Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 16 October 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-10-16 — 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 Repair Shop

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

Cracked by 18 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. CA — cabinet · CR — car · O — oil slick (square stays free) · T — television · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden table

The testimony

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

  1. Walter was in the waiting room. leaves 4 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRTWOOCAWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Walter: 4 of 20.
  2. Clara was in the rightmost column. leaves 3 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRTWOOCAWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Clara: 3 of 20.
  3. Clara was in the storeroom. leaves 1 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRTWOOCAWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Clara: 1 of 20.
  4. Hugo was in the office. leaves 11 of 20 squares
  5. Hugo was in column 4. leaves 2 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRTWOOCAWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Hugo: 2 of 20.
  6. Yolanda was in column 2. leaves 5 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRTWOOCAWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Yolanda: 5 of 20.
  7. Yolanda was in the bottom row. leaves 1 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRTWOOCAWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Yolanda: 1 of 20.
Show the squares Hugo had left
CRTWOOCAWI
The squares still open to Hugo once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 20.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

The answer

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

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

Beginner · time attack — The Repair Shop

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Parts Room, Repair Bay, Waiting Room. Eight statements, six squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

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. CA — cabinet · CR — car · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Abel was in column 2. leaves 4 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    CACRWOCAWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Abel: 4 of 20.
  2. Abel was in the bottom row. leaves 1 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    CACRWOCAWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Abel: 1 of 20.
  3. Ivan was in the waiting room. leaves 10 of 20 squares
  4. Ivan was in the rightmost column. leaves 1 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    CACRWOCAWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Ivan: 1 of 20.
  5. Xavier was in the leftmost column. leaves 5 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    CACRWOCAWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Xavier: 5 of 20.
  6. Xavier was in the waiting room. leaves 3 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    CACRWOCAWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Xavier: 3 of 20.
  7. Yolanda was in column 4. leaves 3 of 20 squares
    Show it on the board
    CACRWOCAWDWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Yolanda: 3 of 20.
  8. Yolanda was in the waiting room. leaves 1 of 20 squares
Show the squares Xavier had left
CACRWOCAWDWI
The squares still open to Xavier once their own statements are taken into account — 3 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: Abel, in Repair Bay (row 5, column 2).

Show the solved board
CACRWOCAWDWIA✕IXY
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Abel is ringed in red.

Easy — The Repair Shop

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Parts Room, Waiting Room, Storeroom, Yard, Repair Bay. Nine statements, ten squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

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. CA — cabinet · CO — computer · CR — crate · F — floor lamp · O — oil slick (square stays free) · T — television · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden table

The testimony

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

  1. Percy was in the same room as Rufus.
  2. Percy was in column 2. leaves 4 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRWOCOCAOCRCOFTWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Percy: 4 of 28.
  3. Wanda was in column 4. leaves 5 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRWOCOCAOCRCOFTWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 5 of 28.
  4. Wanda was in the yard. leaves 2 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRWOCOCAOCRCOFTWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 2 of 28.
  5. Rufus was beside the cabinet. leaves 3 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRWOCOCAOCRCOFTWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Rufus: 3 of 28.
  6. Rufus was beside the wooden table. leaves 2 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRWOCOCAOCRCOFTWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Rufus: 2 of 28.
  7. Queralt was in the leftmost column. leaves 5 of 28 squares
    Show it on the board
    CRWOCOCAOCRCOFTWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Queralt: 5 of 28.
  8. Queralt was in the storeroom. leaves 2 of 28 squares
  9. Boris was in the waiting room. leaves 5 of 28 squares
Show the squares Wanda had left
CRWOCOCAOCRCOFTWI
The squares still open to Wanda 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: Wanda, in Yard (row 4, column 4).

