The case notes
Reading a two-digit arrow pill
A multi-cell arrow pill is read left to right or top to bottom as one number. The shaft digits sum to that number. Watch a worked example, then try the idea in a puzzle.
Put it into practice
Two cells make a pill
Some arrows begin in a pill rather than a single circle. This pill covers two cells, so it gives us a two-digit number.
14, not 1 + 4
Read the pill left to right: one, four becomes fourteen. It is not one plus four. The shaft must add to fourteen.
14 − 2 − 5 = 7
Two and five are already on the arrow. Together they make seven, so the last cell needs another seven to reach fourteen.
2 + 5 + 7 = 14
Place seven. Two plus five plus seven makes fourteen. A vertical pill reads top to bottom; the shaft still adds to the whole number.
Read the transcript
Some arrows begin in a pill rather than a single circle. This pill covers two cells, so it gives us a two-digit number. Read the pill left to right: one, four becomes fourteen. It is not one plus four. The shaft must add to fourteen. Two and five are already on the arrow. Together they make seven, so the last cell needs another seven to reach fourteen. Place seven. Two plus five plus seven makes fourteen. A vertical pill reads top to bottom; the shaft still adds to the whole number.
