Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 15 September 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-09-15 — 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 Repair Shop

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Waiting Room, Repair Bay, Pit Lane. Six statements, seven squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 37 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.

Ruben was in the repair bay. leaves 6 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ruben: 6 of 21.
Ruben was in the leftmost column. leaves 2 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ruben: 2 of 21.
Selma was in the repair bay. leaves 6 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Selma: 6 of 21.
Beatrix was in row 3. leaves 5 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 5 of 21.
Tamara was in row 4. leaves 4 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tamara: 4 of 21.
Tamara was in column 4. leaves 1 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tamara: 1 of 21.

Show the squares Ruben had left

The squares still open to Ruben 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:

Ruben can only be in Repair Bay (row 1, column 1) — down from 2 possible squares.
Selma can only be in Repair Bay (row 2, column 2) — down from 6 possible squares.
Beatrix can only be in Pit Lane (row 3, column 5) — down from 5 possible squares.
Zeno can only be in Waiting Room (row 5, column 3) — down from 21 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Tamara, in Waiting Room (row 4, column 4).

Show the solved board

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

Beginner · time attack — The Repair Shop

A 5×5 grid across 4 rooms: Storeroom, Repair Bay, Car Lift, Pit Lane. Six statements, eight 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.

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 — crate · T — television · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Julian was in the storeroom. leaves 4 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julian: 4 of 20.
Felix was in the car lift. leaves 5 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Felix: 5 of 20.
Felix was in the bottom row. leaves 1 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Felix: 1 of 20.
Wanda was in the rightmost column. leaves 5 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 5 of 20.
Wanda was in the top row. leaves 1 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 1 of 20.
Delia was in the repair bay. leaves 5 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Delia: 5 of 20.

Show the squares Julian had left

The squares still open to Julian once their own statements are taken into account — 4 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:

Julian can only be in Storeroom (row 3, column 4) — down from 4 possible squares.
Delia can only be in Repair Bay (row 2, column 3) — down from 5 possible squares.
Tamara can only be in Car Lift (row 4, column 2) — down from 20 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Felix, in Car Lift (row 5, column 1).

Show the solved board

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

Easy — The Repair Shop

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Car Lift, Yard, Repair Bay, Pit Lane, Parts Room. Seven statements, ten squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 31 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 · F — floor lamp · O — oil slick (square stays free) · R — radio · T — television · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Wanda was beside the wooden chair. leaves 2 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 2 of 28.
Wanda was in row 2. leaves 1 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 1 of 28.
Horacio was in the car lift. leaves 9 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Horacio: 9 of 28.
Bianca was in the pit lane. leaves 2 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 2 of 28.
Yolanda was in the yard. leaves 4 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Yolanda: 4 of 28.
Yolanda was in the top row. leaves 1 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Yolanda: 1 of 28.
Kira was beside the television. leaves 2 of 28 squares

Show the squares Bianca had left

The squares still open to Bianca 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:

Horacio can only be in Car Lift (row 6, column 6) — down from 9 possible squares.
Xavier can only be in Repair Bay (row 4, column 5) — down from 28 possible squares.
Bianca can only be in Pit Lane (row 3, column 2) — down from 2 possible squares.
Kira can only be in Repair Bay (row 5, column 4) — down from 2 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Easy · time attack — The Repair Shop

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Pit Lane, Paint Booth, Car Lift, Storeroom, Waiting Room. Six 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. CA — cabinet · CR — car · F — floor lamp · O — oil slick (square stays free) · P — potted plant · T — television · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Julia was beside the wooden chair. leaves 1 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julia: 1 of 29.
Kurt was in column 2. leaves 5 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Kurt: 5 of 29.
Kurt was in the storeroom. leaves 3 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Kurt: 3 of 29.
Alistair was in row 3. leaves 5 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Alistair: 5 of 29.
Flora was in the paint booth. leaves 5 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Flora: 5 of 29.
Cesar was in the car lift. leaves 4 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Cesar: 4 of 29.

Show the squares Kurt had left

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

Kurt can only be in Storeroom (row 1, column 2) — down from 3 possible squares.
Alistair can only be in Pit Lane (row 3, column 4) — down from 5 possible squares.
Vasco can only be in Storeroom (row 5, column 1) — down from 29 possible squares.
Flora can only be in Paint Booth (row 6, column 6) — down from 5 possible squares.
Cesar can only be in Car Lift (row 4, column 3) — down from 4 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Medium · time attack — The Repair Shop

A 7×7 grid across 6 rooms: Paint Booth, Waiting Room, Repair Bay, Storeroom, Parts Room, Yard. 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 — and one of the seven was lying throughout.

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

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. CA — cabinet · CO — computer · CR — car · CT — crate · F — floor lamp · O — oil slick (square stays free) · P — potted plant · T — television · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

What each person said. One of these 7 is the killer's accomplice and every word they said is false — but not which one, not yet.

