Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 4 August 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-08-04 — 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 Theatre Royal

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Bar, Office, Dressing. Five statements, five 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.

The testimony

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

Tesa was in the bar. leaves 4 of 23 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tesa: 4 of 23.
Nico was in column 3. leaves 5 of 23 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nico: 5 of 23.
Abel was in column 2. leaves 5 of 23 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Abel: 5 of 23.
Abel was in row 3. leaves 1 of 23 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Abel: 1 of 23.
Katia was on the carpet. leaves 3 of 23 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Katia: 3 of 23.

Show the squares Katia had left

The squares still open to Katia once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 23.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Fabio can only be in Office (row 5, column 1) — down from 23 possible squares.
Tesa can only be in Bar (row 4, column 4) — down from 4 possible squares.
Nico can only be in Dressing (row 2, column 3) — down from 5 possible squares.
Katia can only be in Dressing (row 1, column 5) — down from 3 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Abel, in Office (row 3, column 2).

Show the solved board

The only arrangement the testimony allows. Abel is ringed in red.

Easy — The Botanical Garden

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Seed Vault, Compost Yard, Garden Path, Tropical House, Orchid House. Seven statements, five 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. Nobody can stand on one, which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them. B — bench · C — cactus · SH — shrub · ST — statue · T — tree

The testimony

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

Nora was beside the bench. leaves 2 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nora: 2 of 31.
Lorenzo was in the compost yard. leaves 6 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Lorenzo: 6 of 31.
Lorenzo was in the leftmost column. leaves 1 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Lorenzo: 1 of 31.
Xavier was beside the statue. leaves 2 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Xavier: 2 of 31.
Flora was beside the tree. leaves 2 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Flora: 2 of 31.
Olivia was in row 3. leaves 5 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Olivia: 5 of 31.
Olivia was in the rightmost column. leaves 1 of 31 squares

Show the squares Nora had left

The squares still open to Nora once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 31.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Nora can only be in Garden Path (row 2, column 3) — down from 2 possible squares.
Hilda can only be in Orchid House (row 5, column 5) — down from 31 possible squares.
Xavier can only be in Seed Vault (row 4, column 2) — down from 2 possible squares.
Flora can only be in Tropical House (row 1, column 4) — down from 2 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Olivia, in Orchid House (row 3, column 6).

Show the solved board

The only arrangement the testimony allows. Olivia is ringed in red.

Medium — The Golf Course

A 7×7 grid across 5 rooms: Rough, Fairway, Green, Pro Shop, Bunker. Eight statements, twelve squares nobody could stand on, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

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. A — armchair (square stays free) · BE — bench · BO — boulder · D — desk · FL — flag (square stays free) · FO — flower bush · G — golf tee (square stays free) · P — painting (square stays free) · S — shrub · T — tree · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Elena was somewhere north of Nestor.
Zeno was in the same column as the boulder. leaves 6 of 43 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 6 of 43.
Zeno was in the same room as Nestor.
Pablo was beside the shrub. leaves 1 of 43 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Pablo: 1 of 43.
Quentin was in the rough or in the sand bunker. leaves 15 of 43 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Quentin: 15 of 43.
Quentin was somewhere west of Nestor.
Nestor was in row 2. leaves 7 of 43 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 7 of 43.
Tamara was beside the golf tee. leaves 2 of 43 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tamara: 2 of 43.

Show the squares Tamara had left

The squares still open to Tamara once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 43.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 17 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Elena stood in Pro Shop (row 1, column 2), Zeno would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Zeno in Pro Shop (row 1, column 4) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Had Ximena stood in Pro Shop (row 2, column 1), Nestor would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Quentin in Bunker (row 3, column 5) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

Suppose Elena stood on the dashed square. Zeno then has nowhere left to stand: every square still open to them is shaded out.

Another 13 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Elena, in Pro Shop (row 1, column 7).

Show the solved board

The only arrangement the testimony allows. Elena is ringed in red.

Hard — The Hotel Meridian

An 8×8 grid across 6 rooms: Kitchen, Lobby, Bar, Ballroom, Office, Terrace. Fourteen statements, eleven squares nobody could stand on, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry — and one of the eight was lying throughout.

The twist: one suspect is an accomplice — every statement they make is false.

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 · D — desk · F — floor lamp · G — grandfather clock · PI — piano · PO — potted plant · S — sofa (square stays free) · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

What each person said. One of these 8 is the killer's accomplice and every word they said is false — but not which one, not yet.

