Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 30 August 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-08-30 — 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 3 rooms: Sunroom, Patio, Backyard. Seven statements, five squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

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.

The testimony

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

Alistair was in the backyard. leaves 11 of 23 squares
Alistair was in column 4. leaves 2 of 23 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Alistair: 2 of 23.
Hilda was in the backyard. leaves 11 of 23 squares
Marina was in the leftmost column. leaves 5 of 23 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Marina: 5 of 23.
Marina was in the top row. leaves 1 of 23 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Marina: 1 of 23.
Elias was in the sunroom. leaves 7 of 23 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Elias: 7 of 23.
Elias was in row 4. leaves 2 of 23 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Elias: 2 of 23.

Show the squares Alistair had left

The squares still open to Alistair once their own statements are taken into account — 2 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:

Alistair can only be in Backyard (row 2, column 4) — down from 2 possible squares.
Hilda can only be in Backyard (row 3, column 2) — down from 11 possible squares.
Elias can only be in Sunroom (row 4, column 5) — down from 2 possible squares.
Nico can only be in Sunroom (row 5, column 3) — down from 23 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Beginner · time attack — The Theatre Royal

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

Cracked by one detective so far.

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

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

The testimony

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

Lidia was in column 4. leaves 4 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Lidia: 4 of 21.
Ivan was in the top row. leaves 4 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ivan: 4 of 21.
Wilfred was in the office. leaves 7 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wilfred: 7 of 21.
Wilfred was in row 2. leaves 3 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wilfred: 3 of 21.
Estela was in row 4. leaves 3 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Estela: 3 of 21.
Estela was in the rightmost column. leaves 1 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Estela: 1 of 21.

Show the squares Wilfred had left

The squares still open to Wilfred once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 21.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Lidia can only be in Wings (row 5, column 4) — down from 4 possible squares.
Ivan can only be in Pit (row 1, column 2) — down from 4 possible squares.
Jimena can only be in Pit (row 3, column 1) — down from 21 possible squares.
Wilfred can only be in Office (row 2, column 3) — down from 3 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Ivan, in Pit (row 1, column 2).

Show the solved board

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

Easy — The Old Observatory

A 6×6 grid across 4 rooms: Archive, Lounge, Office, Dome. Seven statements, eleven squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

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.

The testimony

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

Nadia was beside the carpet. leaves 3 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nadia: 3 of 28.
Nadia was in row 2. leaves 1 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nadia: 1 of 28.
Beatrix was in the archive. leaves 7 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 7 of 28.
Katia was in the bottom row. leaves 3 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Katia: 3 of 28.
Katia was beside the bookshelf. leaves 2 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Katia: 2 of 28.
Hugo was beside the bookshelf. leaves 3 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Hugo: 3 of 28.
Ruben was beside the crate. leaves 1 of 28 squares

Show the squares Katia had left

The squares still open to Katia once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 28.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Beatrix can only be in Archive (row 3, column 6) — down from 7 possible squares.
Katia can only be in Dome (row 6, column 5) — down from 2 possible squares.
Julian can only be in Office (row 4, column 2) — down from 28 possible squares.
Hugo can only be in Dome (row 5, column 4) — down from 3 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Easy · time attack — The Theatre Royal

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Office, Pit, Stage, Foyer, Wings. Eight statements, eight squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by one detective so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. A — armchair (square stays free) · C — crate · D — desk · F — floor lamp · H — harp · P — piano · 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.

Irene was in row 2. leaves 4 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Irene: 4 of 31.
Irene was in column 3. leaves 1 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Irene: 1 of 31.
Tamara was in the wings. leaves 6 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tamara: 6 of 31.
Dorian was beside the sofa. leaves 3 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Dorian: 3 of 31.
Luna was in the rightmost column. leaves 5 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Luna: 5 of 31.
Vasco was beside the sofa. leaves 3 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Vasco: 3 of 31.
Vasco was beside the floor lamp. leaves 1 of 31 squares
Nobody was in the orchestra pit.

Show the squares Dorian had left

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

Tamara can only be in Wings (row 4, column 1) — down from 6 possible squares.
Dorian can only be in Foyer (row 6, column 2) — down from 3 possible squares.
Luna can only be in Stage (row 3, column 6) — down from 5 possible squares.
Jimena can only be in Stage (row 1, column 5) — down from 31 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Medium · time attack — The Hotel Meridian

