Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 10 October 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-10-10 — 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 — Blackbriar Manor

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Conservatory, Cellar, Lounge. Six statements, eight squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 6 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. F — floor lamp · H — harp · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · SO — sofa (square stays free) · ST — statue · SV — stove · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Zeno was in row 2. leaves 4 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    FHPOSOSVSTWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 4 of 20.
  2. Zeno was in column 3. leaves 1 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    FHPOSOSVSTWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 1 of 20.
  3. Marina was in row 4. leaves 5 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    FHPOSOSVSTWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Marina: 5 of 20.
  4. Ursula was in the lounge. leaves 7 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    FHPOSOSVSTWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Ursula: 7 of 20.
  5. Bianca was in the top row. leaves 5 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    FHPOSOSVSTWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 5 of 20.
  6. Bianca was in the lounge. leaves 1 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    FHPOSOSVSTWPA
    The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 1 of 20.
Show the squares Marina had left
FHPOSOSVSTWPA
The squares still open to Marina once their own statements are taken into account — 5 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: Marina, in Cellar (row 4, column 4).

Show the solved board
FHPOSOSVSTWPAZ✕MUB
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Marina is ringed in red.

Beginner · time attack — Blackbriar Manor

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Study, Foyer, Lounge. Seven statements, six squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

Cracked by 2 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. B — bonsai · F — floor lamp · G — grandfather clock · P — potted plant · S — sofa (square stays free) · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Quentin was in row 3. leaves 5 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    SPGFBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Quentin: 5 of 21.
  2. Marco was in the leftmost column. leaves 4 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    SPGFBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Marco: 4 of 21.
  3. Marco was in row 4. leaves 1 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    SPGFBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Marco: 1 of 21.
  4. Wanda was in column 4. leaves 5 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    SPGFBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 5 of 21.
  5. Wanda was in row 2. leaves 1 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    SPGFBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 1 of 21.
  6. Jimena was in the foyer. leaves 7 of 21 squares
    Show it on the board
    SPGFBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Jimena: 7 of 21.
  7. Jimena was in column 2. leaves 2 of 21 squares
Show the squares Jimena had left
SPGFBW
The squares still open to Jimena 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: Quentin, in Lounge (row 3, column 5).

Show the solved board
SPGFBWQMWJ✕
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Quentin is ringed in red.

Easy — Blackbriar Manor

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Conservatory, Lounge, Library, Kitchen, Foyer. Nine statements, nine squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

Cracked by 6 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. BK — bookshelf · BO — bonsai · G — grandfather clock · P — potted plant · R — round table · S — statue · 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. Greta was in column 4. leaves 5 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOSPBKGBORRWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 5 of 29.
  2. Greta was in the top row. leaves 1 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOSPBKGBORRWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 1 of 29.
  3. Vera was in the library. leaves 5 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOSPBKGBORRWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Vera: 5 of 29.
  4. Kurt was in row 5. leaves 5 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOSPBKGBORRWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Kurt: 5 of 29.
  5. Kurt was in the kitchen. leaves 3 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOSPBKGBORRWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Kurt: 3 of 29.
  6. Nadia was in row 3. leaves 4 of 29 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOSPBKGBORRWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Nadia: 4 of 29.
  7. Nadia was in the library. leaves 1 of 29 squares
  8. Rufus was in column 2. leaves 4 of 29 squares
  9. Rufus was in the conservatory or in the lounge. leaves 2 of 29 squares
Show the squares Rufus had left
WOSPBKGBORRWI
The squares still open to Rufus once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 29.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