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

Easy · time attack — The Repair Shop

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Parts Room, Paint Booth, Office, Storeroom, Car Lift. Seven statements, eleven squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

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. CA — cabinet · CO — computer · CR — car · CT — crate · F — floor lamp · O — oil slick (square stays free) · P — potted plant · T — television · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden table

The testimony

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

  1. Selma was beside the window. leaves 1 of 26 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOFOCRCOCTPTTCAWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Selma: 1 of 26.
  2. Queralt was beside the computer. leaves 2 of 26 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOFOCRCOCTPTTCAWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Queralt: 2 of 26.
  3. Rosa was in the car lift. leaves 6 of 26 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOFOCRCOCTPTTCAWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Rosa: 6 of 26.
  4. Rosa was in row 4. leaves 1 of 26 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOFOCRCOCTPTTCAWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Rosa: 1 of 26.
  5. Bruno was in row 2. leaves 5 of 26 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOFOCRCOCTPTTCAWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Bruno: 5 of 26.
  6. Bruno was in the office. leaves 1 of 26 squares
    Show it on the board
    WOFOCRCOCTPTTCAWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Bruno: 1 of 26.
  7. Nora was in the car lift. leaves 6 of 26 squares
Show the squares Queralt had left
WOFOCRCOCTPTTCAWI
The squares still open to Queralt once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 26.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Queralt, in Paint Booth (row 1, column 5).

Show the solved board
WOFOCRCOCTPTTCAWISQ✕RBN
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Queralt is ringed in red.

Medium · time attack — The Repair Shop

A 7×7 grid across 5 rooms: Storeroom, Waiting Room, Pit Lane, Yard, Repair Bay. Eleven statements, fourteen 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. CA — cabinet · CO — computer · CR — crate · F — floor lamp · O — oil slick (square stays free) · P — potted plant · R — radio · T — television · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Margot was in the same column as the computer. leaves 4 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    FWOPCOWDROCRCATCRRWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Margot: 4 of 39.
  2. Margot was in the waiting room or in the yard.
  3. Quentin was in the storeroom or in the yard. leaves 16 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    FWOPCOWDROCRCATCRRWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Quentin: 16 of 39.
  4. Quentin was in the same row as a window. leaves 5 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    FWOPCOWDROCRCATCRRWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Quentin: 5 of 39.
  5. Quentin was in the same room as Zeno.
  6. Zeno was in the same column as the potted plant. leaves 6 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    FWOPCOWDROCRCATCRRWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Zeno: 6 of 39.
  7. Rufus was in the same room as the Diva.
  8. Rufus was beside the wooden table. leaves 3 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    FWOPCOWDROCRCATCRRWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Rufus: 3 of 39.
  9. Vivienne was in the same row as the floor lamp. leaves 6 of 39 squares
    Show it on the board
    FWOPCOWDROCRCATCRRWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Vivienne: 6 of 39.
  10. Yolanda was in the same column as the oil slick. leaves 7 of 39 squares
  11. Yolanda was in the same row as a window. leaves 2 of 39 squares
Show the squares Yolanda had left
FWOPCOWDROCRCATCRRWIWI
The squares still open to Yolanda once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 39.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

The answer

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

Show the solved board
FWOPCOWDROCRCATCRRWIWIMQZRVY✕
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Yolanda is ringed in red.

Medium — The Repair Shop

An 8×7 grid across 5 rooms: Pit Lane, Car Lift, Parts Room, Office, Waiting Room. Ten statements, twelve squares nobody could stand on, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

Cracked by 13 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. CA — cabinet · CO — computer · CR — car · CT — crate · F — floor lamp · O — oil slick (square stays free) · P — potted plant · T — television · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Clara was beside the cabinet. leaves 2 of 47 squares
    Show it on the board
    OCRCOCAPTWOWDFCTWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Clara: 2 of 47.
  2. Elena was beside the wooden chair. leaves 4 of 47 squares
    Show it on the board
    OCRCOCAPTWOWDFCTWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Elena: 4 of 47.
  3. Bruno was touching the outer wall. leaves 24 of 47 squares
  4. Bruno was in the same row as the wooden table. leaves 2 of 47 squares
    Show it on the board
    OCRCOCAPTWOWDFCTWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Bruno: 2 of 47.
  5. Ursula was in row 7. leaves 8 of 47 squares
    Show it on the board
    OCRCOCAPTWOWDFCTWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Ursula: 8 of 47.
  6. Ursula was somewhere west of Ada.
  7. Ada was in the same column as the television. leaves 6 of 47 squares
    Show it on the board
    OCRCOCAPTWOWDFCTWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Ada: 6 of 47.
  8. Ada was in the parts room or in the waiting room. leaves 2 of 47 squares
    Show it on the board
    OCRCOCAPTWOWDFCTWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Ada: 2 of 47.
  9. Tristan was in column 5. leaves 6 of 47 squares
  10. Nobody was in the waiting room.
Show the squares Clara had left
OCRCOCAPTWOWDFCTWIWI
The squares still open to Clara once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 47.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 47 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 43 squares fell the same way.

