The McKinsey Solve Game is the first major hurdle in the McKinsey recruitment process, and it eliminates a large share of candidates before any human sees their file. This guide covers the Solve Game format in 2026, the current scenarios, the scoring approach, and a preparation strategy that works. Coming from old PST prep? Read what changed when McKinsey retired the PST first.
The Solve Game at a Glance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total duration | Stated in your invitation email (per McKinsey's official FAQ); invitations reported by candidates commonly quote 65 or 85 minutes |
| Scenarios | Commonly reported: Redrock and Sea Wolf, with Sustainable Future Lab on longer invitations (McKinsey does not publish scenario names) |
| Device | Desktop or laptop, Chrome or Firefox |
| Proctoring | No live proctor; McKinsey's published rules prohibit outside help, AI tools, screenshots and recordings |
| Skills tested | Critical thinking, decision-making, systems thinking, pattern recognition |
The game was built by Imbellus and rolled out by McKinsey around 2019 to 2020, and it has evolved each year since. The underlying philosophy has not changed: the firm wants to measure cognitive traits that correlate with case interview performance.
What the Solve Game Tests
| Skill | How It Shows Up in the Game | How It Shows Up in a Case |
|---|---|---|
| Critical thinking | Working through a data study with interdependent variables | Breaking down a business problem |
| Decision-making | Choosing which action best fits the constraints | Prioritising areas to investigate |
| Systems thinking | Understanding how variables interact in a model | Seeing how business levers interact |
| Pattern recognition | Spotting relationships in noisy data | Reading trends in charts |
The overlap with case interview skills is not coincidental. McKinsey describes Solve as measuring analytical thinking and problem-solving as an additional data point in recruiting, the same family of skills assessed during the McKinsey interview. Strong case preparation is strong Solve Game preparation.
What McKinsey Officially Confirms
McKinsey's own materials confirm surprisingly little detail, and knowing the boundary is useful. Officially: Solve is a gamified assessment of natural problem-solving used for most consulting roles; the duration is stated in your invitation email; each task opens with an untimed tutorial; scenarios vary between candidates; and the rules prohibit outside help, AI tools, screenshots and recordings. McKinsey does not publish scenario names, module combinations, scoring or thresholds. Everything in the next section therefore comes from consistent recent candidate reports, not from McKinsey.
Solve Scenarios Reported by Recent Candidates
Recent candidates most commonly report two modules, known as Redrock and Sea Wolf, with a longer invitation adding Sustainable Future Lab. Your invitation defines your exact combination and timing.
Redrock Study Scenario
Redrock is described as a data and reasoning study, and it is the centrepiece of most recent reports. You work with data tables, short passages, and charts to answer questions about a fictional natural-resource case. It is effectively a digital mini-case with a conservation or ecology frame. Redrock rewards careful reading, calibration with units, and fast arithmetic.
Sea Wolf Scenario
Sea Wolf is the second commonly reported module. It puts you in a dynamic scenario where you make sequential decisions under shifting constraints, testing how well you adapt your strategy as conditions change. Like Redrock, it rewards clear reasoning and steady decision-making rather than raw speed.
Sustainable Future Lab (longer invites)
Some candidates report a longer invite that adds Sustainable Future Lab, a module with additional reasoning and planning tasks built around sustainability themes.
Ecosystem Scenario (legacy)
Earlier versions of Solve included an Ecosystem simulation, where you built a sustainable food chain by selecting interdependent species under environmental constraints. It appears only rarely in recent candidate reports, so most candidates will not encounter it, but McKinsey has not published a retirement announcement either way.
Insider Tip: Redrock feels like a business case dressed in an ecology theme. Candidates who have done timed chart interpretation drills and mental maths usually score well without extra preparation.