A 7×7 grid across 5 rooms: Gallery, Suite, Cellar, Terrace, Lobby. Nine statements, thirteen squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by one detective so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. 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 · M — mirror (square stays free) · PI — piano · PO — potted plant · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Rita was in the same column as the chest. leaves 4 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Rita: 4 of 41.
Rita was in the same row as the mirror. leaves 1 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Rita: 1 of 41.
Wanda was in the same room as Gaspar.
Luna was beside the floor lamp. leaves 2 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Luna: 2 of 41.
Gaspar was beside the grandfather clock. leaves 3 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gaspar: 3 of 41.
Gaspar was on the carpet. leaves 1 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gaspar: 1 of 41.
Ines was in the suite or in the lobby. leaves 15 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ines: 15 of 41.
Ines was in the same row as the window. leaves 6 of 41 squares
Percy was on the carpet. leaves 4 of 41 squares

Show the squares Luna had left

The squares still open to Luna once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 41.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Wanda can only be in Cellar (row 5, column 6) — down from 41 possible squares.
Luna can only be in Gallery (row 4, column 3) — down from 2 possible squares.
Ines can only be in Lobby (row 2, column 7) — down from 6 possible squares.
Conrad can only be in Terrace (row 3, column 2) — down from 41 possible squares.
Percy can only be in Cellar (row 6, column 5) — down from 4 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Medium — The Old Observatory

A 7×7 grid across 5 rooms: Archive, Workshop, Dome, Lounge, Library. Nine statements, fourteen squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

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.

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 · CR — crate · D — desk · F — floor lamp · G — grandfather clock · P — potted plant · S — statue · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Dante was in the same column as the statue. leaves 5 of 38 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Dante: 5 of 38.
Dante was in the northern half of the scene. leaves 2 of 38 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Dante: 2 of 38.
Dante was in the same row as the carpet. leaves 1 of 38 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Dante: 1 of 38.
Zeno was beside a window. leaves 3 of 38 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 3 of 38.
Tamara was in the same room as Luna.
Tamara was in the same column as the carpet. leaves 11 of 38 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tamara: 11 of 38.
Xavier was in the workshop or in the telescope dome. leaves 9 of 38 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Xavier: 9 of 38.
Ursula was beside the potted plant. leaves 3 of 38 squares
Luna was in the archive or in the workshop. leaves 18 of 38 squares

Show the squares Zeno had left

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

Zeno can only be in Dome (row 1, column 7) — down from 3 possible squares.
Tamara can only be in Archive (row 7, column 6) — down from 11 possible squares.
Xavier can only be in Workshop (row 6, column 5) — down from 9 possible squares.
Simon can only be in Library (row 5, column 2) — down from 38 possible squares.
Ursula can only be in Archive (row 2, column 3) — down from 3 possible squares.
Luna can only be in Archive (row 4, column 4) — down from 18 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Hard — The Mystery Island

A 10×8 grid across 6 rooms: Lagoon, Dock, Cliffs, Cave, Lookout, Beach. Twelve statements, fourteen squares nobody could stand on, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

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.

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 — bench · BO — boulder · CA — campfire · CH — chest · CO — crocodile · CR — crate · F — floor lamp · P — palm tree · S — shrub · T — tent

The testimony

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

Victor was exactly 5 rows north of Enzo.
Ines was in the same column as the chest. leaves 7 of 65 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ines: 7 of 65.
Dora was exactly 2 columns east of Victor.
Dora was in the same room as the Chauffeur.
Dora was exactly 4 rows north of the Chef.
Alistair was in the same column as the crocodile. leaves 11 of 65 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Alistair: 11 of 65.
Ulises was in the rightmost column. leaves 6 of 65 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ulises: 6 of 65.
Enzo was somewhere north of Ulises.
Enzo was in the same column as the bench. leaves 5 of 65 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Enzo: 5 of 65.
Enzo was exactly 4 rows south of Petra.
Petra was all alone in a room.
Nobody was in the cave.

Show the squares Enzo had left

The squares still open to Enzo once their own statements are taken into account — 5 of 65.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Ulises can only be in Cliffs (row 8, column 10) — down from 6 possible squares.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 60 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Hugo stood in Beach (row 1, column 3), Enzo would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Victor in Beach (row 1, column 3) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Ines in Cliffs (row 6, column 9) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Had Dora stood in Dock (row 1, column 8), Enzo would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 56 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Ines, in Lagoon (row 5, column 9).

Show the solved board

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

Hard · time attack — A Walk in the Park

An 8×8 grid across 7 rooms: Kiosk, Duck pond, Path, Picnic area, Lawn, Rose garden, Playground. Eleven statements, fourteen squares nobody could stand on, almost as many rooms as suspects, so a room claim nearly names a square, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

Cracked by one detective so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. BE — bench · BO — boulder · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CR — crate · FL — floor lamp · FO — flower bush · FU — fountain · S — shrub · T — tree · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Yago was in the same room as the Chauffeur.
Yago was in the same row as the tree. leaves 6 of 52 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Yago: 6 of 52.
Zaida was all alone in a room.
Zaida was exactly 1 column west of Nestor.
Beatrix was in the same row as a flower bush. leaves 13 of 52 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 13 of 52.
Beatrix was exactly 1 row north of the Curator.
Pablo was exactly 2 columns west of Beatrix.
Margot was in the same row as the shrub. leaves 7 of 52 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Margot: 7 of 52.
Margot was exactly 4 columns west of Zaida.
Dorian was exactly 4 columns east of the Gardener.
Nestor was in the same row as the fountain. leaves 5 of 52 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 5 of 52.

