How to see it
Use a grid. Put a cross for every no, a tick for every yes. When a row or column has two crosses, the last box is a tick. Then cross out the rest of that row and column. Never guess. Let the clues force the answer.
A worked example
Amy: not dog, not fish, so cat. Tick, and cross the rest of the cat column. Ben: not dog, and not cat now, so fish. That leaves the dog for Cal.
The common mistake: guessing instead of eliminating
The trap is guessing. Guessing feels quick but it fails the moment the puzzle grows. Another trap is reading "not X" as meaning "must be Y".
Try one
A number is a multiple of 7, between 50 and 80, odd, and its digits add up to 9.
- A56
- B63
- C77
- D70
Show the answerHide the answer
Right: B, 63
The odd multiples of 7 in range are 63 and 77, and only 63 has digits adding to 9.