Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 5 October 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-10-05 — 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 Hiking Trip

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Overlook, Trailhead, Meadow. Seven statements, four squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

Cracked by 11 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Nobody can stand on one, which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them. CA — campfire · CR — crate · R — radio · T — tree

The testimony

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

Rosa was in column 2. leaves 4 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Rosa: 4 of 21.
Rosa was in the meadow. leaves 3 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Rosa: 3 of 21.
Zeno was in column 3. leaves 5 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 5 of 21.
Zeno was in the overlook. leaves 1 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 1 of 21.
Julian was in the top row. leaves 5 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julian: 5 of 21.
Tristan was in row 3. leaves 5 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tristan: 5 of 21.
Tristan was in the trailhead. leaves 3 of 21 squares

Show the squares Rosa had left

The squares still open to Rosa once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 21.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Rosa can only be in Meadow (row 2, column 2) — down from 3 possible squares.
Julian can only be in Meadow (row 1, column 1) — down from 5 possible squares.
Tristan can only be in Trailhead (row 3, column 5) — down from 3 possible squares.
Ivan can only be in Trailhead (row 4, column 4) — down from 21 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Tristan, in Trailhead (row 3, column 5).

Show the solved board

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

Beginner · time attack — The Hiking Trip

A 5×5 grid across 4 rooms: Ranger Station, Cave, Trailhead, Forest Path. Seven statements, five 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. Nobody can stand on one, which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them. B — boulder · F — floor lamp · R — radio · TE — tent · TR — tree

The testimony

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

Flora was in the cave. leaves 7 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Flora: 7 of 20.
Flora was in the bottom row. leaves 2 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Flora: 2 of 20.
Rufus was in column 2. leaves 5 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Rufus: 5 of 20.
Rufus was in the trailhead. leaves 1 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Rufus: 1 of 20.
Lorenzo was in the rightmost column. leaves 3 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Lorenzo: 3 of 20.
Lorenzo was in the forest path. leaves 1 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Lorenzo: 1 of 20.
Oscar was in column 3. leaves 3 of 20 squares

Show the squares Flora had left

The squares still open to Flora 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:

Flora can only be in Cave (row 5, column 1) — down from 2 possible squares.
Vivienne can only be in Trailhead (row 1, column 4) — down from 20 possible squares.
Oscar can only be in Ranger Station (row 2, column 3) — down from 3 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Easy — The Hiking Trip

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Campsite, Forest Path, Overlook, Cave, Summit. Six statements, ten squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

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. Nobody can stand on one, which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them. B — boulder · CA — campfire · CR — crate · R — radio · S — shrub · TE — tent · TR — tree

The testimony

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

Ignacio was in the summit. leaves 5 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ignacio: 5 of 26.
Lorenzo was beside the tent. leaves 2 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Lorenzo: 2 of 26.
Percy was in row 3. leaves 4 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Percy: 4 of 26.
Percy was in column 2. leaves 1 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Percy: 1 of 26.
Wren was in the rightmost column. leaves 5 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wren: 5 of 26.
Bruno was in the overlook. leaves 4 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Bruno: 4 of 26.

Show the squares Lorenzo had left

The squares still open to Lorenzo once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 26.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Ignacio can only be in Summit (row 4, column 5) — down from 5 possible squares.
Lorenzo can only be in Campsite (row 6, column 3) — down from 2 possible squares.
Wren can only be in Summit (row 5, column 6) — down from 5 possible squares.
Bruno can only be in Overlook (row 1, column 4) — down from 4 possible squares.
Celeste can only be in Cave (row 2, column 1) — down from 26 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Easy · time attack — The Hiking Trip

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Overlook, Ranger Station, Trailhead, Summit, Cave. Eight statements, ten squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 3 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Nobody can stand on one, which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them. BE — bear · BO — boulder · CA — campfire · CR — crate · D — desk · F — floor lamp · R — radio · S — shrub · T — tree

The testimony

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

Wanda was in the top row. leaves 5 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 5 of 26.
Wanda was in the ranger station. leaves 1 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 1 of 26.
Gaspar was beside the floor lamp. leaves 2 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gaspar: 2 of 26.
Conrad was in the trailhead. leaves 7 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Conrad: 7 of 26.
Conrad was in column 3. leaves 2 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Conrad: 2 of 26.
Tesa was in row 3. leaves 4 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tesa: 4 of 26.
Enzo was in the overlook. leaves 4 of 26 squares
Enzo was in row 4. leaves 2 of 26 squares

Show the squares Gaspar had left

The squares still open to Gaspar once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 26.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Gaspar can only be in Cave (row 6, column 1) — down from 2 possible squares.
Ruben can only be in Ranger Station (row 5, column 4) — down from 26 possible squares.
Conrad can only be in Trailhead (row 2, column 3) — down from 2 possible squares.
Tesa can only be in Cave (row 3, column 2) — down from 4 possible squares.
Enzo can only be in Overlook (row 4, column 5) — down from 2 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Wanda, in Ranger Station (row 1, column 6).

