Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 26 September 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-09-26 — 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 Movie Studio

A 5×5 grid across 4 rooms: Desert Set, Cafeteria, Prop Warehouse, Backlot. Six statements, five squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

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. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. CA — cactus · CR — carpet (square stays free) · F — film camera · P — painting (square stays free) · W — wooden table

The testimony

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

  1. Frida was in the leftmost column. leaves 5 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    WFCRCAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Frida: 5 of 22.
  2. Ignacio was in the bottom row. leaves 5 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    WFCRCAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Ignacio: 5 of 22.
  3. Ignacio was in column 4. leaves 1 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    WFCRCAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Ignacio: 1 of 22.
  4. Zeno was in the desert set. leaves 7 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    WFCRCAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 7 of 22.
  5. Zeno was in column 3. leaves 1 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    WFCRCAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 1 of 22.
  6. Julia was in row 2. leaves 4 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    WFCRCAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Julia: 4 of 22.
Show the squares Julia had left
WFCRCAP
The squares still open to Julia once their own statements are taken into account — 4 of 22.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

The answer

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

Show the solved board
WFCRCAPFIZJ✕
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Frida is ringed in red.

Beginner · time attack — The Movie Studio

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Director's Office, Desert Set, Sound Stage. Eight statements, eight squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

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. B — bookshelf · CA — cactus · CR — carpet (square stays free) · F — floor lamp · M — mirror (square stays free) · P — painting (square stays free) · W — wooden table

The testimony

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

  1. Abel was in column 3. leaves 4 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    FWCACRBFMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Abel: 4 of 20.
  2. Abel was in the bottom row. leaves 1 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    FWCACRBFMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Abel: 1 of 20.
  3. Luna was in row 3. leaves 2 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    FWCACRBFMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Luna: 2 of 20.
  4. Luna was in the sound stage. leaves 1 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    FWCACRBFMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Luna: 1 of 20.
  5. Tristan was in the leftmost column. leaves 4 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    FWCACRBFMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Tristan: 4 of 20.
  6. Tristan was in the top row. leaves 1 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    FWCACRBFMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Tristan: 1 of 20.
  7. Celeste was in row 4. leaves 5 of 20 squares
  8. Celeste was in the sound stage. leaves 2 of 20 squares
Show the squares Celeste had left
FWCACRBFMP
The squares still open to Celeste once their own statements are taken into account — 2 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:

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Tristan, in Director's Office (row 1, column 1).

Show the solved board
FWCACRBFMPA✕LTC
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Tristan is ringed in red.

Easy — The Movie Studio

A 6×6 grid across 4 rooms: Desert Set, Green Room, Backlot, Sound Stage. Seven statements, ten 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. BK — bookshelf · BO — bonsai · CA — cactus · CO — computer · CR — carpet (square stays free) · F — floor lamp · M — mirror (square stays free) · W — wooden table

The testimony

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

  1. Rufus was beside a mirror. leaves 2 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKCRBOFWCOCABKMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Rufus: 2 of 29.
  2. Quentin was in the backlot. leaves 7 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKCRBOFWCOCABKMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Quentin: 7 of 29.
  3. Tristan was beside the floor lamp. leaves 3 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKCRBOFWCOCABKMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Tristan: 3 of 29.
  4. Tristan was in row 3. leaves 1 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKCRBOFWCOCABKMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Tristan: 1 of 29.
  5. Hilda was in the backlot. leaves 7 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKCRBOFWCOCABKMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Hilda: 7 of 29.
  6. Hilda was in the bottom row. leaves 1 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKCRBOFWCOCABKMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Hilda: 1 of 29.
  7. Sofia was in the desert set. leaves 5 of 29 squares
Show the squares Rufus had left
BKCRBOFWCOCABKMM
The squares still open to Rufus 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:

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Tristan, in Green Room (row 3, column 4).

