Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 9 September 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-09-09 — 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 — Movie Night

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: TV Den, Guest Room, Study. Seven statements, seven squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

Cracked by 9 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 — computer · F — floor lamp · R — radio · T — television · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Milo was in column 3. leaves 4 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    RATCFWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Milo: 4 of 21.
  2. Milo was in the bottom row. leaves 1 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    RATCFWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Milo: 1 of 21.
  3. Rufus was in row 2. leaves 4 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    RATCFWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Rufus: 4 of 21.
  4. Rufus was in column 2. leaves 1 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    RATCFWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Rufus: 1 of 21.
  5. Irene was in the guest room. leaves 8 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    RATCFWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Irene: 8 of 21.
  6. Irene was in row 3. leaves 2 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    RATCFWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Irene: 2 of 21.
  7. Walter was in the study. leaves 4 of 21 squares
Show the squares Irene had left
RATCFWW
The squares still open to Irene once their own statements are taken into account — 2 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:

The answer

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

Show the solved board
RATCFWWMR✕IW
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Milo is ringed in red.

Beginner · time attack — Movie Night

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: TV Den, Kitchen, Living room. Six statements, six squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 3 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. B — bookshelf · C — carpet (square stays free) · R — radio · 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.

  1. Wren was in the bottom row. leaves 4 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    RCBSBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Wren: 4 of 22.
  2. Wren was in column 4. leaves 1 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    RCBSBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Wren: 1 of 22.
  3. Gilda was in the TV den. leaves 9 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    RCBSBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Gilda: 9 of 22.
  4. Gilda was in column 3. leaves 2 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    RCBSBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Gilda: 2 of 22.
  5. Abel was in column 2. leaves 5 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    RCBSBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Abel: 5 of 22.
  6. Delia was in the TV den. leaves 9 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    RCBSBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Delia: 9 of 22.
Show the squares Gilda had left
RCBSBW
The squares still open to Gilda once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 22.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

The answer

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

Show the solved board
RCBSBWWGAD✕
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Abel is ringed in red.

Easy — Movie Night

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Study, Guest Room, Living room, TV Den, Pantry. Six statements, nine squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 9 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 — computer · F — floor lamp · 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.

  1. Ximena was in the guest room. leaves 5 of 30 squares
    Show it on the board
    RABCTFPWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Ximena: 5 of 30.
  2. Gordon was in column 2. leaves 5 of 30 squares
    Show it on the board
    RABCTFPWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Gordon: 5 of 30.
  3. Julian was beside a window. leaves 2 of 30 squares
    Show it on the board
    RABCTFPWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Julian: 2 of 30.
  4. Sol was beside the bookshelf. leaves 3 of 30 squares
    Show it on the board
    RABCTFPWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Sol: 3 of 30.
  5. Vera was in the pantry. leaves 4 of 30 squares
    Show it on the board
    RABCTFPWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Vera: 4 of 30.
  6. Nobody was in the living room.
Show the squares Julian had left
RABCTFPWW
The squares still open to Julian once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 30.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

The answer

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

Show the solved board
RABCTFPWW✕XGJSV
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Gordon is ringed in red.

Easy · time attack — Movie Night

A 6×6 grid across 4 rooms: Laundry, Living room, Hallway, Study. Seven statements, nine squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 3 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. A — armchair (square stays free) · B — bookshelf · C — computer · F — floor lamp · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · R — radio · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Nestor was in the top row. leaves 6 of 30 squares
    Show it on the board
    FCPORABPOWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 6 of 30.
  2. Nestor was in the leftmost column. leaves 1 of 30 squares
    Show it on the board
    FCPORABPOWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 1 of 30.
  3. Lidia was beside the armchair. leaves 2 of 30 squares
    Show it on the board
    FCPORABPOWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Lidia: 2 of 30.
  4. Flora was in the hallway. leaves 12 of 30 squares
    Show it on the board
    FCPORABPOWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Flora: 12 of 30.
  5. Flora was in row 3. leaves 2 of 30 squares
    Show it on the board
    FCPORABPOWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Flora: 2 of 30.
  6. Marina was beside the radio. leaves 2 of 30 squares
    Show it on the board
    FCPORABPOWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Marina: 2 of 30.
  7. Wilfred was beside the computer. leaves 2 of 30 squares
Show the squares Lidia had left
FCPORABPOWPA
The squares still open to Lidia once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 30.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Lidia, in Study (row 6, column 5).