Zeno was beside the car. if true, leaves 4 of 38
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 4 of 38.
Zeno was in the same row as the car. if true, leaves 2 of 38
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 2 of 38.
Tristan was not touching the outer wall. if true, leaves 20 of 38
Tristan was beside the cabinet. if true, leaves 1 of 38
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tristan: 1 of 38.
Pablo was on the oil slick. if true, leaves 2 of 38
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Pablo: 2 of 38.
Pablo was in the same room as Nadia.
Pablo was in column 2. if true, leaves 1 of 38
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Pablo: 1 of 38.
Nadia was in the same column as the crate. if true, leaves 6 of 38
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nadia: 6 of 38.
Ofelia was touching the outer wall. if true, leaves 18 of 38
Ofelia was in row 4. if true, leaves 2 of 38
Rita was in the same column as the cabinet. if true, leaves 34 of 38
Rita was beside the car. if true, leaves 31 of 38

Show the squares Zeno had left

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

Unmasking the liar

One of these 7 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 Zeno were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Tristan were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Pablo were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Nadia were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.

Another 2 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Rita actually told you:

Rita was NOT in the same column as the cabinet.
Rita was NOT beside the car.

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 Paint Booth (row 1, column 4) — down from 2 possible squares.
Nadia can only be in Waiting Room (row 5, column 1) — down from 6 possible squares.
Ofelia can only be in Parts Room (row 4, column 7) — down from 2 possible squares.
Enzo can only be in Paint Booth (row 2, column 6) — down from 38 possible squares.
Rita can only be in Storeroom (row 3, column 3) — down from 31 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Zeno, in Paint Booth (row 1, column 4). Rita lied throughout and was never charged.

Show the solved board

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

Medium — The Repair Shop

A 7×7 grid across 5 rooms: Waiting Room, Parts Room, Car Lift, Office, Storeroom. Nine statements, twelve squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 27 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) · R — radio · T — television · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Ines was in the parts room. leaves 10 of 39 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ines: 10 of 39.
Elias was beside the crate. leaves 3 of 39 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Elias: 3 of 39.
Hugo was in the same row as the car. leaves 4 of 39 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Hugo: 4 of 39.
Hugo was somewhere west of the Professor.
Hugo was in the same column as the cabinet. leaves 1 of 39 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Hugo: 1 of 39.
Yago was beside the radio. leaves 2 of 39 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Yago: 2 of 39.
Yago was in the same row as the wooden chair. leaves 1 of 39 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Yago: 1 of 39.
Sofia was beside the wooden chair. leaves 3 of 39 squares
Paloma was in the waiting room or in the parts room. leaves 23 of 39 squares

Show the squares Elias had left

The squares still open to Elias once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 39.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Ines can only be in Parts Room (row 3, column 6) — down from 10 possible squares.
Elias can only be in Waiting Room (row 6, column 3) — down from 3 possible squares.
Ulises can only be in Office (row 1, column 5) — down from 39 possible squares.
Sofia can only be in Storeroom (row 4, column 7) — down from 3 possible squares.
Paloma can only be in Waiting Room (row 7, column 1) — down from 23 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Hard — The Repair Shop

An 8×8 grid across 6 rooms: Office, Paint Booth, Parts Room, Repair Bay, Pit Lane, Car Lift. Eleven statements, sixteen squares nobody could stand on, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

Cracked by 14 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 · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Bruno was somewhere north of Ximena.
Bruno was in the same column as the car. leaves 13 of 50 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Bruno: 13 of 50.
Ximena was in the same column as the wooden table. leaves 5 of 50 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ximena: 5 of 50.
Dorian was in the same room as the Doctor.
Vera was exactly 3 columns east of Dorian.
Vera was exactly 5 columns east of Wren.
Vera was all alone in a room.
Kaspar was exactly 3 rows south of the Curator.
Estela was all alone in a room.
Estela was in the same column as the potted plant. leaves 6 of 50 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Estela: 6 of 50.
Wren was in the same row as the crate. leaves 5 of 50 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wren: 5 of 50.

