Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 14 August 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-08-14 — 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 Backyard Garden

A 5×5 grid across 4 rooms: Garden, Pond, Shed, Kitchen. 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. B — bookshelf · D — desk · P — painting (square stays free) · S — sofa (square stays free) · T — tree · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Ruben was in row 2. leaves 5 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ruben: 5 of 22.
Ruben was in column 2. leaves 1 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ruben: 1 of 22.
Marco was in column 3. leaves 3 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Marco: 3 of 22.
Clara was in the bottom row. leaves 5 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Clara: 5 of 22.
Clara was in the kitchen. leaves 1 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Clara: 1 of 22.
Leo was in the garden. leaves 2 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Leo: 2 of 22.

Show the squares Leo had left

The squares still open to Leo 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:

Walter can only be in Shed (row 3, column 1) — down from 22 possible squares.
Marco can only be in Pond (row 4, column 3) — down from 3 possible squares.
Leo can only be in Garden (row 1, column 4) — down from 2 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Beginner · time attack — Movie Night

A 5×5 grid across 4 rooms: Kitchen, Study, Balcony, Pantry. Seven statements, four squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

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) · C — computer · P — potted plant · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Xavier was in the balcony. leaves 4 of 23 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Xavier: 4 of 23.
Xavier was in the leftmost column. leaves 1 of 23 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Xavier: 1 of 23.
Beatrix was in the pantry. leaves 6 of 23 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 6 of 23.
Beatrix was in row 4. leaves 1 of 23 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 1 of 23.
Nico was in column 2. leaves 5 of 23 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nico: 5 of 23.
Nico was in the top row. leaves 1 of 23 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nico: 1 of 23.
Yolanda was in the study. leaves 8 of 23 squares

Show the squares Yolanda had left

The squares still open to Yolanda once their own statements are taken into account — 8 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:

Hugo can only be in Pantry (row 2, column 4) — down from 23 possible squares.
Yolanda can only be in Study (row 3, column 3) — down from 8 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Beatrix, in Pantry (row 4, column 5).

Show the solved board

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

Easy — The Movie Studio

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Editing Bay, Wardrobe, Prop Warehouse, Backlot, Green Room. Eight statements, eight 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. B — bed (square stays free) · CA — cactus · CO — computer · CR — carpet (square stays free) · CT — crate · F — floor lamp · P — painting (square stays free) · T — television

The testimony

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

Nadia was in the green room. leaves 4 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nadia: 4 of 31.
Nadia was in the bottom row. leaves 2 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nadia: 2 of 31.
Ursula was beside the computer. leaves 2 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ursula: 2 of 31.
Wren was in row 5. leaves 4 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wren: 4 of 31.
Wren was in column 5. leaves 1 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wren: 1 of 31.
Beatrix was in the top row. leaves 5 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 5 of 31.
Beatrix was in the backlot. leaves 1 of 31 squares
Yolanda was lying on the bed. leaves 2 of 31 squares

Show the squares Nadia had left

The squares still open to Nadia 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:

Nadia can only be in Green Room (row 6, column 1) — down from 2 possible squares.
Tristan can only be in Wardrobe (row 4, column 3) — down from 31 possible squares.
Ursula can only be in Wardrobe (row 3, column 2) — down from 2 possible squares.
Yolanda can only be in Prop Warehouse (row 2, column 4) — down from 2 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Easy · time attack — The Night Express

A 6×6 grid across 4 rooms: Sleeper, Galley, Platform, Locomotive. Seven statements, eight squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

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) · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · D — desk · F — floor lamp · G — grandfather clock · S — sofa (square stays free) · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Hilda was beside the armchair. leaves 3 of 32 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Hilda: 3 of 32.
Hilda was in the bottom row. leaves 1 of 32 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Hilda: 1 of 32.
Ada was beside the carpet. leaves 3 of 32 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ada: 3 of 32.
Octavio was in column 4. leaves 5 of 32 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Octavio: 5 of 32.
Octavio was in row 3. leaves 1 of 32 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Octavio: 1 of 32.
Gaspar was beside the armchair. leaves 3 of 32 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gaspar: 3 of 32.
Walter was in row 2. leaves 4 of 32 squares