The answer

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

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

Easy · time attack — Blackbriar Manor

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Foyer, Gallery, Ballroom, Lounge, Cellar. Six statements, eleven 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 · BO — bonsai · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · F — floor lamp · G — grandfather clock · P — piano · SO — stove · ST — statue · 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. Petra was beside the wooden chair. leaves 2 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    GSTSOWOCACHPFBKBOWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Petra: 2 of 28.
  2. Ulises was on the carpet. leaves 2 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    GSTSOWOCACHPFBKBOWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Ulises: 2 of 28.
  3. Fabio was in row 3. leaves 3 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    GSTSOWOCACHPFBKBOWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Fabio: 3 of 28.
  4. Fabio was in column 5. leaves 1 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    GSTSOWOCACHPFBKBOWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Fabio: 1 of 28.
  5. Bruno was beside the window. leaves 1 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    GSTSOWOCACHPFBKBOWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Bruno: 1 of 28.
  6. Marina was in the foyer. leaves 7 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    GSTSOWOCACHPFBKBOWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Marina: 7 of 28.
Show the squares Petra had left
GSTSOWOCACHPFBKBOWI
The squares still open to Petra 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: Fabio, in Lounge (row 3, column 5).

Show the solved board
GSTSOWOCACHPFBKBOWIPU✕FBM
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Fabio is ringed in red.

Medium · time attack — Blackbriar Manor

A 7×7 grid across 6 rooms: Foyer, Lounge, Study, Library, Kitchen, Conservatory. 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.

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 — bonsai · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · F — floor lamp · G — grandfather clock · PI — piano · PO — potted plant · R — round table · SO — sofa (square stays free) · ST — statue · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Rufus was in the lounge or in the library. leaves 15 of 40 squares
    Show it on the board
    STPIBGFSORCAPOCHPOW
    The squares this one statement leaves Rufus: 15 of 40.
  2. Wanda was in the same column as the bonsai. leaves 6 of 40 squares
    Show it on the board
    STPIBGFSORCAPOCHPOW
    The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 6 of 40.
  3. Katia was somewhere south of Petra.
  4. Katia was beside the piano. leaves 3 of 40 squares
    Show it on the board
    STPIBGFSORCAPOCHPOW
    The squares this one statement leaves Katia: 3 of 40.
  5. Irene was in row 5. leaves 5 of 40 squares
    Show it on the board
    STPIBGFSORCAPOCHPOW
    The squares this one statement leaves Irene: 5 of 40.
  6. Irene was beside the grandfather clock. leaves 1 of 40 squares
    Show it on the board
    STPIBGFSORCAPOCHPOW
    The squares this one statement leaves Irene: 1 of 40.
  7. Bruno was somewhere north of Rufus.
  8. Bruno was in the same column as the round table. leaves 6 of 40 squares
    Show it on the board
    STPIBGFSORCAPOCHPOW
    The squares this one statement leaves Bruno: 6 of 40.
  9. Petra was beside the statue. leaves 2 of 40 squares
Show the squares Petra had left
STPIBGFSORCAPOCHPOW
The squares still open to Petra once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 40.
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: Wanda, in Study (row 6, column 1).

Show the solved board
STPIBGFSORCAPOCHPOW✕RWKIBP
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Wanda is ringed in red.

Medium — Blackbriar Manor

A 7×7 grid across 6 rooms: Foyer, Gallery, Lounge, Kitchen, Ballroom, Study. Nine 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 6 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. A — armchair (square stays free) · B — bookshelf · C — carpet (square stays free) · G — grandfather clock · H — harp · PI — piano · PO — potted plant · SO — sofa (square stays free) · ST — statue · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Ulises was in the same room as Walter.
  2. Ulises was beside the harp. leaves 4 of 43 squares
    Show it on the board
    PIGPOCSOASTHBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Ulises: 4 of 43.
  3. Conrad was beside the grandfather clock. leaves 2 of 43 squares
    Show it on the board
    PIGPOCSOASTHBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Conrad: 2 of 43.
  4. Conrad was somewhere north of Rita.
  5. Boris was in the lounge or in the study. leaves 7 of 43 squares
    Show it on the board
    PIGPOCSOASTHBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Boris: 7 of 43.
  6. Kira was in the top row. leaves 7 of 43 squares
    Show it on the board
    PIGPOCSOASTHBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Kira: 7 of 43.
  7. Kira was in the kitchen or in the ballroom. leaves 3 of 43 squares
    Show it on the board
    PIGPOCSOASTHBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Kira: 3 of 43.
  8. Rita was in column 5. leaves 7 of 43 squares
    Show it on the board
    PIGPOCSOASTHBW
    The squares this one statement leaves Rita: 7 of 43.
  9. Walter was in row 2. leaves 6 of 43 squares
Show the squares Conrad had left
PIGPOCSOASTHBW
The squares still open to Conrad once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 43.
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: Rita, in Gallery (row 7, column 5).

