Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 19 September 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-09-19 — 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 Art School

A 5×5 grid across 4 rooms: Courtyard, Life-Drawing Room, Kiln Room, Locker Room. Six statements, six squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 15 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. B — bookshelf · D — desk · F — floor lamp · M — mirror (square stays free) · S — statue · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Olivia was in the locker room. leaves 9 of 21 squares
  2. Estela was in the top row. leaves 5 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    BSFWDM
    The squares this one statement leaves Estela: 5 of 21.
  3. Estela was in column 4. leaves 1 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    BSFWDM
    The squares this one statement leaves Estela: 1 of 21.
  4. Wanda was in the bottom row. leaves 2 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    BSFWDM
    The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 2 of 21.
  5. Conrad was in row 3. leaves 5 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    BSFWDM
    The squares this one statement leaves Conrad: 5 of 21.
  6. Conrad was in the leftmost column. leaves 1 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    BSFWDM
    The squares this one statement leaves Conrad: 1 of 21.
Show the squares Wanda had left
BSFWDM
The squares still open to Wanda 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: Wanda, in Life-Drawing Room (row 5, column 2).

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

Beginner · time attack — The Art School

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Life-Drawing Room, Sculpture Hall, Atelier. Five 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. BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · C — crate · D — desk · E — easel · M — mirror (square stays free) · P — painting (square stays free) · S — statue · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Ursula was in the rightmost column. leaves 4 of 19 squares
    Show it on the board
    DCEWSBOBMPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ursula: 4 of 19.
  2. Zeno was in the top row. leaves 5 of 19 squares
    Show it on the board
    DCEWSBOBMPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 5 of 19.
  3. Zeno was in the sculpture hall. leaves 3 of 19 squares
    Show it on the board
    DCEWSBOBMPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 3 of 19.
  4. Gaspar was seated on the wooden chair. leaves 1 of 19 squares
    Show it on the board
    DCEWSBOBMPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Gaspar: 1 of 19.
  5. Helena was beside the easel. leaves 2 of 19 squares
    Show it on the board
    DCEWSBOBMPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Helena: 2 of 19.
Show the squares Helena had left
DCEWSBOBMPM
The squares still open to Helena once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 19.
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: Ursula, in Life-Drawing Room (row 3, column 5).

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

Easy — The Art School

A 6×6 grid across 4 rooms: Gallery, Supply Closet, Courtyard, Kiln Room. Six statements, ten squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 11 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. BK — bookshelf · BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · C — crate · D — desk · E — easel · G — garbage can · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Tobias was beside the wooden chair. leaves 1 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    GBOWBMBKPOEDCPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Tobias: 1 of 28.
  2. Fabio was in the rightmost column. leaves 4 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    GBOWBMBKPOEDCPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Fabio: 4 of 28.
  3. Fabio was beside the bonsai. leaves 2 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    GBOWBMBKPOEDCPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Fabio: 2 of 28.
  4. Ada was in column 2. leaves 5 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    GBOWBMBKPOEDCPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Ada: 5 of 28.
  5. Ofelia was beside the potted plant. leaves 2 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    GBOWBMBKPOEDCPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Ofelia: 2 of 28.
  6. Cesar was beside the bookshelf. leaves 3 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    GBOWBMBKPOEDCPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Cesar: 3 of 28.
Show the squares Fabio had left
GBOWBMBKPOEDCPA
The squares still open to Fabio 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:

The answer

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

Show the solved board
GBOWBMBKPOEDCPATFAOC✕
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Fabio is ringed in red.

Easy · time attack — The Art School

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Print Room, Atelier, Locker Room, Sculpture Hall, Gallery. Six statements, ten squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 4 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. BK — bookshelf · BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · C — crate · E — easel · M — mirror (square stays free) · P — potted plant · S — statue · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Bianca was in the print room or in the gallery. leaves 12 of 28 squares
  2. Bianca was in column 4. leaves 1 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBOBMWPSCEBOM
    The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 1 of 28.
  3. Estela was in the locker room. leaves 5 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBOBMWPSCEBOM
    The squares this one statement leaves Estela: 5 of 28.
  4. Petra was in the leftmost column. leaves 5 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBOBMWPSCEBOM
    The squares this one statement leaves Petra: 5 of 28.
  5. Simon was beside the crate. leaves 1 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBOBMWPSCEBOM
    The squares this one statement leaves Simon: 1 of 28.
  6. Alistair was beside the potted plant. leaves 2 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBOBMWPSCEBOM
    The squares this one statement leaves Alistair: 2 of 28.
Show the squares Alistair had left
BKBOBMWPSCEBOM
The squares still open to Alistair 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:

The answer

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

Show the solved board
BKBOBMWPSCEBOM✕BEPSA
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Petra is ringed in red.