Scoring and Thresholds
McKinsey does not publish the scoring mechanism, and the "process versus product" distinction you will read elsewhere (how you moved through the game versus the quality of your final answers) comes from candidate debriefs and preparation providers, not from McKinsey. What the firm does say is that it will share your score, and on request your quartile, after the fact. The practical takeaway from candidate reports is consistent: working steadily beats rushing, and using the available time is not penalised in any report we have seen.
How to Prepare in 2 Weeks
| Days | Focus | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Data interpretation | 30 timed chart and table questions |
| 4-5 | Systems thinking | Strategy games plus structured reasoning practice |
| 6-7 | Mental maths | 20 minutes daily on percentages and ratios |
| 8-10 | Mixed scenarios | 2 mock timed sessions on similar platforms |
| 11-14 | Rest and refine | Target weak areas, sleep well before the test |
Build the Underlying Skills
You will not see McKinsey's exact content in advance, but you can train the skills the game measures and rehearse the format on realistic Solve-style simulations. Our free McKinsey Solve practice test breaks down the commonly reported modules and includes original sample questions you can answer without an account.
- Play strategy games that reward systems thinking, such as SimCity or Civilization.
- Practise interpreting tables and charts under a strict time limit.
- Practise making sequential decisions as constraints change, which is the core of Sea Wolf.
- Review applied mental maths, since Redrock in particular rewards fast arithmetic. Working through quick estimation with worked market sizing examples builds the same muscle.
- Rehearse decision-making under time pressure. Every second you waste second-guessing is a second you do not spend on the answer.
Warning: Quality varies widely across Solve practice materials, free and paid alike. Some simulators still model the retired Ecosystem module or mechanics reverse-engineered from outdated reports. Before investing hours in any simulation, check that it reflects the current modules at realistic timing.
Connection to Case Interviews
Preparing for the case interview is preparing for the Solve Game. The cognitive muscles are identical. If you are doing three cases a day, ten mental maths drills, and one brainstorming drill, you are already training for the game. Candidates who struggle with the game almost always struggle with cases too. One efficient way to cover both at once is to train the skills Solve measures with timed drills and AI practice. If BCG is also on your list, note that its screening equivalent works very differently: the BCG Casey test is a chatbot case conversation rather than a game.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Rushing through scenarios. The platform rewards decision quality, not speed alone.
- Ignoring the problem description. Read the scenario carefully before acting.
- Forgetting basic arithmetic checks. Many Redrock errors are unit mistakes.
- Skipping rest the night before. Cognitive endurance matters across the full session.
- Preparing only for Redrock. Sea Wolf appears in most reported invites, so train sequential decision-making too.
FAQ
Can I pause the Solve Game?
No. Once you start a scenario, the timer runs until it ends. Plan to sit the full session, for the duration stated in your invitation email, without interruption.
Which scenarios will I get?
McKinsey does not publish the module line-up. Recent candidates most commonly report Redrock and Sea Wolf, with some longer invitations adding Sustainable Future Lab; the older Ecosystem simulation appears rarely. Your invitation defines your exact combination.
Is the Solve Game the same in every country?
The exact module mix and duration are defined by your invitation rather than your country, and McKinsey confirms scenarios vary between candidates. Preparation should be country-agnostic.
How soon after applying do I get the game?
Usually within a week, though timing depends on the office and recruiting cycle.
What score do I need to pass?
McKinsey does not publish thresholds. Candidate reports suggest a meaningful margin above average is required to advance.
Further Reading
- McKinsey & Company, Our Leadership : background on the firm and its partnership.
- McKinsey Featured Insights, Featured insights archive : context on systems thinking and decision-making research.
- Financial Times, Companies coverage : coverage of recruitment and assessment changes.
- Harvard Business Review, Strategy topic archive : broader context on assessment design in professional services.
Preparing for the Solve Game? CasingLab trains the cognitive skills the game rewards, with timed drills, chart interpretation, and mental maths sprints. CasingLab is now open. Start the free diagnostic and see your readiness score in five minutes.