This SPLK-1002 practice question tests your understanding of basic searching and transforming commands. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A search returns 1,000 events. The analyst wants to see the first 10 events sorted by the '_time' field in descending order. Which search is correct?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
| sort by _time | head 10
Why wrong: Ascending by default.
| sort -_time | head 10
Sorts descending, gives newest 10.
| sort +_time | head 10
Why wrong: Same as ascending.
| sort _time | head 10
Why wrong: Sorts ascending, gives earliest 10.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
| sort -_time | head 10
Option B is correct because the `sort` command with a hyphen prefix (`-`) sorts in descending order. By default, `sort` sorts in ascending order, so `sort -_time` sorts events by the `_time` field from newest to oldest, and `head 10` returns the first 10 events, which are the 10 most recent.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
| sort by _time | head 10
Why it's wrong here
Ascending by default.
| sort -_time | head 10
Why this is correct
Sorts descending, gives newest 10.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
| sort +_time | head 10
Why it's wrong here
Same as ascending.
| sort _time | head 10
Why it's wrong here
Sorts ascending, gives earliest 10.
Common exam traps
Splunk often tests the specific syntax of the `sort` command, where candidates mistakenly think `sort by` is valid (like SQL) or that a plus sign (`+`) indicates descending order, when in fact only a hyphen (`-`) works for descending and no prefix means ascending.
Detailed technical explanation
The `sort` command in Splunk uses a leading hyphen (`-`) to indicate descending order and a leading plus (`+`) is not recognized (it is treated as part of the field name, often causing an error or unexpected behavior). The `_time` field is a timestamp in epoch format, and sorting it in descending order is a common pattern for showing the most recent events. In real-world scenarios, this is critical for dashboards or alerts where you need to display the latest data first, and using the wrong sort order can misrepresent the timeline of events.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the SPLK-1002 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Basic Searching and Transforming Commands — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Basic Searching and Transforming Commands — This question tests Basic Searching and Transforming Commands — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: | sort -_time | head 10 — Option B is correct because the `sort` command with a hyphen prefix (`-`) sorts in descending order. By default, `sort` sorts in ascending order, so `sort -_time` sorts events by the `_time` field from newest to oldest, and `head 10` returns the first 10 events, which are the 10 most recent.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This SPLK-1002 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Splunk certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SPLK-1002 exam.
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