Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 6 October 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-10-06 — 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 Art School

A 5×5 grid across 4 rooms: Supply Closet, Gallery, Locker Room, Life-Drawing Room. Seven statements, six 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. 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. D — desk · E — easel · F — floor lamp · M — mirror (square stays free) · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Ximena was in the gallery. leaves 6 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    DEWFMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ximena: 6 of 22.
  2. Ximena was in the bottom row. leaves 2 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    DEWFMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ximena: 2 of 22.
  3. Ivan was in column 4. leaves 5 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    DEWFMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ivan: 5 of 22.
  4. Ivan was in row 4. leaves 1 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    DEWFMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ivan: 1 of 22.
  5. Walter was in row 2. leaves 5 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    DEWFMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Walter: 5 of 22.
  6. Zaida was in the locker room. leaves 5 of 22 squares
    Show it on the board
    DEWFMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Zaida: 5 of 22.
  7. Zaida was in the leftmost column. leaves 2 of 22 squares
Show the squares Ximena had left
DEWFMM
The squares still open to Ximena once their own statements are taken into account — 2 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: Zaida, in Locker Room (row 1, column 1).

Show the solved board
DEWFMMXIW✕Z
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Zaida is ringed in red.

Beginner · time attack — The Art School

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Gallery, Supply Closet, Atelier. Seven statements, seven squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

Cracked by 3 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · F — floor lamp · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Sofia was in the atelier. leaves 7 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    POFWBMBOPAPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Sofia: 7 of 21.
  2. Julia was in the rightmost column. leaves 3 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    POFWBMBOPAPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Julia: 3 of 21.
  3. Julia was in the atelier. leaves 2 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    POFWBMBOPAPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Julia: 2 of 21.
  4. Ofelia was in the leftmost column. leaves 4 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    POFWBMBOPAPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Ofelia: 4 of 21.
  5. Ofelia was in row 3. leaves 1 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    POFWBMBOPAPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Ofelia: 1 of 21.
  6. Alma was in the top row. leaves 5 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    POFWBMBOPAPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Alma: 5 of 21.
  7. Alma was in column 4. leaves 1 of 21 squares
Show the squares Julia had left
POFWBMBOPAPA
The squares still open to Julia once their own statements are taken into account — 2 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:

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Ofelia, in Supply Closet (row 3, column 1).

Show the solved board
POFWBMBOPAPAS✕JOA
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Ofelia is ringed in red.

Easy — The Art School

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Atelier, Locker Room, Sculpture Hall, Courtyard, Supply Closet. Ten statements, ten squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

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 · C — crate · D — desk · E — easel · F — floor lamp · M — mirror (square stays free) · S — statue · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Nestor was in the locker room. leaves 4 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    BOBKSCWEFEDM
    The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 4 of 28.
  2. Nestor was in row 5. leaves 2 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    BOBKSCWEFEDM
    The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 2 of 28.
  3. Yago was in column 4. leaves 4 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    BOBKSCWEFEDM
    The squares this one statement leaves Yago: 4 of 28.
  4. Yago was in the top row. leaves 1 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    BOBKSCWEFEDM
    The squares this one statement leaves Yago: 1 of 28.
  5. Marco was beside the statue. leaves 4 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    BOBKSCWEFEDM
    The squares this one statement leaves Marco: 4 of 28.
  6. Marco was in row 3. leaves 2 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    BOBKSCWEFEDM
    The squares this one statement leaves Marco: 2 of 28.
  7. Luna was in row 4. leaves 5 of 28 squares
  8. Luna was beside the bonsai. leaves 1 of 28 squares
  9. Clara was in column 2. leaves 5 of 28 squares
  10. Clara was in the sculpture hall. leaves 3 of 28 squares
Show the squares Nestor had left
BOBKSCWEFEDM
The squares still open to Nestor once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 28.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

The answer

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

Show the solved board
BOBKSCWEFEDM✕NYMLC
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Luna is ringed in red.

