Aon Assessment (cut-e): Scales, Challenges & Online Tests

Updated April 2026 · 18 min read · Aon's Assessment Solutions — formerly cut-e · Used in 90+ countries

What is Aon Assessment?

Aon Assessment Solutions (formerly cut-e) is the psychometric arm of insurance broker Aon plc. It runs one of the largest online assessment platforms in European graduate recruitment, with delivery in 40+ languages and a portfolio that covers cognitive aptitude, behavioural challenges, situational judgement, and personality profiling. If you've been invited to take an "Aon assessment," "Aon online assessment," "Aon aptitude test," or anything from the "cut-e scales" or "Aon Challenge" families, you're looking at this provider.

The Aon ↔ cut-e relationship matters because the brand transition is incomplete. Aon acquired the Hamburg-based cut-e in 2017, rebranded the product as "Aon's Assessment Solutions," and now sells everything under the Aon name. But job descriptions, candidate forums, and even some employer invitation emails still refer to the tests as "cut-e" — the legacy name persists. Practical translation: whenever you see "cut-e", "scales", "switchChallenge", "gridChallenge", or "Aon Online Assessment", it is the same suite.

How the Aon online assessment is delivered

The Aon online assessment is a browser-based platform — no app to install. You receive an invitation email with a unique URL and a window to complete (typically 5-10 days). Tests run inside a standard desktop browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari). Aon also offers Aon TestIt, a free practice platform that mirrors the live test format — strongly recommended before your real attempt because the time pressure is unlike any other major provider. Webcam proctoring is offered but not used by all employers; most Aon test deployments are unproctored.

Aon tests are sometimes referred to as the Aon cognitive test (the umbrella term for the cognitive scales) or Aon aptitude test (the same thing in graduate recruitment language). Aon also runs personality and motivational assessments under the same platform, but the cognitive scales are what dominates Google searches.

Aon Scales: the cognitive test family

The Aon (cut-e) cognitive family is collectively known as the "scales" suite. Each test in the suite targets a specific cognitive ability with a one or two-letter code. Knowing which scale you'll face is essential because the formats are wildly different.

scales cls — clickwise (Inductive Logical)

The flagship Aon scales inductive test. You see a row of nine tiles with abstract symbols and must identify which tile breaks the pattern (the "odd one out"). 12 minutes for as many items as possible — typical candidates complete 18-25 items. The tile patterns evolve in subtle ways: rotation, mirroring, additive transformations, colour rules. The test scores you on items completed correctly minus a small penalty for wrong answers. Skipping is allowed. Used heavily for graduate roles at engineering and pharma firms.

scales ix — Inductive Reasoning

The newer adaptive variant of cls. 20 questions in 6 minutes — roughly 18 seconds per question. Each item presents shapes following a hidden rule and asks which option continues the pattern. Adaptive scoring means difficulty adjusts to your response speed and accuracy. This is the test most likely to make candidates panic. Score percentile is more important than raw count because adaptive tests calibrate to your level.

scales clx — clickwise extended

Longer variant of cls. 16 minutes, harder items, used for senior or specialist roles. Same tile-and-pattern format but with more complex transformations.

scales numerical (eql, lst, nmg)

Aon's numerical reasoning tests. Variants include scales eql (equations and arithmetic), scales lst (lookup and tables — find data in a reference table to answer questions), and scales nmg (numerical with graphs). Time per item is brutal — often 25-35 seconds for an arithmetic problem with 4 sub-calculations. Calculator usually allowed.

scales verbal (sxs, lst-verbal)

Aon's verbal reasoning. You read a short passage and answer True / False / Cannot Say style questions, or evaluate statements against a fixed text. The verbal tests are less time-pressured than the inductive ones but still tight.