The answer

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

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

Hard — The Repair Shop

A 9×8 grid across 6 rooms: Office, Pit Lane, Paint Booth, Waiting Room, Storeroom, Car Lift. Twelve statements, sixteen 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. CA — cabinet · CO — computer · CR — car · CT — crate · F — floor lamp · O — oil slick (square stays free) · P — potted plant · R — radio · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Bianca was in the same row as the floor lamp. leaves 8 of 59 squares
    Show it on the board
    OWDCOFCRWORCACTRPCOCAPWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 8 of 59.
  2. Ofelia was exactly 2 columns east of Bianca.
  3. Ofelia was in the same column as the oil slick. leaves 13 of 59 squares
    Show it on the board
    OWDCOFCRWORCACTRPCOCAPWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Ofelia: 13 of 59.
  4. Victor was in the same row as the crate. leaves 8 of 59 squares
    Show it on the board
    OWDCOFCRWORCACTRPCOCAPWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Victor: 8 of 59.
  5. Victor was somewhere east of Nora.
  6. Victor was somewhere west of Bianca.
  7. Enzo was all alone in a room.
  8. Enzo was exactly 1 row south of Simon.
  9. Nora was exactly 2 columns west of the Colonel.
  10. Nora was in the same row as the wooden table. leaves 6 of 59 squares
    Show it on the board
    OWDCOFCRWORCACTRPCOCAPWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Nora: 6 of 59.
  11. Marco was exactly 6 rows north of the Chef.
  12. Simon was exactly 1 column west of Marco.
Show the squares Nora had left
OWDCOFCRWORCACTRPCOCAPWIWI
The squares still open to Nora once their own statements are taken into account — 6 of 59.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 111 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 107 squares fell the same way.

The answer

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

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

Hard · time attack — The Repair Shop

An 8×8 grid across 7 rooms: Paint Booth, Car Lift, Storeroom, Pit Lane, Waiting Room, Office, Yard. Eleven statements, thirteen squares nobody could stand on, almost as many rooms as suspects, so a room claim nearly names a square, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

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. CA — car · CO — computer · CR — crate · F — floor lamp · O — oil slick (square stays free) · P — potted plant · R — radio · T — television · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Ulises was exactly 3 columns east of Wilfred.
  2. Dorian was exactly 6 rows north of the Doctor.
  3. Dorian was exactly 7 rows north of Ulises.
  4. Zeno was somewhere north of Wilfred.
  5. Zeno was all alone in a room.
  6. Zeno was somewhere west of Nadia.
  7. Nadia was somewhere south of the Professor.
  8. Nadia was all alone in a room.
  9. Paloma was in the same column as the potted plant. leaves 5 of 54 squares
    Show it on the board
    PCRTRCOFWDCAOWOWDWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Paloma: 5 of 54.
  10. Bianca was in the same room as the Curator.
  11. Wilfred was in the same column as the oil slick. leaves 14 of 54 squares
    Show it on the board
    PCRTRCOFWDCAOWOWDWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Wilfred: 14 of 54.
Show the squares Paloma had left
PCRTRCOFWDCAOWOWDWIWI
The squares still open to Paloma once their own statements are taken into account — 5 of 54.
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 36 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

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

Another 32 squares fell the same way.

The motive

This case demands the why as well as the who: naming the killer without proving the motive counts for nothing. 7 motives are in play, and these statements narrow them.

  1. Nadia's motive would have been ambition.
  2. Paloma's motive would have been revenge.
  3. Dorian's motive would have been jealousy.
  4. Wilfred's motive would have been obsession.
  5. Whoever did it was not driven by blackmail.
  6. Whoever did it was not driven by inheritance.
The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Ulises, in Paint Booth (row 8, column 8).

The only motive left standing for Ulises is debts.

Show the solved board
PCRTRCOFWDCAOWOWDWIWIUDZNPB✕W
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Ulises is ringed in red.

