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Deduction and Induction in Mystery Puzzles: Reasoning from Clues
The difference between deductive and inductive reasoning, and how it applies to mystery puzzles.
Key Research Takeaways
- Deductive reasoning reaches a conclusion that must be true if the starting facts are true.
- Inductive reasoning reaches a conclusion that is probably true, based on the evidence.
- Ruling out impossible suspects one at a time is a practical way to solve a mystery.
Article Sections
Deduction and induction
Deductive reasoning moves from general rules to specific conclusions. If only one person had a key, then that person must have entered the locked room. Inductive reasoning weighs evidence to reach a likely conclusion, such as muddy footprints suggesting someone came in from the garden.
Elimination
Many whodunits work by elimination. If each suspect except one can be ruled out, the remaining suspect is the answer. Keep a note of what each suspect could and could not have done, and update it as you learn more.
Avoiding early assumptions
It is easy to settle on a suspect early and then read every clue to fit that choice. Test your favourite theory against each new clue, and be ready to drop it. Careful notes make this much easier.
Put This Theory Into Practice
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