Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 14 October 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-10-14 — 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 — Movie Night

A 5×5 grid across 4 rooms: Study, TV Den, Guest Room, Living room. Seven statements, seven squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

Cracked by 12 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. B — bookshelf · C — computer · F — floor lamp · P — painting (square stays free) · S — sofa (square stays free) · T — television · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Milo was in row 3. leaves 4 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Milo: 4 of 21.
Milo was in the living room. leaves 1 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Milo: 1 of 21.
Wanda was in the top row. leaves 5 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 5 of 21.
Wanda was in the study. leaves 3 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 3 of 21.
Julian was in the guest room. leaves 4 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julian: 4 of 21.
Irene was in row 4. leaves 3 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Irene: 3 of 21.
Irene was in the TV den. leaves 1 of 21 squares

Show the squares Wanda had left

The squares still open to Wanda 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:

Wanda can only be in Study (row 1, column 3) — down from 3 possible squares.
Julian can only be in Guest Room (row 5, column 2) — down from 4 possible squares.
Katia can only be in Study (row 2, column 4) — down from 21 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Beginner · time attack — Movie Night

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Kitchen, Hallway, Balcony. Six statements, seven squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by one detective so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. BK — bookshelf · BO — bonsai · C — carpet (square stays free) · P — painting (square stays free) · R — round table · T — television · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Cesar was in column 4. leaves 5 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Cesar: 5 of 21.
Nestor was in the kitchen. leaves 6 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 6 of 21.
Vivienne was in the rightmost column. leaves 4 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Vivienne: 4 of 21.
Vivienne was in the bottom row. leaves 1 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Vivienne: 1 of 21.
Ivan was in column 2. leaves 5 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ivan: 5 of 21.
Ivan was in the top row. leaves 1 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ivan: 1 of 21.

Show the squares Cesar had left

The squares still open to Cesar once their own statements are taken into account — 5 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:

Cesar can only be in Balcony (row 4, column 4) — down from 5 possible squares.
Nestor can only be in Kitchen (row 2, column 3) — down from 6 possible squares.
Gaspar can only be in Hallway (row 3, column 1) — down from 21 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Ivan, in Hallway (row 1, column 2).

Show the solved board

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

Easy — Movie Night

A 6×6 grid across 4 rooms: Kitchen, Hallway, Living room, Balcony. Seven statements, ten squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 10 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. A — armchair (square stays free) · B — bonsai · C — carpet (square stays free) · RA — radio · RO — round table · S — sofa (square stays free) · T — television · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Dora was in the balcony. leaves 4 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Dora: 4 of 31.
Tobias was on the carpet. leaves 2 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tobias: 2 of 31.
Olivia was in the kitchen. leaves 11 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Olivia: 11 of 31.
Olivia was in row 3. leaves 1 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Olivia: 1 of 31.
Kurt was in the living room. leaves 6 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Kurt: 6 of 31.
Elena was in the leftmost column. leaves 4 of 31 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Elena: 4 of 31.
Elena was in row 5. leaves 1 of 31 squares

Show the squares Tobias had left

The squares still open to Tobias once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 31.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Dora can only be in Balcony (row 1, column 3) — down from 4 possible squares.
Tobias can only be in Hallway (row 2, column 6) — down from 2 possible squares.
Nadia can only be in Kitchen (row 6, column 5) — down from 31 possible squares.
Kurt can only be in Living room (row 4, column 2) — down from 6 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Easy · time attack — Movie Night

A 6×6 grid across 4 rooms: Kitchen, Balcony, Guest Room, Living room. Seven statements, nine squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by one detective so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. A — armchair (square stays free) · BK — bookshelf · BO — bonsai · C — computer · F — floor lamp · P — potted plant · RA — radio · RO — round table · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Tobias was in column 4. leaves 6 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tobias: 6 of 29.
Tobias was in the kitchen. leaves 2 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tobias: 2 of 29.
Julia was in the kitchen. leaves 8 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julia: 8 of 29.
Hugo was beside the radio. leaves 1 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Hugo: 1 of 29.
Dora was in the balcony. leaves 5 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Dora: 5 of 29.
Dora was in column 2. leaves 1 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Dora: 1 of 29.
Vera was beside the window. leaves 2 of 29 squares

Show the squares Tobias had left

The squares still open to Tobias 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:

Tobias can only be in Kitchen (row 3, column 4) — down from 2 possible squares.
Julia can only be in Kitchen (row 2, column 3) — down from 8 possible squares.
Rosa can only be in Living room (row 1, column 5) — down from 29 possible squares.
Vera can only be in Guest Room (row 4, column 1) — down from 2 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Hugo, in Living room (row 5, column 6).

