Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 21 October 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-10-21 — 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 Steamship Aurora

A 5×5 grid across 3 rooms: Galley, Cabin, Saloon. Eight statements, six squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

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. B — bed (square stays free) · C — chest · F — floor lamp · S — 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.

Bianca was in the galley. leaves 10 of 22 squares
Bianca was in column 3. leaves 3 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Bianca: 3 of 22.
Nestor was in column 2. leaves 4 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 4 of 22.
Nestor was in row 4. leaves 1 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nestor: 1 of 22.
Olivia was in the rightmost column. leaves 4 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Olivia: 4 of 22.
Olivia was in the galley. leaves 3 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Olivia: 3 of 22.
Kira was in the bottom row. leaves 5 of 22 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Kira: 5 of 22.
Kira was in the galley. leaves 3 of 22 squares

Show the squares Bianca had left

The squares still open to Bianca once their own statements are taken into account — 3 of 22.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Bianca can only be in Galley (row 2, column 3) — down from 3 possible squares.
Horacio can only be in Saloon (row 1, column 1) — down from 22 possible squares.
Olivia can only be in Galley (row 3, column 5) — down from 3 possible squares.
Kira can only be in Galley (row 5, column 4) — down from 3 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Beginner · time attack — The Steamship Aurora

A 5×5 grid across 4 rooms: Saloon, Lounge, Dining, Bridge. Eight statements, five squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

Cracked by 2 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. 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 — bed (square stays free) · C — crate · S — sofa (square stays free) · 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.

Nico was in the bridge. leaves 8 of 24 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nico: 8 of 24.
Nico was in row 4. leaves 2 of 24 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nico: 2 of 24.
Leo was in column 3. leaves 5 of 24 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Leo: 5 of 24.
Leo was in the dining room. leaves 2 of 24 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Leo: 2 of 24.
Ruben was in the lounge. leaves 4 of 24 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ruben: 4 of 24.
Ruben was in the top row. leaves 1 of 24 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ruben: 1 of 24.
Tamara was in the bridge. leaves 8 of 24 squares
Tamara was in row 2. leaves 1 of 24 squares

Show the squares Nico had left

The squares still open to Nico once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 24.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Nico can only be in Bridge (row 4, column 5) — down from 2 possible squares.
Leo can only be in Dining (row 5, column 3) — down from 2 possible squares.
Selma can only be in Dining (row 3, column 2) — down from 24 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Easy — The Steamship Aurora

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Galley, Lounge, Dining, Bridge, Saloon. Seven statements, nine squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

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. B — bed (square stays free) · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CR — crate · D — desk · F — floor lamp · G — grandfather clock · S — stove · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Wanda was in column 4. leaves 4 of 30 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 4 of 30.
Wanda was in the bridge. leaves 1 of 30 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wanda: 1 of 30.
Ignacio was in row 5. leaves 5 of 30 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ignacio: 5 of 30.
Ignacio was in the galley. leaves 2 of 30 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ignacio: 2 of 30.
Ada was in the bridge. leaves 9 of 30 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ada: 9 of 30.
Julian was beside the bed. leaves 3 of 30 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julian: 3 of 30.
Vasco was beside the window. leaves 1 of 30 squares

Show the squares Ignacio had left

The squares still open to Ignacio once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 30.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Ignacio can only be in Galley (row 5, column 2) — down from 2 possible squares.
Ada can only be in Bridge (row 1, column 3) — down from 9 possible squares.
Leo can only be in Lounge (row 6, column 5) — down from 30 possible squares.
Julian can only be in Lounge (row 4, column 6) — down from 3 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Julian, in Lounge (row 4, column 6).

Show the solved board

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

Easy · time attack — The Steamship Aurora

A 6×6 grid across 5 rooms: Deck, Galley, Cabin, Hold, Lounge. Seven statements, ten 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. B — bed (square stays free) · CH — chest · CR — crate · D — desk · F — floor lamp · S — 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.