Show the solved board
PIGPOCSOASTHBWUCBKRW✕
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Rita is ringed in red.

Hard — Blackbriar Manor

A 10×8 grid across 7 rooms: Gallery, Library, Ballroom, Foyer, Lounge, Cellar, Study. Eleven statements, eighteen 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 6 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. A — armchair (square stays free) · BK — bookshelf · BO — bonsai · CH — chest · CL — clock · F — floor lamp · H — harp · P — piano · R — round table · SO — sofa (square stays free) · ST — stove · 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. Estela was somewhere north of Lorenzo.
  2. Estela was exactly 1 row south of the Journalist.
  3. Selma was in the same column as the floor lamp. leaves 6 of 67 squares
    Show it on the board
    ACHFSTBKBOWORHSOPPBOCLCHCLWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Selma: 6 of 67.
  4. Dante was exactly 3 rows north of Selma.
  5. Lorenzo was exactly 3 columns east of Oscar.
  6. Oscar was in the same row as the bookshelf. leaves 8 of 67 squares
    Show it on the board
    ACHFSTBKBOWORHSOPPBOCLCHCLWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Oscar: 8 of 67.
  7. Kira was exactly 1 column west of Lorenzo.
  8. Kira was exactly 2 rows north of the Butler.
  9. Flora was exactly 5 columns west of the Butler.
  10. Flora was exactly 3 columns east of Estela.
  11. Nobody was in the library.
Show the squares Selma had left
ACHFSTBKBOWORHSOPPBOCLCHCLWIWI
The squares still open to Selma once their own statements are taken into account — 6 of 67.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 86 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 82 squares fell the same way.

The answer

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

Show the solved board
ACHFSTBKBOWORHSOPPBOCLCHCLWIWI✕ESDLOKF
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Estela is ringed in red.

Hard · time attack — Blackbriar Manor

A 10×8 grid across 6 rooms: Conservatory, Kitchen, Study, Lounge, Cellar, Gallery. Eleven statements, seventeen 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 3 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. A — armchair (square stays free) · BK — bookshelf · BO — bonsai · C — chest · F — floor lamp · G — grandfather clock · H — harp · M — mirror (square stays free) · P — piano · R — round table · SO — stove · ST — statue · 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. Delia was exactly 4 columns west of the Doctor.
  2. Delia was all alone in a room.
  3. Alma was all alone in a room.
  4. Bianca was beside the grandfather clock. leaves 3 of 67 squares
    Show it on the board
    RWOBOAPBKHGSTFFBKCSOCWIM
    The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 3 of 67.
  5. Bianca was in the same row as the grandfather clock. leaves 1 of 67 squares
    Show it on the board
    RWOBOAPBKHGSTFFBKCSOCWIM
    The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 1 of 67.
  6. Tamara was in the same column as the armchair. leaves 7 of 67 squares
    Show it on the board
    RWOBOAPBKHGSTFFBKCSOCWIM
    The squares this one statement leaves Tamara: 7 of 67.
  7. Sofia was beside the statue. leaves 4 of 67 squares
    Show it on the board
    RWOBOAPBKHGSTFFBKCSOCWIM
    The squares this one statement leaves Sofia: 4 of 67.
  8. Sofia was exactly 3 rows south of Tamara.
  9. Margot was in the same column as the round table. leaves 7 of 67 squares
    Show it on the board
    RWOBOAPBKHGSTFFBKCSOCWIM
    The squares this one statement leaves Margot: 7 of 67.
  10. Xavier was in the same row as the harp. leaves 7 of 67 squares
    Show it on the board
    RWOBOAPBKHGSTFFBKCSOCWIM
    The squares this one statement leaves Xavier: 7 of 67.
  11. Xavier was in the same column as the mirror. leaves 1 of 67 squares
Show the squares Sofia had left
RWOBOAPBKHGSTFFBKCSOCWIM
The squares still open to Sofia once their own statements are taken into account — 4 of 67.
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 46 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 42 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. Xavier's motive would have been debts.
  2. Alma's motive would have been ambition.
  3. Tamara's motive would have been buried secrets.
  4. Sofia's motive would have been obsession.
  5. Whoever did it was not driven by inheritance.
  6. Whoever did it was not driven by jealousy.
The answer

