Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 20 September 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-09-20 — 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 Botanical Garden

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Garden Path, Visitor Center, Orchid House. Seven statements, six squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

Cracked by 10 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Nobody can stand on one, which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them. BE — bench · BO — boulder · C — cactus · FL — flower bush · FO — fountain · P — potted plant

The testimony

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

Kurt was in the garden path. leaves 5 of 19 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Kurt: 5 of 19.
Kurt was in the leftmost column. leaves 1 of 19 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Kurt: 1 of 19.
Greta was in column 4. leaves 4 of 19 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 4 of 19.
Greta was in row 3. leaves 1 of 19 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 1 of 19.
Bruno was in column 3. leaves 4 of 19 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Bruno: 4 of 19.
Bruno was in the top row. leaves 1 of 19 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Bruno: 1 of 19.
Tristan was in the garden path. leaves 5 of 19 squares

Show the squares Tristan had left

The squares still open to Tristan once their own statements are taken into account — 5 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:

Wilfred can only be in Orchid House (row 2, column 5) — down from 19 possible squares.
Tristan can only be in Garden Path (row 4, column 2) — down from 5 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Greta, in Orchid House (row 3, column 4).

Show the solved board

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

Beginner · time attack — The Botanical Garden

A 5×5 grid across 4 rooms: Cactus House, Tropical House, Visitor Center, Orchid House. Six statements, four squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 2 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Nobody can stand on one, which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them. B — boulder · F — flower bush · P — potted plant · T — tree

The testimony

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

Ursula was in the bottom row. leaves 5 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ursula: 5 of 21.
Jimena was in column 2. leaves 4 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Jimena: 4 of 21.
Petra was in the visitor center. leaves 4 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Petra: 4 of 21.
Petra was in column 4. leaves 1 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Petra: 1 of 21.
Victor was in column 3. leaves 5 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Victor: 5 of 21.
Victor was in the cactus house. leaves 1 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Victor: 1 of 21.

Show the squares Jimena had left

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

Ursula can only be in Tropical House (row 5, column 5) — down from 5 possible squares.
Jimena can only be in Orchid House (row 3, column 2) — down from 4 possible squares.
Rosa can only be in Orchid House (row 4, column 1) — down from 21 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Easy — The Botanical Garden

A 6×6 grid across 4 rooms: Garden Path, Tropical House, Palm Pavilion, Seed Vault. Eight statements, eight squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 8 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Nobody can stand on one, which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them. B — boulder · C — cactus · FL — flower bush · FO — fountain · P — potted plant · SH — shrub · ST — statue

The testimony

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

Wilfred was beside the statue. leaves 2 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wilfred: 2 of 28.
Queralt was in row 2. leaves 4 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Queralt: 4 of 28.
Queralt was in the tropical house. leaves 2 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Queralt: 2 of 28.
Pablo was beside the fountain. leaves 2 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Pablo: 2 of 28.
Julian was in row 5. leaves 3 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julian: 3 of 28.
Julian was in the leftmost column. leaves 1 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julian: 1 of 28.
Alma was in row 4. leaves 6 of 28 squares
Alma was in the palm pavilion. leaves 2 of 28 squares

Show the squares Wilfred had left

The squares still open to Wilfred 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:

Kaspar can only be in Garden Path (row 6, column 5) — down from 28 possible squares.
Wilfred can only be in Seed Vault (row 3, column 4) — down from 2 possible squares.
Queralt can only be in Tropical House (row 2, column 3) — down from 2 possible squares.
Pablo can only be in Garden Path (row 1, column 6) — down from 2 possible squares.
Alma can only be in Palm Pavilion (row 4, column 2) — down from 2 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Easy · time attack — The Botanical Garden

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Garden Path, Seed Vault, Visitor Center, Cactus House, Compost Yard. Seven statements, nine squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 2 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.