Easy · time attack — The Art School

A 6×6 grid across 4 rooms: Locker Room, Courtyard, Supply Closet, Sculpture Hall. Six 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. BK — bookshelf · BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · C — crate · D — desk · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · S — statue · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Dorian was beside the potted plant. leaves 3 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBODSWBMPOCPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Dorian: 3 of 29.
  2. Nico was in the locker room. leaves 9 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBODSWBMPOCPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Nico: 9 of 29.
  3. Cesar was beside the bonsai. leaves 3 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBODSWBMPOCPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Cesar: 3 of 29.
  4. Zaida was beside the wooden chair. leaves 3 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBODSWBMPOCPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Zaida: 3 of 29.
  5. Gilda was beside the statue. leaves 3 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBODSWBMPOCPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Gilda: 3 of 29.
  6. Gilda was in row 2. leaves 1 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    BKBODSWBMPOCPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Gilda: 1 of 29.
Show the squares Dorian had left
BKBODSWBMPOCPA
The squares still open to Dorian 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: Cesar, in Supply Closet (row 3, column 5).

Show the solved board
BKBODSWBMPOCPADNC✕ZG
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Cesar is ringed in red.

Medium · time attack — The Art School

An 8×7 grid across 6 rooms: Atelier, Locker Room, Supply Closet, Gallery, Kiln Room, Sculpture Hall. Nine statements, fourteen 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.

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 · BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · C — crate · E — easel · F — floor lamp · G — garbage can · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Sol was beside the crate. leaves 1 of 45 squares
    Show it on the board
    CEPOGBKBMBOWBOFFBKPAPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Sol: 1 of 45.
  2. Kurt was in the atelier or in the supply closet. leaves 15 of 45 squares
    Show it on the board
    CEPOGBKBMBOWBOFFBKPAPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Kurt: 15 of 45.
  3. Flora was beside the potted plant. leaves 3 of 45 squares
    Show it on the board
    CEPOGBKBMBOWBOFFBKPAPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Flora: 3 of 45.
  4. Ada was beside the boombox. leaves 3 of 45 squares
    Show it on the board
    CEPOGBKBMBOWBOFFBKPAPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Ada: 3 of 45.
  5. Ada was in the northern half of the scene. leaves 1 of 45 squares
    Show it on the board
    CEPOGBKBMBOWBOFFBKPAPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Ada: 1 of 45.
  6. Marco was in the same column as the wooden chair. leaves 7 of 45 squares
    Show it on the board
    CEPOGBKBMBOWBOFFBKPAPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Marco: 7 of 45.
  7. Marco was in the same row as the boombox. leaves 1 of 45 squares
  8. Bianca was touching the outer wall. leaves 20 of 45 squares
  9. Bianca was somewhere west of the Chef.
Show the squares Flora had left
CEPOGBKBMBOWBOFFBKPAPA
The squares still open to Flora once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 45.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

The answer

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

Show the solved board
CEPOGBKBMBOWBOFFBKPAPASKF✕AMB
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Marco is ringed in red.

Medium — The Art School

A 7×7 grid across 6 rooms: Atelier, Courtyard, Supply Closet, Kiln Room, Locker Room, Gallery. Eleven statements, fifteen squares nobody could stand on, almost as many rooms as suspects, so a room claim nearly names a square, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

Cracked by 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. BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · D — desk · E — easel · F — floor lamp · G — garbage can · M — mirror (square stays free) · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · S — statue · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Leo was in the same column as the easel. leaves 5 of 38 squares
    Show it on the board
    WDEPOBOSGFFDBMGPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Leo: 5 of 38.
  2. Leo was in the same room as the Butler.
  3. Wilfred was in the same row as the statue. leaves 4 of 38 squares
    Show it on the board
    WDEPOBOSGFFDBMGPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Wilfred: 4 of 38.
  4. Margot was in the same row as a painting. leaves 11 of 38 squares
    Show it on the board
    WDEPOBOSGFFDBMGPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Margot: 11 of 38.
  5. Margot was in the same column as the potted plant. leaves 1 of 38 squares
    Show it on the board
    WDEPOBOSGFFDBMGPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Margot: 1 of 38.
  6. Hugo was in the same room as Paloma.
  7. Paloma was in the same column as the mirror. leaves 6 of 38 squares
    Show it on the board
    WDEPOBOSGFFDBMGPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Paloma: 6 of 38.
  8. Paloma was in the same row as the potted plant. leaves 1 of 38 squares
    Show it on the board
    WDEPOBOSGFFDBMGPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Paloma: 1 of 38.
  9. Julian was somewhere east of Wilfred.
  10. Julian was in the atelier or in the supply closet. leaves 8 of 38 squares
  11. Nobody was in the gallery.
Show the squares Wilfred had left
WDEPOBOSGFFDBMGPAPAM
The squares still open to Wilfred once their own statements are taken into account — 4 of 38.
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: Margot, in Courtyard (row 4, column 6).