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

The only motive left standing for Bianca is blackmail.

Show the solved board
RWOBOAPBKHGSTFFBKCSOCWIMDABT✕SMX
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Bianca is ringed in red.

Expert — Blackbriar Manor

A 9×9 grid across 8 rooms: Conservatory, Lounge, Kitchen, Foyer, Ballroom, Library, Cellar, Study. Seventeen 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 — 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 5 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. A — armchair (square stays free) · BK — bookshelf · BO — bonsai · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · F — floor lamp · G — grandfather clock · H — harp · PI — piano · PO — potted plant · R — round table · SO — sofa (square stays free) · ST — statue · SV — stove · 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. Simon was in the same column as the chest. if true, leaves 7 of 66
    Show it on the board
    SVSTFHAWOPORSOPICHBOGCABKSVPORSTWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Simon: 7 of 66.
  2. Simon was in the same row as the armchair. if true, leaves 1 of 66
    Show it on the board
    SVSTFHAWOPORSOPICHBOGCABKSVPORSTWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Simon: 1 of 66.
  3. Beatrix was in the same column as the harp. if true, leaves 8 of 66
    Show it on the board
    SVSTFHAWOPORSOPICHBOGCABKSVPORSTWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 8 of 66.
  4. Beatrix was somewhere north of the Diva.
  5. Victor was somewhere west of the Chauffeur.
  6. Victor was in the same room as Walter.
  7. Victor was in the same column as the piano. if true, leaves 8 of 66
    Show it on the board
    SVSTFHAWOPORSOPICHBOGCABKSVPORSTWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Victor: 8 of 66.
  8. Victor was in the same row as the wooden chair. if true, leaves 1 of 66
    Show it on the board
    SVSTFHAWOPORSOPICHBOGCABKSVPORSTWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Victor: 1 of 66.
  9. Pablo was in the same row as the floor lamp. if true, leaves 8 of 66
    Show it on the board
    SVSTFHAWOPORSOPICHBOGCABKSVPORSTWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Pablo: 8 of 66.
  10. Pablo was somewhere north of Walter.
  11. Delia was somewhere east of the Gardener.
  12. Hugo was somewhere south of Delia.
  13. Ines was somewhere north of the Chauffeur.
  14. Walter was somewhere north of Simon.
  15. Walter was in the same row as the bonsai. if true, leaves 58 of 66
  16. Exactly 3 people were in the foyer.
  17. Exactly 2 people were in the conservatory.
Show the squares Beatrix had left
SVSTFHAWOPORSOPICHBOGCABKSVPORSTWI
The squares still open to Beatrix once their own statements are taken into account — 8 of 66.
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 Walter survives the test. That is the accomplice, and everything they said is now read backwards.