Show the solved board
FCPORABPOWPANLFMW✕
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Lidia is ringed in red.

Medium · time attack — Movie Night

An 8×7 grid across 5 rooms: Hallway, Kitchen, Laundry, Living room, TV Den. Nine statements, fourteen squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 3 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. A — armchair (square stays free) · B — bookshelf · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CO — computer · F — floor lamp · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · R — radio · S — sofa (square stays free) · T — television · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Zeno was in the same row as the television. leaves 6 of 47 squares
    Show it on the board
    ASCABFRCOTFCOPORWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 6 of 47.
  2. Zeno was in the same column as the bookshelf. leaves 1 of 47 squares
    Show it on the board
    ASCABFRCOTFCOPORWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 1 of 47.
  3. Wilfred was beside the painting. leaves 1 of 47 squares
    Show it on the board
    ASCABFRCOTFCOPORWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Wilfred: 1 of 47.
  4. Lidia was in the same room as Felix.
  5. Felix was in the eastern half of the scene. leaves 21 of 47 squares
  6. Alma was in the laundry or in the TV den. leaves 17 of 47 squares
    Show it on the board
    ASCABFRCOTFCOPORWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Alma: 17 of 47.
  7. Alma was somewhere south of Wilfred.
  8. Quentin was in the same column as the carpet. leaves 6 of 47 squares
    Show it on the board
    ASCABFRCOTFCOPORWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Quentin: 6 of 47.
  9. Quentin was beside the armchair. leaves 1 of 47 squares
    Show it on the board
    ASCABFRCOTFCOPORWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Quentin: 1 of 47.
Show the squares Alma had left
ASCABFRCOTFCOPORWPA
The squares still open to Alma once their own statements are taken into account — 17 of 47.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Alma, in TV Den (row 7, column 1).

Show the solved board
ASCABFRCOTFCOPORWPAZWLFA✕Q
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Alma is ringed in red.

Medium — Movie Night

A 7×7 grid across 6 rooms: Hallway, Balcony, Pantry, Guest Room, TV Den, Kitchen. Eight statements, thirteen 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 9 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, and how much of the board it rules out.

  1. Tesa was beside the radio. leaves 2 of 41 squares
    Show it on the board
    COCABATPSRFPFWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Tesa: 2 of 41.
  2. Greta was in the hallway or in the balcony. leaves 9 of 41 squares
    Show it on the board
    COCABATPSRFPFWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 9 of 41.
  3. Greta was in the same row as the armchair. leaves 2 of 41 squares
    Show it on the board
    COCABATPSRFPFWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 2 of 41.
  4. Irene was in the same room as Bruno.
  5. Irene was somewhere south of the Colonel.
  6. Selma was in the same column as the bookshelf. leaves 6 of 41 squares
    Show it on the board
    COCABATPSRFPFWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Selma: 6 of 41.
  7. Wanda was in the same row as the television. leaves 6 of 41 squares
    Show it on the board
    COCABATPSRFPFWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 6 of 41.
  8. Bruno was beside the carpet. leaves 3 of 41 squares
    Show it on the board
    COCABATPSRFPFWW
    The squares this one statement leaves Bruno: 3 of 41.
Show the squares Tesa had left
COCABATPSRFPFWW
The squares still open to Tesa 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:

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Wanda, in Kitchen (row 6, column 4).

Show the solved board
COCABATPSRFPFWWTGI✕SWB
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Wanda is ringed in red.

