Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 28 July 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-07-28 — each difficulty published twice, once untimed and once as time attack. Each case is procedurally generated and then proved to have exactly one logical solution before it is published, including the cases where somebody is lying. You place every suspect back on the map using only their testimony: exactly one person per row, never two in a column. Whoever is left alone with the victim did it.

Beginner — The Movie Studio

A 5×5 grid across 4 rooms: Sound Stage, Editing Bay, Director's Office, Desert Set. Six statements, six squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by one detective so far.

How this case was cracked — the full solution to this board, step by step

Every step below is the solver’s own — the same one that proved this board has exactly one answer. The counts are real: you can check them against the grid.

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. B — bed (square stays free) · CO — computer · CR — crate · F — floor lamp · P — painting (square stays free)

The testimony

What each person said, and how much of the board it rules out.

  1. Clara was in the editing bay. leaves 6 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCOCRFCRP
    The squares this one statement leaves Clara: 6 of 21.
  2. Walter was in the sound stage. leaves 5 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCOCRFCRP
    The squares this one statement leaves Walter: 5 of 21.
  3. Walter was in column 2. leaves 1 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCOCRFCRP
    The squares this one statement leaves Walter: 1 of 21.
  4. Tristan was in the director's office. leaves 6 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCOCRFCRP
    The squares this one statement leaves Tristan: 6 of 21.
  5. Alma was in column 4. leaves 5 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCOCRFCRP
    The squares this one statement leaves Alma: 5 of 21.
  6. Alma was in the desert set. leaves 1 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCOCRFCRP
    The squares this one statement leaves Alma: 1 of 21.
Show the squares Clara had left
BCOCRFCRP
The squares still open to Clara once their own statements are taken into account — 6 of 21.
What the testimony settles on its own

Nobody shares a row or a column, so each placement narrows everyone else. Before a single guess:

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Walter, in Sound Stage (row 5, column 2).

Show the solved board
BCOCRFCRPC✕WTA
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Walter is ringed in red.

Easy — The Movie Studio

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Desert Set, Green Room, Director's Office, Backlot, Sound Stage. Six statements, eleven squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by one detective so far.

How this case was cracked — the full solution to this board, step by step

Every step below is the solver’s own — the same one that proved this board has exactly one answer. The counts are real: you can check them against the grid.

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. BE — bed (square stays free) · BO — bookshelf · CA — cactus · CO — computer · CR — crate · FI — film camera · FL — floor lamp · P — painting (square stays free) · T — television

The testimony

What each person said, and how much of the board it rules out.

  1. Nestor was beside the computer. leaves 2 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    TCACOFLCRBOBECRFIPP
    The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 2 of 28.
  2. Hilda was in row 4. leaves 5 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    TCACOFLCRBOBECRFIPP
    The squares this one statement leaves Hilda: 5 of 28.
  3. Ursula was in column 5. leaves 5 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    TCACOFLCRBOBECRFIPP
    The squares this one statement leaves Ursula: 5 of 28.
  4. Ursula was in the green room. leaves 1 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    TCACOFLCRBOBECRFIPP
    The squares this one statement leaves Ursula: 1 of 28.
  5. Sol was lying on the bed. leaves 2 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    TCACOFLCRBOBECRFIPP
    The squares this one statement leaves Sol: 2 of 28.
  6. Gilda was in the backlot. leaves 8 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    TCACOFLCRBOBECRFIPP
    The squares this one statement leaves Gilda: 8 of 28.
Show the squares Nestor had left
TCACOFLCRBOBECRFIPP
The squares still open to Nestor once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 28.
What the testimony settles on its own

Nobody shares a row or a column, so each placement narrows everyone else. Before a single guess:

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Hilda, in Sound Stage (row 4, column 3).

Show the solved board
TCACOFLCRBOBECRFIPPNH✕USG
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Hilda is ringed in red.

Medium — The Movie Studio

A 7×7 grid across 6 rooms: Sound Stage, Desert Set, Backlot, Green Room, Prop Warehouse, Editing Bay. Nine statements, twelve squares nobody could stand on, almost as many rooms as suspects, so a room claim nearly names a square, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

Cracked by one detective so far.

How this case was cracked — the full solution to this board, step by step

Every step below is the solver’s own — the same one that proved this board has exactly one answer. The counts are real: you can check them against the grid.

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. BE — bed (square stays free) · BO — bookshelf · CA — cactus · CO — computer · CR — carpet (square stays free) · CT — crate · FI — film camera · FL — floor lamp · P — painting (square stays free) · T — television

The testimony

What each person said, and how much of the board it rules out.