Show the solved board
BKCRBOFWCOCABKMM✕RQTHS
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Tristan is ringed in red.

Easy · time attack — The Movie Studio

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Sound Stage, Desert Set, Cafeteria, Prop Warehouse, Backlot. Eight 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.

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) · BK — bookshelf · BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · CA — cactus · CR — crate · M — mirror (square stays free) · W — wooden table

The testimony

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

  1. Ruben was in the rightmost column. leaves 5 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBMCRBOWBECACAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ruben: 5 of 29.
  2. Ruben was in the bottom row. leaves 1 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBMCRBOWBECACAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ruben: 1 of 29.
  3. Abel was in column 2. leaves 5 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBMCRBOWBECACAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Abel: 5 of 29.
  4. Abel was beside the boombox. leaves 1 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBMCRBOWBECACAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Abel: 1 of 29.
  5. Marina was beside the crate. leaves 2 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBMCRBOWBECACAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Marina: 2 of 29.
  6. Marina was in column 4. leaves 1 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBMCRBOWBECACAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Marina: 1 of 29.
  7. Wilfred was beside the bonsai. leaves 1 of 29 squares
  8. Ines was in the desert set. leaves 7 of 29 squares
Show the squares Ines had left
BKBMCRBOWBECACAM
The squares still open to Ines once their own statements are taken into account — 7 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:

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Wilfred, in Prop Warehouse (row 5, column 1).

Show the solved board
BKBMCRBOWBECACAMRAM✕WI
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Wilfred is ringed in red.

Medium · time attack — The Movie Studio

A 7×7 grid across 6 rooms: Prop Warehouse, Wardrobe, Cafeteria, Sound Stage, Green Room, Desert Set. Nine statements, thirteen squares nobody could stand on, almost as many rooms as suspects, so a room claim nearly names a square, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 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. BE — bed (square stays free) · BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · CA — cactus · CO — computer · CR — crate · F — film camera · P — painting (square stays free) · WD — wooden table · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Vasco was beside the crate. leaves 3 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRBECAWDBMFWOCOBOCOFCAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Vasco: 3 of 39.
  2. Dora was beside the boombox. leaves 2 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRBECAWDBMFWOCOBOCOFCAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Dora: 2 of 39.
  3. Elena was in the same column as the wooden table. leaves 5 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRBECAWDBMFWOCOBOCOFCAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Elena: 5 of 39.
  4. Tobias was in row 4. leaves 5 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRBECAWDBMFWOCOBOCOFCAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Tobias: 5 of 39.
  5. Tobias was in the same column as the wooden chair. leaves 1 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRBECAWDBMFWOCOBOCOFCAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Tobias: 1 of 39.
  6. Zaida was in the same row as the wooden chair. leaves 7 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRBECAWDBMFWOCOBOCOFCAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Zaida: 7 of 39.
  7. Zaida was in the prop warehouse or in the sound stage. leaves 3 of 39 squares
  8. Zaida was somewhere north of the Doctor.
  9. Sofia was beside the painting. leaves 1 of 39 squares
Show the squares Dora had left
CRBECAWDBMFWOCOBOCOFCAP
The squares still open to Dora 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: Elena, in Desert Set (row 7, column 6).

Show the solved board
CRBECAWDBMFWOCOBOCOFCAPV✕DETZS
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Elena is ringed in red.

Medium — The Movie Studio

A 7×7 grid across 5 rooms: Sound Stage, Desert Set, Wardrobe, Prop Warehouse, Backlot. Nine statements, twelve 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.