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

Hard — The Art School

An 8×8 grid across 6 rooms: Gallery, Sculpture Hall, Supply Closet, Kiln Room, Print Room, Life-Drawing Room. Twelve statements, fifteen 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. BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · C — crate · D — desk · E — easel · G — garbage can · M — mirror (square stays free) · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · S — statue · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Victor was exactly 2 rows north of Yago.
  2. Victor was in the same room as the Chauffeur.
  3. Yago was exactly 3 rows south of Margot.
  4. Nestor was in the same column as the statue. leaves 6 of 53 squares
    Show it on the board
    SWPOBOCEGDBMCPOBOPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 6 of 53.
  5. Bianca was in the same row as the desk. leaves 5 of 53 squares
    Show it on the board
    SWPOBOCEGDBMCPOBOPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 5 of 53.
  6. Bianca was in the same column as the mirror. leaves 1 of 53 squares
    Show it on the board
    SWPOBOCEGDBMCPOBOPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 1 of 53.
  7. Frida was all alone in a room.
  8. Frida was somewhere west of Yago.
  9. Frida was in the same row as the garbage can. leaves 6 of 53 squares
    Show it on the board
    SWPOBOCEGDBMCPOBOPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Frida: 6 of 53.
  10. Elias was somewhere west of Margot.
  11. Elias was all alone in a room.
  12. Margot was in the same column as the garbage can. leaves 7 of 53 squares
    Show it on the board
    SWPOBOCEGDBMCPOBOPAPAM
    The squares this one statement leaves Margot: 7 of 53.
Show the squares Nestor had left
SWPOBOCEGDBMCPOBOPAPAM
The squares still open to Nestor once their own statements are taken into account — 6 of 53.
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 21 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 17 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Yago, in Kiln Room (row 5, column 7).

Show the solved board
SWPOBOCEGDBMCPOBOPAPAMVYNBFE✕M
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Yago is ringed in red.

Hard · time attack — The Art School

A 9×8 grid across 7 rooms: Kiln Room, Sculpture Hall, Courtyard, Print Room, Locker Room, Gallery, Atelier. Eleven 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.

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. BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · C — crate · D — desk · E — easel · F — floor lamp · G — garbage can · M — mirror (square stays free) · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · S — statue · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Gordon was in the same column as the boombox. leaves 6 of 59 squares
    Show it on the board
    WGDSCBOFEPOBMFGECMMPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Gordon: 6 of 59.
  2. Marco was exactly 1 column east of Luna.
  3. Flora was in the same row as the desk. leaves 6 of 59 squares
    Show it on the board
    WGDSCBOFEPOBMFGECMMPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Flora: 6 of 59.
  4. Flora was exactly 2 columns west of the Doctor.
  5. Zeno was in the same row as the statue. leaves 4 of 59 squares
    Show it on the board
    WGDSCBOFEPOBMFGECMMPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 4 of 59.
  6. Dora was exactly 1 row south of the Curator.
  7. Irene was in the same room as the Heiress.
  8. Luna was somewhere north of the Magician.
  9. Luna was exactly 2 columns east of the Chauffeur.
  10. Luna was somewhere south of the Professor.
  11. Nobody was in the atelier.
Show the squares Zeno had left
WGDSCBOFEPOBMFGECMMPA
The squares still open to Zeno once their own statements are taken into account — 4 of 59.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 105 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 101 squares fell the same way.

The answer

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

Show the solved board
WGDSCBOFEPOBMFGECMMPA✕GMFZDIL
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Zeno is ringed in red.

Expert — The Art School

A 9×9 grid across 7 rooms: Atelier, Supply Closet, Sculpture Hall, Courtyard, Gallery, Locker Room, Print Room. Twenty statements, twenty squares nobody could stand on, and two rounds of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry — and one of the nine was lying throughout.