Show the squares Nestor had left

The squares still open to Nestor once their own statements are taken into account — 5 of 52.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 53 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Yago stood in Playground (row 8, column 6), Beatrix would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Zaida stood in Lawn (row 1, column 7), Nestor would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Beatrix stood in Rose garden (row 4, column 4), Pablo would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Pablo stood in Duck pond (row 2, column 1), Nestor would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 49 squares fell the same way.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Expert — Movie Night

A 9×9 grid across 7 rooms: Living room, Balcony, Hallway, Kitchen, Study, TV Den, Pantry. Eighteen statements, twelve squares nobody could stand on, and two rounds of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry — and one of the nine was lying throughout.

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

Cracked by 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 · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CO — computer · F — floor lamp · P — potted plant · R — radio · S — sofa (square stays free) · T — television · 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.

Gordon was in the same row as the bookshelf. if true, leaves 8 of 73
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gordon: 8 of 73.
Marina was in the same row as a floor lamp. if true, leaves 14 of 73
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Marina: 14 of 73.
Marina was in the same column as the radio. if true, leaves 2 of 73
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Marina: 2 of 73.
Clara was in the same row as a television. if true, leaves 15 of 73
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Clara: 15 of 73.
Clara was somewhere east of the Curator.
Nadia was in the same row as the potted plant. if true, leaves 66 of 73
Nadia was somewhere west of the Doctor.
Nadia was somewhere west of the Butler.
Quentin was in the southern half of the scene. if true, leaves 34 of 73
Quentin was in the same column as the potted plant. if true, leaves 4 of 73
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Quentin: 4 of 73.
Vera was in the same row as the computer. if true, leaves 8 of 73
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Vera: 8 of 73.
Vera was in the same column as the window. if true, leaves 1 of 73
Fabio was in the same row as the radio. if true, leaves 8 of 73
Fabio was somewhere west of Boris.
Boris was in the same row as the sofa. if true, leaves 7 of 73
Exactly 2 people were in the balcony.
Exactly 2 people were in the hallway.
Exactly 2 people were in the study.

Show the squares Marina had left

The squares still open to Marina once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 73.

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 Oscar were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Gordon were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Marina were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Clara were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.

Another 4 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Nadia actually told you:

Nadia was NOT in the same row as the potted plant.
Nadia was NOT west of the Doctor.
Nadia was NOT west of the Butler.

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.

Had Oscar stood in Living room (row 2, column 3), Quentin would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Gordon stood in Study (row 8, column 3), Quentin would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Marina stood in Pantry (row 2, column 8), Boris would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Clara stood in Living room (row 2, column 3), Quentin would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 85 squares fell the same way.

Oscar can only be in Balcony (row 5, column 7) — down from 4 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.

Vera's motive would have been debts.
Fabio's motive would have been inheritance.
Nadia's motive would have been revenge.
Clara's motive would have been jealousy.
Gordon's motive would have been blackmail.
Marina was not driven by ambition.
Whoever did it was not driven by buried secrets.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Marina, in Balcony (row 3, column 8). Nadia lied throughout and was never charged.

The only motive left standing for Marina is obsession.

Show the solved board

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

Expert · time attack — Blackbriar Manor

A 9×9 grid across 8 rooms: Gallery, Study, Lounge, Library, Foyer, Ballroom, Kitchen, Cellar. Eighteen statements, twenty 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 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. A — armchair (square stays free) · B — bookshelf · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · CL — clock · F — floor lamp · H — harp · PA — painting (square stays free) · PI — piano · PO — potted plant · SO — sofa (square stays free) · ST — statue · SV — stove · 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.

Sol was in the same row as a window. if true, leaves 15 of 67
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Sol: 15 of 67.
Sol was somewhere east of the Doctor.
Sol was somewhere north of Wren.
Gilda was in the same column as the harp. if true, leaves 7 of 67
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gilda: 7 of 67.
Gilda was somewhere east of the Butler.
Gilda was in the same row as the carpet. if true, leaves 2 of 67
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gilda: 2 of 67.
Zeno was somewhere south of the Butler.
Victor was in the same column as the bookshelf. if true, leaves 8 of 67
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Victor: 8 of 67.
Victor was somewhere east of the Doctor.
Victor was not beside the sofa. if true, leaves 7 of 67
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Victor: 7 of 67.
Wren was somewhere north of the Colonel.
Wren was somewhere north of the Chauffeur.
Ulises was somewhere south of Victor.
Dante was somewhere west of the Gardener.
Ada was in the same row as the piano. if true, leaves 6 of 67
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ada: 6 of 67.
Exactly 2 people were in the study.
Exactly 2 people were in the lounge.
Exactly 2 people were in the foyer.

