Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 21 September 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-09-21 — 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 Cookie Thief

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Guest Room, Sunroom, Nursery. Six statements, nine 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.

The testimony

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

Jonas was in the nursery. leaves 6 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Jonas: 6 of 20.
Zaida was in column 2. leaves 3 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zaida: 3 of 20.
Zaida was in row 3. leaves 1 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zaida: 1 of 20.
Irene was in row 4. leaves 2 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Irene: 2 of 20.
Irene was in column 3. leaves 1 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Irene: 1 of 20.
Tobias was seated on the armchair. leaves 1 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tobias: 1 of 20.

Show the squares Jonas had left

The squares still open to Jonas once their own statements are taken into account — 6 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:

Jonas can only be in Nursery (row 5, column 4) — down from 6 possible squares.
Ulises can only be in Sunroom (row 1, column 1) — down from 20 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Beginner · time attack — The Cookie Thief

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Sunroom, Nursery, Attic. Six statements, seven 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.

The testimony

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

Wanda was in the nursery. leaves 6 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 6 of 22.
Yago was in the attic. leaves 9 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Yago: 9 of 22.
Hilda was in column 3. leaves 4 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Hilda: 4 of 22.
Hilda was in the top row. leaves 1 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Hilda: 1 of 22.
Nora was in the sunroom. leaves 7 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nora: 7 of 22.
Nora was in the leftmost column. leaves 1 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nora: 1 of 22.

Show the squares Wanda had left

The squares still open to Wanda once their own statements are taken into account — 6 of 22.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Wanda can only be in Nursery (row 5, column 4) — down from 6 possible squares.
Yago can only be in Attic (row 2, column 2) — down from 9 possible squares.
Ivan can only be in Sunroom (row 3, column 5) — down from 22 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Easy — The Cookie Thief

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Cellar, Sunroom, Guest Room, Attic, Nursery. Six statements, eleven 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. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. A — armchair (square stays free) · BE — bed (square stays free) · BO — bookshelf · C — Christmas tree · G — gift · PA — painting (square stays free) · PL — plate of cookies · PO — potted plant · S — stove · W — wooden table

The testimony

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

Elias was beside the gift. leaves 2 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Elias: 2 of 28.
Ofelia was beside the potted plant. leaves 3 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ofelia: 3 of 28.
Ada was beside the bookshelf. leaves 3 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ada: 3 of 28.
Katia was in the guest room. leaves 8 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Katia: 8 of 28.
Lidia was in the sunroom. leaves 5 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Lidia: 5 of 28.
Lidia was in column 3. leaves 1 of 28 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Lidia: 1 of 28.

Show the squares Elias had left

The squares still open to Elias 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:

Elias can only be in Attic (row 4, column 1) — down from 2 possible squares.
Ofelia can only be in Cellar (row 2, column 4) — down from 3 possible squares.
Ada can only be in Guest Room (row 5, column 2) — down from 3 possible squares.
Katia can only be in Guest Room (row 6, column 6) — down from 8 possible squares.
Wilfred can only be in Cellar (row 1, column 5) — down from 28 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Easy · time attack — The Cookie Thief

A 6×6 grid across 4 rooms: Cellar, Living room, Hallway, Nursery. Nine statements, ten squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

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. BE — bed (square stays free) · BO — bookshelf · C — Christmas tree · GI — gift · GR — grandfather clock · PA — painting (square stays free) · PL — plate of cookies · W — wooden table

The testimony

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

Wren was in the nursery. leaves 9 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wren: 9 of 29.
Helena was in column 3. leaves 5 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Helena: 5 of 29.
Helena was in the nursery. leaves 3 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Helena: 3 of 29.
Lidia was in column 5. leaves 4 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Lidia: 4 of 29.
Lidia was in row 2. leaves 1 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Lidia: 1 of 29.
Bianca was beside the grandfather clock. leaves 2 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 2 of 29.
Bianca was in row 3. leaves 1 of 29 squares
Zeno was in the hallway. leaves 5 of 29 squares
Zeno was in the bottom row. leaves 2 of 29 squares