Ignacio was in row 4. leaves 6 of 27 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ignacio: 6 of 27.
Ignacio was beside the flower bush. leaves 1 of 27 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ignacio: 1 of 27.
Nico was beside the cactus. leaves 3 of 27 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nico: 3 of 27.
Nico was in column 4. leaves 1 of 27 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nico: 1 of 27.
Bruno was in the cactus house or in the compost yard. leaves 9 of 27 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Bruno: 9 of 27.
Alma was in column 5. leaves 5 of 27 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Alma: 5 of 27.
Quentin was in the cactus house. leaves 3 of 27 squares

Show the squares Quentin had left

The squares still open to Quentin once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 27.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Kaspar can only be in Garden Path (row 6, column 2) — down from 27 possible squares.
Bruno can only be in Compost Yard (row 1, column 6) — down from 9 possible squares.
Alma can only be in Seed Vault (row 5, column 5) — down from 5 possible squares.
Quentin can only be in Cactus House (row 3, column 3) — down from 3 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Ignacio, in Garden Path (row 4, column 1).

Show the solved board

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

Medium · time attack — The Botanical Garden

A 7×7 grid across 6 rooms: Palm Pavilion, Compost Yard, Seed Vault, Tropical House, Visitor Center, Orchid House. Eight statements, eight 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 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. Nobody can stand on one, which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them. BE — bench · BO — boulder · C — cactus · F — flower bush · P — potted plant · SH — shrub · ST — statue · T — tree

The testimony

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

Katia was in the same room as Simon.
Katia was in the same column as the shrub. leaves 6 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Katia: 6 of 41.
Percy was in the same column as the tree. leaves 6 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Percy: 6 of 41.
Simon was in the same row as the bench. leaves 6 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Simon: 6 of 41.
Greta was in the eastern half of the scene. leaves 17 of 41 squares
Greta was in the same row as the potted plant. leaves 2 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 2 of 41.
Ivan was beside the cactus. leaves 3 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ivan: 3 of 41.
Marina was beside the boulder. leaves 2 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Marina: 2 of 41.

Show the squares Greta had left

The squares still open to Greta 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:

Katia can only be in Palm Pavilion (row 6, column 2) — down from 6 possible squares.
Percy can only be in Visitor Center (row 2, column 6) — down from 6 possible squares.
Simon can only be in Palm Pavilion (row 5, column 4) — down from 6 possible squares.
Greta can only be in Seed Vault (row 7, column 5) — down from 2 possible squares.
Ulises can only be in Compost Yard (row 4, column 3) — down from 41 possible squares.
Ivan can only be in Visitor Center (row 1, column 7) — down from 3 possible squares.
Marina can only be in Compost Yard (row 3, column 1) — down from 2 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Medium — The Botanical Garden

A 7×7 grid across 5 rooms: Garden Path, Visitor Center, Tropical House, Palm Pavilion, Seed Vault. Nine statements, nine squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 8 detectives so far.

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

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

The testimony

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

Nadia was somewhere north of Sofia.
Nadia was in the same column as the bench. leaves 5 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nadia: 5 of 40.
Sofia was in the same row as the potted plant. leaves 6 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Sofia: 6 of 40.
Sofia was in the same column as the statue. leaves 1 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Sofia: 1 of 40.
Rufus was in the same room as Wren.
Rufus was in column 6. leaves 7 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Rufus: 7 of 40.
Wren was beside the bench. leaves 2 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wren: 2 of 40.
Ofelia was beside the cactus. leaves 3 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ofelia: 3 of 40.
Leo was somewhere west of Ofelia.

Show the squares Wren had left

The squares still open to Wren once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 40.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Nadia can only be in Seed Vault (row 1, column 1) — down from 5 possible squares.
Rufus can only be in Tropical House (row 7, column 6) — down from 7 possible squares.
Wren can only be in Tropical House (row 4, column 2) — down from 2 possible squares.
Ofelia can only be in Palm Pavilion (row 5, column 5) — down from 3 possible squares.
Vasco can only be in Palm Pavilion (row 6, column 7) — down from 40 possible squares.
Leo can only be in Seed Vault (row 3, column 3) — down from 40 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Hard — The Botanical Garden

An 8×8 grid across 6 rooms: Orchid House, Compost Yard, Visitor Center, Tropical House, Cactus House, Seed Vault. Twelve statements, fourteen squares nobody could stand on, 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.