Tesa was in row 5. leaves 6 of 30 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tesa: 6 of 30.
Tesa was in column 4. leaves 1 of 30 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tesa: 1 of 30.
Simon was beside the floor lamp. leaves 2 of 30 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Simon: 2 of 30.
Zaida was beside a window. leaves 2 of 30 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zaida: 2 of 30.
Yago was in row 2. leaves 3 of 30 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Yago: 3 of 30.
Yago was in the cargo hold or in the lounge. leaves 1 of 30 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Yago: 1 of 30.
Ines was in the cabin. leaves 5 of 30 squares

Show the squares Simon had left

The squares still open to Simon once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 30.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Simon can only be in Cabin (row 3, column 1) — down from 2 possible squares.
Zaida can only be in Hold (row 6, column 2) — down from 2 possible squares.
Alma can only be in Deck (row 4, column 5) — down from 30 possible squares.
Ines can only be in Cabin (row 1, column 3) — down from 5 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Medium · time attack — The Steamship Aurora

A 7×7 grid across 5 rooms: Cabin, Dining, Hold, Engine, Lounge. Eleven statements, twelve squares nobody could stand on, 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. CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · CR — crate · D — desk · F — floor lamp · G — grandfather clock · S — 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.

Julian was in the cargo hold or in the lounge. leaves 19 of 41 squares
Julian was in the same row as the stove. leaves 1 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julian: 1 of 41.
Hugo was somewhere north of Julian.
Hugo was in the same column as the desk. leaves 6 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Hugo: 6 of 41.
Gilda was in the engine room or in the lounge. leaves 17 of 41 squares
Gilda was touching the outer wall. leaves 9 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gilda: 9 of 41.
Marco was in the same column as the wooden chair. leaves 7 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Marco: 7 of 41.
Marco was beside the wooden chair. leaves 2 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Marco: 2 of 41.
Bianca was somewhere east of Gilda.
Pablo was in the same row as the desk. leaves 6 of 41 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Pablo: 6 of 41.
Pablo was beside a window. leaves 1 of 41 squares

Show the squares Marco had left

The squares still open to Marco once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 41.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Hugo can only be in Dining (row 3, column 2) — down from 6 possible squares.
Gilda can only be in Lounge (row 7, column 4) — down from 9 possible squares.
Marco can only be in Engine (row 2, column 7) — down from 2 possible squares.
Bianca can only be in Lounge (row 5, column 6) — down from 41 possible squares.
Vera can only be in Dining (row 6, column 3) — down from 41 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Medium — The Steamship Aurora

A 7×7 grid across 6 rooms: Engine, Hold, Cabin, Dining, Lounge, Deck. Eight statements, fifteen 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 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 — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · CR — crate · D — desk · F — floor lamp · G — grandfather clock · M — mirror (square stays free) · 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.

Jonas was in the same column as the desk. leaves 5 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Jonas: 5 of 40.
Jonas was in the engine room or in the cargo hold. leaves 2 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Jonas: 2 of 40.
Sol was beside a mirror. leaves 2 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Sol: 2 of 40.
Bruno was in the cabin. leaves 6 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Bruno: 6 of 40.
Queralt was in the same room as Elena.
Queralt was beside the desk. leaves 1 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Queralt: 1 of 40.
Elena was in the dining room or in the lounge. leaves 13 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Elena: 13 of 40.
Hilda was seated on the wooden chair. leaves 1 of 40 squares

Show the squares Jonas had left

The squares still open to Jonas 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:

Jonas can only be in Hold (row 6, column 3) — down from 2 possible squares.
Sol can only be in Deck (row 5, column 7) — down from 2 possible squares.
Bruno can only be in Cabin (row 3, column 2) — down from 6 possible squares.
Elena can only be in Dining (row 1, column 6) — down from 13 possible squares.
Oscar can only be in Deck (row 7, column 1) — down from 40 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Hard — The Steamship Aurora

An 8×8 grid across 6 rooms: Bridge, Deck, Dining, Cabin, Galley, Saloon. Ten statements, sixteen squares nobody could stand on, and one round of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry.

Cracked by 8 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. A — armchair (square stays free) · B — bed (square stays free) · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · CL — clock · CR — crate · D — desk · F — floor lamp · 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.

Ines was in the same room as the Magician.
Ines was exactly 2 columns west of Gordon.
Gordon was in the same row as the sofa. leaves 8 of 55 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gordon: 8 of 55.
Abel was in the same column as the bed. leaves 8 of 55 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Abel: 8 of 55.
Elena was in the same column as the chest. leaves 7 of 55 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Elena: 7 of 55.
Elena was all alone in a room.
Rufus was exactly 6 columns east of Wilfred.
Rufus was somewhere south of Ines.
Wilfred was exactly 6 rows north of the Gardener.
Jimena was in the same column as the wooden chair. leaves 7 of 55 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Jimena: 7 of 55.