Medium · time attack — The Art School

An 8×7 grid across 5 rooms: Print Room, Supply Closet, Life-Drawing Room, Courtyard, Kiln Room. Nine statements, fifteen squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 4 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · E — easel · F — floor lamp · G — garbage can · M — mirror (square stays free) · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · S — statue · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Beatrix was in the same room as Ximena.
  2. Ximena was beside the potted plant. leaves 3 of 45 squares
    Show it on the board
    FSEPOBOWGBMEBOFGMMPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Ximena: 3 of 45.
  3. Ximena was somewhere west of the Heiress.
  4. Dorian was in the same row as the boombox. leaves 7 of 45 squares
    Show it on the board
    FSEPOBOWGBMEBOFGMMPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Dorian: 7 of 45.
  5. Dorian was in the same room as Hugo.
  6. Rosa was in the same column as the boombox. leaves 5 of 45 squares
    Show it on the board
    FSEPOBOWGBMEBOFGMMPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Rosa: 5 of 45.
  7. Hugo was in the same column as the wooden chair. leaves 6 of 45 squares
    Show it on the board
    FSEPOBOWGBMEBOFGMMPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Hugo: 6 of 45.
  8. Greta was in the life-drawing room or in the kiln room. leaves 13 of 45 squares
    Show it on the board
    FSEPOBOWGBMEBOFGMMPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 13 of 45.
  9. Greta was in the same column as the potted plant. leaves 1 of 45 squares
    Show it on the board
    FSEPOBOWGBMEBOFGMMPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 1 of 45.
Show the squares Ximena had left
FSEPOBOWGBMEBOFGMMPA
The squares still open to Ximena once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 45.
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: Greta, in Kiln Room (row 5, column 3).

Show the solved board
FSEPOBOWGBMEBOFGMMPAB✕XDRHG
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Greta is ringed in red.

Medium — The Art School

A 7×7 grid across 6 rooms: Locker Room, Life-Drawing Room, Gallery, Supply Closet, Courtyard, Sculpture Hall. Ten statements, fourteen squares nobody could stand on, almost as many rooms as suspects, so a room claim nearly names a square, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

Cracked by 13 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. BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · C — crate · D — desk · E — easel · F — floor lamp · G — garbage can · M — mirror (square stays free) · P — painting (square stays free) · S — statue · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Vera was in the same column as the mirror. leaves 6 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    SFBODWBMCBMGEEPPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Vera: 6 of 39.
  2. Vera was somewhere west of Clara.
  3. Vera was in the life-drawing room or in the gallery. leaves 2 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    SFBODWBMCBMGEEPPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Vera: 2 of 39.
  4. Ulises was in the same column as the desk. leaves 5 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    SFBODWBMCBMGEEPPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ulises: 5 of 39.
  5. Clara was in the same row as a painting. leaves 11 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    SFBODWBMCBMGEEPPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Clara: 11 of 39.
  6. Selma was somewhere north of the Colonel.
  7. Selma was beside the bonsai. leaves 2 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    SFBODWBMCBMGEEPPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Selma: 2 of 39.
  8. Selma was in the same room as Ruben.
  9. Ruben was in the same row as the statue. leaves 5 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    SFBODWBMCBMGEEPPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ruben: 5 of 39.
  10. Dora was beside the crate. leaves 3 of 39 squares
Show the squares Vera had left
SFBODWBMCBMGEEPPM
The squares still open to Vera once their own statements are taken into account — 2 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:

The answer

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

Show the solved board
SFBODWBMCBMGEEPPMVUCSRD✕
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Vera is ringed in red.

Hard — The Art School

An 8×8 grid across 7 rooms: Sculpture Hall, Courtyard, Gallery, Life-Drawing Room, Kiln Room, Atelier, Locker Room. Fourteen statements, seventeen 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 eight was lying throughout.

