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If you're new to grid-based logic puzzles, this tutorial will teach you the basics. Start with the "Introduction" first, then move on to the tutorials discussing specific clues or solving methods. Each tutorial contains a number of different slides - you can advance to the next slide by clicking "Next slide" at the bottom of each page, or by using the circled numerical links below each slide. Choose your specific tutorial from the list below to get started.
Slide #1
Time for another advanced method! Transitive relationships can be applied to two types of clues: (1) either/or clues or (2) unaligned pair clues.
First let's see how transitive relationships work with an either/or clue. In our example we've got an either/or clue ("The $40 tattoo was either Isaac's or the orange one") and we have a true relationship already on the grid (showing Isaac's tattoo was the red one).
Slide #2
When looking for an "either/or" transitive relationship, first split the "either/or" clue between its two options. In this case the $40 tattoo can be either (1) Isaac or (2) orange.
A transitive relationship exists whenever you have a pre-existing true or false relationship on the grid for either one of the two "either/or" options, in relation to the group of the other option. So in this example, that would be either "Isaac" in relation to colors, or "orange" in relation to names.
In this example, we have a true value for Isaac in relation to colors (i.e. Isaac == red).
Slide #3
If Isaac == red, and clue #6 says the $40 tattoo was either Isaac's or the orange one, then we know the $40 tattoo can only be red (Isaac's color) or orange.
Therefore we can mark false relationships in three squares (shaded in green). $40 cannot be blue, $40 cannot be pink and $40 cannot be violet.
Slide #4
But we're not done yet! There still remains an unexplored transitive relationship connected to this same "either/or" clue. Can you find it?
(Hint: look at the subrow shaded in yellow.)
Slide #5
Since the orange tattoo wasn't Wilma's or Zachary's, we can mark false relationships in the squares shaded in green.
Why? Think of it this way. The $40 tattoo is either Isaac or the orange one, so let's explore both of those options. If $40 == orange, then we know $40 is neither Wilma nor Zachary (since orange cannot be either of those two). If $40 == Isaac, then $40 is still neither Wilma nor Zachary, since Isaac is in the same category as those two.
Either way, $40 cannot be either Wilma or Zachary.
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