Show the solved board

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

Medium · time attack — The Hiking Trip

An 8×7 grid across 6 rooms: Trailhead, Overlook, Ranger Station, Meadow, Riverbank, Cave. Nine statements, twelve 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 2 detectives so far.

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

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

The testimony

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

Vasco was beside the shrub. leaves 4 of 44 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Vasco: 4 of 44.
Yolanda was in the same row as the crate. leaves 5 of 44 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Yolanda: 5 of 44.
Enzo was beside the floor lamp. leaves 1 of 44 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Enzo: 1 of 44.
Olivia was in the same column as the boulder. leaves 5 of 44 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Olivia: 5 of 44.
Tesa was somewhere west of Sofia.
Tesa was in the same row as the floor lamp. leaves 6 of 44 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tesa: 6 of 44.
Tesa was in the same room as Sofia.
Sofia was somewhere south of Enzo.
Nobody was in the cave.

Show the squares Vasco had left

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

Vasco can only be in Meadow (row 6, column 6) — down from 4 possible squares.
Felix can only be in Ranger Station (row 1, column 7) — down from 44 possible squares.
Yolanda can only be in Trailhead (row 3, column 4) — down from 5 possible squares.
Olivia can only be in Overlook (row 2, column 2) — down from 5 possible squares.
Tesa can only be in Riverbank (row 5, column 1) — down from 6 possible squares.
Sofia can only be in Riverbank (row 7, column 3) — down from 44 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Enzo, in Ranger Station (row 4, column 8).

Show the solved board

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

Medium — The Hiking Trip

A 7×7 grid across 6 rooms: Forest Path, Ranger Station, Overlook, Riverbank, Trailhead, Summit. Eight statements, ten 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 8 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Nobody can stand on one, which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them. BE — bear · BO — boulder · CA — campfire · CR — crate · F — floor lamp · R — radio · S — shrub · TE — tent · TR — tree

The testimony

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

Felix was somewhere east of Dora.
Felix was in the northern half of the scene. leaves 17 of 39 squares
Wilfred was beside the bear. leaves 2 of 39 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wilfred: 2 of 39.
Helena was beside the shrub. leaves 1 of 39 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Helena: 1 of 39.
Lorenzo was beside the boulder. leaves 2 of 39 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Lorenzo: 2 of 39.
Lorenzo was beside the tent. leaves 1 of 39 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Lorenzo: 1 of 39.
Clara was beside the tent. leaves 2 of 39 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Clara: 2 of 39.
Dora was in the same row as the crate. leaves 6 of 39 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Dora: 6 of 39.

Show the squares Wilfred had left

The squares still open to Wilfred 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:

Felix can only be in Riverbank (row 2, column 7) — down from 17 possible squares.
Wilfred can only be in Trailhead (row 1, column 5) — down from 2 possible squares.
Zeno can only be in Summit (row 4, column 1) — down from 39 possible squares.
Clara can only be in Forest Path (row 6, column 3) — down from 2 possible squares.
Dora can only be in Riverbank (row 3, column 6) — down from 6 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Hard — The Hiking Trip

An 8×8 grid across 7 rooms: Overlook, Campsite, Trailhead, Forest Path, Meadow, Summit, Riverbank. Seventeen statements, thirteen squares nobody could stand on, almost as many rooms as suspects, so a room claim nearly names a square, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry — and one of the eight was lying throughout.

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

Cracked by 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.

The testimony

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

Vasco was beside the floor lamp. if true, leaves 3 of 51
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Vasco: 3 of 51.
Vasco was somewhere north of the Journalist.
Jimena was in the same column as the tree. if true, leaves 6 of 51
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Jimena: 6 of 51.
Jimena was somewhere north of the Chauffeur.
Jimena was somewhere east of the Journalist.
Nora was somewhere south of Horacio.
Walter was somewhere west of the Chef.
Walter was in the same row as the tent. if true, leaves 5 of 51
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Walter: 5 of 51.
Elena was in the same row as a campfire. if true, leaves 41 of 51
Elena was in the same column as the radio. if true, leaves 36 of 51
Bruno was somewhere north of Nora.
Bruno was in the same column as a campfire. if true, leaves 12 of 51
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Bruno: 12 of 51.
Bruno was in row 6. if true, leaves 2 of 51
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Bruno: 2 of 51.
Bruno was somewhere east of the Heiress.
Horacio was somewhere west of Vasco.
Horacio was beside the floor lamp. if true, leaves 3 of 51
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Horacio: 3 of 51.
Nobody was in the meadow.

Show the squares Bruno had left

The squares still open to Bruno once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 51.