Read backwards, Walter actually told you:

  1. Walter was NOT north of Simon.
  2. Walter was NOT in the same row as the bonsai.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

The motive

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

  1. Victor's motive would have been jealousy.
  2. Walter's motive would have been inheritance.
  3. Simon's motive would have been debts.
  4. Delia's motive would have been ambition.
  5. Beatrix's motive would have been buried secrets.
  6. Whoever did it was not driven by blackmail.
  7. Whoever did it was not driven by obsession.
The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Ines, in Conservatory (row 2, column 2). Walter lied throughout and was never charged.

The only motive left standing for Ines is revenge.

Show the solved board
SVSTFHAWOPORSOPICHBOGCABKSVPORSTWISBVPDH✕IW
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Ines is ringed in red.

Expert · time attack — Blackbriar Manor

A 9×9 grid across 8 rooms: Lounge, Study, Kitchen, Conservatory, Ballroom, Foyer, Cellar, Gallery. Sixteen 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 — and one of the nine was lying throughout.

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

Cracked by one detective so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. A — armchair (square stays free) · BK — bookshelf · BO — bonsai · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · F — floor lamp · G — grandfather clock · H — harp · M — mirror (square stays free) · PI — piano · PO — potted plant · R — round table · SO — stove · ST — statue · 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. Gaspar was in the same room as the Diva.
  2. Gaspar was somewhere south of the Diva.
  3. Gaspar was somewhere east of Abel.
  4. Bruno was somewhere south of the Gardener.
  5. Bruno was in the same row as the round table. if true, leaves 58 of 66
  6. Pablo was in the same column as the floor lamp. if true, leaves 7 of 66
    Show it on the board
    FCHCARABKGSTSOWOBOPOSTPOHSOPIPIWIM
    The squares this one statement leaves Pablo: 7 of 66.
  7. Pablo was in the same row as the mirror. if true, leaves 1 of 66
    Show it on the board
    FCHCARABKGSTSOWOBOPOSTPOHSOPIPIWIM
    The squares this one statement leaves Pablo: 1 of 66.
  8. Nadia was somewhere south of Bruno.
  9. Nadia was beside the grandfather clock. if true, leaves 3 of 66
    Show it on the board
    FCHCARABKGSTSOWOBOPOSTPOHSOPIPIWIM
    The squares this one statement leaves Nadia: 3 of 66.
  10. Olivia was in the same row as the round table. if true, leaves 8 of 66
    Show it on the board
    FCHCARABKGSTSOWOBOPOSTPOHSOPIPIWIM
    The squares this one statement leaves Olivia: 8 of 66.
  11. Olivia was somewhere west of Tesa.
  12. Selma was in the same column as the armchair. if true, leaves 8 of 66
    Show it on the board
    FCHCARABKGSTSOWOBOPOSTPOHSOPIPIWIM
    The squares this one statement leaves Selma: 8 of 66.
  13. Abel was somewhere north of the Doctor.
  14. Abel was somewhere east of the Chauffeur.
  15. Tesa was in the same row as the carpet. if true, leaves 16 of 66
    Show it on the board
    FCHCARABKGSTSOWOBOPOSTPOHSOPIPIWIM
    The squares this one statement leaves Tesa: 16 of 66.
  16. Tesa was in the same column as the grandfather clock. if true, leaves 2 of 66
Show the squares Tesa had left
FCHCARABKGSTSOWOBOPOSTPOHSOPIPIWIM
The squares still open to Tesa once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 66.
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 Bruno survives the test. That is the accomplice, and everything they said is now read backwards.

Read backwards, Bruno actually told you:

  1. Bruno was NOT south of the Gardener.
  2. Bruno was NOT in the same row as the round table.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

The motive

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

  1. Abel's motive would have been obsession.
  2. Selma's motive would have been debts.
  3. Nadia's motive would have been buried secrets.
  4. Pablo's motive would have been ambition.
  5. Bruno's motive would have been jealousy.
  6. Whoever did it was not driven by inheritance.
  7. Whoever did it was not driven by revenge.
The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Tesa, in Cellar (row 8, column 7). Bruno lied throughout and was never charged.