Show the squares Zeno had left

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

Delia can only be in Cellar (row 5, column 1) — down from 29 possible squares.
Wren can only be in Nursery (row 1, column 4) — down from 9 possible squares.
Helena can only be in Nursery (row 4, column 3) — down from 3 possible squares.
Zeno can only be in Hallway (row 6, column 6) — down from 2 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Medium · time attack — The Cookie Thief

An 8×7 grid across 6 rooms: Hallway, Sunroom, Attic, Kitchen, Living room, Cellar. Eleven statements, fifteen 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 3 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. A — armchair (square stays free) · BE — bed (square stays free) · BO — bookshelf · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — Christmas tree · CL — clock · G — gift · PA — painting (square stays free) · PL — plate of cookies · PO — potted plant · S — stove · W — wooden table

The testimony

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

Tamara was in the same row as the carpet. leaves 7 of 45 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tamara: 7 of 45.
Tamara was in the same column as the armchair. leaves 1 of 45 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tamara: 1 of 45.
Gaspar was in the same room as the Heiress.
Gaspar was in the same column as the painting. leaves 5 of 45 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gaspar: 5 of 45.
Gaspar was in the same row as the potted plant. leaves 1 of 45 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gaspar: 1 of 45.
Vera was in the same column as the gift. leaves 6 of 45 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Vera: 6 of 45.
Vera was in the southern half of the scene. leaves 3 of 45 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Vera: 3 of 45.
Ulises was beside the carpet. leaves 1 of 45 squares
Queralt was in the same column as the bookshelf. leaves 5 of 45 squares
Xavier was in the same column as the potted plant. leaves 6 of 45 squares
Nobody was in the attic.

Show the squares Vera had left

The squares still open to Vera 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:

Vera can only be in Kitchen (row 5, column 4) — down from 3 possible squares.
Queralt can only be in Hallway (row 6, column 5) — down from 5 possible squares.
Xavier can only be in Cellar (row 3, column 7) — down from 6 possible squares.
Petra can only be in Kitchen (row 4, column 3) — down from 45 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Medium — The Cookie Thief

An 8×7 grid across 6 rooms: Kitchen, Living room, Dining Room, Nursery, Cellar, Guest Room. Nine statements, twelve 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 9 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. B — bed (square stays free) · C — Christmas tree · GI — gift · GR — grandfather clock · PA — painting (square stays free) · PL — plate of cookies · S — stove · WD — wooden table · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Ofelia was in the same room as Alistair.
Gilda was in the same column as the wooden table. leaves 4 of 48 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gilda: 4 of 48.
Gilda was beside the wooden table. leaves 2 of 48 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gilda: 2 of 48.
Nora was in the same room as Alistair.
Nora was in the same column as a painting. leaves 12 of 48 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nora: 12 of 48.
Alistair was in the same row as the gift. leaves 6 of 48 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Alistair: 6 of 48.
Katia was in the cellar or in the guest room. leaves 11 of 48 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Katia: 11 of 48.
Leo was in the kitchen or in the dining room. leaves 21 of 48 squares
Nobody was in the cellar.

Show the squares Gilda had left

The squares still open to Gilda once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 48.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 84 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Ofelia stood in Living room (row 1, column 3), Nora would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Boris stood in Guest Room (row 1, column 1), Katia would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Gilda stood in Nursery (row 1, column 7), Katia would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Nora stood in Living room (row 1, column 3), Katia would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 80 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Gilda, in Nursery (row 3, column 7).

Show the solved board

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

Hard — The Cookie Thief

A 9×8 grid across 7 rooms: Sunroom, Kitchen, Dining Room, Guest Room, Living room, Cellar, Nursery. 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.

The twist: 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.

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. A — armchair (square stays free) · BE — bed (square stays free) · BO — bookshelf · C — Christmas tree · GI — gift · GR — grandfather clock · PA — painting (square stays free) · PL — plate of cookies · PO — potted plant · WD — wooden table · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Helena was exactly 1 column east of Leo.
Helena was somewhere north of Alistair.
Helena was all alone in a room.
Leo was exactly 5 rows north of Julia.
Julia was somewhere south of Kira.
Alistair was all alone in a room.
Kira was exactly 3 rows south of the Colonel.
Kira was exactly 4 columns west of Nestor.
Bianca was exactly 2 columns west of Julia.
Bianca was in the same row as the wooden chair. leaves 8 of 63 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 8 of 63.
Nestor was in the same row as the gift. leaves 7 of 63 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 7 of 63.
Nestor was in the same column as a painting. leaves 1 of 63 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 1 of 63.