The twist: one suspect is an accomplice — every statement they make is false; 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. BK — bookshelf · BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · C — crate · D — desk · E — easel · F — floor lamp · G — garbage can · M — mirror (square stays free) · P — potted plant · S — statue · W — 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. Dante was somewhere west of the Butler.
  2. Dante was somewhere south of the Professor.
  3. Nadia was somewhere east of the Butler.
  4. Nadia was somewhere west of the Magician.
  5. Nadia was in the same column as the wooden chair. if true, leaves 8 of 64
    Show it on the board
    SBOPFDCWBMEGBKFBKPDBOCSMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Nadia: 8 of 64.
  6. Nadia was somewhere east of the Chauffeur.
  7. Ximena was in the same column as a mirror. if true, leaves 15 of 64
    Show it on the board
    SBOPFDCWBMEGBKFBKPDBOCSMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ximena: 15 of 64.
  8. Ximena was somewhere south of the Professor.
  9. Ximena was somewhere north of Nadia.
  10. Queralt was somewhere east of the Chauffeur.
  11. Percy was in the same row as the boombox. if true, leaves 7 of 64
    Show it on the board
    SBOPFDCWBMEGBKFBKPDBOCSMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Percy: 7 of 64.
  12. Lidia was in the same row as a potted plant. if true, leaves 13 of 64
    Show it on the board
    SBOPFDCWBMEGBKFBKPDBOCSMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Lidia: 13 of 64.
  13. Lidia was in the same column as a floor lamp. if true, leaves 2 of 64
    Show it on the board
    SBOPFDCWBMEGBKFBKPDBOCSMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Lidia: 2 of 64.
  14. Cesar was in the same column as a mirror. if true, leaves 15 of 64
    Show it on the board
    SBOPFDCWBMEGBKFBKPDBOCSMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Cesar: 15 of 64.
  15. Cesar was somewhere west of Lidia.
  16. Oscar was in the same row as a potted plant. if true, leaves 13 of 64
  17. Oscar was somewhere south of Dante.
  18. Exactly 2 people were in the print room.
  19. Exactly 2 people were in the sculpture hall.
  20. Exactly 2 people were in the gallery.
Show the squares Lidia had left
SBOPFDCWBMEGBKFBKPDBOCSMM
The squares still open to Lidia once their own statements are taken into account — 2 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 Dante survives the test. That is the accomplice, and everything they said is now read backwards.

Read backwards, Dante actually told you:

  1. Dante was NOT west of the Butler.
  2. Dante was NOT south of the Professor.
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 93 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 89 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. Lidia's motive would have been blackmail.
  2. Nadia's motive would have been obsession.
  3. Cesar's motive would have been buried secrets.
  4. Queralt's motive would have been ambition.
  5. Percy's motive would have been jealousy.
  6. Whoever did it was not driven by debts.
  7. Whoever did it was not driven by revenge.
The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Ximena, in Sculpture Hall (row 5, column 2). Dante lied throughout and was never charged.

The only motive left standing for Ximena is inheritance.

Show the solved board
SBOPFDCWBMEGBKFBKPDBOCSMMDNXQPLCO✕
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Ximena is ringed in red.

Expert · time attack — The Art School

A 10×9 grid across 8 rooms: Supply Closet, Sculpture Hall, Kiln Room, Atelier, Gallery, Life-Drawing Room, Locker Room, Courtyard. Fifteen statements, twenty 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.

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. BK — bookshelf · BM — boombox · BO — bonsai · C — crate · D — desk · E — easel · F — floor lamp · G — garbage can · M — mirror (square stays free) · P — potted plant · S — statue · W — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Yolanda was exactly 2 columns east of Nestor.
  2. Nestor was in row 5. leaves 9 of 73 squares
    Show it on the board
    EBMWPCBOGBKDFSSBKGDEPFMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 9 of 73.
  3. Nestor was in the same column as the crate. leaves 1 of 73 squares
    Show it on the board
    EBMWPCBOGBKDFSSBKGDEPFMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 1 of 73.
  4. Selma was in the same row as the bonsai. leaves 9 of 73 squares
    Show it on the board
    EBMWPCBOGBKDFSSBKGDEPFMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Selma: 9 of 73.
  5. Dorian was exactly 5 rows south of the Heiress.
  6. Fabio was exactly 3 rows north of Yolanda.
  7. Fabio was somewhere west of the Curator.
  8. Ignacio was in the same row as the boombox. leaves 8 of 73 squares
    Show it on the board
    EBMWPCBOGBKDFSSBKGDEPFMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ignacio: 8 of 73.
  9. Ignacio was in the same column as a mirror. leaves 2 of 73 squares
    Show it on the board
    EBMWPCBOGBKDFSSBKGDEPFMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Ignacio: 2 of 73.
  10. Jimena was all alone in a room.
  11. Jimena was exactly 2 columns east of Fabio.
  12. Bianca was all alone in a room.
  13. Bianca was in the same column as a mirror. leaves 15 of 73 squares
    Show it on the board
    EBMWPCBOGBKDFSSBKGDEPFMM
    The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 15 of 73.
  14. Exactly 4 people were in the atelier.
  15. Exactly 2 people were in the locker room.
Show the squares Ignacio had left
EBMWPCBOGBKDFSSBKGDEPFMM
The squares still open to Ignacio once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 73.
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 60 eliminations across 2 rounds of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 56 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. Yolanda's motive would have been buried secrets.
  2. Nestor's motive would have been debts.
  3. Selma's motive would have been jealousy.
  4. Jimena's motive would have been inheritance.
  5. Bianca's motive would have been revenge.
  6. Whoever did it was not driven by obsession.
  7. Whoever did it was not driven by ambition.
The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Ignacio, in Locker Room (row 7, column 1).