Show the solved board

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

Medium · time attack — Movie Night

An 8×7 grid across 6 rooms: Laundry, Guest Room, Pantry, Hallway, Balcony, Kitchen. Ten statements, fourteen 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 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) · CO — computer · F — floor lamp · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · R — round table · S — sofa (square stays free) · T — television · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Cesar was in the same column as the computer. leaves 5 of 47 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Cesar: 5 of 47.
Cesar was in the top row. leaves 1 of 47 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Cesar: 1 of 47.
Tesa was in the same row as the television. leaves 6 of 47 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tesa: 6 of 47.
Victor was on the carpet. leaves 2 of 47 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Victor: 2 of 47.
Helena was somewhere east of Cesar.
Helena was in the same room as Zaida.
Abel was somewhere east of Victor.
Abel was in the laundry or in the kitchen. leaves 20 of 47 squares
Zaida was in the same column as the bookshelf. leaves 6 of 47 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zaida: 6 of 47.
Nobody was in the hallway.

Show the squares Victor had left

The squares still open to Victor once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 47.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Tesa can only be in Guest Room (row 4, column 8) — down from 6 possible squares.
Victor can only be in Pantry (row 7, column 6) — down from 2 possible squares.
Helena can only be in Balcony (row 6, column 5) — down from 47 possible squares.
Abel can only be in Laundry (row 3, column 7) — down from 20 possible squares.
Zaida can only be in Balcony (row 5, column 2) — down from 6 possible squares.
Ignacio can only be in Kitchen (row 2, column 3) — down from 47 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Medium — Movie Night

An 8×7 grid across 5 rooms: Kitchen, Balcony, Hallway, Pantry, Study. Nine statements, fifteen 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. 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 — bonsai · C — computer · F — floor lamp · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · RA — radio · RO — round table · S — sofa (square stays free) · T — television · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Ines was in the same row as the armchair. leaves 8 of 46 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ines: 8 of 46.
Ines was in the same column as the radio. leaves 1 of 46 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ines: 1 of 46.
Milo was in the same row as the potted plant. leaves 6 of 46 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Milo: 6 of 46.
Milo was beside the floor lamp. leaves 1 of 46 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Milo: 1 of 46.
Julia was beside the bonsai. leaves 2 of 46 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julia: 2 of 46.
Tobias was beside the painting. leaves 1 of 46 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tobias: 1 of 46.
Frida was beside the floor lamp. leaves 3 of 46 squares
Zaida was in the same column as the bonsai. leaves 5 of 46 squares
Nobody was in the balcony.

Show the squares Julia had left

The squares still open to Julia once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 46.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Julia can only be in Hallway (row 4, column 6) — down from 2 possible squares.
Frida can only be in Kitchen (row 6, column 4) — down from 3 possible squares.
Gilda can only be in Pantry (row 2, column 2) — down from 46 possible squares.
Zaida can only be in Hallway (row 5, column 7) — down from 5 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Hard — Movie Night

A 9×8 grid across 7 rooms: Pantry, Balcony, Living room, Laundry, Guest Room, TV Den, Hallway. Twelve statements, sixteen squares nobody could stand on, almost as many rooms as suspects, so a room claim nearly names a square, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

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

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. A — armchair (square stays free) · BK — bookshelf · BO — bonsai · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CO — computer · F — floor lamp · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · RA — radio · RO — round table · S — sofa (square stays free) · T — television · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Horacio was in the same room as the Journalist.
Vera was exactly 1 column east of Milo.
Milo was beside the floor lamp. leaves 3 of 61 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Milo: 3 of 61.
Milo was somewhere south of the Professor.
Ursula was in the same column as the potted plant. leaves 6 of 61 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ursula: 6 of 61.
Rosa was beside the television. leaves 2 of 61 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Rosa: 2 of 61.
Tobias was in the same column as the round table. leaves 6 of 61 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tobias: 6 of 61.
Tobias was exactly 2 rows north of Ursula.
Tobias was somewhere south of Vera.
Lidia was exactly 3 columns west of the Journalist.
Lidia was in the same row as the computer. leaves 7 of 61 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Lidia: 7 of 61.
Nobody was in the TV den.

