Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 2 August 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-08-02 — 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 — Blackbriar Manor

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Lounge, Foyer, Conservatory. Six statements, six squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 4 detectives 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. A — armchair (square stays free) · H — harp · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · S — statue · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Elias was in row 2. leaves 4 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    HSPOAWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Elias: 4 of 22.
  2. Elias was beside the potted plant. leaves 1 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    HSPOAWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Elias: 1 of 22.
  3. Wanda was in column 4. leaves 5 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    HSPOAWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 5 of 22.
  4. Wanda was in the lounge. leaves 2 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    HSPOAWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 2 of 22.
  5. Kira was in the lounge. leaves 11 of 22 squares
  6. Rita was in column 3. leaves 5 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    HSPOAWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Rita: 5 of 22.
Show the squares Wanda had left
HSPOAWPA
The squares still open to Wanda once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 22.
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: Rita, in Conservatory (row 4, column 3).

Show the solved board
HSPOAWPA✕EWKR
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Rita is ringed in red.

Easy — The Backyard Garden

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Living room, Pond, Kitchen, Garden, Shed. Eight statements, eight squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 3 detectives 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) · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · SO — sofa (square stays free) · ST — stove · T — tree · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Gilda was beside the tree. leaves 2 of 33 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCASTSOTCHWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Gilda: 2 of 33.
  2. Horacio was beside the tree. leaves 2 of 33 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCASTSOTCHWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Horacio: 2 of 33.
  3. Horacio was in row 3. leaves 1 of 33 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCASTSOTCHWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Horacio: 1 of 33.
  4. Cesar was in row 5. leaves 5 of 33 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCASTSOTCHWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Cesar: 5 of 33.
  5. Cesar was in the garden. leaves 3 of 33 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCASTSOTCHWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Cesar: 3 of 33.
  6. Nestor was beside the stove. leaves 1 of 33 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCASTSOTCHWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 1 of 33.
  7. Vivienne was in the pond. leaves 8 of 33 squares
  8. Vivienne was in column 5. leaves 2 of 33 squares
Show the squares Gilda had left
BCASTSOTCHWW
The squares still open to Gilda once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 33.
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: Vivienne, in Pond (row 1, column 5).

Show the solved board
BCASTSOTCHWWGHC✕NV
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Vivienne is ringed in red.

Medium — The Museum of Curiosities

A 7×7 grid across 6 rooms: Office, Gallery, Archive, Atrium, Garden, Workshop. Eight statements, nine squares nobody could stand on, almost as many rooms as suspects, so a room claim nearly names a square, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 3 detectives 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 — bookshelf · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CR — crate · D — desk · FL — floor lamp · FO — flower bush · SO — sofa (square stays free) · ST — statue · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Bianca was in the same row as the flower bush. leaves 6 of 43 squares
    Show it on the board
    BDCASOSTCRFOFLW
    The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 6 of 43.
  2. Bianca was in the same column as the bookshelf. leaves 1 of 43 squares
    Show it on the board
    BDCASOSTCRFOFLW
    The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 1 of 43.
  3. Rufus was in the same column as the sofa. leaves 12 of 43 squares
    Show it on the board
    BDCASOSTCRFOFLW
    The squares this one statement leaves Rufus: 12 of 43.
  4. Rufus was beside the sofa. leaves 1 of 43 squares
    Show it on the board
    BDCASOSTCRFOFLW
    The squares this one statement leaves Rufus: 1 of 43.
  5. Vera was beside the crate. leaves 3 of 43 squares
    Show it on the board
    BDCASOSTCRFOFLW
    The squares this one statement leaves Vera: 3 of 43.
  6. Celeste was in the same room as Elena.
  7. Kurt was beside the floor lamp. leaves 2 of 43 squares
    Show it on the board
    BDCASOSTCRFOFLW
    The squares this one statement leaves Kurt: 2 of 43.
  8. Elena was in the same column as the statue. leaves 6 of 43 squares
Show the squares Kurt had left
BDCASOSTCRFOFLW
The squares still open to Kurt once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 43.
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: Bianca, in Archive (row 2, column 1).

Show the solved board
BDCASOSTCRFOFLWBRVCK✕E
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Bianca is ringed in red.

