GridDay

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Inference Chain

Expert Removes candidates Used in: Sudoku, Killer Sudoku

Inference Chain

An Inference Chain weaves strong and weak links across different digits. Whatever the truth values along it, one of the two endpoints must hold — letting you eliminate any candidate that sees both ends.

How to spot it

An alternating chain of strong and weak links, across one or several digits.

What you can conclude

Eliminate any candidate that sees both endpoints of the chain.

Worked example

Alternate strong and weak links to an endpoint pair; whatever the chain does, one end must hold, so cells seeing both ends are pruned.

Related techniques

X-Chain · XY-Chain · ALS-XZ