Clue library
Every logic grid clue type, explained
All 30 clue types currently supported across the live player and editor, grouped from Beginner to Expert. Open any one for its pattern, the first move to make, the mistake players usually make, and a worked mini-example.
Beginner clue family
Direct relationship and elimination clues that teach the board without much branching.
- This pair goes togethertrue
Equality (pair is linked)
A is linked to B.
Settles on first read
- This pair cannot matchfalse
Inequality (pair is not linked)
A is not linked to B.
Settles on first read
- Neither of these worksneither-nor
Neither nor (triple not-equals)
This item matches neither of two options.
Settles on first read
- Exactly one of these two options workseither-or
Either-Or (exactly one true)
Either A=B or C=B, but not both.
Builds as the board fills in
- Rule out a short listmulti-elimination
Multi Elimination (list mutually exclusive items)
One subject cannot match any option in a short list.
Builds as the board fills in
Intermediate clue family
Either-or, conditional, and compound clues that reward careful sequencing.
- If this is true, that must also be trueconditional-true
Conditional (If … then …)
If A=B, then C=D.
Builds as the board fills in
- If this fails, that becomes trueconditional-false
Conditional (If not … then …)
If A is not B, then C=D.
Builds as the board fills in
- If this is true, that one must be falseconditional-true-false
Conditional (If … then NOT …)
If A=B, then C is not D.
Builds as the board fills in
- If this fails, that one must be falseconditional-false-false
Conditional (If not … then NOT …)
If A is not B, then C is not D.
Builds as the board fills in
- These two items must swap between two optionsdouble-either-or
Double Either-Or
Two people or items split across two possibilities in one of two arrangements.
Builds as the board fills in
- Two facts arrive togethercompound-and
Compound AND
This clue gives two separate facts that are both true.
Partly settles now, partly later
- At least one of these facts is truecompound-or
Compound OR
One branch or the other survives, and sometimes both stay alive for a while.
Builds as the board fills in
Advanced clue family
Ordered and quantitative clues that work best once the board already has structure.
- This value is largergreater-than
Greater than (quantitative)
A has a larger ordered value than B.
Builds as the board fills in
- This value is smallerless-than
Less than (quantitative)
A has a smaller ordered value than B.
Builds as the board fills in
- These two values are a fixed distance apartexact-difference
Exact Difference (quantitative)
A and B differ by an exact gap on an ordered scale.
Builds as the board fills in
- This value exceeds another by at least a set gapbounded-comparative
Bounded Comparative (quantitative)
A has a larger ordered value than B, by at least a minimum amount.
Builds as the board fills in
- This value must sit inside a rangerange-between
Range Between (quantitative)
A falls between a minimum and maximum allowed value.
Settles on first read
- This item holds the highest valuesuperlative-max-true
Superlative (highest)
The subject has the maximum value in its category.
Settles on first read
- This item holds the lowest valuesuperlative-min-true
Superlative (lowest)
The subject has the minimum value in its category.
Settles on first read
- This item does not hold the highest valuesuperlative-max-false
Negative superlative (not highest)
The subject does not have the maximum value in its category.
Settles on first read
- This item does not hold the lowest valuesuperlative-min-false
Negative superlative (not lowest)
The subject does not have the minimum value in its category.
Settles on first read
- These values share a remainder patternparity-modulo
Parity/Modulo (quantitative)
Two values must match or avoid a parity or modulo bucket.
Builds as the board fills in
- These linked values are a set number apartordinal-offset
Ordinal Offset
Two linked entities sit a fixed offset apart on an ordered category.
Builds as the board fills in
Expert clue family
Aggregate, identity-filter, and metadata-style clues that ask you to control candidate sets cleanly.
- This value is a fixed multiple of anothermultiplicative
Multiplicative (quantitative)
A's value equals B's value times a fixed multiplier.
Builds as the board fills in
- This value sits strictly between two named values, in ordervalue-between
Value Betweenness (quantitative)
The subject's value is strictly between a lower and an upper item's value.
Builds as the board fills in
- This value sits strictly between two others, order unknownpositional-between
Positional Betweenness (undirected, quantitative)
The subject sits strictly between two named items, but which one is larger is not given.
Builds as the board fills in
- These linked values combine to a target totalsum-aggregate
Sum/Aggregate (quantitative)
Two linked values must add to or satisfy a target aggregate relation.
Builds as the board fills in
- Two gaps must matchdifference-equality
Difference Equality (quantitative)
The gap between one pair of items equals the gap between a separate pair, on the same scale.
Builds as the board fills in
- This pairing must match a gender filtergender-true
Gender Identity
An item links to someone or something that satisfies a gender rule.
Settles on first read
- This pairing must match a named attributemetadata-attribute-true
Metadata Attribute Identity
An item links to someone or something with a specific metadata attribute.
Settles on first read
Ready to try one for real?
Reading about a clue type is the first step. Marking one on a live board is what makes it stick.