Expert clue

These linked values combine to a target total

Also known in the clue library as Sum/Aggregate (quantitative).

sum-aggregate

Clue pattern: Two linked values must add to or satisfy a target aggregate relation.
What to mark first: Build the candidate pairs that fit the total, then strike invalid combinations.
Common mistake: Treating the clue as a direct placement instead of a candidate filter.
Mini-example: The baker and the turtle owner have values that sum to ten.
Print-book tip: Create a mini candidate table off to the side before you touch the main grid.

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

Build the candidate pairs that fit the total first. This narrows further as either value gets pinned down.

Marks the board directly

The surviving and eliminated pairs are both marks once you have built the candidate list.

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

Reading
Ledger Entry

Writing down a fact the clue gives you that has nowhere to go on the board yet.

Put it to work

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These linked values combine to a target total

When and where this clue pays off

Techniques that use this clue

Put it to work