Logic Deduction from Clues (Grades 6–7)
A deduction puzzle gives clues and asks you to find the one answer that fits all of them. The method: start with the numbers (or options) that satisfy the first clue, then eliminate any that fail the next, repeating until one remains. Each clue narrows the field.
Understanding deduction from clues
A deduction puzzle gives clues and asks you to find the one answer that fits all of them. The method: start with the numbers (or options) that satisfy the first clue, then eliminate any that fail the next, repeating until one remains. Each clue narrows the field.
Key Idea
A deduction puzzle gives clues and asks you to find the one answer that fits all of them. The method: start with the numbers (or options) that satisfy the first clue, then eliminate any that fail the next, repeating until one remains. Each clue narrows the field.
Seeing it in action
Worked example
"I'm a number from 1–10. I'm even. I'm greater than 5. I'm not 8." Who am I?
Even, 1–10: 2,4,6,8,10. Greater than 5: 6,8,10. Not 8: 6,10. Hmm — two remain (6, 10); a complete puzzle needs a clue that leaves exactly one. Add "less than 9": → 6.
Each clue narrows the field.
Try a few
"Odd, 1–10, greater than 6, not 9."
odd: 7,9; >6: 7,9; not 9: 7.
"Even, less than 6, greater than 2."
"Multiple of 3, 1–10, odd, less than 8."
3,6,9
Two-Ring Outpost
A calm two-circle Venn diagram game for sorting sets and practicing AND/OR logic.
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