Show the squares Elena had left

The squares still open to Elena once their own statements are taken into account — 7 of 55.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 78 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Ines stood in Galley (row 1, column 1), Jimena would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Gordon stood in Bridge (row 8, column 3), Abel would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Abel in Bridge (row 8, column 3) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Had Elena stood in Galley (row 1, column 4), Abel would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 74 squares fell the same way.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Hard · time attack — The Steamship Aurora

A 10×8 grid across 6 rooms: Bridge, Deck, Lounge, Hold, Galley, Dining. Thirteen statements, thirteen 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 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) · B — bed (square stays free) · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · CR — crate · D — desk · F — floor lamp · G — grandfather clock · SO — sofa (square stays free) · ST — stove · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Walter was in the same column as the grandfather clock. leaves 7 of 72 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Walter: 7 of 72.
Jonas was somewhere north of the Gardener.
Jonas was in the same row as the carpet. leaves 19 of 72 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Jonas: 19 of 72.
Lidia was in the same column as the crate. leaves 7 of 72 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Lidia: 7 of 72.
Hilda was exactly 3 rows south of the Professor.
Hilda was in column 4. leaves 8 of 72 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Hilda: 8 of 72.
Octavio was somewhere south of Lidia.
Octavio was in the same column as the stove. leaves 6 of 72 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Octavio: 6 of 72.
Ximena was exactly 3 columns east of Jonas.
Ximena was in the same row as the armchair. leaves 8 of 72 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ximena: 8 of 72.
Zeno was exactly 1 column east of the Colonel.
Zeno was all alone in a room.
Zeno was in the same row as the desk. leaves 9 of 72 squares

Show the squares Octavio had left

The squares still open to Octavio once their own statements are taken into account — 6 of 72.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 79 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Put Walter in Dining (row 7, column 3) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Had Vera stood in Hold (row 1, column 1), Lidia would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Jonas stood in Dining (row 6, column 1), Lidia would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Lidia in Hold (row 1, column 1) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 75 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.

Octavio's motive would have been obsession.
Lidia's motive would have been revenge.
Hilda's motive would have been blackmail.
Walter's motive would have been ambition.
Whoever did it was not driven by debts.
Whoever did it was not driven by buried secrets.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Ximena, in Lounge (row 4, column 9).

The only motive left standing for Ximena is jealousy.

Show the solved board

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

Expert — The Steamship Aurora

A 9×9 grid across 7 rooms: Galley, Dining, Hold, Deck, Engine, Cabin, Lounge. Eighteen statements, seventeen squares nobody could stand on, and two rounds of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry — and one of the nine was lying throughout.

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

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. A — armchair (square stays free) · B — bed (square stays free) · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · CL — clock · CR — crate · D — desk · F — floor lamp · P — painting (square stays free) · SO — sofa (square stays free) · ST — 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.

Zeno was somewhere east of the Magician.
Cesar was somewhere south of the Gardener.
Cesar was in the same column as the sofa. if true, leaves 17 of 71
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Cesar: 17 of 71.
Boris was in the same row as the stove. if true, leaves 7 of 71
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Boris: 7 of 71.
Boris was somewhere south of Victor.
Boris was in the same column as the carpet. if true, leaves 2 of 71
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Boris: 2 of 71.
Kira was in row 6. if true, leaves 9 of 71
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Kira: 9 of 71.
Kira was somewhere west of Nico.
Greta was in column 2. if true, leaves 8 of 71
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 8 of 71.
Greta was in the same row as the wooden chair. if true, leaves 1 of 71
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Greta: 1 of 71.
Julia was in the same column as the stove. if true, leaves 6 of 71
Julia was somewhere north of Victor.
Victor was somewhere north of the Colonel.
Victor was in the same column as the wooden chair. if true, leaves 9 of 71
Victor was in the same room as Nico.
Nico was somewhere west of the Chauffeur.
Nico was somewhere west of Zeno.
Exactly 2 people were in the cabin.

Show the squares Boris had left

The squares still open to Boris once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 71.

Unmasking the liar

One of these 9 people is the killer's accomplice, and every word they said is false — but you are not told which. Take each in turn: read their statements backwards and ask whether the rest of the testimony can still be satisfied.

If Wren were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Zeno were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Cesar were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Boris were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.