Unmasking the liar

One of these 8 people is the killer's accomplice, and every word they said is false — but you are not told which. Take each in turn: read their statements backwards and ask whether the rest of the testimony can still be satisfied.

If Vasco were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Jimena were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Nora were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Walter were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.

Another 3 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Elena actually told you:

Elena was NOT in the same row as a campfire.
Elena was NOT in the same column as the radio.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Vasco can only be in Overlook (row 3, column 8) — down from 3 possible squares.
Jimena can only be in Overlook (row 1, column 5) — down from 6 possible squares.
Nora can only be in Summit (row 7, column 2) — down from 51 possible squares.
Walter can only be in Riverbank (row 8, column 3) — down from 5 possible squares.
Elena can only be in Trailhead (row 5, column 1) — down from 36 possible squares.
Bruno can only be in Campsite (row 6, column 4) — down from 2 possible squares.
Horacio can only be in Overlook (row 2, column 7) — down from 3 possible squares.
Milo can only be in Campsite (row 4, column 6) — down from 51 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Bruno, in Campsite (row 6, column 4). Elena lied throughout and was never charged.

Show the solved board

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

Hard · time attack — The Hiking Trip

A 9×8 grid across 7 rooms: Summit, Meadow, Cave, Trailhead, Ranger Station, Forest Path, Overlook. 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 2 detectives so far.

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

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

The testimony

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

Julian was all alone in a room.
Julian was in row 8. leaves 9 of 57 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julian: 9 of 57.
Beatrix was in the same column as the desk. leaves 7 of 57 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 7 of 57.
Beatrix was in the same row as a tree. leaves 2 of 57 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 2 of 57.
Yago was in the same row as the campfire. leaves 7 of 57 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Yago: 7 of 57.
Quentin was in the same column as the crate. leaves 6 of 57 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Quentin: 6 of 57.
Katia was in the same room as Simon.
Katia was in the same row as the boulder. leaves 4 of 57 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Katia: 4 of 57.
Gordon was in the same row as the shrub. leaves 8 of 57 squares
Gordon was exactly 3 columns west of Yago.
Simon was exactly 6 columns east of Gordon.
Nobody was in the forest path.

Show the squares Beatrix had left

The squares still open to Beatrix once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 57.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Beatrix can only be in Ranger Station (row 3, column 4) — down from 2 possible squares.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 36 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Julian stood in Overlook (row 8, column 2), Quentin would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Yago stood in Cave (row 4, column 6), Quentin would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Quentin in Ranger Station (row 4, column 3) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Had Katia stood in Meadow (row 2, column 8), Gordon would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 32 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.

Katia's motive would have been obsession.
Gordon's motive would have been inheritance.
Quentin's motive would have been revenge.
Beatrix's motive would have been blackmail.
Whoever did it was not driven by jealousy.
Whoever did it was not driven by buried secrets.

The answer

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

The only motive left standing for Yago is debts.

Show the solved board

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

Expert — The Hiking Trip

A 9×9 grid across 8 rooms: Trailhead, Summit, Cave, Ranger Station, Riverbank, Campsite, Overlook, Forest Path. Twenty 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.

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.

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.

Margot was somewhere south of Gaspar.
Margot was somewhere south of the Chauffeur.
Margot was in the same column as a shrub. if true, leaves 15 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Margot: 15 of 65.
Lidia was somewhere west of the Journalist.
Lidia was somewhere south of the Gardener.
Lidia was somewhere north of the Doctor.
Alistair was in the same row as the crate. if true, leaves 6 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Alistair: 6 of 65.
Alistair was somewhere north of the Chef.
Alistair was touching the outer wall. if true, leaves 2 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Alistair: 2 of 65.
Yolanda was in the same row as a shrub. if true, leaves 14 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Yolanda: 14 of 65.
Yolanda and Beatrix were in different rooms.
Ivan was somewhere south of the Diva.
Vera was somewhere west of Beatrix.
Vera was in the same column as the desk. if true, leaves 7 of 65
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Vera: 7 of 65.
Gaspar was somewhere south of Vera.
Gaspar was somewhere south of the Journalist.
Beatrix was somewhere east of Alistair.
Exactly 2 people were in the summit.
Exactly 3 people were in the riverbank.
Exactly 2 people were in the forest path.

Show the squares Alistair had left

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

If Margot were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Lidia were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Alistair were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Yolanda were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.

Another 4 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Gaspar actually told you:

Gaspar was NOT south of Vera.
Gaspar was NOT south of the Journalist.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Alistair can only be in Forest Path (row 4, column 1) — down from 2 possible squares.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 114 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Put Margot in Overlook (row 6, column 7) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Had Lidia stood in Campsite (row 8, column 6), Vera would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Yolanda stood in Cave (row 3, column 3), Lidia would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Ivan in Campsite (row 6, column 5) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 110 squares fell the same way.

