Logic Grid

Five categories, five items each, ten sub-grids. The triangle of grids is now substantial, and every technique in the strategy guide comes into play. Direct assignments, cascading eliminations, multi-grid cross-referencing, conditional chains three or four links long, and careful tracking of what you've checked versus what you haven't.

The main challenge is grid management. With ten sub-grids, it's easy to make a mark in one corner and forget to check the ripple effects three sub-grids away. A disciplined approach: every time you place a checkmark, immediately check all sub-grids that share a category with that match. The auto-elimination handles the immediate row/column, but cross-grid propagation is partly on you.

Expert puzzles have 12–15 clues, which sounds like a lot, but spread across 250 cells in 10 sub-grids, each clue carries real weight. Missing one implication from a single clue can stall the entire puzzle. Re-read the clue list every time you feel stuck.

For the ultimate challenge, try Einstein — same grid dimensions, but with deliberately fewer clues. Every fact has to work harder.