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) · BK — bookshelf · BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · CA — cactus · CR — carpet (square stays free) · F — floor lamp · M — mirror (square stays free) · P — painting (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Vera was somewhere north of Irene.
  2. Vera was beside the boombox. leaves 3 of 42 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBMBOBECACRFCABOMPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Vera: 3 of 42.
  3. Kurt was in the sound stage or in the desert set. leaves 16 of 42 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBMBOBECACRFCABOMPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Kurt: 16 of 42.
  4. Kurt was in the same row as the bookshelf. leaves 2 of 42 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBMBOBECACRFCABOMPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Kurt: 2 of 42.
  5. Nestor was beside the bookshelf. leaves 1 of 42 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBMBOBECACRFCABOMPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 1 of 42.
  6. Beatrix was in the same column as the carpet. leaves 11 of 42 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBMBOBECACRFCABOMPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 11 of 42.
  7. Beatrix was in the sound stage or in the backlot. leaves 5 of 42 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBMBOBECACRFCABOMPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 5 of 42.
  8. Irene was in the same room as Olivia.
  9. Olivia was in the same column as the floor lamp. leaves 5 of 42 squares
Show the squares Kurt had left
BKBMBOBECACRFCABOMPM
The squares still open to Kurt once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 42.
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 11 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 7 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Beatrix, in Backlot (row 3, column 6).

Show the solved board
BKBMBOBECACRFCABOMPMVKN✕BIO
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Beatrix is ringed in red.

Hard — The Movie Studio

A 10×8 grid across 7 rooms: Editing Bay, Director's Office, Desert Set, Wardrobe, Sound Stage, Backlot, Cafeteria. Twelve statements, sixteen squares nobody could stand on, almost as many rooms as suspects, so a room claim nearly names a square, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

Cracked by 7 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. BE — bed (square stays free) · BK — bookshelf · BO — bonsai · CA — cactus · CO — computer · CR — carpet (square stays free) · CT — crate · F — floor lamp · M — mirror (square stays free) · P — painting (square stays free) · WD — wooden table · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Elias was all alone in a room.
  2. Olivia was all alone in a room.
  3. Olivia was exactly 2 columns east of Lorenzo.
  4. Greta was in the same row as the wooden chair. leaves 10 of 69 squares
    Show it on the board
    BEWOCTFWDCABKCRBOCOFCAWDBKPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 10 of 69.
  5. Hugo was exactly 3 columns west of Elias.
  6. Hugo was somewhere south of Delia.
  7. Hugo was somewhere west of Greta.
  8. Lorenzo was exactly 3 columns west of Delia.
  9. Delia was in the same row as the crate. leaves 8 of 69 squares
    Show it on the board
    BEWOCTFWDCABKCRBOCOFCAWDBKPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Delia: 8 of 69.
  10. Sofia was in the same row as the bed. leaves 8 of 69 squares
    Show it on the board
    BEWOCTFWDCABKCRBOCOFCAWDBKPM
    The squares this one statement leaves Sofia: 8 of 69.
  11. Sofia was exactly 2 columns east of Greta.
  12. Sofia was all alone in a room.
Show the squares Delia had left
BEWOCTFWDCABKCRBOCOFCAWDBKPM
The squares still open to Delia once their own statements are taken into account — 8 of 69.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 133 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 129 squares fell the same way.