Hard — Movie Night

An 8×8 grid across 7 rooms: Pantry, Balcony, Laundry, Guest Room, TV Den, Kitchen, Living room. Twelve 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 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) · 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, and how much of the board it rules out.

  1. Enzo was exactly 2 columns west of Conrad.
  2. Enzo was in the same column as the television. leaves 7 of 54 squares
    Show it on the board
    RCACOPFTASBFBPCOW
    The squares this one statement leaves Enzo: 7 of 54.
  3. Enzo was in the same room as the Chauffeur.
  4. Vera was in the same column as a floor lamp. leaves 10 of 54 squares
    Show it on the board
    RCACOPFTASBFBPCOW
    The squares this one statement leaves Vera: 10 of 54.
  5. Vera was all alone in a room.
  6. Oscar was all alone in a room.
  7. Oscar was in the same row as the radio. leaves 6 of 54 squares
    Show it on the board
    RCACOPFTASBFBPCOW
    The squares this one statement leaves Oscar: 6 of 54.
  8. Hugo was in the same row as the television. leaves 6 of 54 squares
    Show it on the board
    RCACOPFTASBFBPCOW
    The squares this one statement leaves Hugo: 6 of 54.
  9. Rosa was exactly 1 column east of Gilda.
  10. Gilda was exactly 1 row south of Vera.
  11. Conrad was all alone in a room.
  12. Conrad was somewhere west of Vera.
Show the squares Oscar had left
RCACOPFTASBFBPCOW
The squares still open to Oscar once their own statements are taken into account — 6 of 54.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 28 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 24 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Rosa, in Living room (row 4, column 2).

Show the solved board
RCACOPFTASBFBPCOWEVOH✕RGC
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Rosa is ringed in red.

Hard · time attack — Movie Night

A 9×8 grid across 6 rooms: Hallway, Study, Laundry, Living room, Guest Room, TV Den. Thirteen statements, sixteen squares nobody could stand on, 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. A — armchair (square stays free) · B — bookshelf · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CO — computer · F — floor lamp · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · R — radio · S — sofa (square stays free) · T — television · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Estela was in the same room as Alma.
  2. Estela was in the same column as the potted plant. leaves 6 of 63 squares
    Show it on the board
    CATAPORSFBCOSFBRWWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Estela: 6 of 63.
  3. Estela was exactly 1 row south of Wanda.
  4. Estela was in the same room as Nico.
  5. Ximena was in the same column as the computer. leaves 7 of 63 squares
    Show it on the board
    CATAPORSFBCOSFBRWWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Ximena: 7 of 63.
  6. Rosa was in the same room as Wanda.
  7. Nico was in the same row as a sofa. leaves 32 of 63 squares
  8. Wanda was somewhere west of Alma.
  9. Octavio was in the same row as the television. leaves 8 of 63 squares
    Show it on the board
    CATAPORSFBCOSFBRWWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Octavio: 8 of 63.
  10. Octavio was somewhere east of the Professor.
  11. Octavio was in the same column as a sofa. leaves 2 of 63 squares
    Show it on the board
    CATAPORSFBCOSFBRWWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Octavio: 2 of 63.
  12. Alma was exactly 2 columns east of the Curator.
  13. Nobody was in the TV den.
Show the squares Octavio had left
CATAPORSFBCOSFBRWWPA
The squares still open to Octavio once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 63.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 154 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 150 squares fell the same way.

The answer

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

Show the solved board
CATAPORSFBCOSFBRWWPAEXRN✕WOA
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Ximena is ringed in red.

Expert — Movie Night

A 9×9 grid across 7 rooms: TV Den, Study, Pantry, Hallway, Guest Room, Laundry, Living room. Eighteen statements, eighteen 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 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) · B — bookshelf · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CO — computer · F — floor lamp · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — 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.

