Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 3 October 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-10-03 — 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 Old Harbor

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Fish Market, Cold Store, Breakwater. Seven statements, six squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

Cracked by 14 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. C — crate · R — radio · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Kaspar was in the fish market. leaves 13 of 22 squares
  2. Kaspar was in column 2. leaves 3 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    CWOWDRWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Kaspar: 3 of 22.
  3. Wren was in column 4. leaves 4 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    CWOWDRWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Wren: 4 of 22.
  4. Wren was in the top row. leaves 1 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    CWOWDRWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Wren: 1 of 22.
  5. Sol was in row 3. leaves 3 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    CWOWDRWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Sol: 3 of 22.
  6. Sol was in the leftmost column. leaves 1 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    CWOWDRWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Sol: 1 of 22.
  7. Elias was in row 4. leaves 5 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    CWOWDRWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Elias: 5 of 22.
Show the squares Kaspar had left
CWOWDRWIWI
The squares still open to Kaspar once their own statements are taken into account — 3 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: Elias, in Cold Store (row 4, column 5).

Show the solved board
CWOWDRWIWIKWS✕E
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Elias is ringed in red.

Beginner · time attack — The Old Harbor

A 5×5 grid across 4 rooms: Fish Market, Pier, Warehouse, Harbormaster's. Six statements, seven 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. CO — computer · CR — crate · F — floor lamp · R — radio · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Conrad was in row 2. leaves 4 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    RWDCRWOFCOWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Conrad: 4 of 20.
  2. Greta was in the warehouse. leaves 6 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    RWDCRWOFCOWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 6 of 20.
  3. Greta was in row 3. leaves 2 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    RWDCRWOFCOWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 2 of 20.
  4. Helena was in the pier. leaves 2 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    RWDCRWOFCOWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Helena: 2 of 20.
  5. Yago was in the leftmost column. leaves 4 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    RWDCRWOFCOWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Yago: 4 of 20.
  6. Yago was in row 4. leaves 1 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    RWDCRWOFCOWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Yago: 1 of 20.
Show the squares Greta had left
RWDCRWOFCOWI
The squares still open to Greta 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: Conrad, in Harbormaster's (row 2, column 2).

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

Easy — The Old Harbor

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Fish Market, Pier, Warehouse, Harbormaster's, Boathouse. Seven statements, nine squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 12 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 — boat · CA — cabinet · CH — chest · F — floor lamp · R — radio · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Beatrix was in the leftmost column. leaves 5 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCACHWDFWORWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 5 of 29.
  2. Beatrix was in the pier. leaves 1 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCACHWDFWORWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 1 of 29.
  3. Gordon was beside the chest. leaves 2 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCACHWDFWORWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Gordon: 2 of 29.
  4. Elena was in the pier or in the warehouse. leaves 14 of 29 squares
  5. Zaida was beside the boat. leaves 3 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCACHWDFWORWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Zaida: 3 of 29.
  6. Kurt was in the fish market. leaves 7 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCACHWDFWORWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Kurt: 7 of 29.
  7. Kurt was in column 3. leaves 1 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BCACHWDFWORWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Kurt: 1 of 29.
Show the squares Gordon had left
BCACHWDFWORWIWI
The squares still open to Gordon 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: Kurt, in Fish Market (row 6, column 3).

Show the solved board
BCACHWDFWORWIWI✕BGEZK
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Kurt is ringed in red.