The answer

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

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

Hard · time attack — The Movie Studio

An 8×8 grid across 7 rooms: Prop Warehouse, Desert Set, Green Room, Director's Office, Sound Stage, Editing Bay, Backlot. Twelve 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 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. BE — bed (square stays free) · BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · CA — cactus · CO — computer · CR — carpet (square stays free) · CT — crate · FI — film camera · FL — floor lamp · P — painting (square stays free) · T — television · WD — wooden table · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Kurt was exactly 2 columns east of the Colonel.
  2. Kurt was exactly 1 row south of Oscar.
  3. Kurt was somewhere east of Vera.
  4. Walter was somewhere south of the Magician.
  5. Walter was all alone in a room.
  6. Ivan was in the same row as the wooden chair. leaves 6 of 51 squares
    Show it on the board
    WDWOCAFLBECOBOBMCTTCRCTFLWDFICAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Ivan: 6 of 51.
  7. Vera was in the same row as the painting. leaves 7 of 51 squares
    Show it on the board
    WDWOCAFLBECOBOBMCTTCRCTFLWDFICAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Vera: 7 of 51.
  8. Jimena was all alone in a room.
  9. Jimena was in the same column as the painting. leaves 7 of 51 squares
    Show it on the board
    WDWOCAFLBECOBOBMCTTCRCTFLWDFICAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Jimena: 7 of 51.
  10. Ada was in the same column as the carpet. leaves 15 of 51 squares
    Show it on the board
    WDWOCAFLBECOBOBMCTTCRCTFLWDFICAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Ada: 15 of 51.
  11. Ada was exactly 2 rows south of the Magician.
  12. Oscar was in the same column as the boombox. leaves 5 of 51 squares
    Show it on the board
    WDWOCAFLBECOBOBMCTTCRCTFLWDFICAP
    The squares this one statement leaves Oscar: 5 of 51.
Show the squares Oscar had left
WDWOCAFLBECOBOBMCTTCRCTFLWDFICAP
The squares still open to Oscar once their own statements are taken into account — 5 of 51.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 74 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 70 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. Walter's motive would have been buried secrets.
  2. Ada's motive would have been revenge.
  3. Oscar's motive would have been jealousy.
  4. Kurt's motive would have been ambition.
  5. Whoever did it was not driven by debts.
  6. Whoever did it was not driven by obsession.
The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Ivan, in Editing Bay (row 2, column 8).

The only motive left standing for Ivan is blackmail.

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

Expert — The Movie Studio

A 9×9 grid across 8 rooms: Desert Set, Editing Bay, Director's Office, Wardrobe, Sound Stage, Cafeteria, Green Room, Prop Warehouse. Sixteen statements, 22 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.

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) · BK — bookshelf · BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · CA — cactus · CO — computer · CR — carpet (square stays free) · CT — crate · FI — film camera · FL — floor lamp · M — mirror (square stays free) · P — painting (square stays free) · T — television · WD — wooden table · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Ivan was in the director's office or in the sound stage. if true, leaves 7 of 65
    Show it on the board
    WDCTBOBETCOBMWOFLCRCAFIBKCABKFICOBOCTPMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Ivan: 7 of 65.
  2. Hugo was in the same column as the carpet. if true, leaves 14 of 65
    Show it on the board
    WDCTBOBETCOBMWOFLCRCAFIBKCABKFICOBOCTPMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Hugo: 14 of 65.
  3. Hugo was somewhere north of Vera.
  4. Vera was in the same row as the floor lamp. if true, leaves 8 of 65
    Show it on the board
    WDCTBOBETCOBMWOFLCRCAFIBKCABKFICOBOCTPMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Vera: 8 of 65.
  5. Vera was in the same column as the television. if true, leaves 1 of 65
    Show it on the board
    WDCTBOBETCOBMWOFLCRCAFIBKCABKFICOBOCTPMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Vera: 1 of 65.
  6. Katia was somewhere south of Ivan.
  7. Katia was somewhere east of the Curator.
  8. Sofia was in the same column as the boombox. if true, leaves 6 of 65
    Show it on the board
    WDCTBOBETCOBMWOFLCRCAFIBKCABKFICOBOCTPMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Sofia: 6 of 65.
  9. Sofia was somewhere west of Conrad.
  10. Sofia and the Chef were in different rooms.
  11. Lorenzo was in the same row as the boombox. if true, leaves 7 of 65
    Show it on the board
    WDCTBOBETCOBMWOFLCRCAFIBKCABKFICOBOCTPMP
    The squares this one statement leaves Lorenzo: 7 of 65.
  12. Flora was somewhere east of the Curator.
  13. Conrad was somewhere north of Lorenzo.
  14. Conrad was somewhere west of the Butler.
  15. Exactly 3 people were in the wardrobe.
  16. Exactly 2 people were in the green room.
Show the squares Sofia had left
WDCTBOBETCOBMWOFLCRCAFIBKCABKFICOBOCTPMP
The squares still open to Sofia once their own statements are taken into account — 6 of 65.
Unmasking the liar

