Analogies (A is to B as…)
Relation first — not “similar sounding” words.
← All countdown tipsAnalogy questions look like A is to B as C is to ? (sometimes written A : B :: C : ?). Your job is not to find a word that “goes with” C — it is to find the same relationship that links A to B, then apply it to C.
Picture it: match the link
- First pair → name the relationship in a short phrase
- Second pair → apply that same phrase to C
- If two answers almost work, keep the tightest link (most exact)
Coach tip: say it as a sentence — “A bird lives in a nest, so a bee lives in a …” — before looking at the options.
Remember — the method
- Ignore C for a moment. What is the link from A → B?
- Check the type: type of, part of, opposite, degree (stronger/weaker), function (used for)…
- Apply that exact link to C and predict the missing word.
- Only then scan the options — don’t let a similar-sounding word pull you off course.
Common relationship types
Type / category
robin : bird · carrot : vegetable
Part of / whole
petal : flower · wheel : car
Opposite
hot : cold · arrive : depart
Degree / function
warm : hot · knife : cut · pen : write
Naming the type first stops you grabbing the first word that “feels related.”
Exam trap
Options often include a word that sounds like C, or belongs in the same topic as A and B, but does not keep the same relationship. Another trap: two possible links — always pick the tightest one.
✓ Same relationship
finger : hand :: toe : foot
part → whole (body)
✗ Topic cousin / sound-alike
finger : hand :: toe : sock or toe rhyme traps
Related idea — wrong link
Question patterns you might see
Same skill, harder outfits — from clear pairs to competing relationships.
1 · Simple — Type of
“Sparrow is to bird as salmon is to …?” Name the category link, then apply it.
2 · Simple — Part of
“Page is to book as chapter is to …?” (Often novel or story — part → whole again.)
3 · Medium — Opposite
“Empty is to full as quiet is to …?” Don’t pick a synonym of quiet — you need the opposite pair.
4 · Medium — Function / used for
“Brush is to paint as scissors are to …?” The link is tool → action, not “things you find in a craft box.”
5 · Trickier — Degree (weaker → stronger)
“Warm is to hot as cool is to …?” Same step up in intensity — often cold or freezing, depending on the option set. Match the size of the jump.
6 · Trickier — Similar-sounding distractors
“Flour is to bread as milk is to …?” A trap option might be mill (sounds near flour) or cow (linked to milk). The tight link is ingredient → product.
✓ Tight link
flour : bread :: milk : butter / cheese / yoghurt
✗ Sound / topic trap
mill · cow · farm · white
7 · Trickiest — Two possible relations
“Doctor is to hospital as teacher is to …?” Both school and classroomrelate — but the first pair is person → workplace building, so school is tighter than “any place learning happens.”
Test: rewrite as “A works in a B.”
Doctor works in a hospital → teacher works in a school.
If an option needs a looser rewrite, drop it.
Coach tip: cover the options, invent the missing word yourself, then uncover. Matching your prediction beats shopping among tempting distractors.
Tomorrow (D-24): rotation vs reflection.
Next step
Practice locks the idea in. WhatsApp delivers tomorrow’s tip to your phone — same group as mock updates.