The testimony

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

Nestor was in the same room as the Chef.
Nestor was in the same column as a bench. leaves 12 of 50 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 12 of 50.
Nestor was somewhere east of Hugo.
Quentin was in the same row as the statue. leaves 7 of 50 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Quentin: 7 of 50.
Quentin was in the same room as Margot.
Zeno was exactly 1 row south of the Chauffeur.
Zeno was somewhere west of the Butler.
Zeno was in the same column as the flower bush. leaves 7 of 50 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 7 of 50.
Margot was somewhere east of Julian.
Hugo was somewhere east of Julian.
Julian was in the same column as the statue. leaves 6 of 50 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julian: 6 of 50.
Ignacio was exactly 1 row south of Hugo.

Show the squares Julian had left

The squares still open to Julian once their own statements are taken into account — 6 of 50.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 54 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Nestor stood in Cactus House (row 4, column 4), Quentin would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Quentin in Cactus House (row 4, column 4) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Zeno in Cactus House (row 4, column 6) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Margot in Cactus House (row 2, column 5) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 50 squares fell the same way.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Hard · time attack — The Botanical Garden

A 10×8 grid across 7 rooms: Seed Vault, Lily Pond, Garden Path, Palm Pavilion, Orchid House, Visitor Center, Tropical House. Thirteen statements, eleven 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 2 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. BE — bench · BO — boulder · C — cactus · FL — flower bush · FO — fountain · L — lily pad (square stays free) · P — potted plant · SH — shrub · ST — statue · T — tree

The testimony

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

Ivan was in the same row as the cactus. leaves 8 of 70 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ivan: 8 of 70.
Ivan was all alone in a room.
Ruben and the Magician were in different rooms.
Flora was somewhere east of Ruben.
Katia was beside the potted plant. leaves 2 of 70 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Katia: 2 of 70.
Katia was exactly 7 columns west of Flora.
Walter was all alone in a room.
Walter was beside the bench. leaves 2 of 70 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Walter: 2 of 70.
Tristan was in row 3. leaves 9 of 70 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tristan: 9 of 70.
Tristan was exactly 4 columns west of Ivan.
Jimena was exactly 3 columns east of the Butler.
Jimena was in the same row as the fountain. leaves 7 of 70 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Jimena: 7 of 70.
Nobody was in the palm pavilion.

Show the squares Katia had left

The squares still open to Katia once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 70.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 52 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Ivan stood in Tropical House (row 2, column 6), Octavio would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Ruben stood in Lily Pond (row 1, column 6), Flora would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Octavio in Seed Vault (row 1, column 1) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Flora in Lily Pond (row 1, column 8) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 48 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.

Flora's motive would have been ambition.
Jimena's motive would have been buried secrets.
Ivan's motive would have been revenge.
Katia's motive would have been obsession.
Whoever did it was not driven by blackmail.
Whoever did it was not driven by inheritance.

The answer

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

The only motive left standing for Tristan is debts.

Show the solved board

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

Expert — The Botanical Garden

A 9×9 grid across 8 rooms: Orchid House, Tropical House, Seed Vault, Visitor Center, Compost Yard, Garden Path, Lily Pond, Palm Pavilion. Sixteen statements, fifteen 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 6 detectives so far.

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

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

The testimony

What each person said. One of these 9 is the killer's accomplice and every word they said is false — but not which one, not yet.