Expert — The Repair Shop

A 10×9 grid across 7 rooms: Paint Booth, Office, Storeroom, Parts Room, Pit Lane, Waiting Room, Repair Bay. Fourteen statements, 21 squares nobody could stand on, and two rounds of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

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. CA — cabinet · CO — computer · CR — car · CT — crate · F — floor lamp · O — oil slick (square stays free) · P — potted plant · R — radio · T — television · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Dante was exactly 3 rows north of the Professor.
  2. Dante was in the same column as a window. leaves 16 of 72 squares
    Show it on the board
    COCRWOTFCTCAWDOPRTCAPRWDCTFCOWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Dante: 16 of 72.
  3. Xavier was exactly 4 columns east of Ines.
  4. Tamara was somewhere south of the Journalist.
  5. Tamara was in the same column as a television. leaves 13 of 72 squares
    Show it on the board
    COCRWOTFCTCAWDOPRTCAPRWDCTFCOWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Tamara: 13 of 72.
  6. Helena was exactly 1 row north of Ines.
  7. Helena was somewhere east of Rosa.
  8. Rosa was all alone in a room.
  9. Jonas and Alma were alone together in one room.
  10. Alma was exactly 5 columns east of the Professor.
  11. Ines was somewhere south of the Colonel.
  12. Exactly 3 people were in the storeroom.
  13. Exactly 2 people were in the paint booth.
  14. Exactly 2 people were in the pit lane.
Show the squares Tamara had left
COCRWOTFCTCAWDOPRTCAPRWDCTFCOWIWI
The squares still open to Tamara once their own statements are taken into account — 13 of 72.
The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 294 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
COCRWOTFCTCAWDOPRTCAPRWDCTFCOWIWID
Suppose Dante stood on the dashed square. Dante then has nowhere left to stand: every square still open to them is shaded out.

Another 290 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Helena, in Pit Lane (row 7, column 3).

Show the solved board
COCRWOTFCTCAWDOPRTCAPRWDCTFCOWIWIDXTH✕RJAI
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Helena is ringed in red.

Expert · time attack — The Repair Shop

A 9×9 grid across 8 rooms: Office, Waiting Room, Parts Room, Repair Bay, Car Lift, Pit Lane, Paint Booth, Storeroom. Sixteen statements, eighteen squares nobody could stand on, almost as many rooms as suspects, so a room claim nearly names a square, and two rounds of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry — and one of the nine was lying throughout.

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

Cracked by one detective so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. CA — cabinet · CO — computer · CR — car · CT — crate · F — floor lamp · O — oil slick (square stays free) · P — potted plant · R — radio · T — television · WD — wooden table · WI — window (square stays free) · WO — wooden chair (square stays free)

The testimony

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

  1. Wanda was somewhere south of the Doctor.
  2. Wanda was in the same row as a television. if true, leaves 15 of 66
    Show it on the board
    WOCATOCTRWDCRPFCOTWDPCOCAWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 15 of 66.
  3. Olivia was in the same column as the crate. if true, leaves 6 of 66
    Show it on the board
    WOCATOCTRWDCRPFCOTWDPCOCAWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Olivia: 6 of 66.
  4. Cesar was in the same column as the oil slick. if true, leaves 9 of 66
    Show it on the board
    WOCATOCTRWDCRPFCOTWDPCOCAWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Cesar: 9 of 66.
  5. Cesar was in the same row as the floor lamp. if true, leaves 1 of 66
    Show it on the board
    WOCATOCTRWDCRPFCOTWDPCOCAWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Cesar: 1 of 66.
  6. Zaida was in the same row as a window. if true, leaves 23 of 66
    Show it on the board
    WOCATOCTRWDCRPFCOTWDPCOCAWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Zaida: 23 of 66.
  7. Zaida was somewhere east of the Gardener.
  8. Zaida was in the office or in the paint booth. if true, leaves 7 of 66
    Show it on the board
    WOCATOCTRWDCRPFCOTWDPCOCAWIWI
    The squares this one statement leaves Zaida: 7 of 66.
  9. Lorenzo was in the same column as the radio. if true, leaves 6 of 66
  10. Lorenzo was in the same row as the crate. if true, leaves 1 of 66
  11. Vera was somewhere east of Gaspar.
  12. Ximena was in the same column as the floor lamp. if true, leaves 8 of 66
  13. Ximena was in the same row as a window. if true, leaves 2 of 66
  14. Gaspar was not in the repair bay. if true, leaves 6 of 66
  15. Gaspar was in the same column as the radio.
  16. Exactly 3 people were in the waiting room.
Show the squares Ximena had left
WOCATOCTRWDCRPFCOTWDPCOCAWIWI
The squares still open to Ximena 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 Gaspar survives the test. That is the accomplice, and everything they said is now read backwards.

