Concept:
Many numerical series are generated by adding terms that themselves follow a recognizable pattern. Therefore, before looking at the terms directly, it is often useful to examine the first differences.
Step 1: Find the successive differences.
\[
2-1=1
\]
\[
6-2=4
\]
\[
15-6=9
\]
\[
31-15=16
\]
\[
56-31=25
\]
Thus the sequence of differences is
\[
1,\ 4,\ 9,\ 16,\ 25.
\]
Step 2: Recognize the pattern.
These are perfect squares:
\[
1^2,\ 2^2,\ 3^2,\ 4^2,\ 5^2.
\]
Hence the next difference should be
\[
6^2=36.
\]
Step 3: Find the next term.
Adding the next difference:
\[
56+36=92.
\]
Therefore the missing term is
\[
\boxed{92}.
\]