Keyholes
Pick the only opening the object can pass through.
In the Keyholes (Aperture Passing) section you're shown a three-dimensional object and five differently shaped openings. Your job is to identify the single opening through which the object could pass completely if it were turned to the correct position first. The object may be rotated to any orientation before it enters, but once it begins passing through, it cannot turn — and it must pass entirely through the opening.
Also known as: Aperture Passing, Apertures, Key Hole, DAT Keyholes
Pick an answer above, then check it.
How Keyholes works on the DAT
- 1
A 3D object appears on the left, with five keyhole-shaped apertures as answers.
- 2
The correct aperture matches an exact external outline (silhouette) of the object from one viewpoint.
- 3
You may rotate the object to any position before it passes, but not while it passes.
- 4
Exactly one of the five openings allows the whole object through.
Why students struggle
- Mentally rotating a 3D object to test every possible silhouette under time pressure.
- Apertures that differ by only a few millimetres or a subtle curve.
- Forgetting the object can be reoriented before it passes through.
- Mirror-image openings designed to look correct.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming the object must enter in the exact orientation it's drawn.
- Picking an opening that matches part of the object but not its full passage.
- Ignoring small differences in width, depth, or curvature between apertures.
- Only checking one silhouette instead of all three projections.
Proven strategies for Keyholes
The tactics our highest-scoring students use to speed through Keyholes without losing accuracy.
1. Think in silhouettes
The correct opening equals the object's outline (shadow) from one viewpoint. Stop picturing the solid — picture the flat shadow it would cast straight onto the wall of openings.
2. Test the three primary views
An object's candidate silhouettes are usually its top, front, and end outlines. Compare each of those three shadows against the five apertures.
3. Eliminate by dimension
If any opening is too small or too large in even one dimension to admit the object's largest cross-section, cross it off immediately.
4. Watch the mirror traps
Two openings that are mirror images is the classic distractor. The object must pass through as-is — confirm orientation, not just shape family.
How PATCrusher helps you master Keyholes
Unlimited keyhole generator
Drill an endless stream of fresh aperture problems at Easy, Trainee, or Elite difficulty until matching silhouettes becomes automatic.
Rotatable 3D explanations
Every solution renders the actual 3D object with its top, front, and end views and highlights the matching aperture — then lets you rotate it yourself.
Master the other PAT sections
Further reading on Keyholes
Keyholes — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about the DAT PAT Keyholes section.
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