Clues & Culprits › Clue types › Odd and even clues
Odd and even clues
The number of criminals in a group is odd or even. Zero counts as even.
An odd number of my neighbors are criminals.
Parity clues tell you whether a count is odd or even without telling you the count. Zero is even.
How to read it
Parity matters most when one person in the group is left unproven: the others' count is known, so the last person is whatever makes the parity work. With two or more unknowns it constrains pairs ("these two are the same" or "these two differ"), which can combine with other clues.
How it combines with other clues
An exact count on an overlapping group often turns parity into a decision. If the frame needs an odd number and a row count says how the shared cells split, the rest follows.
Real examples from recent cases
An odd number of my neighbors are criminals.— Ivan, orderly (A3) in Oct 25, 2026 Hard: An Allergy to Tuesdays
An even number of the café cooks are criminals.— Dexter, patron (D1) in Oct 24, 2026 Medium: Breakfast with the Gorillas
There is an even number of criminals above me.— Lionel, patron (D3) in Oct 24, 2026 Medium: Breakfast with the Gorillas
There is an odd number of criminals to my right.— Amir, smuggler (A1) in Oct 23, 2026 Medium: 912 Flights Without Leaving Home
Questions
What does “An odd number of my neighbors are criminals.” prove?
The number of criminals in a group is odd or even. Zero counts as even.
Where do odd and even clues appear most?
Mostly in Hard and Evil cases, where steps need several clues at once.
Next: Common-neighbor clues · All types: Neighbor clues · Row and column clues · Profession clues · Above, below, left and right · Between clues · Corner and edge clues · more