Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 21 August 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-08-21 — 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 Steamship Aurora

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Deck, Bridge, Engine. Six statements, seven squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 42 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. CH — chest · CR — crate · 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.

Marina was in the engine room. leaves 8 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Marina: 8 of 20.
Queralt was in column 4. leaves 5 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Queralt: 5 of 20.
Queralt was in the engine room. leaves 2 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Queralt: 2 of 20.
Gaspar was in row 3. leaves 4 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gaspar: 4 of 20.
Helena was in column 2. leaves 3 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Helena: 3 of 20.
Helena was in the engine room. leaves 1 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Helena: 1 of 20.

Show the squares Queralt had left

The squares still open to Queralt once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 20.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Marina can only be in Engine (row 2, column 5) — down from 8 possible squares.
Luna can only be in Deck (row 1, column 1) — down from 20 possible squares.
Queralt can only be in Engine (row 5, column 4) — down from 2 possible squares.
Gaspar can only be in Deck (row 3, column 3) — down from 4 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Beginner · time attack — The Art School

A 5×5 grid across 4 rooms: Print Room, Kiln Room, Courtyard, Locker Room. Eight statements, eight squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

Cracked by 6 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.

Horacio was in column 3. leaves 3 of 18 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Horacio: 3 of 18.
Horacio was in the kiln room. leaves 1 of 18 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Horacio: 1 of 18.
Walter was in the rightmost column. leaves 4 of 18 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Walter: 4 of 18.
Walter was in row 2. leaves 1 of 18 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Walter: 1 of 18.
Xavier was in the courtyard. leaves 6 of 18 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Xavier: 6 of 18.
Xavier was in row 4. leaves 2 of 18 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Xavier: 2 of 18.
Dora was in the courtyard. leaves 6 of 18 squares
Dora was in the leftmost column. leaves 2 of 18 squares

Show the squares Xavier had left

The squares still open to Xavier once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 18.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Xavier can only be in Courtyard (row 4, column 2) — down from 2 possible squares.
Nico can only be in Print Room (row 1, column 4) — down from 18 possible squares.
Dora can only be in Courtyard (row 5, column 1) — down from 2 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Easy — The Bunker

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Watchtower, Airlock, Pantry, Hydroponics, Workroom. Seven statements, eight squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 32 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.

Zeno was in row 3. leaves 6 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 6 of 29.
Rita was in row 5. leaves 5 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Rita: 5 of 29.
Rita was in the watchtower or in the pantry. leaves 2 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Rita: 2 of 29.
Greta was lying on the bed. leaves 2 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 2 of 29.
Frida was in the bottom row. leaves 6 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Frida: 6 of 29.
Frida was in the leftmost column. leaves 1 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Frida: 1 of 29.
Cesar was in the pantry. leaves 9 of 29 squares

Show the squares Rita had left

The squares still open to Rita once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 29.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Zeno can only be in Pantry (row 3, column 2) — down from 6 possible squares.
Rita can only be in Watchtower (row 5, column 6) — down from 2 possible squares.
Horacio can only be in Airlock (row 4, column 3) — down from 29 possible squares.
Greta can only be in Airlock (row 2, column 5) — down from 2 possible squares.
Cesar can only be in Pantry (row 1, column 4) — down from 9 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Easy · time attack — The Old Observatory

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Archive, Dome, Terrace, Office, Garden. Seven statements, eleven squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 8 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) · C — chest · D — desk · G — grandfather clock · P — potted plant · S — statue · TE — telescope · TR — tree · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Tobias was in the garden. leaves 4 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tobias: 4 of 28.
Nora was beside the grandfather clock. leaves 3 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nora: 3 of 28.
Elena was in row 3. leaves 4 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Elena: 4 of 28.
Elena was in column 5. leaves 1 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Elena: 1 of 28.
Paloma was in row 4. leaves 5 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Paloma: 5 of 28.
Paloma was in column 3. leaves 1 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Paloma: 1 of 28.
Gilda was in the telescope dome. leaves 5 of 28 squares

Show the squares Nora had left

The squares still open to Nora once their own statements are taken into account — 3 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:

Tobias can only be in Garden (row 2, column 1) — down from 4 possible squares.
Alma can only be in Archive (row 5, column 6) — down from 28 possible squares.
Nora can only be in Office (row 1, column 2) — down from 3 possible squares.
Gilda can only be in Dome (row 6, column 4) — down from 5 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Elena, in Archive (row 3, column 5).

Show the solved board

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

Medium · time attack — The Royal Greenhouse

A 7×7 grid across 6 rooms: Orchid room, Seed bank, Apiary, Arbor, Potting shed, Terrace. Eleven statements, fourteen 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.

