Skip to main content
Bambleweeny logo

Beginner clue

Rule out a short list

Also known in the clue library as Multi Elimination (list mutually exclusive items).

multi-elimination
Clue pattern
One subject cannot match any option in a short list.
What to mark first
Sweep the listed no-marks across the row or column.
Common mistake
Missing the moment when only one candidate remains after the sweep.
Mini-example
Mina is not in the red, blue, or green house.
Print-book tip
Turn the list into separate quick eliminations rather than rereading the full sentence.

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

The first sweep of eliminations lands immediately, but come back to this clue once more names are placed. It often resolves further on a second pass.

Marks the board directly

Every elimination it produces is a mark on the board, both now and later.

Techniques that use this clue

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.

Back to clue library Browse live puzzles