Show the squares Rosa had left

The squares still open to Rosa once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 61.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Milo can only be in Balcony (row 3, column 2) — down from 3 possible squares.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 54 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Horacio stood in Laundry (row 6, column 6), Tobias would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Ofelia stood in Balcony (row 1, column 3), Vera would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Vera stood in Balcony (row 2, column 3), Lidia would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Ursula in Pantry (row 4, column 8) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 50 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.

Milo's motive would have been obsession.
Tobias's motive would have been inheritance.
Horacio's motive would have been buried secrets.
Lidia's motive would have been debts.
Whoever did it was not driven by ambition.
Whoever did it was not driven by revenge.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Ursula, in Hallway (row 6, column 8).

The only motive left standing for Ursula is blackmail.

Show the solved board

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

Hard · time attack — Movie Night

A 9×8 grid across 6 rooms: Kitchen, Balcony, Hallway, Pantry, Study, Laundry. Twelve statements, sixteen squares nobody could stand on, 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. A — armchair (square stays free) · BK — bookshelf · BO — bonsai · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CO — computer · F — floor lamp · P — potted plant · R — round table · S — sofa (square stays free) · T — television · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Rufus was in the same column as the carpet. leaves 6 of 61 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Rufus: 6 of 61.
Beatrix was exactly 4 columns east of Ursula.
Beatrix was somewhere north of the Butler.
Pablo was in the same room as the Gardener.
Pablo was exactly 1 row south of the Butler.
Nora was in the same row as the computer. leaves 8 of 61 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nora: 8 of 61.
Nora was in the same room as Ursula.
Ursula was in the same row as a window. leaves 15 of 61 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ursula: 15 of 61.
Oscar was in the same column as the sofa. leaves 14 of 61 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Oscar: 14 of 61.
Oscar was somewhere west of the Curator.
Julian was in the same column as the computer. leaves 7 of 61 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julian: 7 of 61.
Nobody was in the pantry.

Show the squares Rufus had left

The squares still open to Rufus once their own statements are taken into account — 6 of 61.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 88 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Rufus stood in Laundry (row 3, column 1), Pablo would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Sofia in Laundry (row 1, column 1) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Beatrix in Balcony (row 1, column 6) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Pablo in Hallway (row 4, column 7) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 84 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Oscar, in Kitchen (row 5, column 6).

Show the solved board

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

Expert — Movie Night

A 10×9 grid across 8 rooms: Laundry, Hallway, Pantry, Kitchen, Living room, TV Den, Study, Guest Room. Fourteen statements, 21 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 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 · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CO — computer · F — floor lamp · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · RA — radio · RO — round table · S — sofa (square stays free) · T — television · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Lorenzo was somewhere north of Alma.
Alma was in the same row as the bookshelf. leaves 7 of 76 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Alma: 7 of 76.
Alma was exactly 3 columns west of the Colonel.
Enzo was all alone in a room.
Paloma was exactly 2 rows north of Lorenzo.
Paloma was exactly 1 column west of Boris.
Paloma was exactly 1 column east of the Gardener.
Boris was all alone in a room.
Delia was exactly 2 columns west of the Journalist.
Delia was all alone in a room.
Ignacio was exactly 3 rows north of Boris.
Katia was in the same row as a window. leaves 17 of 76 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Katia: 17 of 76.
Exactly 2 people were in the hallway.
Exactly 3 people were in the guest room.

Show the squares Alma had left

The squares still open to Alma once their own statements are taken into account — 7 of 76.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 245 eliminations across 2 rounds of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Lorenzo stood in TV Den (row 4, column 4), Ignacio would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Rita stood in Hallway (row 1, column 3), Delia would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Enzo stood in TV Den (row 1, column 4), Rita would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Paloma stood in TV Den (row 1, column 4), Katia would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 241 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.