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) · CH — chest · CR — crate · D — desk · F — flower bush · G — grandfather clock · P — potted plant · SO — stove · ST — statue · T — tree · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Oscar was in row 2. leaves 6 of 38 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Oscar: 6 of 38.
Oscar was in the same room as Zaida.
Simon was in the same row as the stove. leaves 5 of 38 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Simon: 5 of 38.
Simon was touching the outer wall. leaves 2 of 38 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Simon: 2 of 38.
Zaida was beside the flower bush. leaves 4 of 38 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zaida: 4 of 38.
Zaida was in the same row as the grandfather clock. leaves 1 of 38 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zaida: 1 of 38.
Estela was somewhere east of the Colonel.
Hilda was in the same column as the chest. leaves 4 of 38 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Hilda: 4 of 38.
Hilda was in the arbor or in the terrace. leaves 2 of 38 squares
Xavier was in the same row as a window. leaves 6 of 38 squares
Xavier was in the apiary or in the terrace. leaves 1 of 38 squares

Show the squares Simon had left

The squares still open to Simon once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 38.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Oscar can only be in Arbor (row 2, column 5) — down from 6 possible squares.
Simon can only be in Potting shed (row 6, column 1) — down from 2 possible squares.
Estela can only be in Orchid room (row 5, column 7) — down from 38 possible squares.
Hilda can only be in Terrace (row 1, column 6) — down from 2 possible squares.
Nico can only be in Apiary (row 3, column 2) — down from 38 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Medium — The Repair Shop

A 7×7 grid across 6 rooms: Pit Lane, Office, Paint Booth, Yard, Waiting Room, Repair Bay. Twelve statements, fourteen 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.

Cracked by 20 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. CA — cabinet · CO — computer · CR — car · CT — crate · F — floor lamp · O — oil slick (square stays free) · P — potted plant · R — radio · T — television · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Julia was somewhere north of Milo.
Julia was in the same column as the television. leaves 4 of 37 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julia: 4 of 37.
Julia was in the office or in the paint booth. leaves 3 of 37 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julia: 3 of 37.
Ursula was somewhere east of the Butler.
Gaspar was somewhere west of Hilda.
Gaspar was in the same room as Milo.
Gaspar was beside the floor lamp. leaves 2 of 37 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gaspar: 2 of 37.
Gaspar was somewhere east of the Chef.
Selma was in the same column as the car. leaves 5 of 37 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Selma: 5 of 37.
Selma was in row 6. leaves 1 of 37 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Selma: 1 of 37.
Milo was in the paint booth or in the yard. leaves 16 of 37 squares
Hilda was in the office or in the repair bay. leaves 11 of 37 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Hilda: 11 of 37.

Show the squares Gaspar had left

The squares still open to Gaspar once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 37.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Julia can only be in Paint Booth (row 2, column 3) — down from 3 possible squares.
Ursula can only be in Yard (row 1, column 5) — down from 37 possible squares.
Gaspar can only be in Yard (row 3, column 6) — down from 2 possible squares.
Zaida can only be in Office (row 7, column 2) — down from 37 possible squares.
Milo can only be in Yard (row 4, column 4) — down from 16 possible squares.
Hilda can only be in Repair Bay (row 5, column 7) — down from 11 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Selma, in Office (row 6, column 1).

Show the solved board

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

Hard — The Royal Greenhouse

An 8×8 grid across 7 rooms: Palm house, Seed bank, Shed, Potting shed, Orchid room, Arbor, Fountain. Eleven statements, sixteen 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 7 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) · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · CL — clock · CR — crate · D — desk · FL — floor lamp · FO — flower bush · P — potted plant · 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.

Nico was in the same row as the carpet. leaves 8 of 52 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nico: 8 of 52.
Nico was in the same column as the sofa. leaves 2 of 52 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nico: 2 of 52.
Marco was all alone in a room.
Marco was somewhere south of the Chauffeur.
Kurt was in the same room as the Journalist.
Kurt was exactly 4 columns west of the Professor.
Greta was in the same room as Leo.
Tesa was in the same row as the window. leaves 7 of 52 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tesa: 7 of 52.
Leo was somewhere east of the Butler.
Beatrix was somewhere east of the Magician.
Beatrix was exactly 1 row north of Marco.

Show the squares Nico had left

The squares still open to Nico once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 52.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 111 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Marco stood in Shed (row 3, column 7), Greta would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Zaida stood in Orchid room (row 1, column 1), Kurt would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Kurt in Shed (row 1, column 3) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Greta in Shed (row 2, column 7) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 107 squares fell the same way.

