Thinking Like a Detective

Detectives solve mysteries with logic, and their favorite tool is elimination. Three friends left muddy footprints, but only one wore boots. The boot-wearer is your suspect - everyone else is eliminated. Each clue crosses off possibilities until only the truth is left standing.

Logic puzzles work exactly the same way. Amy is taller than Ben. Ben is taller than Cara. Who is the shortest? You do not need to measure anyone - the clues do the work. Amy beats Ben, Ben beats Cara, so Cara is shortest. Putting clues together to reach a sure conclusion is called deduction.

Watch out for assumptions, though - they are the fake clues that lead detectives astray. The footprints were muddy, so the culprit was outside? Not if they carried the mud in. A real detective separates what the clues prove from what they merely suggest. That careful habit protects you from trick questions, sneaky advertising, and bad arguments for the rest of your life.