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

Another 4 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Conrad actually told you:

  1. Conrad was NOT north of Lorenzo.
  2. Conrad was NOT west of the Butler.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 98 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 94 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. Lorenzo's motive would have been blackmail.
  2. Flora's motive would have been jealousy.
  3. Hugo's motive would have been obsession.
  4. Katia's motive would have been debts.
  5. Vera's motive would have been revenge.
  6. Whoever did it was not driven by buried secrets.
  7. Whoever did it was not driven by inheritance.
The answer

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

The only motive left standing for Conrad is ambition.

Show the solved board
WDCTBOBETCOBMWOFLCRCAFIBKCABKFICOBOCTPMPIHV✕KSLFC
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Conrad is ringed in red.

Expert · time attack — The Movie Studio

A 9×9 grid across 8 rooms: Desert Set, Wardrobe, Editing Bay, Green Room, Director's Office, Backlot, Prop Warehouse, Sound Stage. Seventeen statements, sixteen 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 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. BE — bed (square stays free) · BK — bookshelf · BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · CA — cactus · CO — computer · CR — carpet (square stays free) · CT — crate · FI — film camera · FL — floor lamp · P — painting (square stays free) · WD — wooden table · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Ulises was somewhere north of Percy.
  2. Ulises was in the same row as the painting. if true, leaves 61 of 69
  3. Conrad was in the same column as the painting. if true, leaves 9 of 69
    Show it on the board
    WOCTCOBOWDBEFLCACRBMBKBOWDBKFIP
    The squares this one statement leaves Conrad: 9 of 69.
  4. Conrad was in the same row as the cactus. if true, leaves 1 of 69
    Show it on the board
    WOCTCOBOWDBEFLCACRBMBKBOWDBKFIP
    The squares this one statement leaves Conrad: 1 of 69.
  5. Nora was somewhere east of the Chauffeur.
  6. Nora was in the same row as the computer. if true, leaves 7 of 69
    Show it on the board
    WOCTCOBOWDBEFLCACRBMBKBOWDBKFIP
    The squares this one statement leaves Nora: 7 of 69.
  7. Dante was in the same row as the wooden chair. if true, leaves 9 of 69
    Show it on the board
    WOCTCOBOWDBEFLCACRBMBKBOWDBKFIP
    The squares this one statement leaves Dante: 9 of 69.
  8. Dante was in the same column as the boombox. if true, leaves 1 of 69
    Show it on the board
    WOCTCOBOWDBEFLCACRBMBKBOWDBKFIP
    The squares this one statement leaves Dante: 1 of 69.
  9. Irene was in the same column as the computer. if true, leaves 8 of 69
    Show it on the board
    WOCTCOBOWDBEFLCACRBMBKBOWDBKFIP
    The squares this one statement leaves Irene: 8 of 69.
  10. Irene was in the same row as the painting. if true, leaves 1 of 69
  11. Ada was somewhere west of Ulises.
  12. Percy was in the same row as the floor lamp. if true, leaves 8 of 69
  13. Percy was somewhere south of the Doctor.
  14. Percy was in the same column as the carpet. if true, leaves 2 of 69
  15. Rita was somewhere east of the Butler.
  16. Rita was in the same row as the boombox. if true, leaves 8 of 69
  17. Exactly 2 people were in the green room.
Show the squares Percy had left
WOCTCOBOWDBEFLCACRBMBKBOWDBKFIP
The squares still open to Percy once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 69.
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 Ulises survives the test. That is the accomplice, and everything they said is now read backwards.