  1. Beatrix was in the same column as a bookshelf. if true, leaves 15 of 70
    Show it on the board
    COPOAFSTBRCASPOFCABRCOWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 15 of 70.
  2. Alistair was somewhere south of Percy.
  3. Alistair was in the same column as a bookshelf. if true, leaves 15 of 70
    Show it on the board
    COPOAFSTBRCASPOFCABRCOWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Alistair: 15 of 70.
  4. Delia was somewhere south of the Heiress.
  5. Delia was in the same column as a sofa. if true, leaves 31 of 70
  6. Delia was in the same row as the television. if true, leaves 4 of 70
    Show it on the board
    COPOAFSTBRCASPOFCABRCOWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Delia: 4 of 70.
  7. Nestor was not beside the armchair. if true, leaves 67 of 70
  8. Nestor was somewhere north of the Gardener.
  9. Jimena was somewhere east of Nestor.
  10. Jimena was in the same column as a floor lamp. if true, leaves 16 of 70
    Show it on the board
    COPOAFSTBRCASPOFCABRCOWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Jimena: 16 of 70.
  11. Percy was in the same column as a sofa. if true, leaves 31 of 70
  12. Percy was somewhere south of the Chef.
  13. Ursula was somewhere east of Beatrix.
  14. Ursula was in the same column as a floor lamp. if true, leaves 54 of 70
  15. Tristan was in the same row as a bookshelf. if true, leaves 16 of 70
    Show it on the board
    COPOAFSTBRCASPOFCABRCOWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Tristan: 16 of 70.
  16. Tristan was somewhere south of the Gardener.
  17. Exactly 3 people were in the living room.
  18. Exactly 2 people were in the guest room.
Show the squares Delia had left
COPOAFSTBRCASPOFCABRCOWPA
The squares still open to Delia once their own statements are taken into account — 4 of 70.
Unmasking the liar

One of these 9 people is the killer's accomplice, and every word they said is false — but you are not told which. Take each in turn: read their statements backwards and ask whether the rest of the testimony can still be satisfied.

Another 4 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Ursula actually told you:

  1. Ursula was NOT east of Beatrix.
  2. Ursula was NOT in the same column as a floor lamp.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 137 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 133 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. 8 motives are in play, and these statements narrow them.

  1. Tristan's motive would have been obsession.
  2. Delia's motive would have been debts.
  3. Jimena's motive would have been buried secrets.
  4. Percy's motive would have been inheritance.
  5. Beatrix's motive would have been blackmail.
  6. Ursula was not driven by ambition.
  7. Ursula was not driven by revenge.
The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Ursula, in Guest Room (row 6, column 3). Ursula lied throughout and was never charged.

The only motive left standing for Ursula is jealousy.

Show the solved board
COPOAFSTBRCASPOFCABRCOWPABADNJPU✕T
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Ursula is ringed in red.

Expert · time attack — Movie Night

A 10×9 grid across 8 rooms: Pantry, Guest Room, Study, Balcony, Living room, TV Den, Laundry, Hallway. Fourteen statements, eighteen 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.

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. A — armchair (square stays free) · B — bookshelf · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CO — computer · F — floor lamp · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · R — radio · S — sofa (square stays free) · T — television · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Enzo was exactly 4 columns east of Dorian.
  2. Enzo was exactly 3 columns east of Kaspar.
  3. Wanda was somewhere west of the Journalist.
  4. Ximena was all alone in a room.
  5. Tamara was exactly 1 row south of the Colonel.
  6. Tamara was exactly 3 columns west of the Butler.
  7. Kaspar was somewhere east of the Chef.
  8. Dorian was all alone in a room.
  9. Greta was exactly 2 rows north of the Heiress.
  10. Greta was in the same column as the bookshelf. leaves 7 of 79 squares
    Show it on the board
    SAFPOTCARCOBCOSFPORTWPAW
    The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 7 of 79.
  11. Greta was all alone in a room.
  12. Yolanda was exactly 8 rows north of the Gardener.
  13. Exactly 2 people were in the laundry.
  14. Exactly 3 people were in the hallway.
Show the squares Greta had left
SAFPOTCARCOBCOSFPORTWPAW
The squares still open to Greta once their own statements are taken into account — 7 of 79.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 166 eliminations across 2 rounds of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 162 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. 8 motives are in play, and these statements narrow them.