Alistair was somewhere south of Rosa.
Clara was in the same column as the flower bush. if true, leaves 8 of 68
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Clara: 8 of 68.
Clara was in row 5. if true, leaves 1 of 68
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Clara: 1 of 68.
Rosa was somewhere east of the Professor.
Rosa was in the same column as a fountain. if true, leaves 15 of 68
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Rosa: 15 of 68.
Margot was somewhere north of the Magician.
Margot was somewhere north of Rosa.
Margot was somewhere west of the Heiress.
Petra was in the same row as the potted plant. if true, leaves 8 of 68
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Petra: 8 of 68.
Petra was in the same column as a lily pad. if true, leaves 4 of 68
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Petra: 4 of 68.
Wilfred was in the same column as the cactus. if true, leaves 8 of 68
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wilfred: 8 of 68.
Vasco was somewhere north of the Journalist.
Vasco was in the same column as the statue. if true, leaves 7 of 68
Tamara was not beside a tree. if true, leaves 5 of 68
Tamara was in the same column as the boulder.
Exactly 3 people were in the garden path.

Show the squares Petra had left

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

If Alistair were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Clara were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Rosa were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Margot were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.

Another 4 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Tamara actually told you:

Tamara WAS beside a tree.
Tamara was NOT in the same column as the boulder.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Petra can only be in Orchid House (row 2, column 3) — down from 4 possible squares.
Vasco can only be in Lily Pond (row 4, column 5) — down from 7 possible squares.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 52 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Alistair stood in Garden Path (row 7, column 2), Wilfred would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Rosa in Lily Pond (row 6, column 4) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Margot in Seed Vault (row 1, column 1) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Wilfred in Seed Vault (row 1, column 2) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 48 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.

Vasco's motive would have been inheritance.
Alistair's motive would have been revenge.
Margot's motive would have been ambition.
Petra's motive would have been blackmail.
Rosa's motive would have been jealousy.
Whoever did it was not driven by obsession.
Whoever did it was not driven by buried secrets.

The answer

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

The only motive left standing for Clara is debts.

Show the solved board

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

Expert · time attack — The Botanical Garden

A 9×9 grid across 7 rooms: Orchid House, Tropical House, Cactus House, Palm Pavilion, Garden Path, Seed Vault, Visitor Center. Nineteen statements, fifteen 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 2 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. One of these 9 is the killer's accomplice and every word they said is false — but not which one, not yet.

Elena and Gordon were in different rooms.
Elena was in the same column as the flower bush. if true, leaves 8 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Elena: 8 of 66.
Ximena was in the same column as a statue. if true, leaves 14 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ximena: 14 of 66.
Ximena was somewhere north of the Chef.
Ximena was in the same row as a bench. if true, leaves 2 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ximena: 2 of 66.
Bruno was somewhere north of the Curator.
Bruno was in the same row as a statue. if true, leaves 16 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Bruno: 16 of 66.
Gordon was somewhere north of the Chef.
Gordon was in the same column as a shrub. if true, leaves 13 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gordon: 13 of 66.
Queralt was somewhere west of the Magician.
Queralt and Dorian were in different rooms.
Queralt was in the same row as a shrub. if true, leaves 12 of 66
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Queralt: 12 of 66.
Queralt was in the same column as the tree. if true, leaves 1 of 66
Julian was in the same row as a cactus. if true, leaves 15 of 66
Julian was somewhere north of the Chauffeur.
Dorian was in the same column as the tree. if true, leaves 58 of 66
Dorian was not touching the outer wall. if true, leaves 24 of 66
Leo was in the same column as a statue. if true, leaves 14 of 66
Leo was in the same row as a statue. if true, leaves 2 of 66

Show the squares Ximena had left

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

Unmasking the liar

If Elena were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Rita were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Ximena were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Bruno were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.

