P&G Grid Challenge Test Preparation (2026)

Shiri, Procter and Gamble Expert at JobTestPrep
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The P&G Grid Challenge is a 6-minute spatial reasoning exam that forms a critical part of Procter & Gamble's Interactive Assessment process. Developed by AON as part of their SmartPredict assessment suite, this cognitive challenge tests your ability to identify symmetrical patterns across 40-60 grids under extreme time pressure, with difficulty adapting to your performance in real-time.

The Grid Challenge uses a unique system of visual questions to assess both memory and spatial orientation skills. It's one of three AON SmartPredict cognitive tests (alongside the Switch Challenge and Digit Challenge) that filter 80% of P&G candidates before they reach an interview. While the Grid Challenge is used by employers worldwide, it's most commonly known as part of the Procter & Gamble hiring process.

On this page, we'll explain exactly how the P&G Grid Challenge exam works, what strategies successful candidates use, and why proper practice with adaptive algorithms is essential for passing to the next stage. Let's go!

⚠️ CRITICAL EXAM COMPONENT

The Grid Challenge is part of P&G's Interactive Assessment exam with a <20% pass rate. Failing this exam means a 12-month cooldown before you can reapply to any P&G position globally. You typically have 72 hours from invitation to complete all four exam challenges (Grid, Switch, Digit and PEAK). Your first attempt is your only realistic chance—don't waste it on unprepared practice.

What is the P&G Grid Challenge Test?

Last Updated: February 2026 

The Grid Challenge Test is a gamified assessment that evaluates your memorization and spatial orientation skills. You have 6 minutes to answer as many alternating memorization and spatial orientation questions as you can.

The fact that the test is in the form of an adaptive computer program makes it a lot more challenging, as the questions become harder every time you get one right, or easier (and therefore worth fewer points) every time you get a question wrong.

This last point is crucial: if you answer a question wrong, you will subsequently be presented with a simpler question – which will award you fewer points for answering it correctly than a harder one would. This means that the more questions you get wrong, the harder it is to recover and achieve a good grade on the test.

Each section of the test (also called a ‘round’) is made up of a sequence of questions – let’s see how this will look in the real test:

Grid Challenge
Grid Challenge Procter and Gamble
Grid Challenge - Symmetrical
The Challenge

 

💡 Note: The number of memorization sections in the question may be between three and five, and the same is true also for the spatial orientation questions. The more memorization rounds, the harder it gets.

Think you got it? Try to solve our Free P&G Assessment Test Practice!


What Makes The Grid Challenge Test Challenging?

The SmartPredict Grid Challenge Test is considered by some to be the most challenging part of the Procter and Gamble Online Assessment. This is because AON has used several strategies in developing this test to make it more complex.

  • The first feature of the test is that it is gamified. While this might make it sound fun and easy, the reality is that candidates cannot study for a gamified test without using special tools that imitate the actual test, as there are more factors besides knowledge being measured, such as reaction time and composition under pressure.
  • The test simultaneously assesses spatial orientation and memory skills.
  • The spatial orientation questions serve as distractors – they are placed between the memory skill questions to make it harder for you to remember the placement of the dots by overloading your short-term memory.
  • There are several types of spatial orientation questions – some involving symmetry, others involving grid rotation – making it necessary to actively think about each question, which in turn makes it even harder to remember the information from the memory tests.
  • At the end of each question, you will be tested on your retention of all the information in the previous memory questions.
  • The test is adaptive, which means that questions get harder every time you get one right. If you get a question wrong, the following questions will get easier, but it will also mean you will receive fewer points for every question you answer.

The Grid Challenge Test is designed to stretch your skills and to see where the limit of your abilities lies.


What are the Three Types of Spatial Orientation Questions?

The Grid Challenge Test contains three types of spatial orientation questions that test your ability to manipulate figures mentally. Let’s review each one:

  • Symmetry questions: Here you must recognize if one figure is actually an inverted version of another figure, such as a mirror image.
  • Rotation questions: You must recognize if one figure is actually a version of another figure that has been rotated around its center.
  • Combination questions: You must look at three figures, and decide whether or not the third figure is a result of either adding the two figures together or removing one of them from the other. This is a more advanced way to test your spatial orientation skills.

While on the face of it, these questions appear different, they are actually testing the same mental aptitude: the ability to visualize changes to a given figure or item and to imagine what that item would look like if it were manipulated one way or another.


