A little garden mystery

One deduction at a time

Follow the numbered clues, one-to-one eliminations and cross-grid deductions. When a counterfactual is needed, its assumptions and clue-by-clue contradiction are shown.

Measured complexity: rule tier 2/4 · 27 verified grid deductions · 0 counterfactuals. Difficulty measures the rules used by this solver, not a promised completion time.

1. Step 1: Clue 2: Finn is not paired with Tulip. Finn cannot be paired with Tulip.
2. Step 2: Clue 4: Daisy is not paired with Spade. Daisy cannot be paired with Spade.
3. Step 3: Clue 6: Rose is not paired with Tulip. Rose cannot be paired with Tulip.
4. Step 4: All other Gardeners choices for Tulip have been eliminated. Ada must be paired with Tulip.
5. Step 5: Ada is already matched to Tulip; each item is used once. Ada cannot be paired with Daisy.
6. Step 6: Ada is already matched to Tulip; each item is used once. Ada cannot be paired with Iris.
7. Step 7: Clue 1 restricts Daisy to Spade or Fork. Daisy cannot be paired with Rake.
8. Step 8: All other Tools choices for Daisy have been eliminated. Daisy must be paired with Fork.
9. Step 9: Fork is already matched to Daisy; each item is used once. Tulip cannot be paired with Fork.
10. Step 10: Fork is already matched to Daisy; each item is used once. Iris cannot be paired with Fork.
11. Step 11: Clue 3 restricts Rose to Rake or Fork. Rose cannot be paired with Spade.
12. Step 12: Clue 5 restricts Rose to Spade or Rake. Rose cannot be paired with Fork.
13. Step 13: All other Tools choices for Rose have been eliminated. Rose must be paired with Rake.
14. Step 14: Rake is already matched to Rose; each item is used once. Finn cannot be paired with Rake.
15. Step 15: Rake is already matched to Rose; each item is used once. Ada cannot be paired with Rake.
16. Step 16: Rose and Daisy have no possible Tools item in common, so they cannot belong together. Rose cannot be paired with Daisy.
17. Step 17: All other Flowers choices for Rose have been eliminated. Rose must be paired with Iris.
18. Step 18: All other Gardeners choices for Daisy have been eliminated. Finn must be paired with Daisy.
19. Step 19: Finn is already matched to Daisy; each item is used once. Finn cannot be paired with Iris.
20. Step 20: Finn and Spade have no possible Flowers item in common, so they cannot belong together. Finn cannot be paired with Spade.
21. Step 21: All other Tools choices for Finn have been eliminated. Finn must be paired with Fork.
22. Step 22: All other Gardeners choices for Spade have been eliminated. Ada must be paired with Spade.
23. Step 23: Ada is already matched to Spade; each item is used once. Ada cannot be paired with Fork.
24. Step 24: Both Tulip and Spade are matched to Ada; they must belong together. Tulip must be paired with Spade.
25. Step 25: Tulip is already matched to Spade; each item is used once. Tulip cannot be paired with Rake.
26. Step 26: Spade is already matched to Tulip; each item is used once. Iris cannot be paired with Spade.
27. Step 27: All other Tools choices for Iris have been eliminated. Iris must be paired with Rake.

Answer key

Rose · Iris · Rake

Finn · Daisy · Fork

Ada · Tulip · Spade