Strategic Elimination Systems
Elimination is the practical face of information gain. A strategic elimination system turns the abstract goal of 'shrink the candidate set' into concrete, repeatable moves. This article lays out a framework you can apply every game.
Track three lists
Maintain three mental lists: confirmed-in letters with known positions, confirmed-in letters with unknown positions, and confirmed-out letters. Most players neglect the third. Knowing what is impossible prunes candidates as effectively as knowing what is present, and it is easy to forget under pressure.
Eliminate by clusters
When many candidates remain, look for a guess that tests an entire cluster of uncertain letters at once. Eliminating a group of common letters in a single move collapses the field far faster than confirming one letter at a time. This is the probe guess applied with intent.
Know when to stop eliminating
Elimination has diminishing returns. Once your candidate list is short and your guesses are few, switch from eliminating to solving — guess the most likely remaining answer. The art is recognising the transition point, which depends on how many candidates remain versus how many guesses you have left.
Key takeaways
- Track confirmed-out letters, not just confirmed-in.
- Eliminate clusters of letters in single moves.
- Switch from eliminating to solving at the right moment.