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

Cracked by 8 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. BK — bookshelf · BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · C — crate · D — desk · E — easel · F — floor lamp · G — garbage can · M — mirror (square stays free) · P — potted plant · S — statue · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

What each person said. One of these 8 is the killer's accomplice and every word they said is false — but not which one, not yet.

  1. Estela was in the same row as the easel. if true, leaves 6 of 49
    Show it on the board
    FECBMDBKWBOSGPPFBMGSM
    The squares this one statement leaves Estela: 6 of 49.
  2. Estela was somewhere east of Kira.
  3. Ada was not in the locker room. if true, leaves 8 of 49
    Show it on the board
    FECBMDBKWBOSGPPFBMGSM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ada: 8 of 49.
  4. Ada was in the same row as the bonsai. if true, leaves 5 of 49
    Show it on the board
    FECBMDBKWBOSGPPFBMGSM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ada: 5 of 49.
  5. Nadia was somewhere north of the Chef.
  6. Nadia was somewhere east of the Diva.
  7. Hugo was in the same column as the wooden chair. if true, leaves 7 of 49
    Show it on the board
    FECBMDBKWBOSGPPFBMGSM
    The squares this one statement leaves Hugo: 7 of 49.
  8. Hugo was somewhere north of the Chauffeur.
  9. Kira was somewhere south of Hugo.
  10. Kira was in the same row as the bonsai. if true, leaves 7 of 49
    Show it on the board
    FECBMDBKWBOSGPPFBMGSM
    The squares this one statement leaves Kira: 7 of 49.
  11. Kira was in the same column as the bookshelf. if true, leaves 1 of 49
    Show it on the board
    FECBMDBKWBOSGPPFBMGSM
    The squares this one statement leaves Kira: 1 of 49.
  12. Yago was in the same row as the crate. if true, leaves 5 of 49
  13. Yago was not touching the outer wall. if true, leaves 4 of 49
  14. Gordon was somewhere east of the Journalist.
Show the squares Yago had left
FECBMDBKWBOSGPPFBMGSM
The squares still open to Yago once their own statements are taken into account — 4 of 49.
Unmasking the liar

One of these 8 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 3 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Ada actually told you:

  1. Ada WAS in the locker room.
  2. Ada was NOT in the same row as the bonsai.
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 20 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 16 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Yago, in Sculpture Hall (row 4, column 2). Ada lied throughout and was never charged.

Show the solved board
FECBMDBKWBOSGPPFBMGSMEANHK✕YG
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Yago is ringed in red.

Hard · time attack — The Art School

A 9×8 grid across 7 rooms: Locker Room, Courtyard, Gallery, Sculpture Hall, Atelier, Print Room, Supply Closet. Fifteen statements, seventeen 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.

The twist: 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. BK — bookshelf · BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · C — crate · D — desk · E — easel · F — floor lamp · G — garbage can · M — mirror (square stays free) · P — potted plant · S — statue · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Nico was somewhere east of the Curator.
  2. Elena was somewhere east of Nico.
  3. Marco was all alone in a room.
  4. Marco was somewhere east of Elena.
  5. Marco was in the same column as the boombox. leaves 5 of 58 squares
    Show it on the board
    BMFBOBKGWEPSDCBKESBOMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Marco: 5 of 58.
  6. Gaspar was in the same row as the potted plant. leaves 7 of 58 squares
    Show it on the board
    BMFBOBKGWEPSDCBKESBOMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Gaspar: 7 of 58.
  7. Gaspar was in the same column as a mirror. leaves 2 of 58 squares
    Show it on the board
    BMFBOBKGWEPSDCBKESBOMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Gaspar: 2 of 58.
  8. Bianca was exactly 1 row south of Cesar.
  9. Bianca was in the same column as the garbage can. leaves 6 of 58 squares
    Show it on the board
    BMFBOBKGWEPSDCBKESBOMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 6 of 58.
  10. Bianca was somewhere south of the Chauffeur.
  11. Cesar was all alone in a room.
  12. Ivan was touching the outer wall. leaves 24 of 58 squares
  13. Ivan was in the same column as a mirror. leaves 3 of 58 squares
    Show it on the board
    BMFBOBKGWEPSDCBKESBOMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ivan: 3 of 58.
  14. Ivan was exactly 4 columns west of the Professor.
  15. Ivan was somewhere north of Nico.
Show the squares Gaspar had left
BMFBOBKGWEPSDCBKESBOMM
The squares still open to Gaspar once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 58.
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 39 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 35 squares fell the same way.

