Skip to main content
Bambleweeny logo

Intermediate clue

At least one of these facts is true

Also known in the clue library as Compound OR.

compound-or
Clue pattern
One branch or the other survives, and sometimes both stay alive for a while.
What to mark first
Treat it as branching logic and use board pressure to kill one branch later.
Common mistake
Assuming “or” means exactly one when the clue does not say that.
Mini-example
Either Mina is the baker, or Theo lives in the red house.
Print-book tip
Keep both branches pencilled lightly until the board forces a decision.

When and where this clue pays off

Two questions matter more than the pattern itself: does this clue give you everything now, or only later — and does it become a mark on the board, or a note you have to keep separately?

Builds as the board fills in

Nothing is forced on first read unless the clue tells you otherwise. Both branches can stay alive for a while.

Needs a written note

Cannot be marked directly. Keep both branches in mind until the board forces one.

Reading the clue is half the job. These are the methods that turn it into board progress.

Put it to work

See this clue type on a live board, or go back and browse the rest of the library.