What are the AON SmartPredict Tests?

AON is a test provider that has created a variety of gamified assessments that employers use to screen would-be employees (and therefore, that you as a candidate can expect to face). The Grid Challenge Test is often used in a package with other AON tests, such as the AON Motion Challenge, the Switch Challenge, and the Digit Challenge. These tests are all computer-based and adaptive and are intended to challenge the abilities that they test as much as possible.



P&G Assessment
In this video, we will dissect the Switch Challenge, along with the P&G Digit and Grid Challenges.

What is Included in the Procter and Gamble Assessment?

To select new employees for a variety of positions, Procter and Gamble use the P&G assessment, a challenging combination of cognitive and behavioral assessments.

The Grid Challenge Test is used as part of the Procter and Gamble Assessment, alongside other cognitive ability tests such as the Switch Challenge and Digit Challenge, as well as a PEAK Performance Assessment. These together give P&G a broad view of your capabilities, and whether you are the right person to begin a lucrative career in this renowned organization.

To learn more about how you can prepare for P&G’s unique assessment, visit our Procter and Gamble Assessment page.

You can also try out some free sample questions here!


How To Pass The Grid Challenge ? Proven Strategies

Strategy 1: Master The Symmetry Types First

Don't just practice grids randomly. Learn to identify vertical, horizontal, diagonal, and rotational symmetry in under 2 seconds each. Diagonal symmetry is where most candidates fail because it's less intuitive than vertical/horizontal mirrors.

Strategy 2: Use The "Anchor Point" Method

Instead of checking every cell, identify 2-3 "anchor cells" on opposite sides of the symmetry axis. If those match, verify with one more pair. This cuts your checking time from 8 seconds to 4 seconds per grid.

Strategy 3: Practice Pattern Recognition, Not Memorization

Turn dot positions into phrases like “middle-right” or “bottom of triangle. The spatial orientation questions may disrupt your visual memory, but they affect your verbal memory less. We recommend remembering the dots’ positions based on your created phrases or sentences, rather than relying only on your visual memory.

Strategy 4: Prioritize Accuracy Over Speed in Round 1

The adaptive algorithm penalizes early mistakes heavily. In your first 10-15 grids, take 6-7 seconds per answer to maintain 90%+ accuracy. This keeps you in harder (higher-scoring) difficulty levels for the rest of the test.

Strategy 5: Build Speed Through Unlimited Practice

Static PDFs with 20-30 sample questions won't prepare you for 40-60 grids in 6 minutes. You need adaptive practice that replicates P&G's difficulty scaling and time pressure—exactly what our PrepPack provides.

FAQ's

Technically, there is nothing stopping you, but it is not recommended. Because the Grid Challenge is strictly timed (6 minutes) and adaptive, the speed at which you must switch between the dot and the spatial puzzle makes looking down at a piece of paper a major disadvantage. Most successful candidates use "verbal labeling" (whispering the coordinates like "Top-Left, Center") or mental "mapping" to keep their eyes on the screen at all times.


No. While the spatial questions (symmetry, rotation) act as "distractors," they are a core part of your cognitive score. The test’s adaptive algorithm tracks your performance on both. If you consistently guess or fail the spatial puzzles, the test may stop increasing in difficulty, which limits your maximum possible score even if your memory recall is perfect. Balance is key: aim for "fast enough" on the grids without sacrificing the dots.


You will typically receive an official update regarding your status within 5 to 10 business days



What Our Customers Say About Grid Challenge Prep

"The Grid Challenge practice was spot-on. The actual test felt easier because I'd done harder versions during prep."— Sarah M., Marketing Associate 
"I failed my first P&G attempt without prep. Used JobTestPrep for my second try a year later and passed. The adaptive difficulty made all the difference."— James K., Supply Chain Analyst
"Wish I'd practiced more on the symmetry recognition. The test moves FAST and you can't go back. JTP's timed practice helped me build that speed."— Priya S., Brand Management Trainee
"The rotation questions threw me off. JobTestPrep's explanation of the different symmetry types (diagonal, rotational) saved me."— Michael T., Engineering Role

"Don't use free PDFs. They don't replicate the pressure or adaptive scaling. Invest in proper practice—it's worth it." — Elena R., R&D Candidate


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