SQE1 question quality, in the open
Four things you can check for yourself: how hard our questions are and how we know, how other candidates answered each one, which law each question is written to, and every correction we have made.
How we grade difficulty
Every question is graded hard, standard or easy on a fixed measure: it is solved repeatedly, closed-book, and scored by how many attempts get it right. We calibrate that measure against the SRA's published sample questions. In a random sample of 120 questions from our three books, the average was 2.92 against 2.88 for the SRA's 130 pre-tested questions (lower is harder; books only). The measure tracks real candidate results only loosely (r = 0.36), so it compares question sets rather than predicting your score.
| Bank | Hard | Standard | Easy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solon Chambers (practice) | 35% | 31% | 34% |
| Solon Court (mocks) | 40% | 38% | 22% |
Labels come from the measure above. Updated automatically as questions are added.
How other candidates answered
After you answer a question in Solon Chambers, you see:
- the share of candidates who got it right first time;
- how first answers split across the five options;
- the median time taken;
- the question's difficulty percentile against the rest of the bank.
The figures appear only once at least 30 candidates have answered that question on their first attempt, so early numbers can't mislead. Repeat attempts are excluded, and the figures are refreshed nightly.
The law each question is written to
- Questions for the January 2027 sitting state the law of England and Wales as at 11 September 2026. The SRA examines the law as it stood four calendar months before the first assessment in a window (SQE1 specification), and the January 2027 window opens on 11 January 2027 (SRA booking windows).
- Every question shows its law-as-at date, and the date it was last changed, under the worked solution.
- Keys, worked solutions and option notes are checked against primary sources: legislation.gov.uk, published judgments, the Civil Procedure Rules and the SRA Standards and Regulations. Where we have recorded the key authority for a question, it is shown under the solution.
- When questions move to a later sitting's law date, each changed question is logged as "Law updated".
Law as at 11 September 2026 · Last updated 30 September 2026
Key authority: Trustee Act 1925, section 18
Corrections
- Every question has a Report button. Reports are checked against current primary sources, and an answer key is changed only when two independent checks agree it is wrong.
- Every change to a live question after publication appears automatically in the corrections log, with its date, the type of change (answer changed, explanation clarified, law updated or wording) and the question reference.
- Corrections to the printed books are listed on the method page.
No corrections logged yet
What we don't claim
- We don't offer a pass prediction. Our free SQE1 Readiness Score is a snapshot from 20 questions, not a forecast of your result.
- We don't claim to be error-free. If you spot an error, use the Report button on the question or contact us.
- Figures from our books describe the books, not the online bank.
FAQ
How do you know how hard your SQE1 questions are?
- Every question is solved repeatedly, closed-book, and scored 0 to 6 by how many attempts get it right. We calibrate that measure against the SRA's published sample questions. Once 30 candidates have answered a question first time, you also see the share who got it right.
What date is the law in your questions correct to?
- Questions for the January 2027 sitting are written to the law as at 11 September 2026. That is the date the SRA examines for the January 2027 window. Each question shows its date under the worked solution.
What happens if I find a mistake?
- Report it from the question. We check it against current primary sources, and a key changes only when two independent checks agree. Every change appears in the public corrections log.
Solon Prep is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.