Show the squares Bianca had left

The squares still open to Bianca once their own statements are taken into account — 8 of 63.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Kira can only be in Cellar (row 5, column 1) — down from 63 possible squares.

The squares that had to be tested

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

Had Helena stood in Living room (row 1, column 4), Leo would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Leo in Dining Room (row 2, column 3) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Had Julia stood in Kitchen (row 7, column 4), Leo would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Rosa in Living room (row 1, column 2) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 49 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.

Nestor's motive would have been revenge.
Julia's motive would have been ambition.
Bianca's motive would have been obsession.
Alistair's motive would have been jealousy.
Whoever did it was not driven by inheritance.
Whoever did it was not driven by debts.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Leo, in Dining Room (row 2, column 2).

The only motive left standing for Leo is blackmail.

Show the solved board

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

Hard · time attack — The Cookie Thief

A 10×8 grid across 6 rooms: Living room, Attic, Guest Room, Hallway, Kitchen, Cellar. Twelve statements, seventeen squares nobody could stand on, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

Cracked by one detective so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. A — armchair (square stays free) · BE — bed (square stays free) · BO — bookshelf · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — Christmas tree · GI — gift · GR — grandfather clock · PA — painting (square stays free) · PL — plate of cookies · PO — potted plant · S — stove · W — wooden table

The testimony

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

Quentin was somewhere west of Dante.
Pablo was all alone in a room.
Pablo was exactly 2 rows north of the Gardener.
Pablo was in the same column as the bed. leaves 15 of 68 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Pablo: 15 of 68.
Olivia was somewhere south of Quentin.
Olivia was in the same column as the grandfather clock. leaves 6 of 68 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Olivia: 6 of 68.
Flora was exactly 2 rows south of Greta.
Flora was in the same column as the stove. leaves 7 of 68 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Flora: 7 of 68.
Dante was exactly 3 rows south of Olivia.
Nestor was in the same room as Greta.
Greta was exactly 1 column east of Nestor.
Nobody was in the kitchen.

Show the squares Olivia had left

The squares still open to Olivia once their own statements are taken into account — 6 of 68.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Flora can only be in Cellar (row 4, column 9) — down from 7 possible squares.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 96 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Jimena stood in Hallway (row 1, column 1), Nestor would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Quentin stood in Hallway (row 1, column 1), Nestor would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Pablo in Hallway (row 1, column 5) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Had Olivia stood in Hallway (row 2, column 4), Greta would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 92 squares fell the same way.

Jimena can only be in Guest Room (row 8, column 7) — down from 4 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Expert — The Cookie Thief

A 10×9 grid across 7 rooms: Attic, Sunroom, Guest Room, Cellar, Hallway, Living room, Kitchen. Twelve statements, eighteen squares nobody could stand on, 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 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. A — armchair (square stays free) · B — bookshelf · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — Christmas tree · CL — clock · G — gift · PA — painting (square stays free) · PL — plate of cookies · PO — potted plant · S — stove · WD — wooden table · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Clara was exactly 8 columns east of the Colonel.
Gilda was in the same row as the gift. leaves 6 of 76 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gilda: 6 of 76.
Nico was exactly 1 row north of the Diva.
Nico and Yago were alone together in one room.
Abel was somewhere west of the Journalist.
Leo was exactly 3 columns east of the Colonel.
Yago was exactly 2 columns east of Marina.
Hilda was exactly 6 rows north of the Curator.
Hilda was exactly 6 columns west of Clara.
Marina was exactly 5 columns east of the Chef.
Exactly 2 people were in the attic.
Exactly 2 people were in the kitchen.

Show the squares Gilda had left

The squares still open to Gilda once their own statements are taken into account — 6 of 76.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 155 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Put Clara in Hallway (row 2, column 9) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Had Gilda stood in Kitchen (row 4, column 2), Clara would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Nico stood in Hallway (row 1, column 6), Clara would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Abel in Kitchen (row 2, column 1) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 151 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.