Easy · time attack — The Old Harbor

A 6×6 grid across 4 rooms: Warehouse, Fish Market, Dock, Pier. Eight statements, nine squares nobody could stand on, 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. CA — cabinet · CH — chest · CO — computer · CR — crate · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Cesar was in the fish market. leaves 7 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    CHCOWDCAWOCRCRWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Cesar: 7 of 29.
  2. Ursula was in row 3. leaves 5 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    CHCOWDCAWOCRCRWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Ursula: 5 of 29.
  3. Ursula was in column 2. leaves 1 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    CHCOWDCAWOCRCRWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Ursula: 1 of 29.
  4. Ofelia was beside the chest. leaves 3 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    CHCOWDCAWOCRCRWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Ofelia: 3 of 29.
  5. Dora was in the bottom row. leaves 5 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    CHCOWDCAWOCRCRWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Dora: 5 of 29.
  6. Dora was in the warehouse. leaves 1 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    CHCOWDCAWOCRCRWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Dora: 1 of 29.
  7. Vera was in the pier. leaves 8 of 29 squares
  8. Vera was in column 5. leaves 1 of 29 squares
Show the squares Ofelia had left
CHCOWDCAWOCRCRWDWI
The squares still open to Ofelia once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 29.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

The answer

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

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

Medium · time attack — The Old Harbor

An 8×7 grid across 6 rooms: Boathouse, Warehouse, Breakwater, Dock, Cold Store, Fish Market. Nine 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.

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. B — boat · CA — cabinet · CH — chest · CO — computer · CR — crate · F — floor lamp · R — radio · S — shark · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Conrad was somewhere west of the Doctor.
  2. Victor was somewhere south of Estela.
  3. Victor was beside a window. leaves 2 of 44 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOBRCHSCRCAFCRWDCOCOWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Victor: 2 of 44.
  4. Estela was in the same room as Tamara.
  5. Abel was in column 6. leaves 6 of 44 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOBRCHSCRCAFCRWDCOCOWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Abel: 6 of 44.
  6. Abel was beside the cabinet. leaves 1 of 44 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOBRCHSCRCAFCRWDCOCOWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Abel: 1 of 44.
  7. Ursula was in the same row as a window. leaves 11 of 44 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOBRCHSCRCAFCRWDCOCOWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Ursula: 11 of 44.
  8. Tamara was beside the shark. leaves 3 of 44 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOBRCHSCRCAFCRWDCOCOWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Tamara: 3 of 44.
  9. Nobody was in the warehouse.
Show the squares Victor had left
WOBRCHSCRCAFCRWDCOCOWIWI
The squares still open to Victor once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 44.
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 3 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 1 squares fell the same way.

The answer

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

Show the solved board
WOBRCHSCRCAFCRWDCOCOWIWICVEAUT✕
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Victor is ringed in red.

Medium — The Old Harbor

A 7×7 grid across 5 rooms: Marina, Fish Market, Warehouse, Boathouse, Harbormaster's. Seven statements, twelve squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 12 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 — boat · CA — cabinet · CH — chest · CR — crate · R — radio · S — shark · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Quentin was in the same column as a window. leaves 12 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    BSWDWORCHCRCRCACAWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Quentin: 12 of 39.
  2. Ines was beside the chest. leaves 3 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    BSWDWORCHCRCRCACAWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Ines: 3 of 39.
  3. Ursula was in the eastern half of the scene. leaves 18 of 39 squares
  4. Ursula was in the same row as a window. leaves 6 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    BSWDWORCHCRCRCACAWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Ursula: 6 of 39.
  5. Katia was in the same row as the shark. leaves 5 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    BSWDWORCHCRCRCACAWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Katia: 5 of 39.
  6. Tristan was beside the wooden table. leaves 1 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    BSWDWORCHCRCRCACAWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Tristan: 1 of 39.
  7. Margot was in the same column as the radio. leaves 6 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    BSWDWORCHCRCRCACAWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Margot: 6 of 39.
Show the squares Ines had left
BSWDWORCHCRCRCACAWIWI
The squares still open to Ines once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 39.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Tristan, in Warehouse (row 2, column 7).

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

Hard — The Old Harbor

An 8×8 grid across 7 rooms: Dock, Harbormaster's, Warehouse, Boathouse, Marina, Pier, Cold Store. Twelve statements, fifteen squares nobody could stand on, almost as many rooms as suspects, so a room claim nearly names a square, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

The twist: the accusation also demands the motive, not just the name.