  1. Wanda was in the prop warehouse or in the editing bay. leaves 10 of 40 squares
    Show it on the board
    CTCRCAFIBEFLTCOBOTBOP
    The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 10 of 40.
  2. Tobias was somewhere south of Kaspar.
  3. Tobias was in the same column as the computer. leaves 5 of 40 squares
    Show it on the board
    CTCRCAFIBEFLTCOBOTBOP
    The squares this one statement leaves Tobias: 5 of 40.
  4. Percy was in the same room as Octavio.
  5. Percy was in the same column as the floor lamp. leaves 5 of 40 squares
    Show it on the board
    CTCRCAFIBEFLTCOBOTBOP
    The squares this one statement leaves Percy: 5 of 40.
  6. Ruben was in the same room as Octavio.
  7. Octavio was somewhere north of the Chef.
  8. Kaspar was in the sound stage or in the editing bay. leaves 16 of 40 squares
    Show it on the board
    CTCRCAFIBEFLTCOBOTBOP
    The squares this one statement leaves Kaspar: 16 of 40.
  9. Kaspar was in the same column as the cactus. leaves 4 of 40 squares
    Show it on the board
    CTCRCAFIBEFLTCOBOTBOP
    The squares this one statement leaves Kaspar: 4 of 40.
Show the squares Kaspar had left
CTCRCAFIBEFLTCOBOTBOP
The squares still open to Kaspar once their own statements are taken into account — 4 of 40.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 88 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Show what goes wrong
CTCRCAFIBEFLTCOBOTBOPW
Suppose Wanda stood on the dashed square. Kaspar then has nowhere left to stand: every square still open to them is shaded out.

Another 84 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Tobias, in Green Room (row 3, column 7).

Show the solved board
CTCRCAFIBEFLTCOBOTBOPWT✕PROK
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Tobias is ringed in red.

Hard — The Movie Studio

An 8×8 grid across 6 rooms: Cafeteria, Editing Bay, Wardrobe, Backlot, Sound Stage, Prop Warehouse. Ten statements, sixteen squares nobody could stand on, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

Cracked by one detective so far.

How this case was cracked — the full solution to this board, step by step

Every step below is the solver’s own — the same one that proved this board has exactly one answer. The counts are real: you can check them against the grid.

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. BE — bed (square stays free) · BO — bookshelf · CA — cactus · CO — computer · CR — carpet (square stays free) · CT — crate · FI — film camera · FL — floor lamp · M — mirror (square stays free) · P — painting (square stays free) · T — television

The testimony

What each person said, and how much of the board it rules out.

  1. Octavio was in the same column as the bookshelf. leaves 7 of 52 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRFIBEFLBOTCOCTCATCTCAFICOMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Octavio: 7 of 52.
  2. Octavio was in the same row as the bed. leaves 1 of 52 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRFIBEFLBOTCOCTCATCTCAFICOMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Octavio: 1 of 52.
  3. Victor was in the same row as the painting. leaves 7 of 52 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRFIBEFLBOTCOCTCATCTCAFICOMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Victor: 7 of 52.
  4. Victor was exactly 1 column east of Nico.
  5. Nico was in the same column as a television. leaves 11 of 52 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRFIBEFLBOTCOCTCATCTCAFICOMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Nico: 11 of 52.
  6. Nico was somewhere south of the Diva.
  7. Katia was in the same room as the Diva.
  8. Clara was beside the carpet. leaves 2 of 52 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRFIBEFLBOTCOCTCATCTCAFICOMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Clara: 2 of 52.
  9. Selma was exactly 1 column west of Leo.
  10. Leo was exactly 3 rows north of the Magician.
Show the squares Clara had left
CRFIBEFLBOTCOCTCATCTCAFICOMP
The squares still open to Clara once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 52.
What the testimony settles on its own

Nobody shares a row or a column, so each placement narrows everyone else. Before a single guess:

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 36 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Show what goes wrong
CRFIBEFLBOTCOCTCATCTCAFICOMPOVCJ
Suppose Julia stood on the dashed square. Nico then has nowhere left to stand: every square still open to them is shaded out.

Another 32 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Clara, in Sound Stage (row 3, column 1).

Show the solved board
CRFIBEFLBOTCOCTCATCTCAFICOMPO✕VNKCSL
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Clara is ringed in red.

Expert — The Movie Studio

A 9×9 grid across 7 rooms: Prop Warehouse, Green Room, Director's Office, Cafeteria, Desert Set, Backlot, Sound Stage. Seventeen statements, fifteen squares nobody could stand on, and two rounds of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry — and one of the nine was lying throughout.

The twist: one suspect is an accomplice — every statement they make is false; the accusation also demands the motive, not just the name.

Cracked by one detective so far.