Show the squares Ximena had left

The squares still open to Ximena once their own statements are taken into account — 5 of 50.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Dorian can only be in Parts Room (row 6, column 3) — down from 50 possible squares.
Wren can only be in Parts Room (row 5, column 1) — down from 5 possible squares.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 32 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Bruno stood in Car Lift (row 4, column 2), Kaspar would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Tristan in Car Lift (row 1, column 2) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Ximena in Paint Booth (row 2, column 4) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Vera in Paint Booth (row 1, column 6) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 28 squares fell the same way.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Hard · time attack — The Repair Shop

An 8×8 grid across 7 rooms: Pit Lane, Yard, Parts Room, Paint Booth, Car Lift, Waiting Room, Repair Bay. 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. CA — cabinet · CO — computer · CR — car · CT — crate · F — floor lamp · O — oil slick (square stays free) · P — potted plant · R — radio · T — television · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Ximena was in the same column as the oil slick. leaves 11 of 51 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ximena: 11 of 51.
Simon was exactly 4 columns east of the Magician.
Simon was in the same row as the car. leaves 4 of 51 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Simon: 4 of 51.
Nadia was in the same row as a window. leaves 15 of 51 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nadia: 15 of 51.
Percy was exactly 4 columns west of the Diva.
Percy was somewhere south of the Magician.
Vasco was exactly 2 columns west of the Chauffeur.
Vasco was in the same row as the cabinet. leaves 3 of 51 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Vasco: 3 of 51.
Marco was in the same row as a window. leaves 15 of 51 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Marco: 15 of 51.
Flora was exactly 6 rows north of Ximena.
Flora was somewhere west of the Gardener.

Show the squares Vasco had left

The squares still open to Vasco once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 51.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Simon can only be in Yard (row 3, column 8) — down from 4 possible squares.
Vasco can only be in Waiting Room (row 6, column 6) — down from 3 possible squares.
Marco can only be in Waiting Room (row 4, column 4) — down from 15 possible squares.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 31 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Ximena stood in Paint Booth (row 8, column 3), Nadia would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Nadia stood in Repair Bay (row 8, column 1), Percy would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Kira stood in Repair Bay (row 1, column 1), Percy would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Percy in Repair Bay (row 7, column 1) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 27 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Simon, in Yard (row 3, column 8).

Show the solved board

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

Expert — The Repair Shop

A 9×9 grid across 7 rooms: Waiting Room, Repair Bay, Parts Room, Pit Lane, Car Lift, Office, Yard. Nineteen statements, twenty 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.

Cracked by 5 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 · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (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.

Kaspar was somewhere north of Simon.
Kaspar was somewhere west of the Magician.
Vivienne was in the same row as a window. if true, leaves 21 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Vivienne: 21 of 65.
Vivienne was somewhere west of the Butler.
Gilda was somewhere south of Fabio.
Gilda was in the same column as the television. if true, leaves 6 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gilda: 6 of 65.
Gilda and Fabio were in different rooms.
Gilda was in the same row as the potted plant. if true, leaves 1 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gilda: 1 of 65.
Walter was somewhere north of the Professor.
Simon was somewhere east of Marina.
Simon was in the same row as a floor lamp. if true, leaves 14 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Simon: 14 of 65.
Marina was beside the oil slick. if true, leaves 4 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Marina: 4 of 65.
Fabio was in the same column as a window. if true, leaves 49 of 65
Fabio was somewhere east of Tobias.
Tobias was somewhere south of the Doctor.
Tobias was in the same row as a window. if true, leaves 21 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tobias: 21 of 65.
Tobias was in the same column as a wooden chair. if true, leaves 4 of 65
Exactly 2 people were in the pit lane.
Exactly 5 people were in the parts room.

Show the squares Marina had left

The squares still open to Marina once their own statements are taken into account — 4 of 65.

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 Kaspar were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Vivienne 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 Walter were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.

Another 4 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Fabio actually told you:

Fabio was NOT in the same column as a window.
Fabio was NOT east of Tobias.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 132 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Kaspar stood in Office (row 2, column 6), Fabio would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Vivienne stood in Waiting Room (row 1, column 7), Tobias would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Walter in Waiting Room (row 1, column 6) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Simon in Parts Room (row 2, column 3) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 128 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Simon, in Pit Lane (row 9, column 8). Fabio lied throughout and was never charged.

Show the solved board

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

Expert · time attack — The Repair Shop

A 9×9 grid across 8 rooms: Car Lift, Waiting Room, Repair Bay, Storeroom, Yard, Paint Booth, Parts Room, Office. Eighteen 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 — 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. CA — cabinet · CO — computer · CR — car · CT — crate · F — floor lamp · O — oil slick (square stays free) · P — potted plant · R — radio · T — television · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (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.

Estela was somewhere east of the Diva.
Estela was somewhere south of Petra.
Bianca was somewhere west of the Butler.
Bianca was somewhere north of Cesar.
Bianca was somewhere south of Petra.
Petra was somewhere south of Wren.
Petra was in the same row as the oil slick. if true, leaves 8 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Petra: 8 of 65.
Petra was in the same column as a window. if true, leaves 1 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Petra: 1 of 65.
Ines was in the same column as a car. if true, leaves 28 of 65
Ines was in the same row as a car. if true, leaves 4 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ines: 4 of 65.
Sol was somewhere west of the Journalist.
Sol was in the same row as the computer. if true, leaves 6 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Sol: 6 of 65.
Cesar was in the same column as the radio. if true, leaves 7 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Cesar: 7 of 65.
Wren was somewhere east of Estela.
Wren was in the same column as the potted plant. if true, leaves 7 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wren: 7 of 65.
Lorenzo was somewhere east of Sol.
Lorenzo was in the same row as the wooden table. if true, leaves 6 of 65
Exactly 2 people were in the repair bay.