Show the squares Ada had left

The squares still open to Ada once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 32.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Ada can only be in Galley (row 1, column 3) — down from 3 possible squares.
Sofia can only be in Sleeper (row 4, column 5) — down from 32 possible squares.
Gaspar can only be in Locomotive (row 5, column 1) — down from 3 possible squares.
Walter can only be in Sleeper (row 2, column 6) — down from 4 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Walter, in Sleeper (row 2, column 6).

Show the solved board

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

Medium · time attack — The Night Express

A 7×7 grid across 6 rooms: Galley, Baggage, Dining, Sleeper, Platform, Corridor. Ten statements, nine squares nobody could stand on, almost as many rooms as suspects, so a room claim nearly names a square, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

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) · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · D — desk · F — floor lamp · G — grandfather clock · 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.

Dante was in the galley or in the dining room. leaves 24 of 44 squares
Dante was in column 5. leaves 6 of 44 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Dante: 6 of 44.
Dante was in the same row as the carpet. leaves 1 of 44 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Dante: 1 of 44.
Petra was in the same room as Victor.
Jonas was beside the floor lamp. leaves 2 of 44 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Jonas: 2 of 44.
Victor was beside the grandfather clock. leaves 3 of 44 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Victor: 3 of 44.
Katia was in the same row as the chest. leaves 4 of 44 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Katia: 4 of 44.
Katia was in the same column as the window. leaves 1 of 44 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Katia: 1 of 44.
Hugo was in the same row as the window. leaves 7 of 44 squares
Hugo was in the same column as the stove. leaves 1 of 44 squares

Show the squares Jonas had left

The squares still open to Jonas once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 44.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Petra can only be in Dining (row 3, column 2) — down from 44 possible squares.
Jonas can only be in Sleeper (row 6, column 4) — down from 2 possible squares.
Victor can only be in Dining (row 1, column 3) — down from 3 possible squares.
Simon can only be in Baggage (row 5, column 6) — down from 44 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Katia, in Baggage (row 7, column 7).

Show the solved board

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

Medium — Blackbriar Manor

An 8×7 grid across 6 rooms: Lounge, Ballroom, Library, Gallery, Study, Conservatory. Nine 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 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) · B — bookshelf · C — carpet (square stays free) · F — floor lamp · H — harp · P — potted plant · S — stove · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Zeno was in the same column as the bookshelf. leaves 6 of 51 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 6 of 51.
Zeno was in the same row as the harp. leaves 1 of 51 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 1 of 51.
Dorian was in the same column as the potted plant. leaves 6 of 51 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Dorian: 6 of 51.
Dorian was beside the potted plant. leaves 2 of 51 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Dorian: 2 of 51.
Frida was on the carpet. leaves 2 of 51 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Frida: 2 of 51.
Nora was in the gallery or in the conservatory. leaves 17 of 51 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nora: 17 of 51.
Walter was not touching the outer wall. leaves 28 of 51 squares
Rosa was beside the armchair. leaves 3 of 51 squares
Rosa was in the same row as the carpet. leaves 1 of 51 squares

Show the squares Dorian had left

The squares still open to Dorian once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 51.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Dorian can only be in Conservatory (row 5, column 5) — down from 2 possible squares.
Frida can only be in Gallery (row 3, column 6) — down from 2 possible squares.
Nora can only be in Conservatory (row 6, column 4) — down from 17 possible squares.
Walter can only be in Ballroom (row 2, column 2) — down from 28 possible squares.
Victor can only be in Ballroom (row 1, column 1) — down from 51 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Hard — The Hiking Trip

