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McKinsey Solve and interview prep
Everything about McKinsey's online test and interviews in one place: what to expect, how to prepare, and every Solve game to practise free.
- Online test
- Solve, 2 or 3 games
- Reported time
- About 65 to 85 min
- Device
- PC or Mac only
- Then
- Case and PEI interviews
Runs in your browser · no download · free for now, unlimited runs
On this page
How hiring works at McKinsey
The four stages most applicants go through. Offices vary, so check with your recruiter.
- 1
Application
Your CV and cover letter.
- 2
SolvePractise this here
The online games, sent once your application has been reviewed.
- 3
First round
Usually two interviews, each a case plus questions about your experience.
- 4
Final round
The same format, with partners.
What to expect from McKinsey Solve
- What it is
- Short problem-solving games set in nature, played online. Each one starts with an untimed tutorial.
- Games
- Usually two or three. Recent candidates mostly get Red Rock, Sea Wolf and the Sustainable Futures Lab.
- Time
- Your invitation tells you. Candidates report about 65 minutes for two games and 85 for three.
- Device
- A PC or Mac only, not a phone or tablet. Sound isn't needed and a mouse is optional.
- Rules
- Work on your own, with no AI tools, other apps or notes.
- Business knowledge
- Not needed. McKinsey says so itself.
Practise McKinsey Solve free
Full length and timed, with a scored review at the end. Unlimited runs.
Take the full McKinsey Solve
Red Rock Study, then Sea Wolf, then Sustainable Futures, about 85 minutes, with one report across all three.
A research study and three short cases where half the data is a distraction.
Screen microbes across three sites, then average three into a treatment.
Lead a river recovery mission through 13 timed team decisions.
Pick a site and eight species that survive the eating rules together.
Your prep plan
Five steps for the days before your deadline.
- 01
Check your invitation
Note your deadline and how long your Solve will take, then book a quiet slot well before the deadline.
- 02See the games
Learn how each game works
Read a guide before your first go, so you aren't learning the controls against the clock.
- 03Play Red Rock
Play each game against the clock
Then go through the review to see exactly where you lost points.
- 04Start the full Solve
Do one full run
Play the games back to back in one sitting, a few days before, on the computer you'll use.
- 05Practise a case
Start on the interviews
Results can come quickly. Practise cases, and pick two or three stories about your experience.
The interviews
Interviewer-led cases
The interviewer takes you through the case one question at a time. They also ask about a time you made an impact, led people or solved a hard problem.
- Answer the question you were asked, then stop.
- Do the maths on paper. Calculators aren't allowed.
- Prepare two or three stories in detail. Expect follow-up questions on one of them.
Cases in the library modelled on McKinsey interviews
- Nordwind Airlines: the vanishing marginProfitability · Medium · 30 min · Free
- Atlas Logistics eyes a last-mile acquisitionM&A · Hard · 40 min
Common questions
Which games will I get?
Your invitation tells you. Recent candidates most often get Red Rock, Sea Wolf and the Sustainable Futures Lab. McKinsey itself only says one to three tasks.
Do I need to prepare?
McKinsey says not, and every game has a tutorial. Knowing the games beforehand means your time goes on the problem rather than the controls.
How is Solve scored?
McKinsey doesn't say. It looks at Solve alongside the rest of your application, and candidates report that how you work counts as well as your answers.
What if something goes wrong technically?
Contact Solve support straight away, using the details in your invitation. They can add time or reset your link, but only if you get in touch.
Can I get extra time?
Yes, if you need adjustments. Ask your recruiter before you start.
Ready for McKinsey Solve?
Practise the full test now. Free, in your browser, with a scored review at the end.
Official sources
McKinsey's own pages. They change between intakes, so check anything important there.
- Solve, McKinsey's assessment game
mckinsey.com · What Solve is, with a short video preview.
- Solve FAQs, August 2025 (PDF)
mckinsey.com · Devices, timing, rules and support.
- Interviewing at McKinsey
mckinsey.com · How the interviews run, with practice cases.
Guides on this site
- Red Rock Study: format, scoring and strategy
- Sea Wolf: format, scoring and strategy
- Sustainable Futures Lab: format, scoring and strategy
- Ecosystem Building: format, scoring and strategy
Last reviewed on 9 October 2026. PartnerRound is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to McKinsey & Company. The simulations are practice tools built from publicly described formats; the scenarios differ from the ones you will sit.