Show the squares Ines had left

The squares still open to Ines once their own statements are taken into account — 4 of 65.

Unmasking the liar

If Horacio were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Bianca were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Petra were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Ines were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.

Another 4 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Estela actually told you:

Estela was NOT east of the Diva.
Estela was NOT south of Petra.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Estela can only be in Yard (row 4, column 2) — down from 65 possible squares.
Horacio can only be in Car Lift (row 5, column 8) — down from 65 possible squares.
Bianca can only be in Paint Booth (row 8, column 3) — down from 65 possible squares.
Ines can only be in Office (row 1, column 7) — down from 4 possible squares.
Sol can only be in Storeroom (row 7, column 5) — down from 6 possible squares.
Cesar can only be in Paint Booth (row 9, column 1) — down from 7 possible squares.
Wren can only be in Repair Bay (row 2, column 4) — down from 7 possible squares.
Lorenzo can only be in Repair Bay (row 3, column 6) — down from 6 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.

Wren's motive would have been obsession.
Bianca's motive would have been buried secrets.
Cesar's motive would have been blackmail.
Ines's motive would have been ambition.
Estela's motive would have been debts.
Petra was not driven by inheritance.
Whoever did it was not driven by revenge.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Petra, in Car Lift (row 6, column 9). Estela lied throughout and was never charged.

The only motive left standing for Petra is jealousy.

Show the solved board

The only arrangement the testimony allows. Petra 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 Midnight Garden — Charged at The Repair Shop. It took 3 detectives to agree and 4 did, which is the difference between a suspicion and a file.

All ten inquiries on 15 September 2026 led investigators to The Repair Shop. Across the standard boards, matters began on a modest 5x5 floor with three rooms, where chentian set the initial pace at 0m 12s. The 6x6 and 7x7 layouts, each spanning five rooms, saw gyr claim the quickest solutions in 0m 11s and 0m 15s. The 8x8 crime scene, divided into six rooms, was untangled completely by all who attempted it, led by asdfghjkl in 2m 13s. Standard proceedings closed on an expansive 9x9 grid of seven rooms, where a liar entered the testimony and chentian secured the best time at 11m 26s.

Against the clock, gyr set the day's swiftest mark of 0m 09s on the four-room, 5x5 case. From there, chentian swept the remaining boards, clocking 0m 24s on the five-room 6x6, and 0m 59s on a six-room 7x7 that concealed a liar. After clearing the seven-room 8x8 in 0m 40s, chentian wrapped up the investigation on the eight-room, 9x9 board in 5m 19s, successfully handling the day's sternest test: an untruthful witness coupled with a required motive.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: chentian — 0m 12s · Easy: gyr — 0m 11s · Medium: gyr — 0m 15s · Hard: asdfghjkl — 2m 13s · Expert: chentian — 11m 26s · Beginner · time attack: gyr — 0m 09s · Easy · time attack: chentian — 0m 24s · Medium · time attack: chentian — 0m 59s · Hard · time attack: chentian — 0m 40s · Expert · time attack: chentian — 5m 19s

The solutions

The solved boards — spoilers for every case of 15 September 2026

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

Beginner — The Repair Shop

Tamara (chef) is in custody — the case was closed by 33 detectives.

Easy — The Repair Shop

Kira (doctor) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 29 detectives.

Medium — The Repair Shop

Hugo (butler) was named and charged; 25 detectives closed this one.

Hard — The Repair Shop

The cell door shut on Kaspar (colonel), on the evidence of 12 detectives.

Expert — The Repair Shop

4 detectives put Simon (chauffeur) away before the day was out. Fabio lied for them and was never charged.

Beginner · time attack — The Repair Shop

Felix (magician) is in custody — the case was closed by 7 detectives.

Easy · time attack — The Repair Shop

Kurt (magician) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 3 detectives.

Medium · time attack — The Repair Shop

Zeno (chauffeur) was named and charged; 3 detectives closed this one. Rita lied for them and was never charged.

Hard · time attack — The Repair Shop

The cell door shut on Simon (chauffeur), on the evidence of 7 detectives.

Expert · time attack — The Repair Shop

4 detectives put Petra (chef) away before the day was out. The motive — jealousy — was proved along with the name. Estela lied for them and was never charged.

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Every day's cases — the calendar · ← the cases for 14 September

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