The motive

This case demands the why as well as the who: naming the killer without proving the motive counts for nothing. 7 motives are in play, and these statements narrow them.

  1. Bianca's motive would have been ambition.
  2. Nico's motive would have been inheritance.
  3. Marco's motive would have been obsession.
  4. Gaspar's motive would have been blackmail.
  5. Ivan was not driven by revenge.
  6. Whoever did it was not driven by debts.
The answer

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

The only motive left standing for Ivan is buried secrets.

Show the solved board
BMFBOBKGWEPSDCBKESBOMMNEMG✕BCI
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Ivan is ringed in red.

Expert — The Art School

A 9×9 grid across 7 rooms: Supply Closet, Courtyard, Print Room, Locker Room, Atelier, Gallery, Sculpture Hall. Sixteen statements, seventeen 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 8 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. BK — bookshelf · BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · C — crate · D — desk · E — easel · F — floor lamp · G — garbage can · M — mirror (square stays free) · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · S — statue · W — 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.

  1. Yago was somewhere south of the Doctor.
  2. Zaida was in the same room as Sofia.
  3. Zaida was somewhere east of the Doctor.
  4. Sofia was in the bottom row. if true, leaves 61 of 68
  5. Sofia was in the same column as a bookshelf. if true, leaves 49 of 68
  6. Irene was in the same room as Hugo.
  7. Irene was in the same column as a painting. if true, leaves 17 of 68
    Show it on the board
    BKBMGEPODSFWBOCBKDBMPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Irene: 17 of 68.
  8. Ada was in the same column as the statue. if true, leaves 6 of 68
    Show it on the board
    BKBMGEPODSFWBOCBKDBMPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ada: 6 of 68.
  9. Hugo was in the same column as a painting. if true, leaves 17 of 68
    Show it on the board
    BKBMGEPODSFWBOCBKDBMPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Hugo: 17 of 68.
  10. Hugo was somewhere west of the Curator.
  11. Ruben was in the same column as the wooden chair. if true, leaves 9 of 68
    Show it on the board
    BKBMGEPODSFWBOCBKDBMPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ruben: 9 of 68.
  12. Gordon was in the same row as the statue. if true, leaves 8 of 68
    Show it on the board
    BKBMGEPODSFWBOCBKDBMPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Gordon: 8 of 68.
  13. Gordon was somewhere east of Hugo.
  14. Gordon was in the same column as a bookshelf. if true, leaves 1 of 68
    Show it on the board
    BKBMGEPODSFWBOCBKDBMPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Gordon: 1 of 68.
  15. Exactly 3 people were in the atelier.
  16. Exactly 2 people were in the locker room.
Show the squares Ada had left
BKBMGEPODSFWBOCBKDBMPAPAM
The squares still open to Ada once their own statements are taken into account — 6 of 68.
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 Sofia survives the test. That is the accomplice, and everything they said is now read backwards.

Read backwards, Sofia actually told you:

  1. Sofia was NOT in the bottom row.
  2. Sofia was NOT in the same column as a bookshelf.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 126 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 122 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. Ruben's motive would have been buried secrets.
  2. Hugo's motive would have been obsession.
  3. Ada's motive would have been ambition.
  4. Zaida's motive would have been blackmail.
  5. Sofia's motive would have been debts.
  6. Whoever did it was not driven by inheritance.
  7. Whoever did it was not driven by revenge.
The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Gordon, in Locker Room (row 6, column 9). Sofia lied throughout and was never charged.

The only motive left standing for Gordon is jealousy.