Aon Challenge tests (gamified format)

Beyond the scales suite, Aon also runs a family of gamified cognitive tests branded as "Challenges". These look very different from the scales — bright, game-like interfaces — but they measure the same underlying abilities (working memory, deductive reasoning, attention, decision speed). Google search volume on each of these is significant, and employers increasingly opt for the Challenge variants over the older scales tests.

switchChallenge

Concentration and cognitive flexibility. You alternate between two rules — for example, "if the symbol is red, click left; if blue, click right" — but the rule switches mid-test without warning. Measures attention switching speed and rule maintenance under interference. Roughly 8-12 minutes. Used for roles requiring rapid context shifts: operations, customer-facing analytical work, and consulting.

gridChallenge (Grid Challenge)

Spatial reasoning and pattern completion delivered as a tablet-style game. You see a 3×3 or 4×4 grid with one cell empty and must identify the missing element from a set of options. Rules govern rows and columns simultaneously — a single-rule pattern recognition won't suffice for harder items. Roughly 6-9 minutes per round. Measures fluid intelligence and is heavily used in engineering and STEM graduate hiring.

gapChallenge — Deductive Logical Reasoning

Pure logical deduction. You see a sequence of symbols with one missing, and must work out what fits based on multiple intersecting rules (rows, columns, sometimes diagonals). 6 questions in 5 minutes. Used for analytical and consulting roles. The "deductive" framing distinguishes it from cls/ix (which is inductive — you derive the rule from observation).

Why Aon Cut-e tests are so different

The key insight: Aon scales tests are not designed for completion. They are designed as performance distributions. If you complete every question, the test is too easy for you and the result is meaningless to the employer. The tests are calibrated so that the top 5% of candidates complete maybe 80% of items. Average candidates complete 50-60%. Aiming to "finish" is the wrong strategy — aim to maximise correct answers per minute.

Aon scoring and percentiles

Aon uses formula scoring on most cognitive tests: correct answers minus a fraction (usually one-third or one-quarter) of incorrect answers. This penalises wild guessing but rewards educated guesses. On the inductive scales (cls, ix), leaving a question blank costs the same as moving on — there's no benefit to dwelling. Final scores are reported as percentiles relative to a country and role-type benchmark group.

Companies using Aon (cut-e)

Aon Assessment dominates the German-speaking market and is heavy across European multinationals. Notable users: Lufthansa (pilot screening uses the scales suite), BMW, Bayer, Allianz, Deutsche Bahn, Siemens, Henkel, Mars, Vodafone (DACH region), EY (Germany), Mercedes-Benz, RWE, Continental. If you're applying to a German or Austrian employer for an engineering, finance, or consulting role, expect Aon Cut-e.

Aon practice test approach

Aon offers an official practice platform called Aon TestIt at testit.aon.com — free for candidates and the only practice that exactly mirrors the live test interface. We strongly recommend completing the practice modules before your real attempt; the time pressure is dramatically different from SHL or Kenexa, and the interface quirks (click-and-drag for some scales, fixed-position answer banks for others) can cost you 30-60 seconds of acclimatisation in the live test.

Speed drills are non-negotiable. Aon scales are speed tests more than reasoning tests. The reasoning is intentionally simpler than SHL — it's the timer that's hard. Practice the specific scale you'll face under tighter-than-real timing.

Master the inductive pattern types. For scales cls and ix, memorise the seven core transformation rules (rotation, reflection, colour shift, size scaling, addition, subtraction, combination). With pattern recognition automated, you can spend mental effort on the harder cases.

Don't skip — but don't dwell. A blank answer on cls/ix scores the same as moving to the next. If you can't see the answer in 15 seconds, eliminate two options and pick. The expected value of an educated guess is positive even with the penalty.

Calibrate sleep and caffeine. Aon Cut-e is one of the few cognitive tests where physiological state genuinely changes outcomes. Mental processing speed drops 10-15% under fatigue. Take the test in the morning if possible, fully rested.

How TestSolve works with Aon Cut-e tests

TestSolve handles the inductive logical, numerical, and deductive scales. Use the keyboard hotkey during a question and the AI delivers the answer to your phone in 4-6 seconds. For Aon scales specifically, the speed advantage is decisive — answering correctly in 8 seconds (4s capture + 4s read) when peers take 18 seconds means you complete twice as many items. Current accuracy: scales numerical 94%, scales cls/ix 78%, gapChallenge 86%, gridChallenge 80%. Try free — first solve included, no signup required.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides: SHL test guide, Cubiks/Talogy guide, Saville guide, Inductive reasoning patterns.