Clues & Culprits › Clue types › Same-verdict and exactly-one clues
Same-verdict and exactly-one clues
Two named suspects either share a verdict, or exactly one of them is a criminal.
Hana and Liam are either both criminals or both innocent.
These clues link two suspects anywhere on the board:
- Same verdict: "Hana and Liam are either both criminals or both innocent." Prove one and you have proven the other.
- Exactly one: "Exactly one of Hana and Liam is a criminal" (or, equivalently, "exactly one of them is innocent"). Prove one and the other is the opposite.
How to read it
On their own these clues settle nobody — they only connect two people. Their power is in chains: if A and B share a verdict, and exactly one of B and C is a criminal, then A and C are opposites. Following a chain to a suspect that some count already constrains is one of the most common two-clue steps in Medium and Hard cases.
How it combines with other clues
Put both linked suspects inside a count. If they share a verdict and a row needs exactly one more criminal, they can't both be criminals, so they are both innocent. If exactly one of them is a criminal and they share a frame, that frame's budget is effectively reduced by one.
Real examples from recent cases
Cora and I share the same verdict: both criminal or both innocent.— Basil, magistrate (B1) in Oct 25, 2026 Easy: Forty-One Rubbers in a Row
Exactly one of Juno and me is a criminal.— Felix, card sharp (B2) in Oct 25, 2026 Easy: Forty-One Rubbers in a Row
Exactly one of Dina and me is innocent.— Greta, magistrate (C2) in Oct 25, 2026 Easy: Forty-One Rubbers in a Row
Felix and I share the same verdict: both criminal or both innocent.— Hattie, doctor (D2) in Oct 25, 2026 Easy: Forty-One Rubbers in a Row
Questions
What does “Hana and Liam are either both criminals or both innocent.” prove?
Two named suspects either share a verdict, or exactly one of them is a criminal.
Where do same-verdict and exactly-one clues appear most?
In every difficulty. In Easy cases they usually settle someone on their own; in Hard cases they tend to combine with other clues.
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