Don't know about the “elementary” part but I think I first read about that particular #Heuristic in #Polya's #HowToSolveIt, where he remarks it working especially well in #Proofs by #MathematicalInduction, where it acts to #PrimeThePump of the #InductiveProof.
#Synchronicity being what it is, this came up just the other day in a more general setting ☟
• https://inquiryintoinquiry.com/2022/10/14/abduction-deduction-induction-analogy-inquiry-31/