Greater Than and Less Than Clues in Logic Grid Puzzles

Part 3 of 5 of How to Solve Logic Grid Puzzles.

Some categories have a natural order: prices, times, ages, months. A clue can compare two items using that order, with words like more, less, before or after.

Clue 1. The bear cost 1 dollar less than the monkey.

Trim the ends

Suppose the bear had cost $6. The monkey would then have cost $7, and there is no such price. So the bear didn't cost $6. In the same way, the monkey can't have cost $3, because nothing costs a dollar less.

A bigger gap trims more

Clue 4. The bear cost 2 dollars less than the turtle.

This time the gap is 2 dollars. The bear can't have cost $5 or $6, because the turtle would then have cost more than $6. And the turtle can't have cost $3 or $4.

The size of the gap sets how many squares to cross out. A plain "less than" with no number works like a gap of 1.

Come back when you know more

Neither clue is used up yet. The bear cost $3 or $4, and as soon as you know which, clue 1 gives you the monkey's price and clue 4 gives you the turtle's. It works from the other end too: learn the turtle's price and clue 4 gives you the bear's.

A clue with an exact gap is worth rereading every time you learn something about either item. These two come back in the last part.

When the items are in different categories

Both of these clues compare two animals. A clue can also compare items from different categories, such as "The monkey cost less than the red animal".

That kind holds a hidden false fact. The monkey cost less than the red animal, so the monkey can't be the red animal. Put an X where monkey meets red, then trim the ends as usual.

Next: Multi-elimination clues
Previous: Either/or clues
All parts of the guide