Cracked by 4 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. B — boat · CA — cabinet · CH — chest · CO — computer · CR — crate · F — floor lamp · R — radio · S — shark · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Rufus was in the same row as the computer. leaves 7 of 51 squares
    Show it on the board
    BRCOWDFSCHCAWOCRFRSWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Rufus: 7 of 51.
  2. Tesa was in the same row as the cabinet. leaves 7 of 51 squares
    Show it on the board
    BRCOWDFSCHCAWOCRFRSWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Tesa: 7 of 51.
  3. Tesa was in the same room as Zaida.
  4. Tesa was exactly 1 row north of the Butler.
  5. Ofelia was in the same row as the chest. leaves 5 of 51 squares
    Show it on the board
    BRCOWDFSCHCAWOCRFRSWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Ofelia: 5 of 51.
  6. Ofelia was all alone in a room.
  7. Ofelia was somewhere west of Ignacio.
  8. Julia was somewhere west of the Professor.
  9. Zaida was somewhere south of Rufus.
  10. Cesar was all alone in a room.
  11. Cesar was in the same column as the wooden table. leaves 7 of 51 squares
    Show it on the board
    BRCOWDFSCHCAWOCRFRSWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Cesar: 7 of 51.
  12. Ignacio was somewhere west of Julia.
Show the squares Ofelia had left
BRCOWDFSCHCAWOCRFRSWIWI
The squares still open to Ofelia 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 71 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 67 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. Cesar's motive would have been obsession.
  2. Ofelia's motive would have been inheritance.
  3. Zaida's motive would have been debts.
  4. Tesa's motive would have been revenge.
  5. Whoever did it was not driven by buried secrets.
  6. Whoever did it was not driven by blackmail.
The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Ignacio, in Boathouse (row 6, column 4).

The only motive left standing for Ignacio is ambition.

Show the solved board
BRCOWDFSCHCAWOCRFRSWIWIRTOJZ✕CI
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Ignacio is ringed in red.

Hard · time attack — The Old Harbor

A 9×8 grid across 6 rooms: Pier, Boathouse, Warehouse, Marina, Harbormaster's, Cold Store. Twelve statements, fourteen 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. B — boat · CA — cabinet · CH — chest · CO — computer · CR — crate · F — floor lamp · R — radio · S — shark · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Olivia was exactly 2 columns east of Elena.
  2. Elena was somewhere south of the Chef.
  3. Delia was in the same column as the computer. leaves 5 of 60 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRCABSFCHWDCOWORWOCHWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Delia: 5 of 60.
  4. Delia was in the same room as the Heiress.
  5. Delia was somewhere south of Olivia.
  6. Victor was in the same row as the shark. leaves 8 of 60 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRCABSFCHWDCOWORWOCHWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Victor: 8 of 60.
  7. Victor was all alone in a room.
  8. Luna was in the same column as the boat. leaves 14 of 60 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRCABSFCHWDCOWORWOCHWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Luna: 14 of 60.
  9. Luna was somewhere west of Tamara.
  10. Tamara was in the same row as the crate. leaves 8 of 60 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRCABSFCHWDCOWORWOCHWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Tamara: 8 of 60.
  11. Gordon was in the same column as the floor lamp. leaves 7 of 60 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRCABSFCHWDCOWORWOCHWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Gordon: 7 of 60.
  12. Gordon was all alone in a room.
Show the squares Delia had left
CRCABSFCHWDCOWORWOCHWDWI
The squares still open to Delia once their own statements are taken into account — 5 of 60.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 82 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 78 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. Delia's motive would have been revenge.
  2. Gordon's motive would have been obsession.
  3. Tamara's motive would have been inheritance.
  4. Victor's motive would have been jealousy.
  5. Whoever did it was not driven by blackmail.
  6. Whoever did it was not driven by ambition.
The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Elena, in Boathouse (row 7, column 2).

The only motive left standing for Elena is buried secrets.

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

Expert — The Old Harbor

A 9×9 grid across 8 rooms: Warehouse, Fish Market, Marina, Cold Store, Dock, Pier, Harbormaster's, Boathouse. Twenty statements, eighteen squares nobody could stand on, almost as many rooms as suspects, so a room claim nearly names a square, and two rounds of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry — and one of the nine was lying throughout.

