Which Grid Completes the Pattern?

Official explanation

Several members of the community found the correct answer, E, but some went further and explained the pattern from very different perspectives. Here are five of the strongest responses. 1. u/mistolo Original Answer E I see this as square increment plus clockwise rotation: 1st row: 1 on bottom -> 2 on left -> 3 on top 2nd row: 2 on left -> 3 on top -> 4 on right 3rd row: 3 on top -> 4 on right -> 5 on bottom Why We Selected This Answer We selected this response because it explains both parts of the pattern at the same time. The number of black squares increases by one, while their position rotates around the grid. It also checks the rule across all three rows rather than focusing only on the missing tile. Following the final row gives 3 on top, 4 on the right, and finally 5 along the bottom, leading directly to E. ⸻ 2. u/I_Like_Quiet Original Answer E. 1 2 3 2 3 4 3 4 5. So it needs to be 5 filled in boxes. The 1 started in the bottom right corner. The 2 started in the bottom left corner and extended clockwise. The 3 started in the upper left corner, the 4 started in the upper right corner, and so the 5 should start in the bottom right corner and extend clockwise. Why We Selected This Answer This response goes beyond simply noticing that the missing tile must contain five black squares. It also tracks the changing starting corner: bottom-right → bottom-left → top-left → top-right → bottom-right. That additional observation explains not only how many squares are required, but also where they should be positioned, strongly supporting option E. ⸻ 3. u/Forsaken_Engineer_ Original Answer In 1,1 you have one black. In [1,2],[2,1] there are two black. In [1,3],[2,2],[3,1] there are three. In [2,3],[3,2] there are four. Ergo [3,3] are the only solution given with five (E). Why We Selected This Answer We selected this response for its mathematical approach. Instead of viewing the puzzle as a simple visual sequence, it treats each panel as a coordinate in the 3×3 matrix. Reading the matrix diagonally reveals a clear numerical progression from one to five black squares. The missing position, [3,3], must therefore contain five black squares, making E the only matching option. ⸻ 4. u/ZeThing Original Answer The pattern is 2 steps forward then 1 step back. A step forward: Rotates 90 degrees and adds a block in the direction of the rotation. So the answer is E If the question was: which tile would come before the sequence shown the answer would be: OOO []OO []OO Just like the picture in the middle of top row Edit: following you for weekly puzzles now haha Why We Selected This Answer This was one of the most interesting responses because the user did not stop after finding E. They attempted to work the rule backwards and predict what would appear before the visible sequence. Testing a pattern in both directions is a strong way to check whether a proposed rule is genuinely consistent rather than simply fitting the missing panel. ⸻ 5. u/someonefromaustralia Original Answer I don’t think this is a very clear question. Answer is E for reasons explained by many others in this thread. However an alternative pattern that isn’t an option as an answer - I’ll try to explain my reasoning: Pane 1: 1 cube on the bottom Pane 2: 2 cubes on the left Pane 3: 3 cubes on the top Pane 4: 2 cubes on the left Pane 5: 3 cubes on the top Pane 6: 4 cubes on the right, plus one additional cube Pane 7: 3 cubes top Pane 8: 4 cubes “as far right” as can be Pane 9: cubes should rotate and prioritise being “as far as possible” to the bottom (/side) as possible. Why We Selected This Answer We selected this response because it challenges the puzzle rather than simply accepting the intended rule. The user agrees that E is the intended answer, but points out that the first eight panels may allow another consistent interpretation. They describe the movement as a changing form of “gravity,” where the blocks are pushed toward successive sides of the grid while a new block is added. This is valuable because matrix puzzles can sometimes support more than one rule unless the answer choices or transformations uniquely constrain the solution. It is a thoughtful example of testing the puzzle itself, not just solving it.