The only motive left standing for Ignacio is blackmail.

Show the solved board
EBMWPCBOGBKDFSSBKGDEPFMMYNS✕DFIJB
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Ignacio 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 — 4 of them saw through the testimony at The Art School. 3 was the bar; 4 leaves nothing to argue about.

The Art School served as the scene for all ten investigations on 6 October 2026. Across the standard boards, an anonymous investigator credited simply as a guest detective swept every top time. The day began gently enough on the 5x5 beginner grid with four rooms, completed by the guest in nine seconds out of eighteen plays and eleven solves. The complexity rose steadily through the 6x6 easy, 7x7 medium, and 8x8 hard boards, culminating in the 9x9 expert challenge. That final untimed assignment brought both a liar and a required motive into play across its seven rooms, where four of five inquiries concluded successfully, led by the guest detective in 3m 23s.

Against the clock, the five time attack cases offered their own set of variations across The Art School, ranging from a 5x5 beginner layout with three rooms up to a 10x9 expert challenge with eight rooms. A single investigator, chentian, claimed the record on every board. Chentian answered the beginner board in seven seconds, took the 6x6 easy in twenty-eight, and navigated the 8x7 medium in nineteen. The larger layouts proved more stubborn; only one of three investigators broke through the 9x8 hard assignment, with chentian finishing in 8m 18s. The solitary attempt at the 10x9 expert trial, which demanded an identified motive, saw chentian secure the day's final solve in 8m 37s.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: a guest detective — 0m 09s · Easy: a guest detective — 0m 14s · Medium: a guest detective — 0m 32s · Hard: a guest detective — 2m 15s · Expert: a guest detective — 3m 23s · Beginner · time attack: chentian — 0m 07s · Easy · time attack: chentian — 0m 28s · Medium · time attack: chentian — 0m 19s · Hard · time attack: chentian — 8m 18s · Expert · time attack: chentian — 8m 37s

The solutions

The solved boards — spoilers for every case of 6 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 Art School

XIW✕Z
Zaida (Journalist)Zaida (journalist) is in custody — the case was closed by 11 detectives.

Easy — The Art School

✕NYMLC
Luna (Journalist)Luna (journalist) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 8 detectives.

Medium — The Art School

L✕WMHPJ
Margot (Chef)Margot (chef) was named and charged; 8 detectives closed this one.

Hard — The Art School

VYNBFE✕M
Yago (Magician)The cell door shut on Yago (magician), on the evidence of 7 detectives.

Expert — The Art School

DNXQPLCO✕
Ximena (Chef)4 detectives put Ximena (chef) away before the day was out. The motive — inheritance — was proved along with the name. Dante lied for them and was never charged.

Beginner · time attack — The Art School

S✕JOA
Ofelia (Diva)Ofelia (diva) is in custody — the case was closed by 3 detectives.

Easy · time attack — The Art School

DNC✕ZG
Cesar (Gardener)Cesar (gardener) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 2 detectives.

Medium · time attack — The Art School

SKF✕AMB
Marco (Butler)Marco (butler) was named and charged; 2 detectives closed this one.

Hard · time attack — The Art School

✕GMFZDIL
Zeno (Chauffeur)The cell door shut on Zeno (chauffeur), on the evidence of one detective.

Expert · time attack — The Art School

YNS✕DFIJB
Ignacio (Butler)one detective put Ignacio (butler) away before the day was out. The motive — blackmail — was proved along with the name.

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