starting to understand how you can solve without filling out the bottom grids

[pat44]

At first when I watched the video of a solver doing it all without touching the bottom grids, I was amazed. And, to be honest, I am still amazed!! But I am beginning to see that filling out the bottom does take more time. And maybe solving the top row only is better for your brain because you have to keep a lot stored "for later." I don't know if my brain can do that.

Sometimes I find myself in a situation where I can't progress unless I fill out a few of the bottom squares. And I wonder if there are actually situations where you need the lower grids.

For now, I'm not *intentionally* filling out the bottom, unless the clue makes it easy to fill. For example, a clue that doesn't lead to an X in the top row, but leads to one in the bottom.

I would love to see more top level solvers posting videos! In return, I would be happy to post an average solver video.

[grimmgiraffe]

I've been trying to solve them by only putting the Yes marks in the bottom. But then sometimes I get stuck and have to fill in more till I get unstuck. lol Sometimes that's almost the whole thing. It's bettered my times, and made it more challenging, though.

[EmeraldAerion]

Same! I’ve been getting faster scores without the bottom grid BUT I make more mistakes. I’m trying to figure out how everyone is getting those 30 sec scores

[EmeraldAerion]

I've been trying to solve them by only putting the Yes marks in the bottom. But then sometimes I get stuck and have to fill in more till I get unstuck. lol Sometimes that's almost the whole thing. It's bettered my times, and made it more challenging, though.

laughing because I get stuck too

[grimmgiraffe]

I forgot to mention: I play on a laptop. The touch screen is much faster then using the touchpad. I don't have a separate mouse. But the larger puzzles my fingers don't fit the grid. Well, I found the if I use only the top of the grid, I can zoom in and use my fingers! That has bumped me up another notch in the speed rankings. Until, I do something like start a puzzle when I'm too tired to play. lol

[pat44]

This one from this morning, could not do it without the bottom! I also think that sometimes the clues lend themselves better to "top row only" solving

[JoshGrams]

Yeah, the tricky bit here is realizing that the question to ask is "who sells onions?"

• Clue 1 & 5 tell us that Sue sells carrots, and they cost $2.80 or $2.90 (while onions cost $2.50 or $2.60).
• Then clue 4 tells us that Elvira does not sell onions (no prices in common).
• Clue 3 tells us that Herman does not sell onions (he sells potatoes).
• Clue 6 and looking at the grid tells us that Nettie does not sell onions (if she sold onions she wouldn't sell kale and she also couldn't be $2.90).
• So the only one left who can sell onions is Lonnie.
• And the only price that Lonnie/onions have in common is $2.60.

Then the rest falls out easily:

• Clue 2 tells us that kale is $2.50.
• Clue 1/6 tell us that if onions are $2.60 then Sue/carrots are $2.90.
• Clue 4 tells us that Elvira must be $2.70 (since Sue/carrots are $2.90).
• Clue 3 tells us that Herman can't sell kale ($2.50).
• So Herman/potatoes must be $2.80, leaving Nettie at $2.50/kale.