Typically, I expect learning challenges in mathematics, especially geometry, or in written expression (especially mechanics/handwriting/organization).
Math was an area of relative weakness for me in school, but my SAT score was still around 80th percentile. As to written expression, I am a professional writer! I scored an 800 on the English achievement test (not the verbal SAT--different test--but I also did very well on the verbal SAT). So, that part does not apply. Interesting. However, as I've probably posted about before, I took many year to learn right from left, have no "mental map" of places, have a lot of difficulty rotating objects in space, and have various other problems with spatial tasks and spatial memory.
I would look at the card, figure out the first cube needed, describe it in my head (e.g. "white triangle, apex in top right corner"), place cube, and then go back to the card to figure out the second cube, etc all the way through. No real sense of the overall design
Yes, this is exactly how I did it. I instinctively recognized it as the type of compensatory strategy I've been using all my life. I wasn't all that slow at it, but I knew it was not really how I was "supposed to" do it. I do a lot of things this way--describe it in my head verbally.
