The three lengths
| Invitation | Games, in order | How sure we are |
|---|---|---|
| 65 minutes | Red Rock Study (about 35 min), then Sea Wolf (about 30 min) | Consistently reported across prep sites and candidates |
| 85 minutes | Red Rock Study, Sea Wolf, then the original Sustainable Futures Lab (about 20 min, 13 prompts) | Widely reported since March 2026 |
| 95 minutes | Red Rock Study, Sea Wolf, then a redesigned Sustainable Futures Lab (about 30 min, a three-day team simulation) | Candidate-reported since September 2026, not confirmed by McKinsey |
McKinsey's own Solve page doesn't list the games or the lengths. It says the total length is in your invitation and that you should follow the instructions you're given. Everything in the table comes from prep sites and candidate accounts, which agree with each other on 65 and 85 and are still settling on 95.
How the clocks work
- Each game has its own timer. Time you save in Red Rock stays in Red Rock. Plan each game on its own.
- The tutorial before each game is untimed. Use it. Learn where the tools are before the clock starts.
- The totals are approximate. 35 + 30 is 65; 35 + 30 + 20 is 85; 35 + 30 + 30 is 95. Setup, tutorials and a technical check may be stated separately from game time, and reports of the exact Red Rock length vary between 30 and 35 minutes.
- One prep site reports a short feedback survey after the last game, including a question about how many hours you spent preparing. It's feedback, not assessment.
What to do with each length
65 minutes
Two games, both quantitative. Spend your week on the Red Rock Study guide and the Sea Wolf guide, then timed runs of each. Ignore anything about the Sustainable Futures Lab and anything about the retired Ecosystem game.
85 minutes
The same two, plus the original Sustainable Futures Lab. It's short and it's judgement rather than math, so it needs less drilling than the other two, but it needs one or two runs so the branching format doesn't cost you attention on the day. The Sustainable Futures Lab guide covers what's measured and the mistakes that matter.
95 minutes
The same two, plus the redesigned Sustainable Futures Lab as candidates describe it: you run a four-person research team for three simulated days, with information you have to spend requests to get, delegation you have to justify, and a daily read on how each person is doing. Practice tools for it are new and thin. Read the redesign section of the Sustainable Futures Lab guide, decide your operating principles in advance, and expect the interface to look nothing like the 13-question version. Our simulator practises the original format, not this one.
Where the reports disagree
Two things aren't settled. First, whether the original 20-minute Sustainable Futures Lab is being retired: one prep site that sat the redesign in September 2026 says it has replaced the old format; another, working from candidate reports through the same month, says both versions are in use and the invitation length tells you which. Second, the exact Red Rock clock: 30 minutes in some accounts, 35 in most recent ones. Neither changes what you should practise. Your invitation and the on-screen instructions on the day beat every guide, including this one.
FAQ
What does a 65-minute McKinsey Solve invitation mean?
Two games: the Red Rock Study (about 35 minutes) and Sea Wolf (about 30 minutes). No Sustainable Futures Lab. This is the most consistently reported configuration.
What does an 85-minute McKinsey Solve invitation mean?
Three games: Red Rock Study, Sea Wolf, and the original 20-minute Sustainable Futures Lab with 13 prompts. Widely reported since March 2026.
What does a 95-minute McKinsey Solve invitation mean?
According to candidate reports since September 2026, Red Rock Study, Sea Wolf, and a redesigned Sustainable Futures Lab that runs about 30 minutes as a three-day team simulation. McKinsey hasn't confirmed this, so treat your on-screen instructions as the final word.
Can I carry time between the McKinsey Solve games?
No. Each game runs on its own clock. Finishing Red Rock early doesn't give you extra minutes in Sea Wolf, and the tutorial before each game is untimed.
Does a longer invitation mean a harder test?
It means one more game, not harder versions of the first two. Red Rock and Sea Wolf are the same on every invitation length. The extra time is the Sustainable Futures Lab, which is judgement rather than arithmetic.
Keep going
The full picture is in the McKinsey Solve guide. Then the game guides: Red Rock Study, Sea Wolf, Sustainable Futures Lab. Red Rock and Sea Wolf each have a free practice scenario.
SolveForge is an independent practice tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to McKinsey & Company. "McKinsey" and "Solve" are trademarks of their respective owners. Practising here does not guarantee any assessment result.