A 9×8 grid across 7 rooms: Meadow, Ranger Station, Cave, Trailhead, Riverbank, Forest Path, Summit. Eleven statements, ten 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. Nobody can stand on one, which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them. BE — bear · BO — boulder · CA — campfire · CR — crate · D — desk · F — floor lamp · R — radio · S — shrub · TE — tent · TR — tree

The testimony

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

Ruben was in the same room as Katia.
Nestor was not beside the tent. leaves 59 of 62 squares
Nestor was somewhere south of Margot.
Gilda was all alone in a room.
Gilda was beside the boulder. leaves 3 of 62 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gilda: 3 of 62.
Enzo was exactly 4 columns west of the Colonel.
Enzo was exactly 2 rows south of Nestor.
Margot was in the same column as the tree. leaves 7 of 62 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Margot: 7 of 62.
Katia was in the same row as the desk. leaves 7 of 62 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Katia: 7 of 62.
Tobias was in the same column as the radio. leaves 7 of 62 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tobias: 7 of 62.
Tobias was in row 7. leaves 1 of 62 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tobias: 1 of 62.

Show the squares Gilda had left

The squares still open to Gilda once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 62.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Gilda can only be in Meadow (row 8, column 2) — down from 3 possible squares.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 54 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Ruben stood in Forest Path (row 4, column 8), Margot would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Nestor stood in Ranger Station (row 2, column 1), Katia would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Ada in Cave (row 1, column 3) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Enzo in Trailhead (row 4, column 1) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 50 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Tobias, in Riverbank (row 7, column 9).

Show the solved board

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

Hard · time attack — The Bunker

A 10×8 grid across 6 rooms: Hydroponics, Airlock, Dormitory, Pantry, Watchtower, Generator Room. Twelve statements, ten squares nobody could stand on, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

The twist: the accusation also demands the motive, not just the name.

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 — cabinet · CO — computer · CR — carpet (square stays free) · CT — crate · F — floor lamp · G — garbage can · P — potted plant · R — radio · S — stove

The testimony

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

Luna was in the same column as the computer. leaves 7 of 72 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Luna: 7 of 72.
Ofelia was in the same column as the floor lamp. leaves 7 of 72 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ofelia: 7 of 72.
Ofelia was all alone in a room.
Jonas was exactly 4 columns west of Irene.
Milo was exactly 1 row south of the Chauffeur.
Milo was exactly 1 column west of Irene.
Milo was in the same row as the stove. leaves 8 of 72 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Milo: 8 of 72.
Bruno was beside the radio. leaves 3 of 72 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Bruno: 3 of 72.
Wilfred was exactly 1 row south of the Chef.
Wilfred was beside the bed. leaves 4 of 72 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wilfred: 4 of 72.
Irene was somewhere east of the Professor.
Nobody was in the pantry.

Show the squares Bruno had left

The squares still open to Bruno once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 72.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Ofelia can only be in Generator Room (row 5, column 8) — down from 7 possible squares.
Jonas can only be in Dormitory (row 6, column 6) — down from 72 possible squares.
Milo can only be in Watchtower (row 7, column 9) — down from 8 possible squares.
Bruno can only be in Airlock (row 4, column 1) — down from 3 possible squares.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 5 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Luna stood in Airlock (row 1, column 2), Wilfred would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Hilda stood in Watchtower (row 8, column 10), Irene would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Wilfred in Airlock (row 3, column 5) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Irene in Hydroponics (row 2, column 10) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 1 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. 7 motives are in play, and these statements narrow them.

Bruno's motive would have been inheritance.
Jonas's motive would have been ambition.
Ofelia's motive would have been jealousy.
Irene's motive would have been buried secrets.
Milo was not driven by debts.
Whoever did it was not driven by obsession.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Milo, in Watchtower (row 7, column 9).

The only motive left standing for Milo is blackmail.