Nico can only be in Fountain (row 4, column 5) — down from 2 possible squares.
Marco can only be in Palm house (row 6, column 3) — down from 2 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Hard · time attack — The Hiking Trip

An 8×8 grid across 6 rooms: Trailhead, Campsite, Ranger Station, Overlook, Summit, Cave. Ten statements, fifteen squares nobody could stand on, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

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.

Dora was in the same row as the campfire. leaves 4 of 49 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Dora: 4 of 49.
Abel was exactly 2 rows north of the Colonel.
Abel was in the same column as the tree. leaves 6 of 49 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Abel: 6 of 49.
Julia was in the same column as the crate. leaves 5 of 49 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julia: 5 of 49.
Julia was somewhere east of Wren.
Wren was somewhere west of the Colonel.
Rita was in the same row as the boulder. leaves 7 of 49 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Rita: 7 of 49.
Rita was exactly 2 columns east of Enzo.
Helena was somewhere east of Rita.
Enzo was all alone in a room.

Show the squares Dora had left

The squares still open to Dora once their own statements are taken into account — 4 of 49.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Julia can only be in Trailhead (row 1, column 3) — down from 5 possible squares.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 63 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Abel stood in Ranger Station (row 3, column 6), Rita would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Quentin stood in Trailhead (row 2, column 5), Rita would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Wren in Campsite (row 2, column 1) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Rita in Trailhead (row 3, column 4) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 59 squares fell the same way.

Dora can only be in Campsite (row 7, column 1) — down from 4 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Expert — The Golf Course

A 9×9 grid across 8 rooms: Fairway, Tee Box, Green, Clubhouse, Pro Shop, Water Hazard, Rough, Bunker. Fifteen statements, 21 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; the accusation also demands the motive, not just the name.

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) · BE — bench · BO — boulder · D — desk · FL — flag (square stays free) · FO — flower bush · G — golf tee (square stays free) · 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.

Pablo was beside a desk. if true, leaves 5 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Pablo: 5 of 66.
Julian was in the same column as the flower bush. if true, leaves 7 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julian: 7 of 66.
Hilda was in the same row as the golf tee. if true, leaves 59 of 66
Hilda was in the pro shop or in the rough. if true, leaves 39 of 66
Tristan was on a flag. if true, leaves 2 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tristan: 2 of 66.
Tristan was not beside the flower bush. if true, leaves 1 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tristan: 1 of 66.
Irene was in the same column as the tree. if true, leaves 7 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Irene: 7 of 66.
Walter was in the same row as a bench. if true, leaves 13 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Walter: 13 of 66.
Walter was not beside a bench. if true, leaves 12 of 66
Clara was not touching the outer wall. if true, leaves 40 of 66
Clara was in the clubhouse or in the sand bunker. if true, leaves 7 of 66
Rosa was in row 4. if true, leaves 9 of 66
Rosa was in the same column as the golf tee. if true, leaves 1 of 66
Exactly 2 people were in the rough.
Exactly 2 people were in the fairway.

Show the squares Pablo had left

The squares still open to Pablo once their own statements are taken into account — 5 of 66.

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 Pablo were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Felix 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 Tristan were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.

Another 4 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Hilda actually told you:

Hilda was NOT in the same row as the golf tee.
Hilda was in neither the pro shop nor the rough.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Pablo can only be in Pro Shop (row 6, column 7) — down from 5 possible squares.
Felix can only be in Fairway (row 8, column 8) — down from 66 possible squares.
Julian can only be in Rough (row 5, column 4) — down from 7 possible squares.
Hilda can only be in Fairway (row 1, column 9) — down from 39 possible squares.
Irene can only be in Rough (row 3, column 3) — down from 7 possible squares.
Walter can only be in Tee Box (row 7, column 1) — down from 12 possible squares.
Clara can only be in Clubhouse (row 2, column 6) — down from 7 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.

Rosa's motive would have been debts.
Julian's motive would have been blackmail.
Walter's motive would have been buried secrets.
Clara's motive would have been inheritance.
Pablo's motive would have been obsession.
Hilda was not driven by ambition.
Hilda was not driven by jealousy.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Hilda, in Fairway (row 1, column 9). Hilda lied throughout and was never charged.

The only motive left standing for Hilda is revenge.

Show the solved board

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

Expert · time attack — The Golf Course

A 9×9 grid across 8 rooms: Clubhouse, Fairway, Rough, Bunker, Water Hazard, Green, Cart Path, Tee Box. Fourteen statements, 21 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. A — armchair (square stays free) · BE — bench · BO — boulder · D — desk · FL — flag (square stays free) · FO — flower bush · GL — golf tee (square stays free) · GO — golf cart · P — painting (square stays free) · 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.