  1. Ximena's motive would have been revenge.
  2. Tamara's motive would have been blackmail.
  3. Wanda's motive would have been buried secrets.
  4. Greta's motive would have been debts.
  5. Dorian's motive would have been obsession.
  6. Whoever did it was not driven by jealousy.
  7. Whoever did it was not driven by inheritance.
The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Enzo, in Laundry (row 2, column 10).

The only motive left standing for Enzo is ambition.

Show the solved board
SAFPOTCARCOBCOSFPORTWPAW✕EWXTKDGY
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Enzo 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

Five Empty Chairs — One short at Movie Night: 2 saw the lie, 3 makes it stick. That is the whole margin.

All ten dockets for the day brought investigators to the Movie Night scene. On the standard boards, a guest detective claimed four of the five top marks, logging 0m 46s on the 6x6 Easy, 0m 51s on the 7x7 Medium, and 0m 40s on the 8x8 Hard. The standard 9x9 Expert board introduced both a liar and a required motive, with only two solves out of six attempts, led by a guest detective in 3m 03s. The 5x5 Beginner was taken by chentian in 0m 10s.

Across the time attack boards, chentian swept every difficulty. Quick work was made of the smaller grids, posting 0m 17s on the 5x5 Beginner, 0m 17s on the 6x6 Easy, and 0m 52s on the 8x7 Medium. The deeper assignments demanded patience: the 9x8 Hard saw a lone solve in 14m 03s, while the 10x9 Expert board, requiring a motive across its eight rooms, was solved once by chentian in 9m 45s.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: chentian — 0m 10s · Easy: a guest detective — 0m 46s · Medium: a guest detective — 0m 51s · Hard: a guest detective — 0m 40s · Expert: a guest detective — 3m 03s · Beginner · time attack: chentian — 0m 17s · Easy · time attack: chentian — 0m 17s · Medium · time attack: chentian — 0m 52s · Hard · time attack: chentian — 14m 03s · Expert · time attack: chentian — 9m 45s

The solutions

The solved boards — spoilers for every case of 9 September 2026

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

Beginner — Movie Night

MR✕IW
Milo (Gardener)Milo (gardener) was named and charged; 8 detectives closed this one.

Easy — Movie Night

✕XGJSV
Gordon (Colonel)The cell door shut on Gordon (colonel), on the evidence of 8 detectives.

Medium — Movie Night

TGI✕SWB
Wanda (Chef)8 detectives put Wanda (chef) away before the day was out.

Hard — Movie Night

EVOH✕RGC
Rosa (Journalist)Rosa (journalist) is in custody — the case was closed by 6 detectives.

Expert — Movie Night

BADNJPU✕T
Ursula (Heiress)Ursula (heiress) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 2 detectives. The motive — jealousy — was proved along with the name. Ursula lied for them and was never charged.

Beginner · time attack — Movie Night

WGAD✕
Abel (Magician)Abel (magician) was named and charged; 3 detectives closed this one.

Easy · time attack — Movie Night

NLFMW✕
Lidia (Heiress)The cell door shut on Lidia (heiress), on the evidence of 3 detectives.

Medium · time attack — Movie Night

ZWLFA✕Q
Alma (Heiress)3 detectives put Alma (heiress) away before the day was out.

Hard · time attack — Movie Night

EXRN✕WOA
Ximena (Journalist)Ximena (journalist) is in custody — the case was closed by one detective.

Expert · time attack — Movie Night

✕EWXTKDGY
Enzo (Colonel)Enzo (colonel) ended the day behind bars — convicted by one detective. The motive — ambition — was proved along with the name.

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Every day's cases — the calendar · ← the cases for 8 September

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