Show the solved board

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

Expert — The Movie Studio

A 10×9 grid across 7 rooms: Desert Set, Editing Bay, Prop Warehouse, Green Room, Cafeteria, Sound Stage, Wardrobe. Thirteen statements, fourteen squares nobody could stand on, and two rounds of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

The twist: 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 · M — mirror (square stays free) · T — television

The testimony

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

Dante was somewhere west of the Professor.
Ivan was somewhere south of Ada.
Flora was exactly 8 rows south of Dante.
Tesa was not touching the outer wall. leaves 54 of 81 squares
Yolanda was all alone in a room.
Ada was somewhere east of Tesa.
Ada was exactly 3 columns west of the Chef.
Luna was exactly 2 rows south of the Curator.
Luna was exactly 6 columns east of the Magician.
Vasco was in the same column as the film camera. leaves 3 of 81 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Vasco: 3 of 81.
Exactly 3 people were in the desert set.
Exactly 2 people were in the prop warehouse.
Exactly 3 people were in the sound stage.

Show the squares Vasco had left

The squares still open to Vasco once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 81.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 123 eliminations across 2 rounds of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Ivan stood in Desert Set (row 2, column 2), Tesa would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Olivia stood in Desert Set (row 1, column 1), Dante would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Tesa stood in Desert Set (row 2, column 5), Olivia would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Yolanda in Cafeteria (row 2, column 7) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 119 squares fell the same way.

Dante can only be in Desert Set (row 1, column 3) — down from 2 possible squares.
Ivan can only be in Desert Set (row 3, column 6) — down from 3 possible squares.

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.

Yolanda's motive would have been blackmail.
Ivan's motive would have been jealousy.
Flora's motive would have been buried secrets.
Dante's motive would have been inheritance.
Luna's motive would have been ambition.
Tesa was not driven by revenge.
Whoever did it was not driven by obsession.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Tesa, in Prop Warehouse (row 8, column 2).

The only motive left standing for Tesa is debts.

Show the solved board

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

Expert · time attack — The Zoo

A 9×9 grid across 8 rooms: Gift shop, Bear pit, Entrance, Lion den, Main path, Penguin pool, Aviary, Elephant yard. Twenty statements, sixteen 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.

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 — bear · BN — bench · BO — boulder · CO — crocodile · CR — crate · D — desk · E — elephant · F — floor lamp · P — penguin · S — shrub · T — tree · 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.

Tesa was in the same row as a bench. if true, leaves 47 of 63
Tesa was in the same column as a shrub. if true, leaves 40 of 63
Horacio was in the same row as a floor lamp. if true, leaves 6 of 63
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Horacio: 6 of 63.
Horacio was in the same column as the crocodile. if true, leaves 2 of 63
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Horacio: 2 of 63.
Pablo was in the same column as the penguin. if true, leaves 6 of 63
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Pablo: 6 of 63.
Pablo was not beside the boulder. if true, leaves 5 of 63
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Pablo: 5 of 63.
Pablo was in the same row as a bench. if true, leaves 2 of 63
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Pablo: 2 of 63.
Victor was in the same row as a window. if true, leaves 14 of 63
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Victor: 14 of 63.
Selma was in the same column as the elephant. if true, leaves 12 of 63
Selma was in the same row as the boulder. if true, leaves 1 of 63
Ursula was touching the outer wall. if true, leaves 27 of 63
Ursula was in the same column as the crocodile. if true, leaves 10 of 63
Ursula was in the same row as the crate. if true, leaves 1 of 63
Flora was in the same column as the crate. if true, leaves 8 of 63
Flora was in row 7. if true, leaves 1 of 63
Wanda was in the same column as a bench. if true, leaves 10 of 63
Wanda was in the same row as a bench. if true, leaves 2 of 63
Wanda was not beside the penguin.
Exactly 2 people were in the main path.
Exactly 2 people were in the aviary.

Show the squares Horacio had left

The squares still open to Horacio once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 63.

