Along the woodland trail

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 3/4 · 48 verified grid deductions · 0 counterfactuals. Difficulty measures the rules used by this solver, not a promised completion time.

1. Step 1: Clue 1 restricts Ezra to Robin or Wren. Ezra cannot be paired with Finch.
2. Step 2: Clue 1 restricts Ezra to Robin or Wren. Ezra cannot be paired with Jay.
3. Step 3: Clue 2 restricts Henry to Robin or Jay. Henry cannot be paired with Wren.
4. Step 4: Clue 2 restricts Henry to Robin or Jay. Henry cannot be paired with Finch.
5. Step 5: Clue 3 restricts Wren to Triangle or Star. Wren cannot be paired with Circle.
6. Step 6: Clue 3 restricts Wren to Triangle or Star. Wren cannot be paired with Square.
7. Step 7: Clue 4: placing Jay at Circle leaves no valid later position for Wren at the required gap of 1. Jay cannot be paired with Circle.
8. Step 8: Clue 4: placing Jay at Star leaves no valid later position for Wren at the required gap of 1. Jay cannot be paired with Star.
9. Step 9: Clue 5 restricts Ezra to Triangle or Star. Ezra cannot be paired with Circle.
10. Step 10: Clue 5 restricts Ezra to Triangle or Star. Ezra cannot be paired with Square.
11. Step 11: Clue 6 restricts Hazel to Robin or Wren. Hazel cannot be paired with Finch.
12. Step 12: All other Walkers choices for Finch have been eliminated. Willow must be paired with Finch.
13. Step 13: Willow is already matched to Finch; each item is used once. Willow cannot be paired with Robin.
14. Step 14: Willow is already matched to Finch; each item is used once. Willow cannot be paired with Wren.
15. Step 15: Willow is already matched to Finch; each item is used once. Willow cannot be paired with Jay.
16. Step 16: Clue 6 restricts Hazel to Robin or Wren. Hazel cannot be paired with Jay.
17. Step 17: All other Walkers choices for Jay have been eliminated. Henry must be paired with Jay.
18. Step 18: Henry is already matched to Jay; each item is used once. Henry cannot be paired with Robin.
19. Step 19: Clue 7: placing Robin at Star leaves no valid later position for Finch at the required gap of 1. Robin cannot be paired with Star.
20. Step 20: Clue 7: placing Finch at Circle leaves no valid earlier position for Robin at the required gap of 1. Finch cannot be paired with Circle.
21. Step 21: All other Birds choices for Circle have been eliminated. Robin must be paired with Circle.
22. Step 22: Robin is already matched to Circle; each item is used once. Robin cannot be paired with Square.
23. Step 23: Robin is already matched to Circle; each item is used once. Robin cannot be paired with Triangle.
24. Step 24: Clue 7: placing Finch at Triangle leaves no valid earlier position for Robin at the required gap of 1. Finch cannot be paired with Triangle.
25. Step 25: Clue 7: placing Finch at Star leaves no valid earlier position for Robin at the required gap of 1. Finch cannot be paired with Star.
26. Step 26: All other Birds choices for Star have been eliminated. Wren must be paired with Star.
27. Step 27: Wren is already matched to Star; each item is used once. Wren cannot be paired with Triangle.
28. Step 28: All other Markers choices for Finch have been eliminated. Finch must be paired with Square.
29. Step 29: Square is already matched to Finch; each item is used once. Jay cannot be paired with Square.
30. Step 30: All other Markers choices for Jay have been eliminated. Jay must be paired with Triangle.
31. Step 31: Ezra and Robin have no possible Markers item in common, so they cannot belong together. Ezra cannot be paired with Robin.
32. Step 32: All other Walkers choices for Robin have been eliminated. Hazel must be paired with Robin.
33. Step 33: Hazel is already matched to Robin; each item is used once. Hazel cannot be paired with Wren.
34. Step 34: All other Birds choices for Ezra have been eliminated. Ezra must be paired with Wren.
35. Step 35: Both Hazel and Circle are matched to Robin; they must belong together. Hazel must be paired with Circle.
36. Step 36: Hazel is already matched to Circle; each item is used once. Hazel cannot be paired with Square.
37. Step 37: Hazel is already matched to Circle; each item is used once. Hazel cannot be paired with Triangle.
38. Step 38: Hazel is already matched to Circle; each item is used once. Hazel cannot be paired with Star.
39. Step 39: Circle is already matched to Hazel; each item is used once. Henry cannot be paired with Circle.
40. Step 40: Circle is already matched to Hazel; each item is used once. Willow cannot be paired with Circle.
41. Step 41: Henry and Square have no possible Birds item in common, so they cannot belong together. Henry cannot be paired with Square.
42. Step 42: All other Walkers choices for Square have been eliminated. Willow must be paired with Square.
43. Step 43: Willow is already matched to Square; each item is used once. Willow cannot be paired with Triangle.
44. Step 44: Willow is already matched to Square; each item is used once. Willow cannot be paired with Star.
45. Step 45: Both Henry and Triangle are matched to Jay; they must belong together. Henry must be paired with Triangle.
46. Step 46: Henry is already matched to Triangle; each item is used once. Henry cannot be paired with Star.
47. Step 47: Triangle is already matched to Henry; each item is used once. Ezra cannot be paired with Triangle.
48. Step 48: All other Markers choices for Ezra have been eliminated. Ezra must be paired with Star.

Answer key

Hazel · Robin · Circle

Henry · Jay · Triangle

Willow · Finch · Square

Ezra · Wren · Star