Another 4 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Nico actually told you:

Nico was NOT west of the Chauffeur.
Nico was NOT west of Zeno.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Wren can only be in Cabin (row 5, column 9) — down from 71 possible squares.
Zeno can only be in Deck (row 7, column 5) — down from 71 possible squares.
Cesar can only be in Cabin (row 8, column 3) — down from 17 possible squares.
Boris can only be in Galley (row 4, column 4) — down from 2 possible squares.
Kira can only be in Deck (row 6, column 1) — down from 9 possible squares.
Julia can only be in Engine (row 1, column 8) — down from 6 possible squares.
Victor can only be in Engine (row 2, column 6) — down from 9 possible squares.
Nico can only be in Engine (row 3, column 7) — down from 71 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Cesar, in Cabin (row 8, column 3). Nico lied throughout and was never charged.

Show the solved board

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

Expert · time attack — The Steamship Aurora

A 10×9 grid across 7 rooms: Deck, Engine, Galley, Bridge, Dining, Hold, Lounge. Thirteen statements, 21 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) · B — bed (square stays free) · CA — carpet (square stays free) · CH — chest · CL — clock · CR — crate · D — desk · F — floor lamp · 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.

Victor was all alone in a room.
Tristan was in the same column as a window. leaves 18 of 78 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tristan: 18 of 78.
Leo was in column 4. leaves 9 of 78 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Leo: 9 of 78.
Leo was all alone in a room.
Octavio was in the same row as a crate. leaves 16 of 78 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Octavio: 16 of 78.
Frida was all alone in a room.
Frida was exactly 3 columns east of the Diva.
Hilda was exactly 5 columns west of the Gardener.
Julia was in the same row as a wooden chair. leaves 20 of 78 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Julia: 20 of 78.
Julia was exactly 2 rows north of the Magician.
Julia was somewhere east of the Colonel.
Walter was exactly 6 columns east of the Doctor.
Exactly 2 people were in the deck.

Show the squares Leo had left

The squares still open to Leo once their own statements are taken into account — 9 of 78.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 164 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Victor stood in Bridge (row 1, column 7), Octavio would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Tristan stood in Bridge (row 1, column 2), Selma would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Leo stood in Engine (row 9, column 4), Hilda would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Octavio stood in Deck (row 4, column 2), Tristan would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 160 squares fell the same way.

Victor can only be in Bridge (row 1, column 6) — down from 3 possible squares.
Tristan can only be in Engine (row 9, column 2) — down from 3 possible squares.
Leo can only be in Galley (row 6, column 4) — down from 4 possible squares.
Octavio can only be in Deck (row 4, column 3) — down from 6 possible squares.
Frida can only be in Dining (row 3, column 8) — down from 2 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

The only arrangement the testimony allows. Octavio 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

Five Empty Chairs — Charged at The Steamship Aurora. It took 3 detectives to agree and 4 did, which is the difference between a suspicion and a file.

All ten of today’s investigations played out aboard The Steamship Aurora, though the vessel offered varied challenges across both shifts. The standard docket began quietly on a 5x5 grid with three rooms, where nine of thirteen attempts reached a conclusion. Complexity rose steadily through the 6x6, 7x7, and 8x8 layouts until investigators met the 9x9 expert floor plan, a seven-room labyrinth tangled by the presence of a liar. Four of five seekers managed to see through the deceit.

The time attack cases demanded even quicker footwork across altered decks. Two solitary runners braved the opening 5x5 and 6x6 boards, both finding their marks without error. The medium 7x7 saw one solution from two attempts, a fate matched on the expansive 10x9 expert board. The hard time attack brought its own unique complication: a 10x8 layout with six rooms where establishing a motive was strictly required. A single investigator stepped forward and closed the file cleanly.

When the dust settled across the ship, one name stood alone on every precinct ledger. chentian claimed the day's fastest time in all ten cases, clocking a brisk 0m 13s on the standard easy board, 1m 01s on standard hard, and 2m 32s navigating the liar on standard expert. Under the clock, chentian secured the motive-laden hard case in 2m 02s and swept through the expert run in 1m 48s.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: chentian — 0m 16s · Easy: chentian — 0m 13s · Medium: chentian — 0m 17s · Hard: chentian — 1m 01s · Expert: chentian — 2m 32s · Beginner · time attack: chentian — 0m 14s · Easy · time attack: chentian — 0m 23s · Medium · time attack: chentian — 0m 26s · Hard · time attack: chentian — 2m 02s · Expert · time attack: chentian — 1m 48s