerial roles: 30 questions in 20 minutes, with roughly 40 seconds per question. The questions require multi-step reasoning from more complex data. The time pressure is lower per question, but the analytical demand is considerably higher. Standalone Advanced section tests also exist, each adding 20 to 36 questions with 15 to 25 minute limits, used when one ability area needs deeper assessment.
| Format | Logiks Intermediate | Logiks Advanced |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 50 total (approx. 16 per section) | 30 total (approx. 8-10 per section) |
| Total time | 12 minutes (4 min per section) | 20 minutes (approx. 7 min per section) |
| Role level | Graduate and entry-level | Professional and managerial |
| Preparation priority | Speed and quick pattern recognition | Analytical precision and multi-step reasoning |
The practical takeaway: if you are sitting Intermediate, drill for speed and learn to move on quickly. If you are sitting Advanced, focus on working through complex questions accurately. Both approaches require Cubiks Logiks practice tests to be effective.
Cubiks Verbal Reasoning: What to Expect
Verbal reasoning is the section where unprepared candidates most reliably lose marks, and usually for one avoidable reason: they read the passage before the question.
Cubiks verbal questions are self-contained. No outside knowledge is tested or rewarded. The passage is the only source of information and your answer must be justified by it, not by what you happen to know about the subject.
Three question subtypes appear across Logiks tests. Explicit questions have the answer directly in the text. Implicit questions require you to infer from what the passage states. Meta-analysis questions ask you to combine details across the passage or evaluate what can and cannot be concluded.
At Intermediate level, the most effective technique is to read the question first, then scan the passage for the specific detail that answers it. At Advanced level, passages are longer and questions lean more heavily on assumption-testing and summary identification. The risk here is over-inferring: drawing a conclusion the passage supports but does not actually state. Practise the format with a focus on qualifier words using PAT’s verbal reasoning practice tests.
Cubiks Numerical Reasoning: What to Expect
Numerical questions are based on data presented in tables, charts or graphs. The test does not assess mental arithmetic. Every figure you need is in the dataset. No formula needs to be memorised.
Calculator use is typically permitted for the numerical section. Confirm this with your recruiter before the test day, as rules vary by employer. If a calculator is allowed, practise using one efficiently rather than assuming you will manage without it.
At Intermediate level there are 16 numerical questions in 4 minutes, roughly 15 seconds per question. Elimination matters here: identify at least one answer option that cannot be right before you start calculating, and use that to narrow the field. At Advanced level the pace slows to 8 questions in around 8 minutes, but the data is more complex and problems often require two or three steps. Build speed with table and chart interpretation using PAT’s numerical reasoning practice tests.
Cubiks SJT and PAPI: What to Know
Most Cubiks preparation guides focus entirely on Logiks and treat the SJT and PAPI as afterthoughts. For candidates sitting a full battery, that is a mistake.
The situational judgement test presents workplace scenarios and asks you to select the most and least effective response from a list. The responses are not right or wrong in an absolute sense. They are evaluated against the employer’s competency framework. Candidates who do well read the job description carefully before the test and answer based on the specific behaviours the employer has advertised, not on what a generic “good manager” would do.
PAPI comes in two versions. PAPI N is the normative format used in pre-employment screening: your responses are benchmarked against a norm group. PAPI I is ipsative, a forced-choice format that asks you to rank preferences rather than rate them. It is used for development purposes rather than comparative selection.
Neither PAPI nor the situational judgement test is timed. Rushing reduces the quality of your responses without improving your score. For SJT, explore PAT’s situational judgement test practice to understand how the format works. For PAPI, reading through a personality questionnaire guide will help you understand what the questionnaire is measuring before you sit it.
How to Pass Cubiks Tests: 5 Preparation Tips
Know which Logiks version you face
Intermediate and Advanced require different preparation strategies. Sitting the wrong practice tests at the wrong difficulty level will leave you underprepared on the day. If your invite does not specify, contact the recruiter. It is a routine question and most will answer quickly.
Train for the time unit, not the total
Knowing that Intermediate has 50 questions in 12 minutes is less useful than knowing you have roughly 14 seconds per question. For Advanced verbal, you have around 40 seconds. Practise with those per-question targets in mind from the start, not just total test time.
Practise each section separately before running full tests
Isolating sections in practice reveals weak areas before a full timed simulation exposes them under pressure. Most candidates have one section that costs them more marks than the others. Finding it early and drilling it is more efficient than repeating full tests.
Use elimination for numerical
At least one answer option in most numerical questions is clearly incompatible with the data. Ruling it out before you calculate narrows the field and reduces the chance of a careless error under time pressure.
For the SJT, map your answers to the job description
Generic “good professional” answers do not score as reliably as answers that reflect the specific competencies the employer has listed. Before sitting the SJT, re-read the job description and note which behaviours are explicitly valued. Use those as your reference point when evaluating responses. For more preparation guidance, explore PAT’s free Cubiks practice tests.
Now You Know What’s Coming
Cubiks assessments are predictable in format. The question types do not change significantly between employers. What changes is the difficulty level, and knowing whether you face Intermediate or Advanced Logiks determines how you should prepare.
Practise the right version of the test, at the right level, timed. Start with a free Cubiks practice test on PAT and work from there.
FAQs About Cubiks Tests
What is the difference between Cubiks Logiks Intermediate and Advanced?
Intermediate contains 50 questions in 12 minutes, designed for graduate and entry-level roles. It rewards speed and the ability to move quickly between questions. Advanced contains 30 questions in 20 minutes, targets professional and managerial candidates, and requires multi-step reasoning from more complex data. Both cover verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning, but the preparation approach is different for each.
How long is a Cubiks Logiks test?
Logiks Intermediate runs for 12 minutes in total, with roughly 4 minutes per section. Logiks Advanced runs for 20 minutes. Standalone Advanced section tests have their own time limits, typically between 15 and 25 minutes per section. Times can vary slightly depending on how the employer has configured the assessment.
Can I use a calculator on the Cubiks numerical reasoning test?
Calculator use is generally permitted for the numerical section, but this is set by the employer and can vary. Check your test invite or contact the recruiter directly to confirm the rules before your test day. If a calculator is allowed, practise using one as part of your preparation rather than assuming you will not need it.