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

Expert · time attack — The Art School

A 10×9 grid across 7 rooms: Sculpture Hall, Life-Drawing Room, Supply Closet, Kiln Room, Gallery, Atelier, Locker Room. Twelve statements, eighteen squares nobody could stand on, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

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. BK — bookshelf · BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · C — crate · D — desk · E — easel · F — floor lamp · G — garbage can · M — mirror (square stays free) · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · S — statue · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Jonas and Petra were alone together in one room.
  2. Petra was exactly 4 columns east of the Heiress.
  3. Petra was exactly 1 row north of Nadia.
  4. Elena was exactly 9 columns west of Nadia.
  5. Ulises was exactly 1 row south of the Curator.
  6. Ulises and Rosa were alone together in one room.
  7. Rosa was exactly 4 columns west of the Journalist.
  8. Rosa was in the same row as the wooden chair. leaves 9 of 76 squares
    Show it on the board
    BOSEBMFPODBKWGCCFBODMPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Rosa: 9 of 76.
  9. Rosa was exactly 3 columns west of the Curator.
  10. Tobias was exactly 8 rows north of the Professor.
  11. Luna was somewhere north of the Heiress.
  12. Nadia was all alone in a room.
Show the squares Rosa had left
BOSEBMFPODBKWGCCFBODMPAM
The squares still open to Rosa once their own statements are taken into account — 9 of 76.
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 38 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 34 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Luna, in Locker Room (row 5, column 8).

Show the solved board
BOSEBMFPODBKWGCCFBODMPAMJPEURT✕LN
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Luna 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 — 8 of them saw through the testimony at The Art School. 3 was the bar; 8 leaves nothing to argue about.

The Art School set the stage for all ten inquiries on 19 September 2026, offering investigations across five tiers of difficulty in both standard and time attack formats. The standard boards grew progressively more tangled as the dimensions expanded. Early on, chentian cleared the 5x5 beginner layout in 0m 09s, while asdfghjkl solved the 6x6 easy room in 0m 13s, matched in time by gyr on the 7x7 medium puzzle. Deception surfaced on the 8x8 hard grid, introducing a liar that chentian unmasked in 1m 55s. The 9x9 expert board added both a liar and a required motive, where chentian once more recorded the swiftest deduction at 5m 54s.

Against the clock, the time attack cases demanded immediate answers in the studio halls. On the smaller prints, gyr took the 5x5 beginner case in 0m 12s, before chentian claimed the 6x6 easy board in 0m 11s. Gyr swept the remaining timed mysteries, finishing the 8x7 medium room in 0m 31s. The 9x8 hard assignment held no liars but required a motive, cracked quickest by gyr in 0m 38s, who finally subdued the sprawling 10x9 expert floor plan in 1m 46s.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: chentian — 0m 09s · Easy: asdfghjkl — 0m 13s · Medium: gyr — 0m 13s · Hard: chentian — 1m 55s · Expert: chentian — 5m 54s · Beginner · time attack: gyr — 0m 12s · Easy · time attack: chentian — 0m 11s · Medium · time attack: gyr — 0m 31s · Hard · time attack: gyr — 0m 38s · Expert · time attack: gyr — 1m 46s

The solutions

The solved boards — spoilers for every case of 19 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 Art School

O✕EWC
Wanda (Chef)Wanda (chef) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 15 detectives.

Easy — The Art School

TFAOC✕
Fabio (Gardener)Fabio (gardener) was named and charged; 11 detectives closed this one.

Medium — The Art School

VUCSRD✕
Vera (Diva)The cell door shut on Vera (diva), on the evidence of 13 detectives.

Hard — The Art School

EANHK✕YG
Yago (Chauffeur)8 detectives put Yago (chauffeur) away before the day was out. Ada lied for them and was never charged.

Expert — The Art School

YZ✕SIAHRG
Gordon (Colonel)Gordon (colonel) is in custody — the case was closed by 7 detectives. The motive — jealousy — was proved along with the name. Sofia lied for them and was never charged.

Beginner · time attack — The Art School

UZGH✕
Ursula (Heiress)Ursula (heiress) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 3 detectives.

Easy · time attack — The Art School

✕BEPSA
Petra (Journalist)Petra (journalist) was named and charged; 4 detectives closed this one.

Medium · time attack — The Art School

B✕XDRHG
Greta (Doctor)The cell door shut on Greta (doctor), on the evidence of 4 detectives.

Hard · time attack — The Art School

NEMG✕BCI
Ivan (Butler)4 detectives put Ivan (butler) away before the day was out. The motive — buried secrets — was proved along with the name.

Expert · time attack — The Art School

JPEURT✕LN
Luna (Journalist)Luna (journalist) is in custody — the case was closed by 4 detectives.

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Every day's cases — the calendar · ← the cases for 18 September

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