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 Horacio were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Pablo were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Victor were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Gordon 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 the same row as a bench.
Tesa was NOT in the same column as a shrub.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Tesa can only be in Lion den (row 8, column 1) — down from 40 possible squares.
Horacio can only be in Main path (row 1, column 8) — down from 2 possible squares.
Pablo can only be in Elephant yard (row 4, column 3) — down from 2 possible squares.
Victor can only be in Penguin pool (row 2, column 4) — down from 14 possible squares.
Gordon can only be in Aviary (row 5, column 6) — down from 63 possible squares.
Wanda can only be in Entrance (row 9, column 2) — down from 2 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Selma, in Aviary (row 6, column 5). Tesa lied throughout and was never charged.

Show the solved board

The only arrangement the testimony allows. Selma 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

The day in review

The docket for August 14 brought ten fresh investigations, though only a handful drew footsteps through the precinct doors. Standard inquiries opened cleanly enough across smaller crime scenes. In the four-room plot of The Backyard Garden, a guest detective claimed the quickest conclusion in 31 seconds. At The Movie Studio, david cracked the 6x6 mystery in 1 minute and 29 seconds, following it up with another brisk victory at Blackbriar Manor, resolving its six rooms in 1 minute and 7 seconds. The trail chilled considerably on The Hiking Trip, where two attempts across the seven-room wilderness yielded zero solutions. Meanwhile, a massive 10x9 board back at The Movie Studio went entirely untouched, leaving its requisite motive undiscovered.

The time attack roster sat wholly abandoned, preserving its secrets for another day. No investigators clocked in for the compact thrills of Movie Night or the twin transit runs aboard The Night Express. Deeper perils were likewise ignored: a six-room lockdown in The Bunker with a motive required, and an intricate, eight-room labyrinth at The Zoo concealing a liar among its nine-by-nine boundaries. Ten files were opened, but most remained quiet mysteries awaiting a willing hand.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: a guest detective — 0m 31s · Easy: david — 1m 29s · Medium: david — 1m 07s

The solutions

The solved boards — spoilers for every case of 14 August 2026

Key: red ring = the murderer · amber dashes = the lying accomplice · ✕ = the victim · initials mark where each suspect was proved to stand.

Beginner — The Backyard Garden

3 detectives put Ruben (butler) away before the day was out.

Easy — The Movie Studio

Ursula (professor) is in custody — the case was closed by 3 detectives.

Medium — Blackbriar Manor

Walter (colonel) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 3 detectives.

Hard — The Hiking Trip

Tobias (chauffeur) walked free: nobody closed this case. Last seen boarding the night ferry with a single case.

Expert — The Movie Studio

Tesa (diva) is still at large — the day ended without a conviction. A berth on the sleeper train was booked that evening under a name nobody recognized. The debts were settled in full, in cash.

Beginner · time attack — Movie Night

Nobody named Beatrix (chef); the file stays open. The harbormaster remembers a late rowboat and no lantern.

Easy · time attack — The Night Express

Walter (magician) slipped away — no detective cracked this board. The morning mail brought a postcard with no signature and a foreign stamp.

Medium · time attack — The Night Express

Katia (journalist) was never charged — the day produced no conviction. A hired car left the coast road before dawn and was never returned.

Hard · time attack — The Bunker

Milo (gardener) walked free: nobody closed this case. Last seen boarding the night ferry with a single case. The blackmail letters stopped coming.

Expert · time attack — The Zoo

Selma (diva) is still at large — the day ended without a conviction. A berth on the sleeper train was booked that evening under a name nobody recognized. Tesa lied for them and was never charged.

Read this recap in: Català · Deutsch · Español · Euskara · Français · Galego · हिन्दी · Italiano · 日本語 · 한국어 · Nederlands · Português · Русский · 中文

Every day's cases — the calendar · ← the cases for 13 August

Play free — no download