40 “Odd one out” questions with answers explained
Quick answer: In each of these 40 puzzles, one item does not belong with the other three. The answer and the reason are given for every question.
How odd one out works
Odd one out tests logic as much as knowledge, because you have to find the rule that links three of the four. It is similar to grouping puzzles such as geography connections. For more brain teasers, see the best brain games for adults.
Questions 1–10
Enjoy finding the rule? Try sorting tiles into groups in geography connections puzzles.
| # | Which is the odd one out? | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mars, Venus, the Moon, Jupiter | The Moon | It is not a planet |
| 2 | Paris, Rome, Sydney, Madrid | Sydney | It is not a capital city |
| 3 | Oud, violin, flute, sitar | Flute | The others are string instruments |
| 4 | Shark, dolphin, whale, seal | Shark | It is a fish; the others are mammals |
| 5 | Egypt, Jordan, Iran, Morocco | Iran | Its main language is Persian, not Arabic |
| 6 | Square, triangle, circle, rectangle | Circle | It has no straight sides |
| 7 | Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chile | Mexico | It is not in South America |
| 8 | Rose, tulip, oak, daisy | Oak | It is a tree |
| 9 | Copper, iron, plastic, gold | Plastic | It is not a metal |
| 10 | Mercury, Venus, Earth, Pluto | Pluto | It is no longer classed as a planet |
Questions 11–20
| # | Which is the odd one out? | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Tennis, badminton, football, squash | Football | It is not played with a racket |
| 12 | Nile, Amazon, Sahara, Danube | Sahara | It is a desert, not a river |
| 13 | Lion, tiger, wolf, leopard | Wolf | It is not a cat |
| 14 | Hummus, falafel, sushi, tabbouleh | Sushi | It is not a Levantine dish |
| 15 | 2, 3, 5, 9 | 9 | It is not a prime number |
| 16 | Canada, Russia, Brazil, Vatican City | Vatican City | The others are among the largest countries |
| 17 | Monet, Renoir, Degas, Picasso | Picasso | He was not an Impressionist |
| 18 | Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German | German | It is not a Romance language |
| 19 | Penguin, ostrich, eagle, kiwi | Eagle | It can fly |
| 20 | Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, Mongolia | Mongolia | It is landlocked; the others are island nations |
Questions 21–30
| # | Which is the odd one out? | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Dirham, riyal, dinar, peso | Peso | It is not used in the Arab world |
| 22 | Trumpet, trombone, tuba, clarinet | Clarinet | It is a woodwind instrument |
| 23 | Mona Lisa, The Starry Night, The Scream, The Thinker | The Thinker | It is a sculpture |
| 24 | Canberra, Ottawa, Brasília, Toronto | Toronto | It is not a capital city |
| 25 | Bat, bee, butterfly, ant | Bat | It is not an insect |
| 26 | 16, 25, 36, 48 | 48 | It is not a square number |
| 27 | Red, blue, green, yellow | Green | It is not a traditional primary colour of paint |
| 28 | Chess, draughts, backgammon, poker | Poker | It is a card game |
| 29 | Everest, K2, Kilimanjaro, Kangchenjunga | Kilimanjaro | It is in Africa; the others are in Asia |
| 30 | Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Portugal | Portugal | It has a coastline |
Questions 31–40
| # | Which is the odd one out? | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Hydrogen, helium, oxygen, water | Water | It is a compound, not an element |
| 32 | Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, Colosseum, Statue of Liberty | Statue of Liberty | It is not in Europe |
| 33 | Python, cobra, gecko, viper | Gecko | It is a lizard, not a snake |
| 34 | Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Doha, Dubai | Dubai | It is not a capital city |
| 35 | Apple, banana, carrot, mango | Carrot | It is a vegetable |
| 36 | Hexagon, pentagon, octagon, cube | Cube | It is a 3D shape |
| 37 | Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Greek | Greek | It is written left to right |
| 38 | Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Shakespeare | Shakespeare | He was a writer, not an Italian Renaissance artist |
| 39 | Mandarin, Hindi, Spanish, Latin | Latin | It is no longer anyone’s first language |
| 40 | Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Christmas | Christmas | It is not an Islamic occasion |
Frequently asked questions
What is an odd one out question?
A puzzle with four items where three share a rule and one does not.
Are odd one out puzzles good for kids?
Yes. Easy ones build logic and vocabulary.