Read backwards, Gaspar actually told you:

  1. Gaspar WAS in the repair bay.
  2. Gaspar was NOT in the same column as the radio.
What the testimony settles on its own

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

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. Zaida's motive would have been blackmail.
  2. Gaspar's motive would have been ambition.
  3. Cesar's motive would have been revenge.
  4. Olivia's motive would have been buried secrets.
  5. Lorenzo's motive would have been jealousy.
  6. Whoever did it was not driven by debts.
  7. Whoever did it was not driven by obsession.
The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Ximena, in Storeroom (row 8, column 5). Gaspar lied throughout and was never charged.

The only motive left standing for Ximena is inheritance.

Show the solved board
WOCATOCTRWDCRPFCOTWDPCOCAWIWIWOCZLV✕XG
The only arrangement the testimony allows. Ximena 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 — The Repair Shop had a false testimony and almost no one to read it — 1 tried. It takes 3 agreeing to make a charge.

All ten inquiries unfolded within The Repair Shop on 16 October 2026, offering investigators little variety in scenery but plenty of varied paperwork. Across the standard boards, the cases steadily expanded from a compact 5x5 floor plan up to an expansive 10x9 layout spanning seven rooms, with neither deceitful witnesses nor hidden motives to muddy the waters. Anonymous guest detectives claimed the quickest resolutions on beginner in 0m 10s, easy in 0m 23s, and hard in 2m 56s. Meanwhile, chentian secured the medium record at 0m 33s, and Nicole unraveled the quiet two-solve expert case in 9m 48s.

The time attack docket saw far fewer boots on the ground, though complications quickly mounted. While the beginner, easy, and medium rooms remained straightforward, the 8x8 hard inquiry introduced a mandatory motive twist, yielding just a single successful solution. The final 9x9 expert challenge heightened the stakes further, demanding both motive identification and the exposure of an outright liar. Only a lone investigator took on that concluding riddle, yet chentian cleared the board in 2m 03s, completing a clean sweep of the day's timed records after posting 0m 07s on beginner, 0m 09s on easy, 0m 36s on medium, and 5m 36s on hard.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: a guest detective — 0m 10s · Easy: a guest detective — 0m 23s · Medium: chentian — 0m 33s · Hard: a guest detective — 2m 56s · Expert: Nicole — 9m 48s · Beginner · time attack: chentian — 0m 07s · Easy · time attack: chentian — 0m 09s · Medium · time attack: chentian — 0m 36s · Hard · time attack: chentian — 5m 36s · Expert · time attack: chentian — 2m 03s

The solutions

The solved boards — spoilers for every case of 16 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 Repair Shop

WCH✕Y
Clara (Chef)18 detectives put Clara (chef) away before the day was out.

Easy — The Repair Shop

✕PWRQB
Wanda (Diva)Wanda (diva) is in custody — the case was closed by 10 detectives.

Medium — The Repair Shop

CEBUAT✕
Tristan (Chauffeur)Tristan (chauffeur) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 12 detectives.

Hard — The Repair Shop

BO✕VENMS
Bianca (Journalist)Bianca (journalist) was named and charged; 6 detectives closed this one.

Expert — The Repair Shop

DXTH✕RJAI
Helena (Doctor)The cell door shut on Helena (doctor), on the evidence of 2 detectives.

Beginner · time attack — The Repair Shop

A✕IXY
Abel (Gardener)7 detectives put Abel (gardener) away before the day was out.

Easy · time attack — The Repair Shop

SQ✕RBN
Queralt (Professor)Queralt (professor) is in custody — the case was closed by 4 detectives.

Medium · time attack — The Repair Shop

MQZRVY✕
Yolanda (Journalist)Yolanda (journalist) ended the day behind bars — convicted by 2 detectives.

Hard · time attack — The Repair Shop

UDZNPB✕W
Ulises (Chauffeur)Ulises (chauffeur) was named and charged; one detective closed this one. The motive — debts — was proved along with the name.

Expert · time attack — The Repair Shop

WOCZLV✕XG
Ximena (Professor)The cell door shut on Ximena (professor), on the evidence of one detective. The motive — inheritance — was proved along with the name. Gaspar lied for them and was never charged.

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Every day's cases — the calendar · ← the cases for 15 October

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