How this case was cracked — the full solution to this board, step by step

Every step below is the solver’s own — the same one that proved this board has exactly one answer. The counts are real: you can check them against the grid.

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. BE — bed (square stays free) · BO — bookshelf · CA — cactus · CO — computer · CR — carpet (square stays free) · CT — crate · FI — film camera · FL — floor lamp · P — painting (square stays free) · T — television

The testimony

What each person said. One of these 9 is the killer's accomplice and every word they said is false — but not which one, not yet.

  1. Dante was in the same row as a carpet. if true, leaves 32 of 70
  2. Dante was in the same column as the bed. if true, leaves 8 of 70
    Show it on the board
    BETCRFLFICACTBOCOFLCRFICABOP
    The squares this one statement leaves Dante: 8 of 70.
  3. Oscar was beside a floor lamp. if true, leaves 63 of 70
  4. Oscar was somewhere east of the Colonel.
  5. Oscar was in the cafeteria or in the backlot. if true, leaves 49 of 70
  6. Pablo was in the same column as the crate. if true, leaves 8 of 70
    Show it on the board
    BETCRFLFICACTBOCOFLCRFICABOP
    The squares this one statement leaves Pablo: 8 of 70.
  7. Queralt was somewhere north of the Chauffeur.
  8. Elena was somewhere south of the Colonel.
  9. Elena was in the same row as a carpet. if true, leaves 32 of 70
  10. Frida was in the same row as the computer. if true, leaves 7 of 70
    Show it on the board
    BETCRFLFICACTBOCOFLCRFICABOP
    The squares this one statement leaves Frida: 7 of 70.
  11. Frida was somewhere west of the Gardener.
  12. Lorenzo was somewhere north of the Diva.
  13. Lorenzo was in the same column as a film camera. if true, leaves 13 of 70
    Show it on the board
    BETCRFLFICACTBOCOFLCRFICABOP
    The squares this one statement leaves Lorenzo: 13 of 70.
  14. Ulises was somewhere south of Oscar.
  15. Ulises was beside a carpet. if true, leaves 5 of 70
    Show it on the board
    BETCRFLFICACTBOCOFLCRFICABOP
    The squares this one statement leaves Ulises: 5 of 70.
  16. Ulises was in the same column as a film camera. if true, leaves 1 of 70
    Show it on the board
    BETCRFLFICACTBOCOFLCRFICABOP
    The squares this one statement leaves Ulises: 1 of 70.
  17. Exactly 3 people were in the desert set.
Show the squares Frida had left
BETCRFLFICACTBOCOFLCRFICABOP
The squares still open to Frida once their own statements are taken into account — 7 of 70.
Unmasking the liar

One of these 9 people is the killer's accomplice, and every word they said is false — but you are not told which. Take each in turn: read their statements backwards and ask whether the rest of the testimony can still be satisfied.

Another 4 candidates collapse the same way.

Only Oscar survives the test. That is the accomplice, and everything they said is now read backwards.

Read backwards, Oscar actually told you:

  1. Oscar was NOT beside a floor lamp.
  2. Oscar was NOT east of the Colonel.
  3. Oscar was in neither the cafeteria nor the backlot.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 123 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Show what goes wrong
BETCRFLFICACTBOCOFLCRFICABOPUD
Suppose Dante stood on the dashed square. Pablo then has nowhere left to stand: every square still open to them is shaded out.

Another 119 squares fell the same way.

The motive

This case demands the why as well as the who: naming the killer without proving the motive counts for nothing. 8 motives are in play, and these statements narrow them.

  1. Dante's motive would have been buried secrets.
  2. Lorenzo's motive would have been ambition.
  3. Queralt's motive would have been revenge.
  4. Frida's motive would have been inheritance.
  5. Oscar's motive would have been jealousy.
  6. Whoever did it was not driven by blackmail.
  7. Ulises was not driven by debts.
The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Ulises, in Sound Stage (row 9, column 7). Oscar lied throughout and was never charged.

The only motive left standing for Ulises is obsession.

Show the solved board
BETCRFLFICACTBOCOFLCRFICABOPD✕OPQEFLU
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Ulises is ringed in red.

How to read a case above

The grid size is the size of the crime scene, so a 10×9 expert case is a far larger search than a 5×5 beginner one — but the difficulty is really carried by the clues, not the square count. A beginner case tells you almost directly where somebody stood. An expert case tells you where somebody was not, three times, and expects you to do the rest — and on half of them one of those statements is a lie told to protect the killer. If a case lists a motive, naming the right person is not enough on its own; you have to prove why.

How to play · Solving cases with a liar · Techniques

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Every day's cases — the calendar · ← the cases for 27 July

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