Tobias was in the sand bunker or in the green. if true, leaves 16 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tobias: 16 of 66.
Nadia was in the same row as a bench. if true, leaves 13 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nadia: 13 of 66.
Nadia was in the same column as a boulder. if true, leaves 1 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nadia: 1 of 66.
Wanda was beside the tree. if true, leaves 2 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 2 of 66.
Octavio was in the same row as the desk. if true, leaves 6 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Octavio: 6 of 66.
Quentin was not beside a bench. if true, leaves 63 of 66
Quentin was in the same row as the armchair. if true, leaves 4 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Quentin: 4 of 66.
Quentin was in the same column as the painting. if true, leaves 1 of 66
Irene was in the same column as the painting. if true, leaves 57 of 66
Irene was in the same row as a shrub. if true, leaves 46 of 66
Paloma was in the same column as the armchair. if true, leaves 8 of 66
Paloma was in the same row as a boulder. if true, leaves 2 of 66
Conrad was in the same column as the golf tee. if true, leaves 7 of 66
Exactly 2 people were in the fairway.

Show the squares Wanda had left

The squares still open to Wanda once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 66.

Unmasking the liar

If Tobias were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Nadia were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Rosa were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Wanda were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.

Another 4 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Irene actually told you:

Irene was NOT in the same column as the painting.
Irene was NOT in the same row 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:

Tobias can only be in Green (row 2, column 1) — down from 16 possible squares.
Rosa can only be in Fairway (row 8, column 7) — down from 66 possible squares.
Wanda can only be in Tee Box (row 5, column 6) — down from 2 possible squares.
Octavio can only be in Water Hazard (row 3, column 3) — down from 6 possible squares.
Irene can only be in Fairway (row 9, column 5) — down from 46 possible squares.
Paloma can only be in Tee Box (row 4, column 9) — down from 2 possible squares.
Conrad can only be in Rough (row 1, column 2) — down from 7 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

The only arrangement the testimony allows. Irene 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 standard investigations for 21 August 2026 began aboard The Steamship Aurora, where a guest detective logged the quickest time of 0m 30s with 40 solves from 122 plays. A guest detective also claimed the top times for The Bunker in 0m 52s, The Repair Shop in 3m 14s, and The Royal Greenhouse in 7m 18s. At The Golf Course, an 8-room case introduced both a liar and a motive requirement, solved 3 times with Dirk_M leading the field in 9m 01s.

The time attack board offered brisk work before turning quiet. A guest detective swept the early clocks, finishing The Art School in 0m 22s, The Old Observatory in 0m 25s, and a 7x7 layout of The Royal Greenhouse in 3m 54s. The steeper trials resisted the clock entirely: The Hiking Trip saw 2 attempts and 0 solves, while the 9x9 investigation at The Golf Course, featuring a liar, recorded 0 plays.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: a guest detective — 0m 30s · Easy: a guest detective — 0m 52s · Medium: a guest detective — 3m 14s · Hard: a guest detective — 7m 18s · Expert: Dirk_M — 9m 01s · Beginner · time attack: a guest detective — 0m 22s · Easy · time attack: a guest detective — 0m 25s · Medium · time attack: a guest detective — 3m 54s

The solutions

The solved boards — spoilers for every case of 21 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 Steamship Aurora

40 detectives put Gaspar (colonel) away before the day was out.

Easy — The Bunker

Greta (doctor) is in custody — the case was closed by 30 detectives.

Medium — The Repair Shop

Selma (professor) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 17 detectives.

Hard — The Royal Greenhouse

Nico (magician) was named and charged; 6 detectives closed this one.

Expert — The Golf Course

The cell door shut on Hilda (professor), on the evidence of 3 detectives. The motive — revenge — was proved along with the name. Hilda lied for them and was never charged.

Beginner · time attack — The Art School

6 detectives put Walter (butler) away before the day was out.

Easy · time attack — The Old Observatory

Elena (chef) is in custody — the case was closed by 8 detectives.

Medium · time attack — The Royal Greenhouse

Xavier (chauffeur) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 3 detectives.

Hard · time attack — The Hiking Trip

Julia (chef) was never charged — the day produced no conviction. A berth on the sleeper train was booked that evening under a name nobody recognized.

Expert · time attack — The Golf Course

Irene (journalist) walked free: nobody closed this case. The harbormaster remembers a late rowboat and no lantern. Irene lied for them and was never charged.

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Every day's cases — the calendar · ← the cases for 20 August

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