Vivienne was in the same column as the potted plant. if true, leaves 7 of 58
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Vivienne: 7 of 58.
Vivienne was in the same row as the grandfather clock. if true, leaves 1 of 58
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Vivienne: 1 of 58.
Zeno was in the same column as the bed. if true, leaves 15 of 58
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 15 of 58.
Zeno was in the same row as the desk. if true, leaves 2 of 58
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 2 of 58.
Nora was in the same row as the piano. if true, leaves 7 of 58
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nora: 7 of 58.
Ines was in the same row as the armchair. if true, leaves 50 of 58
Ines was not in the kitchen. if true, leaves 10 of 58
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ines: 10 of 58.
Ines was in the same column as the potted plant. if true, leaves 9 of 58
Julian was in the same column as the carpet. if true, leaves 16 of 58
Julian was in the same row as the chest. if true, leaves 2 of 58
Oscar was in the same column as the window. if true, leaves 16 of 58
Oscar was in the kitchen or in the lobby. if true, leaves 6 of 58
Tesa was in the same row as the armchair. if true, leaves 8 of 58
Tesa was in the same column as the desk. if true, leaves 1 of 58

Show the squares Zeno had left

The squares still open to Zeno once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 58.

Unmasking the liar

One of these 8 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.

If Vivienne were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Cesar were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Zeno were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Nora were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.

Another 3 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Ines actually told you:

Ines was NOT in the same row as the armchair.
Ines WAS in the kitchen.
Ines was NOT in the same column as the potted plant.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Cesar can only be in Terrace (row 7, column 3) — down from 58 possible squares.
Zeno can only be in Kitchen (row 2, column 5) — down from 2 possible squares.
Nora can only be in Office (row 3, column 1) — down from 7 possible squares.
Ines can only be in Kitchen (row 6, column 8) — down from 9 possible squares.
Julian can only be in Bar (row 5, column 6) — down from 2 possible squares.
Oscar can only be in Kitchen (row 4, column 7) — down from 6 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Tesa, in Terrace (row 8, column 2). Ines lied throughout and was never charged.

Show the solved board

The only arrangement the testimony allows. Tesa is ringed in red.

Expert — The Movie Studio

A 9×9 grid across 8 rooms: Green Room, Director's Office, Editing Bay, Sound Stage, Backlot, Cafeteria, Desert Set, Prop Warehouse. Fifteen statements, fourteen squares nobody could stand on, almost as many rooms as suspects, so a room claim nearly names a square, 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 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. 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.

Tesa was in column 4. if true, leaves 65 of 72
Tesa was in the same row as the carpet. if true, leaves 49 of 72
Beatrix was in the same column as a painting. if true, leaves 9 of 72
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 9 of 72.
Simon was in the editing bay or in the prop warehouse. if true, leaves 16 of 72
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Simon: 16 of 72.
Simon was in row 5. if true, leaves 2 of 72
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Simon: 2 of 72.
Julian was in the same row as a bed. if true, leaves 16 of 72
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julian: 16 of 72.
Milo was in the same column as a bed. if true, leaves 30 of 72
Milo was in the same row as the carpet. if true, leaves 8 of 72
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Milo: 8 of 72.
Zaida was in the same row as a floor lamp. if true, leaves 7 of 72
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zaida: 7 of 72.
Walter was in the same column as the film camera. if true, leaves 8 of 72
Walter was in the same row as a crate. if true, leaves 2 of 72
Estela was in the same row as the cactus. if true, leaves 7 of 72
Exactly 2 people were in the editing bay.
Exactly 2 people were in the desert set.
Exactly 2 people were in the backlot.

Show the squares Simon had left

The squares still open to Simon once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 72.

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.

If Beatrix were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Simon were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Julian were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Milo were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.

Another 4 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Tesa actually told you:

Tesa was NOT in column 4.
Tesa was NOT in the same row as the carpet.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 163 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Tesa stood in Desert Set (row 1, column 1), Estela would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Beatrix stood in Desert Set (row 1, column 3), Estela would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Simon stood in Prop Warehouse (row 5, column 8), Walter would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Julian in Director's Office (row 4, column 3) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

Suppose Tesa stood on the dashed square. Estela then has nowhere left to stand: every square still open to them is shaded out.

Another 159 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Estela, in Editing Bay (row 9, column 5). Tesa lied throughout and was never charged.

Show the solved board

The only arrangement the testimony allows. Estela 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 3 August

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