The twist: one suspect is an accomplice — every statement they make is false; the accusation also demands the motive, not just the name.

Cracked by 4 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. B — boat · CA — cabinet · CH — chest · CO — computer · CR — crate · F — floor lamp · R — radio · S — shark · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Ignacio was in the same column as the computer. if true, leaves 6 of 64
    Show it on the board
    WDSCOCACHCRWOFRBCHSBCAFWDWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Ignacio: 6 of 64.
  2. Ignacio was somewhere south of the Doctor.
  3. Ignacio was somewhere north of Petra.
  4. Petra was in the same column as the wooden chair. if true, leaves 8 of 64
    Show it on the board
    WDSCOCACHCRWOFRBCHSBCAFWDWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Petra: 8 of 64.
  5. Petra was in the same row as a window. if true, leaves 3 of 64
    Show it on the board
    WDSCOCACHCRWOFRBCHSBCAFWDWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Petra: 3 of 64.
  6. Enzo was in the same row as a shark. if true, leaves 16 of 64
    Show it on the board
    WDSCOCACHCRWOFRBCHSBCAFWDWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Enzo: 16 of 64.
  7. Bianca was somewhere east of the Gardener.
  8. Bianca was in column 2. if true, leaves 7 of 64
    Show it on the board
    WDSCOCACHCRWOFRBCHSBCAFWDWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 7 of 64.
  9. Bianca was somewhere west of Hugo.
  10. Hugo was somewhere north of the Heiress.
  11. Gordon was in the same row as the computer. if true, leaves 8 of 64
    Show it on the board
    WDSCOCACHCRWOFRBCHSBCAFWDWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Gordon: 8 of 64.
  12. Gordon was somewhere north of Hugo.
  13. Gordon was in the same column as the radio. if true, leaves 1 of 64
  14. Margot was in the same row as a window. if true, leaves 45 of 64
  15. Margot was somewhere east of the Magician.
  16. Margot was somewhere south of the Gardener.
  17. Frida was in the same row as the wooden chair. if true, leaves 9 of 64
  18. Exactly 2 people were in the warehouse.
  19. Exactly 2 people were in the marina.
  20. Exactly 2 people were in the cold store.
Show the squares Petra had left
WDSCOCACHCRWOFRBCHSBCAFWDWIWI
The squares still open to Petra once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 64.
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 Margot survives the test. That is the accomplice, and everything they said is now read backwards.

Read backwards, Margot actually told you:

  1. Margot was NOT in the same row as a window.
  2. Margot was NOT east of the Magician.
  3. Margot was NOT south of the Gardener.
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 2 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Show what goes wrong
WDSCOCACHCRWOFRBCHSBCAFWDWIWIIPEBHGMF
Suppose Frida stood on the dashed square. Frida then has nowhere left to stand: every square still open to them is shaded out.
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. Ignacio's motive would have been jealousy.
  2. Frida's motive would have been inheritance.
  3. Hugo's motive would have been blackmail.
  4. Gordon's motive would have been ambition.
  5. Petra's motive would have been buried secrets.
  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: Margot, in Marina (row 1, column 3). Margot lied throughout and was never charged.

The only motive left standing for Margot is revenge.

Show the solved board
WDSCOCACHCRWOFRBCHSBCAFWDWIWI✕IPEBHGMF
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Margot is ringed in red.

