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Cross-clue technique · Advanced

Joint Distinctness

Two clues that individually say nothing about two particular items can, taken together, force those two items apart.

Why it works

Distinctness doesn't only come from a single clue naming two things directly — it can emerge from the intersection of two separate clues' consequences.

Trigger

A stall, checked by comparing pairs of clues that share a subject or category rather than reading each one in isolation.

Common mistake

Only applying Distinctness Harvest to single clues, and missing the distinctness that only appears once two clues are read together.

Example

One clue rules Mina out of the top half of prices; another rules Theo out of the bottom half. Together, if only one slot remains in the middle, Mina and Theo can't share it.

Put it to work

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