Programs McKinsey Solve Playbook
The Solve Playbook Short lessons in the order you need them: read your invite, learn each game by hand, then rehearse your test day. Every lesson ends in one practice run. All 26 lessons are ready.
S0 off clock off Orientation S1 35:00 35′ Redrock Study S2 30:00 30′ Sea Wolf S3 20:00 20′ Sustainable Futures Lab S4 off clock off Mock test day S1 to S3 are drawn as wide as each game’s reported clock in an 85-minute invitation. S0 and S4 are off the clock. Tutorials are untimed and sit outside every clock.
Clocks last verified 23 Sep 2026 Sources An 85-minute invitation reportedly means Redrock Study (35 min) + Sea Wolf (30 min) + Sustainable Futures Lab (20 min).
Several independent reports agree; not confirmed by McKinsey · verified 23 Sep 2026
Caveat: Start date reported as March 2026 by some sources and “early 2026” by others.
Redrock Study is reported to run 35 minutes.
Several independent reports agree; not confirmed by McKinsey · verified 23 Sep 2026
Caveat: One MConsultingPrep page gives Redrock 30 minutes; most sources give 35.
Sea Wolf asks you to pick microbes to clean up 3 contaminated sites in 30 minutes.
Several independent reports agree; not confirmed by McKinsey · verified 30 Sep 2026
Caveat: Prepmatter says Sea Wolf ran 35 minutes before July 2025.
The Sustainable Futures Lab most candidates report runs 20 minutes: one ranking task, then 12 multiple-choice situations.
Reported: one source, or sources disagree · verified 30 Sep 2026
Caveat: Prepmatter says this version no longer exists; other sources say both versions run.
McKinsey’s FAQ: “Each task within Solve will begin with an untimed tutorial.”
Stated by McKinsey · verified 30 Sep 2026
How Solve has changed, with dates Checking your plan…
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The line Ready (26) In writing (0) Done, on this device
S0 S0 Orientation3 lessons · 3 ready
Before any practice: what your invite says, what the rules allow, how to work.
S0.1 Read your invite 6 min S0.2 The rules: your own pen and paper 7 min S0.3 Work steadily, click with a reason 6 min S1 S1 Redrock Study8 lessons · 35-minute game · 8 ready
One study against one clock, ending in short cases: a by-hand way through it.
S1.1 How Redrock is built 6 min S1.2 Work back from the question 6 min S1.3 The logbook: label every number 7 min S1.4 The maths kit 8 min S1.5 Ready before you write it up 7 min S1.6 Short cases: a limit, then eliminate 7 min S1.7 Splitting your time 7 min S1.8 A full run, reviewed 7 min S2 S2 Sea Wolf8 lessons · 30-minute game · 8 ready
Microbes for three contaminated sites, and a method that replaces guessing.
S2.1 How Sea Wolf works 6 min S2.2 How it is reportedly scored 8 min S2.3 Step 1: the hardest requirement first 7 min S2.4 Step 2: this site first, then the next 8 min S2.5 Check a selection in one line 9 min S2.6 Step 3: sort before you choose 9 min S2.7 No perfect set: know when to move on 9 min S2.8 A full run, reviewed 10 min S3 S3 Sustainable Futures Lab4 lessons · 20-minute game · 4 ready
One ranking task, then multiple-choice situations, and how to judge them.
S3.1 The format: one ranking, then situations 7 min S3.2 The situations you meet 7 min S3.3 Weighing two options 7 min S3.4 Traps 7 min S4 S4 Mock test day3 lessons · 3 ready
The whole sitting, the machine you will use, and the first mistake to fix.
S4.1 Full runs at your length 8 min S4.2 Your machine checklist 10 min S4.3 The error log: find your first mistake 10 min 