Read backwards, Ulises actually told you:

  1. Ulises was NOT north of Percy.
  2. Ulises was NOT in the same row as the painting.
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 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. Irene's motive would have been revenge.
  2. Percy's motive would have been ambition.
  3. Conrad's motive would have been buried secrets.
  4. Nora's motive would have been jealousy.
  5. Dante's motive would have been inheritance.
  6. Whoever did it was not driven by debts.
  7. Whoever did it was not driven by obsession.
The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Rita, in Green Room (row 9, column 7). Ulises lied throughout and was never charged.

The only motive left standing for Rita is blackmail.

Show the solved board
WOCTCOBOWDBEFLCACRBMBKBOWDBKFIP✕UCNDIAPR
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Rita 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 — Charged at The Movie Studio. It took 3 detectives to agree and 4 did, which is the difference between a suspicion and a file.

All ten investigations played out across the backlots and soundstages of The Movie Studio on 26 September 2026. The standard docket offered an orderly climb from a 5x5 floor plan with four rooms up to an expansive 10x8 space holding seven rooms. As the untimed run concluded, an eight-room 9x9 layout turned treacherous, introducing both a liar and a required motive; four of six attempts closed successfully. In this untimed branch, chentian secured the quickest runs on the beginner in 0m 12s and easy in 0m 15s, while heni claimed the remainder, logging 0m 57s on medium, 2m 58s on hard, and a steady 4m 06s on the deceptive expert case.

The time attack cases pared down the field, but the complexities deepened. A 7-room 8x8 hard board introduced a motive requirement, solved just once in four attempts. The concluding 9x9 board brought back both the liar and motive hurdles across eight rooms. chentian cleared the table entirely against the clock, clocking 0m 09s on the beginner's three rooms, 0m 17s on the easy five-room scene, 0m 13s on the medium, 1m 54s on the motive-laden hard case, and a decisive 2m 58s on the expert mystery.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: chentian — 0m 12s · Easy: chentian — 0m 15s · Medium: heni — 0m 57s · Hard: heni — 2m 58s · Expert: heni — 4m 06s · Beginner · time attack: chentian — 0m 09s · Easy · time attack: chentian — 0m 17s · Medium · time attack: chentian — 0m 13s · Hard · time attack: chentian — 1m 54s · Expert · time attack: chentian — 2m 58s

The solutions

The solved boards — spoilers for every case of 26 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 Movie Studio

FIZJ✕
Frida (Journalist)Frida (journalist) was named and charged; 9 detectives closed this one.

Easy — The Movie Studio

✕RQTHS
Tristan (Magician)The cell door shut on Tristan (magician), on the evidence of 7 detectives.

Medium — The Movie Studio

VKN✕BIO
Beatrix (Journalist)6 detectives put Beatrix (journalist) away before the day was out.

Hard — The Movie Studio

EOG✕HLDS
Greta (Diva)Greta (diva) is in custody — the case was closed by 6 detectives.

Expert — The Movie Studio

IHV✕KSLFC
Conrad (Curator)Conrad (curator) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 4 detectives. The motive — ambition — was proved along with the name. Conrad lied for them and was never charged.

Beginner · time attack — The Movie Studio

A✕LTC
Tristan (Colonel)Tristan (colonel) was named and charged; 2 detectives closed this one.

Easy · time attack — The Movie Studio

RAM✕WI
Wilfred (Magician)The cell door shut on Wilfred (magician), on the evidence of 2 detectives.

Medium · time attack — The Movie Studio

V✕DETZS
Elena (Doctor)one detective put Elena (doctor) away before the day was out.

Hard · time attack — The Movie Studio

KWIVJ✕AO
Ivan (Magician)Ivan (magician) is in custody — the case was closed by one detective. The motive — blackmail — was proved along with the name.

Expert · time attack — The Movie Studio

✕UCNDIAPR
Rita (Chef)Rita (chef) ended the day behind bars — convicted by one detective. The motive — blackmail — was proved along with the name. Ulises lied for them and was never charged.

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