Gilda's motive would have been debts.
Yago's motive would have been jealousy.
Nico's motive would have been inheritance.
Abel's motive would have been buried secrets.
Clara's motive would have been ambition.
Whoever did it was not driven by blackmail.
Whoever did it was not driven by revenge.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Marina, in Attic (row 8, column 6).

The only motive left standing for Marina is obsession.

Show the solved board

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

Expert · time attack — The Cookie Thief

A 10×9 grid across 7 rooms: Cellar, Attic, Nursery, Guest Room, Dining Room, Hallway, Kitchen. Thirteen statements, eighteen squares nobody could stand on, 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 one detective so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. A — armchair (square stays free) · BE — bed (square stays free) · BO — bookshelf · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — Christmas tree · GI — gift · GR — grandfather clock · PA — painting (square stays free) · PL — plate of cookies · PO — potted plant · S — stove · WD — wooden table · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Pablo was exactly 2 columns east of Bruno.
Bruno was exactly 3 rows south of Helena.
Nestor and Ximena were alone together in one room.
Nestor was exactly 1 row south of the Journalist.
Celeste was somewhere south of Nestor.
Celeste was all alone in a room.
Celeste was in the same column as the gift. leaves 7 of 77 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Celeste: 7 of 77.
Selma was exactly 4 columns west of the Butler.
Frida was all alone in a room.
Frida was exactly 7 columns east of Nestor.
Helena was exactly 1 column west of Frida.
Ximena was somewhere west of the Colonel.
Exactly 2 people were in the nursery.

Show the squares Celeste had left

The squares still open to Celeste once their own statements are taken into account — 7 of 77.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 202 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Pablo stood in Nursery (row 1, column 5), Ximena would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Marco stood in Nursery (row 1, column 2), Pablo would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Bruno stood in Hallway (row 4, column 3), Pablo would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Nestor in Hallway (row 2, column 2) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 198 squares fell the same way.

Marco can only be in Nursery (row 1, column 5) — down from 4 possible squares.

The motive

This case demands the why as well as the who: naming the killer without proving the motive counts for nothing. 8 motives are in play, and these statements narrow them.

Bruno's motive would have been debts.
Selma's motive would have been revenge.
Helena's motive would have been buried secrets.
Nestor's motive would have been jealousy.
Frida's motive would have been inheritance.
Whoever did it was not driven by blackmail.
Whoever did it was not driven by ambition.

The answer

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

The only motive left standing for Pablo is obsession.

Show the solved board

The only arrangement the testimony allows. Pablo 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 Archivist’s Silence — Something was recovered at The Cookie Thief at last. The season's own missing piece stays missing.

Ten investigations crossed the desk on 21 September 2026, each set against the backdrop of The Cookie Thief. Truth was steady throughout the precinct, with no liars muddying the testimony, though motive was strictly required to crack standard hard and expert, as well as expert against the clock. Standard beginner saw 11 solutions from 22 attempts on its 5x5 grid with 3 rooms, led by chentian in 0m 09s. A guest detective took top marks on the standard 6x6 easy board with 5 rooms in 0m 16s, and again on standard medium’s 8x7 floor plan with 6 rooms in 1m 12s. Chentian returned to secure standard hard's 9x8, 7-room layout in 3m 44s, then closed out the 10x9 standard expert case in 6m 23s.

The clock ticked just as insistently on the time attack boards, where play counts stayed sparse at three attempts apiece. Chentian swept all five speed runs, navigating the 5x5 beginner layout with 3 rooms in 0m 11s, the 6x6 easy with 4 rooms in 0m 13s, and the 8x7 medium with 6 rooms in 0m 15s. Resistance stiffened on the upper floors, where only a single detective broke through each case: chentian wrestled the 10x8 hard grid with 6 rooms down in 9m 19s, before capturing the 10x9 expert board with 7 rooms in 2m 33s.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: chentian — 0m 09s · Easy: a guest detective — 0m 16s · Medium: a guest detective — 1m 12s · Hard: chentian — 3m 44s · Expert: chentian — 6m 23s · Beginner · time attack: chentian — 0m 11s · Easy · time attack: chentian — 0m 13s · Medium · time attack: chentian — 0m 15s · Hard · time attack: chentian — 9m 19s · Expert · time attack: chentian — 2m 33s