Another 4 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Dorian actually told you:

Dorian was NOT in the same column as the tree.
Dorian WAS touching the outer wall.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Elena can only be in Garden Path (row 9, column 7) — down from 8 possible squares.
Rita can only be in Palm Pavilion (row 1, column 3) — down from 66 possible squares.
Ximena can only be in Seed Vault (row 6, column 2) — down from 2 possible squares.
Bruno can only be in Orchid House (row 2, column 9) — down from 16 possible squares.
Gordon can only be in Cactus House (row 7, column 6) — down from 13 possible squares.
Julian can only be in Seed Vault (row 5, column 4) — down from 15 possible squares.
Dorian can only be in Palm Pavilion (row 3, column 1) — down from 24 possible squares.
Leo can only be in Visitor Center (row 4, column 8) — down from 2 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Dorian, in Palm Pavilion (row 3, column 1). Dorian lied throughout and was never charged.

Show the solved board

The only arrangement the testimony allows. Dorian 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 — The lie at The Botanical Garden did not survive 6 readings. A charge needs 3; this one had room to spare. The garden blooms at midnight, and everyone who knew is there. Chapter 4 concludes among the shattered glass and trampled soil of the midnight beds, with fifteen accomplices now formally bound to the magistrate's ledger and nineteen recovered caches safely under lock. The garden has surrendered its nine-year secret to the light of day. Yet the Quartermaster remains a phantom behind the curtain, and that stray train ticket stub continues to elude every outstretched hand.

The day’s investigations unfolded entirely within The Botanical Garden, spanning ten distinct boards across five tiers of difficulty. In the untimed proceedings, chentian claimed the 5x5 beginner layout in a brisk eight seconds, while gyr secured both the 6x6 easy and 7x7 medium scenes with times of twelve and fourteen seconds. A guest detective navigated the 8x8 hard case in three minutes and fifty-five seconds. The 9x9 expert affair introduced both a liar and a required motive, solved six times in total, with heni setting the pace at three minutes and nine seconds.

Against the clock, gyr led the charges on the 5x5 beginner board in ten seconds and the 7x7 medium in thirty-three seconds. The 6x6 easy timed challenge went to chentian in twelve seconds. Complications mounted on the 10x8 hard scene, which demanded a motive; gyr untangled it first in two minutes and twenty seconds. Finally, the 9x9 expert board brought back a lying suspect, wrapped up by chentian in two minutes and thirty-nine seconds. Across each path, the quiet greenery kept its secrets only briefly.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: chentian — 0m 08s · Easy: gyr — 0m 12s · Medium: gyr — 0m 14s · Hard: a guest detective — 3m 55s · Expert: heni — 3m 09s · Beginner · time attack: gyr — 0m 10s · Easy · time attack: chentian — 0m 12s · Medium · time attack: gyr — 0m 33s · Hard · time attack: gyr — 2m 20s · Expert · time attack: chentian — 2m 39s

The solutions

The solved boards — spoilers for every case of 20 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 Botanical Garden

Greta (diva) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 10 detectives.

Easy — The Botanical Garden

Pablo (chauffeur) was named and charged; 8 detectives closed this one.

Medium — The Botanical Garden

The cell door shut on Ofelia (doctor), on the evidence of 8 detectives.

Hard — The Botanical Garden

7 detectives put Julian (chauffeur) away before the day was out.

Expert — The Botanical Garden

Clara (diva) is in custody — the case was closed by 6 detectives. The motive — debts — was proved along with the name. Tamara lied for them and was never charged.

Beginner · time attack — The Botanical Garden

Jimena (chef) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 2 detectives.

Easy · time attack — The Botanical Garden

Ignacio (butler) was named and charged; 2 detectives closed this one.

Medium · time attack — The Botanical Garden

The cell door shut on Marina (chef), on the evidence of 4 detectives.

Hard · time attack — The Botanical Garden

2 detectives put Tristan (magician) away before the day was out. The motive — debts — was proved along with the name.

Expert · time attack — The Botanical Garden

Dorian (curator) is in custody — the case was closed by 2 detectives. Dorian lied for them and was never charged.

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Every day's cases — the calendar · ← the cases for 19 September

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