While developing a complex algorithm in C++, you notice that multiple nested loops and conditionals are making the logic increasingly hard to follow. How might judicious use of the return statement improve code clarity and reduce nested structures? 

The "early return" pattern, where you exit a function as soon as you know the result, can simplify code by reducing the need for deeply nested structures. Instead of having multiple nested conditionals, you can check a condition and return early if it's met, leading to more linear and readable code. Using the return statement to skip iterations or jump to specific code parts is not its intended use in C++.