Pick the odd one from the following options.

Key observation: in three of the strings the letters in positions 1, 3, and 5 form a consecutive increasing sequence, and the letters in positions 2 and 4 also form a consecutive increasing sequence. One string breaks this pattern.

• CADBE: positions 1,3,5 = C, D, E (consecutive ascending); positions 2,4 = A, B (consecutive ascending).

• JHKIL: positions 1,3,5 = J, K, L (consecutive ascending); positions 2,4 = H, I (consecutive ascending).

• XVYWZ: positions 1,3,5 = X, Y, Z (consecutive ascending); positions 2,4 = V, W (consecutive ascending).

• ONPMQ: positions 1,3,5 = O, P, Q (consecutive ascending) but positions 2,4 = N, M are consecutive in the opposite (decreasing) direction.

Conclusion: ONPMQ is the odd one out because its even-position letters decrease rather than increase, unlike the other three strings.