The only motive left standing for Tesa is blackmail.

Show the solved board
FCHCARABKGSTSOWOBOPOSTPOHSOPIPIWIMGBPNOS✕AT
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Tesa 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 accomplice at Blackbriar Manor is charged: 5 independent detectives put the same name to the same lie.

All ten inquiries for 10 October 2026 unfolded within Blackbriar Manor, dividing attention evenly between quiet untimed investigations and hurried races against the clock. The estate’s simpler floor plans yielded swiftly. On the standard boards, a guest detective set the pace through the 5x5 beginner layout with 3 rooms in 0m 11s, swept the 6x6 easy inquiry of 5 rooms in 0m 08s, and unraveled the sprawling 10x8 hard case across 7 rooms in 0m 36s. Meanwhile, chentian claimed the standard 7x7 medium board with 6 rooms in 0m 17s.

Complications arrived as the rooms multiplied. The hard time-attack dossier carried a motive requirement across 6 rooms in a 10x8 frame, solved fastest by a guest detective in 1m 02s. Both the standard and time-attack expert boards expanded into 9x9 grids across 8 rooms, each introducing a liar alongside a necessary motive. chentian mastered both treacherous scenes, recording 1m 57s on the standard board and 2m 57s against the clock.

chentian dominated the remaining timed challenges as well, logging 0m 11s on the 5x5 beginner, 0m 18s on the 6x6 easy, and 0m 22s on the 7x7 medium board. Though the day saw only handfuls of participants wandering the corridors of Blackbriar Manor, every recorded investigation reached a successful conclusion, save for a single dropped thread among the untimed beginner attempts.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: a guest detective — 0m 11s · Easy: a guest detective — 0m 08s · Medium: chentian — 0m 17s · Hard: a guest detective — 0m 36s · Expert: chentian — 1m 57s · Beginner · time attack: chentian — 0m 11s · Easy · time attack: chentian — 0m 18s · Medium · time attack: chentian — 0m 22s · Hard · time attack: a guest detective — 1m 02s · Expert · time attack: chentian — 2m 57s

The solutions

The solved boards — spoilers for every case of 10 October 2026

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

Beginner — Blackbriar Manor

Z✕MUB
Marina (Chef)Marina (chef) was named and charged; 6 detectives closed this one.

Easy — Blackbriar Manor

GVKNR✕
Kurt (Chauffeur)The cell door shut on Kurt (chauffeur), on the evidence of 6 detectives.

Medium — Blackbriar Manor

UCBKRW✕
Rita (Chef)6 detectives put Rita (chef) away before the day was out.

Hard — Blackbriar Manor

✕ESDLOKF
Estela (Professor)Estela (professor) is in custody — the case was closed by 6 detectives.

Expert — Blackbriar Manor

SBVPDH✕IW
Ines (Journalist)Ines (journalist) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 5 detectives. The motive — revenge — was proved along with the name. Walter lied for them and was never charged.

Beginner · time attack — Blackbriar Manor

QMWJ✕
Quentin (Magician)Quentin (magician) was named and charged; 2 detectives closed this one.

Easy · time attack — Blackbriar Manor

PU✕FBM
Fabio (Magician)The cell door shut on Fabio (magician), on the evidence of 2 detectives.

Medium · time attack — Blackbriar Manor

✕RWKIBP
Wanda (Diva)2 detectives put Wanda (diva) away before the day was out.

Hard · time attack — Blackbriar Manor

DABT✕SMX
Bianca (Journalist)Bianca (journalist) is in custody — the case was closed by 3 detectives. The motive — blackmail — was proved along with the name.

Expert · time attack — Blackbriar Manor

GBPNOS✕AT
Tesa (Doctor)Tesa (doctor) ended the day behind bars — convicted by one detective. The motive — blackmail — was proved along with the name. Bruno lied for them and was never charged.

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