Hard — The Steamship Aurora

An 8×8 grid across 7 rooms: Engine, Cabin, Lounge, Dining, Saloon, Galley, Hold. Twelve 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 2 detectives 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. A — armchair (square stays free) · B — bed (square stays free) · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · CR — crate · D — desk · F — floor lamp · G — grandfather clock · M — mirror (square stays free) · SO — sofa (square stays free) · ST — stove · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Tristan was in the same row as the carpet. leaves 15 of 58 squares
    Show it on the board
    BGCACRDSTSOFACHWM
    The squares this one statement leaves Tristan: 15 of 58.
  2. Elena was in the same column as the mirror. leaves 8 of 58 squares
    Show it on the board
    BGCACRDSTSOFACHWM
    The squares this one statement leaves Elena: 8 of 58.
  3. Elena was in the same row as the chest. leaves 1 of 58 squares
    Show it on the board
    BGCACRDSTSOFACHWM
    The squares this one statement leaves Elena: 1 of 58.
  4. Elena was all alone in a room.
  5. Julia was exactly 2 columns east of Tristan.
  6. Julia was all alone in a room.
  7. Julia was exactly 2 rows north of Margot.
  8. Felix was in the same column as the desk. leaves 5 of 58 squares
    Show it on the board
    BGCACRDSTSOFACHWM
    The squares this one statement leaves Felix: 5 of 58.
  9. Rita was in the same row as the mirror. leaves 7 of 58 squares
    Show it on the board
    BGCACRDSTSOFACHWM
    The squares this one statement leaves Rita: 7 of 58.
  10. Rita was in the same column as the bed. leaves 2 of 58 squares
    Show it on the board
    BGCACRDSTSOFACHWM
    The squares this one statement leaves Rita: 2 of 58.
  11. Zeno was in the same column as the sofa. leaves 13 of 58 squares
  12. Margot was somewhere north of Zeno.
Show the squares Rita had left
BGCACRDSTSOFACHWM
The squares still open to Rita once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 58.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 89 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 85 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Felix, in Saloon (row 1, column 8).

Show the solved board
BGCACRDSTSOFACHWMT✕EJFRZM
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Felix is ringed in red.

Expert — The Museum of Curiosities

A 9×9 grid across 7 rooms: Atrium, Gallery, Archive, Office, Vault, Library, Rotunda. Sixteen 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.

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 — bookshelf · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · CL — clock · CR — crate · D — desk · F — floor lamp · P — potted plant · SO — sofa (square stays free) · ST — statue · W — window (square stays free)

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. Alma was in the same row as the crate. if true, leaves 63 of 71
  2. Alma was not in the archive. if true, leaves 5 of 71
    Show it on the board
    SOSTCABCLPFDCRCHCACLSTWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Alma: 5 of 71.
  3. Sofia was in the same row as the potted plant. if true, leaves 8 of 71
    Show it on the board
    SOSTCABCLPFDCRCHCACLSTWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Sofia: 8 of 71.
  4. Nora was in the same column as a carpet. if true, leaves 31 of 71
  5. Nora was in the same row as the bookshelf. if true, leaves 4 of 71
    Show it on the board
    SOSTCABCLPFDCRCHCACLSTWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Nora: 4 of 71.
  6. Nora was not beside the bookshelf. if true, leaves 3 of 71
    Show it on the board
    SOSTCABCLPFDCRCHCACLSTWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Nora: 3 of 71.
  7. Rita was beside the desk. if true, leaves 2 of 71
    Show it on the board
    SOSTCABCLPFDCRCHCACLSTWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Rita: 2 of 71.
  8. Rita was in the same column as a carpet. if true, leaves 1 of 71
    Show it on the board
    SOSTCABCLPFDCRCHCACLSTWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Rita: 1 of 71.
  9. Ivan was not in the gallery. if true, leaves 52 of 71
  10. Gaspar was in the same row as the sofa. if true, leaves 9 of 71
  11. Dante was in the same column as a window. if true, leaves 17 of 71
  12. Felix was in the same column as a statue. if true, leaves 7 of 71
  13. Felix was not beside a window.
  14. Felix was in the same row as the crate. if true, leaves 1 of 71
  15. Exactly 2 people were in the gallery.
  16. Exactly 2 people were in the library.
Show the squares Nora had left
SOSTCABCLPFDCRCHCACLSTWW
The squares still open to Nora once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 71.
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 Alma survives the test. That is the accomplice, and everything they said is now read backwards.

Read backwards, Alma actually told you:

  1. Alma was NOT in the same row as the crate.
  2. Alma WAS in the archive.
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 66 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 62 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Dante, in Gallery (row 4, column 9). Alma lied throughout and was never charged.

Show the solved board
SOSTCABCLPFDCRCHCACLSTWWASNRIG✕DF
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Dante 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 1 August

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