Show the squares Gilda had left

The squares still open to Gilda once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 67.

Unmasking the liar

If Sol were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Gilda were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Julia were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Zeno were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.

Another 4 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Wren actually told you:

Wren was NOT north of the Colonel.
Wren was NOT north of the Chauffeur.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 193 eliminations across 2 rounds of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Sol stood in Cellar (row 3, column 8), Victor would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Julia stood in Study (row 1, column 1), Ulises would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Zeno stood in Ballroom (row 3, column 2), Gilda would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Wren stood in Ballroom (row 4, column 2), Gilda would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 189 squares fell the same way.

Sol can only be in Foyer (row 3, column 5) — down from 7 possible squares.
Gilda can only be in Gallery (row 5, column 2) — down from 2 possible squares.
Julia can only be in Foyer (row 6, column 6) — down from 14 possible squares.
Zeno can only be in Kitchen (row 8, column 7) — down from 8 possible squares.
Wren can only be in Lounge (row 9, column 9) — down from 4 possible squares.
Ulises can only be in Library (row 7, column 1) — down from 2 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.

Dante's motive would have been revenge.
Zeno's motive would have been inheritance.
Wren's motive would have been debts.
Ada's motive would have been jealousy.
Ulises's motive would have been buried secrets.
Sol was not driven by obsession.
Whoever did it was not driven by ambition.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Sol, in Foyer (row 3, column 5). Wren lied throughout and was never charged.

The only motive left standing for Sol is blackmail.

Show the solved board

The only arrangement the testimony allows. Sol 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 day's standard docket opened in The Backyard Garden, where chentian cleared the 5x5 grounds in twelve seconds. From there, investigations moved to The Old Observatory, which hosted both the easy case—also taken by chentian in sixteen seconds—and the medium grid, solved by a guest detective in forty-nine seconds. The Mystery Island offered a broad 10x8 puzzle that saw justa post the best time of one minute and two seconds, before the standard slate concluded with Movie Night. That expert affair introduced both a liar and a required motive, though justa untangled the seven-room board in three minutes and eleven seconds.

Against the clock, chentian claimed the fastest marks across all five scenes. Quick runs through The Theatre Royal took thirteen seconds on the beginner board and twenty-two seconds on the easy layout. A seven-by-seven search through The Hotel Meridian was wrapped up in twenty-six seconds, followed by a slower, deliberate five minutes and three seconds spent navigating A Walk in the Park. The final challenge came at Blackbriar Manor, an expert 9x9 mystery featuring eight rooms, a deceitful witness, and an essential motive, which chentian resolved in four minutes and twenty-eight seconds.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: chentian — 0m 12s · Easy: chentian — 0m 16s · Medium: a guest detective — 0m 49s · Hard: justa — 1m 02s · Expert: justa — 3m 11s · Beginner · time attack: chentian — 0m 13s · Easy · time attack: chentian — 0m 22s · Medium · time attack: chentian — 0m 26s · Hard · time attack: chentian — 5m 03s · Expert · time attack: chentian — 4m 28s

The solutions

The solved boards — spoilers for every case of 30 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

The cell door shut on Elias (colonel), on the evidence of 8 detectives.

Easy — The Old Observatory

7 detectives put Nadia (professor) away before the day was out.

Medium — The Old Observatory

Dante (magician) is in custody — the case was closed by 6 detectives.

Hard — The Mystery Island

Ines (chef) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 5 detectives.

Expert — Movie Night

Marina (doctor) was named and charged; 4 detectives closed this one. The motive — obsession — was proved along with the name. Nadia lied for them and was never charged.

Beginner · time attack — The Theatre Royal

The cell door shut on Ivan (colonel), on the evidence of one detective.

Easy · time attack — The Theatre Royal

one detective put Luna (chef) away before the day was out.

Medium · time attack — The Hotel Meridian

Rita (doctor) is in custody — the case was closed by one detective.

Hard · time attack — A Walk in the Park

Dorian (curator) ended the day behind bars — convicted by one detective.

Expert · time attack — Blackbriar Manor

Sol (gardener) was named and charged; one detective closed this one. The motive — blackmail — was proved along with the name. Wren lied for them and was never charged.

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Every day's cases — the calendar · ← the cases for 29 August

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