# Mensa IQ Check app puzzle - symbols in boxes in a 6x6 square

In the Mensa IQ Check app, the same kind of puzzles keeps coming back. I don't know how to solve it. Can anyone help me?

X

Because

The pattern needs the X to repeat

There is a pattern of 5 possible symbols: X # O @ !.

The pattern repeats in a spiral pattern around the square (Starting at the left top corner).

• What does "the pattern needs the X to repeat" mean? What does the picture show? Please explain more. – bobble Oct 22 at 17:46
• @bobble, edited for clarity. – MacGyver88 Oct 22 at 17:51
• I see it now, thanks! – Jan Oct 22 at 18:17
• Took me about 25 seconds. +1 – Tim Oct 24 at 8:32
• @Tim, that's pretty quick. It took me a bit longer than that. lol. – MacGyver88 Oct 26 at 15:04

O

Because

When you draw the bottom-left top-right extended diagonals, there are duplicate symbols sitting next to each other on every line

(I think MacGyver88's solution is simpler, so it is probably what the author thought about).

From the six columns only the fourth contains the same symbol 3 times, namely the symbol $$O$$. In addition to that, none of the rows contains the same symbol 3 times. If we replace the question mark which is on fourth row with the symbol $$X$$ then on the fourth row the symbol $$X$$ appears 3 times as well.

Or....

Each row has exactly one symbol duplicated. In the ? row the X is already duplicated, meaning the answer must be #, to have all 5 symbols.

• This fails in the third row, where both O and @ are duplicated, or the 5th with ! and # – TCooper Oct 23 at 18:55