A sufficient statistic T(x1...xn) retains all information about a parameter 'theta', and when paired with another statistic S(x1...xn), the sufficiency of the pair (T,S) depends on how they are combined. If the pairing alters the information contained in T(x), the resulting statistic may not remain sufficient. For instance, combining T(x) with S(x) through addition can lead to a loss of sufficiency, as shown in the example with the normal distribution. However, if T is a scalar sufficient statistic, then the vector (T,S) can still be sufficient for the same parameter. The key takeaway is that the sufficiency of the pair relies on the nature of the combination and the information retained.