Expert · time attack — The Old Harbor

A 10×9 grid across 8 rooms: Pier, Cold Store, Boathouse, Harbormaster's, Marina, Dock, Fish Market, Warehouse. Twelve statements, nineteen 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 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. B — boat · CA — cabinet · CH — chest · CO — computer · CR — crate · F — floor lamp · R — radio · S — shark · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Sol was exactly 1 column west of the Magician.
  2. Hugo was exactly 2 rows south of Sol.
  3. Hugo was exactly 1 column east of the Magician.
  4. Estela was exactly 3 columns east of the Magician.
  5. Jonas was exactly 5 columns east of the Chauffeur.
  6. Quentin and Percy were alone together in one room.
  7. Vivienne was exactly 2 columns east of the Curator.
  8. Percy was exactly 1 column east of the Curator.
  9. Percy was exactly 1 row south of Quentin.
  10. Oscar was all alone in a room.
  11. Oscar was exactly 4 columns west of Sol.
  12. Exactly 2 people were in the harbormaster's office.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 70 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 66 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Vivienne, in Harbormaster's (row 9, column 3).

Show the solved board
FRWOBCHCRCOSCAWDCAFRCHCOCRWDWIWISHE✕JQVPO
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Vivienne 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

What the Tide Keeps — The cache at The Old Harbor came up — found, marked, logged. Not the thing that went missing on day one, but something.

The day’s investigations centered entirely on The Old Harbor across ten separate boards. In the standard cases, an anonymous guest detective set the early pace, finishing the three-room beginner 5x5 in eight seconds and the five-room easy 6x6 in thirteen seconds. As the dockside inquiries grew more involved, chentian claimed the five-room medium 7x7 in forty-nine seconds, then unraveled the seven-room hard 8x8, where establishing motive was required, in four minutes and thirty-six seconds. The eight-room expert 9x9 introduced both a motive requirement and a liar, a complicated tangle that detective2201 resolved in seven minutes and forty-two seconds.

Over in the time attack runs, chentian swept the fastest recorded times on every board. Moving swiftly through The Old Harbor, they cleared the four-room beginner 5x5 in ten seconds, the four-room easy 6x6 in eleven seconds, and the six-room medium 8x7 in forty-seven seconds. The six-room hard 9x8 required sleuths to account for motive once more, which chentian conquered in six minutes and five seconds, before closing out the eight-room expert 10x9 board against the clock in two minutes and six seconds.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: a guest detective — 0m 08s · Easy: a guest detective — 0m 13s · Medium: chentian — 0m 49s · Hard: chentian — 4m 36s · Expert: detective2201 — 7m 42s · Beginner · time attack: chentian — 0m 10s · Easy · time attack: chentian — 0m 11s · Medium · time attack: chentian — 0m 47s · Hard · time attack: chentian — 6m 05s · Expert · time attack: chentian — 2m 06s

The solutions

The solved boards — spoilers for every case of 3 October 2026

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

Beginner — The Old Harbor

KWS✕E
Elias (Colonel)The cell door shut on Elias (colonel), on the evidence of 13 detectives.

Easy — The Old Harbor

✕BGEZK
Kurt (Gardener)11 detectives put Kurt (gardener) away before the day was out.

Medium — The Old Harbor

Q✕IUKTM
Tristan (Gardener)Tristan (gardener) is in custody — the case was closed by 11 detectives.

Hard — The Old Harbor

RTOJZ✕CI
Ignacio (Butler)Ignacio (butler) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 3 detectives. The motive — ambition — was proved along with the name.

Expert — The Old Harbor

✕IPEBHGMF
Margot (Doctor)Margot (doctor) was named and charged; 3 detectives closed this one. The motive — revenge — was proved along with the name. Margot lied for them and was never charged.

Beginner · time attack — The Old Harbor

CGH✕Y
Conrad (Colonel)The cell door shut on Conrad (colonel), on the evidence of 2 detectives.

Easy · time attack — The Old Harbor

✕CUODV
Ursula (Doctor)one detective put Ursula (doctor) away before the day was out.

Medium · time attack — The Old Harbor

CVEAUT✕
Victor (Colonel)Victor (colonel) is in custody — the case was closed by one detective.

Hard · time attack — The Old Harbor

OEDVLT✕G
Elena (Journalist)Elena (journalist) ended the day behind bars — convicted by one detective. The motive — buried secrets — was proved along with the name.

Expert · time attack — The Old Harbor

SHE✕JQVPO
Vivienne (Professor)Vivienne (professor) was named and charged; one detective closed this one.

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