You cannot cram your way to a higher IQ, but you can make sure the number reflects your real ability instead of a bad night or a surprise format. These nine tips help.
- Sleep well the night before. Tired brains lose working memory first, and IQ tests lean on it heavily.
- Eat normally and drink water. Do not test hungry or after a huge meal.
- Choose a quiet slot. Phone on silent, notifications off, door closed.
- Practise the question types. Number series, shape patterns, odd-one-out and logic puzzles all repeat. A few practice rounds remove the "what is this?" delay.
- Use pen and paper if allowed. Writing out a series or a small grid frees your working memory.
- Watch the clock, not the clock only. Check your pace every ten questions. If a question eats more than a minute, flag it and move on.
- Answer every question. A thoughtful guess beats a blank when there is no penalty.
- Look for the rule, not the answer. Most items hide one simple rule (add, rotate, alternate, count). Find it and the answer follows.
- Stay calm after a hard one. Tests deliberately get harder. Struggling means the test is working, not that you are failing.
What not to do
Do not memorise answers, do not take the same test repeatedly to chase a bigger number, and do not take it when upset or ill. Each of those makes the score less useful to you.
Warm up with the Daily Challenge or a few Vault puzzles, then take the Real IQ Test when you feel sharp.