Delia's motive would have been jealousy.
Lorenzo's motive would have been obsession.
Paloma's motive would have been ambition.
Enzo's motive would have been debts.
Ignacio's motive would have been blackmail.
Whoever did it was not driven by buried secrets.
Whoever did it was not driven by inheritance.

The answer

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

The only motive left standing for Katia is revenge.

Show the solved board

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

Expert · time attack — Movie Night

A 10×9 grid across 7 rooms: Guest Room, Pantry, TV Den, Study, Living room, Balcony, Laundry. Thirteen statements, twenty squares nobody could stand on, 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. A — armchair (square stays free) · BK — bookshelf · BO — bonsai · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CO — computer · F — floor lamp · PA — painting (square stays free) · PO — potted plant · RA — radio · RO — round table · S — sofa (square stays free) · T — television · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Lidia was in the same row as the round table. leaves 9 of 77 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Lidia: 9 of 77.
Lidia was somewhere east of the Journalist.
Zeno was all alone in a room.
Ofelia was all alone in a room.
Ofelia was exactly 1 row north of the Curator.
Ofelia was in the same column as a window. leaves 17 of 77 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ofelia: 17 of 77.
Ximena was exactly 4 columns west of Greta.
Greta was in the same row as the potted plant. leaves 9 of 77 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 9 of 77.
Rufus was exactly 2 columns west of the Chauffeur.
Simon was somewhere south of the Professor.
Queralt was in the same column as a window. leaves 17 of 77 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Queralt: 17 of 77.
Queralt was all alone in a room.
Exactly 2 people were in the TV den.

Show the squares Lidia had left

The squares still open to Lidia once their own statements are taken into account — 9 of 77.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 203 eliminations across 2 rounds of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Lidia stood in Living room (row 4, column 8), Ofelia would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Tesa stood in Pantry (row 1, column 8), Ofelia would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Zeno stood in Pantry (row 1, column 8), Ofelia would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Ofelia stood in Living room (row 3, column 8), Rufus would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 199 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.

Queralt's motive would have been blackmail.
Ximena's motive would have been buried secrets.
Greta's motive would have been ambition.
Rufus's motive would have been debts.
Ofelia's motive would have been jealousy.
Whoever did it was not driven by revenge.
Whoever did it was not driven by inheritance.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Lidia, in TV Den (row 4, column 10).

The only motive left standing for Lidia is obsession.

Show the solved board

The only arrangement the testimony allows. Lidia 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 Cartographer’s Debt — A cache opened at Movie Night. It is not what was taken first, and it never is.

The day’s docket centered entirely on Movie Night, offering ten investigations across standard and time-attack files. None of the suspects dared to lie, though proving motive became mandatory on the larger assignments: the 9x8 hard board and 10x9 expert board in standard play, as well as the 10x9 expert board against the clock. The standard cases drew a steady trickle of inquiry, particularly the 5x5 beginner grid with twelve solutions from fifteen attempts, and the 8x7 medium room where nine of fourteen investigators found the truth. Standard expert proved predictably stubborn, yielding just three successes from six tries.

Across the standard boards, an unnamed guest detective claimed every single top record, clocking 0m 08s on beginner, 0m 11s on easy, 0m 21s on medium, 0m 36s on hard, and a steady 1m 32s on the eight-room expert floor.

The time-attack circuit was a far quieter affair, effectively becoming a solitary patrol for chentian. Facing grids ranging from three rooms up to seven, chentian solved every tier uncontested, logging 0m 16s on beginner, 0m 13s on easy, 1m 59s on medium, 3m 26s on hard, and closing the docket with a 1m 51s solution on the motive-bound expert board.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: a guest detective — 0m 08s · Easy: a guest detective — 0m 11s · Medium: a guest detective — 0m 21s · Hard: a guest detective — 0m 36s · Expert: a guest detective — 1m 32s · Beginner · time attack: chentian — 0m 16s · Easy · time attack: chentian — 0m 13s · Medium · time attack: chentian — 1m 59s · Hard · time attack: chentian — 3m 26s · Expert · time attack: chentian — 1m 51s