Margot can only be in Trailhead (row 5, column 9) — down from 2 possible squares.
Lidia can only be in Summit (row 7, column 4) — down from 3 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Lidia, in Summit (row 7, column 4). Gaspar lied throughout and was never charged.

Show the solved board

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

Expert · time attack — The Hiking Trip

A 10×9 grid across 8 rooms: Meadow, Cave, Campsite, Ranger Station, Overlook, Forest Path, Riverbank, Trailhead. Sixteen 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.

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.

The testimony

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

Elena and Ivan were alone together in one room.
Elena was exactly 2 columns east of the Chef.
Wanda was in the same row as the bear. leaves 9 of 74 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 9 of 74.
Julian was somewhere west of the Journalist.
Julian was in the same row as the crate. leaves 6 of 74 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julian: 6 of 74.
Julian was somewhere east of the Chauffeur.
Simon was all alone in a room.
Clara was all alone in a room.
Clara was somewhere west of the Chauffeur.
Ximena was in the same row as a radio. leaves 17 of 74 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ximena: 17 of 74.
Ximena was exactly 1 column west of the Butler.
Ivan was exactly 2 columns east of Wanda.
Ivan was exactly 4 rows south of Beatrix.
Beatrix was in the same column as the tree. leaves 7 of 74 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 7 of 74.
Exactly 2 people were in the forest path.
Exactly 2 people were in the riverbank.

Show the squares Julian had left

The squares still open to Julian once their own statements are taken into account — 6 of 74.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 183 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Elena stood in Riverbank (row 1, column 5), Ivan would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Wanda in Meadow (row 8, column 1) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Ursula in Trailhead (row 1, column 2) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Had Julian stood in Overlook (row 7, column 3), Elena would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 179 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.

Wanda's motive would have been ambition.
Beatrix's motive would have been blackmail.
Elena's motive would have been revenge.
Ximena's motive would have been buried secrets.
Simon's motive would have been obsession.
Whoever did it was not driven by inheritance.
Whoever did it was not driven by jealousy.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Julian, in Forest Path (row 7, column 8).

The only motive left standing for Julian is debts.

Show the solved board

The only arrangement the testimony allows. Julian 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 Hollow Order — The season has its first charge — and whatever the Fence bought, it did not buy enough silence.

All ten cases on 5 October 2026 led investigators out to The Hiking Trip. The standard docket progressed from a modest 5x5 beginner grid with three rooms up to a sprawling 9x9 expert board encompassing eight. Liars walked the trails on the untimed hard and expert circuits, but anonymous talent carried the day; a guest detective posted the fastest mark across every standard tier, clocking 0m 18s on beginner, 0m 19s on easy, 0m 25s on medium, 1m 36s on hard, and 1m 48s on expert.

Against the clock, the terrain shifted entirely. The time attack boards demanded motive rather than exposing liars once investigators reached the 9x8 hard and 10x9 expert levels. Across these quieter trails, chentian claimed a clean sweep of the record books, setting top marks of 0m 11s on the 5x5 beginner, 0m 20s on the 6x6 easy, 1m 23s on the 8x7 medium, 0m 56s on hard, and concluding with a 12m 48s solution on the solitary expert attempt.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: a guest detective — 0m 18s · Easy: a guest detective — 0m 19s · Medium: a guest detective — 0m 25s · Hard: a guest detective — 1m 36s · Expert: a guest detective — 1m 48s · Beginner · time attack: chentian — 0m 11s · Easy · time attack: chentian — 0m 20s · Medium · time attack: chentian — 1m 23s · Hard · time attack: chentian — 0m 56s · Expert · time attack: chentian — 12m 48s

The solutions

The solved boards — spoilers for every case of 5 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 Hiking Trip

Tristan (chauffeur) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 9 detectives.

Easy — The Hiking Trip

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

Medium — The Hiking Trip

The cell door shut on Helena (diva), on the evidence of 7 detectives.

Hard — The Hiking Trip

5 detectives put Bruno (curator) away before the day was out. Elena lied for them and was never charged.

Expert — The Hiking Trip

Lidia (chef) is in custody — the case was closed by 4 detectives. Gaspar lied for them and was never charged.

Beginner · time attack — The Hiking Trip

Rufus (gardener) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 2 detectives.

Easy · time attack — The Hiking Trip

Wanda (doctor) was named and charged; 3 detectives closed this one.

Medium · time attack — The Hiking Trip

The cell door shut on Enzo (gardener), on the evidence of 2 detectives.

Hard · time attack — The Hiking Trip

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

Expert · time attack — The Hiking Trip

Julian (colonel) is in custody — the case was closed by one detective. The motive — debts — was proved along with the name.

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Every day's cases — the calendar · ← the cases for 4 October

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