Murder mystery sudoku — the daily cases for 22 October 2026

Every detective in the world got these same crime scenes on 2026-10-22 — 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 4 rooms: Storeroom, Paint Booth, Parts Room, Yard. Seven statements, six squares nobody could stand on, and enough testimony that the surplus is what pins the last two down.

Cracked by 16 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 · O — oil slick (square stays free) · R — radio · T — television · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Vera was in column 3. leaves 5 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Vera: 5 of 21.
Vera was in the yard. leaves 2 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Vera: 2 of 21.
Ruben was beside the computer. leaves 3 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ruben: 3 of 21.
Ruben was in row 3. leaves 1 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ruben: 1 of 21.
Quentin was in the rightmost column. leaves 4 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Quentin: 4 of 21.
Quentin was in row 4. leaves 1 of 21 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Quentin: 1 of 21.
Fabio was in the parts room. leaves 5 of 21 squares

Show the squares Vera had left

The squares still open to Vera once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 21.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Tristan can only be in Paint Booth (row 1, column 4) — down from 21 possible squares.
Vera can only be in Yard (row 2, column 3) — down from 2 possible squares.
Fabio can only be in Parts Room (row 5, column 2) — down from 5 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Beginner · time attack — The Repair Shop

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

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 — car · CO — computer · CR — crate · O — oil slick (square stays free) · P — potted plant · W — window (square stays free)

The testimony

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

Boris was in the pit lane. leaves 8 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Boris: 8 of 20.
Ximena was in row 3. leaves 4 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ximena: 4 of 20.
Ximena was in column 3. leaves 1 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ximena: 1 of 20.
Gaspar was in the parts room. leaves 5 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gaspar: 5 of 20.
Gaspar was in the bottom row. leaves 1 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gaspar: 1 of 20.
Nico was in the leftmost column. leaves 4 of 20 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Nico: 4 of 20.
Nico was in the top row. leaves 1 of 20 squares

Show the squares Boris had left

The squares still open to Boris once their own statements are taken into account — 8 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:

Boris can only be in Pit Lane (row 4, column 2) — down from 8 possible squares.
Julia can only be in Office (row 2, column 4) — down from 20 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Easy — The Repair Shop

A 6×6 grid across 4 rooms: Waiting Room, Car Lift, Yard, Pit Lane. Six statements, ten 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. CO — computer · CR — crate · 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.

Zaida was beside the radio. leaves 2 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Zaida: 2 of 29.
Paloma was beside the window. leaves 1 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Paloma: 1 of 29.
Simon was beside the oil slick. leaves 3 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Simon: 3 of 29.
Clara was in the pit lane. leaves 5 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Clara: 5 of 29.
Clara was in row 3. leaves 1 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Clara: 1 of 29.
Katia was on the oil slick. leaves 3 of 29 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Katia: 3 of 29.

Show the squares Zaida had left

The squares still open to Zaida 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:

Zaida can only be in Yard (row 6, column 1) — down from 2 possible squares.
Simon can only be in Car Lift (row 1, column 2) — down from 3 possible squares.
Vasco can only be in Waiting Room (row 5, column 5) — down from 29 possible squares.
Katia can only be in Car Lift (row 2, column 4) — down from 3 possible squares.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Easy · time attack — The Repair Shop

A 6×6 grid across 4 rooms: Paint Booth, Storeroom, Office, Car Lift. Six statements, eleven squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

Cracked by 2 detectives so far.

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

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

Lettered squares are objects. Most take the square out of play — which is why the counts above are of free squares, not of all of them — but the ones marked below do not: their square is still in play. CA — cabinet · CO — computer · CR — car · F — floor lamp · O — oil slick (square stays free) · R — radio · 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.

Kaspar was in the office. leaves 7 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Kaspar: 7 of 26.
Beatrix was beside the cabinet. leaves 1 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Beatrix: 1 of 26.
Sol was beside the computer. leaves 2 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Sol: 2 of 26.
Tamara was on the oil slick. leaves 4 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tamara: 4 of 26.
Helena was in the storeroom. leaves 6 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Helena: 6 of 26.
Helena was in row 2. leaves 2 of 26 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Helena: 2 of 26.

Show the squares Sol had left

The squares still open to Sol 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:

Kaspar can only be in Office (row 6, column 2) — down from 7 possible squares.
Gordon can only be in Car Lift (row 4, column 4) — down from 26 possible squares.
Sol can only be in Paint Booth (row 1, column 1) — down from 2 possible squares.
Tamara can only be in Car Lift (row 3, column 3) — down from 4 possible squares.
Helena can only be in Storeroom (row 2, column 6) — down from 2 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Tamara, in Car Lift (row 3, column 3).

Show the solved board

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

Medium · time attack — The Repair Shop

An 8×7 grid across 6 rooms: Pit Lane, Yard, Repair Bay, Waiting Room, Paint Booth, Storeroom. Twelve statements, thirteen 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 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.

Yolanda was in the same column as the crate. leaves 5 of 46 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Yolanda: 5 of 46.
Yolanda was beside the crate. leaves 2 of 46 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Yolanda: 2 of 46.
Irene was on the oil slick. leaves 2 of 46 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Irene: 2 of 46.
Irene was somewhere east of the Professor.
Hugo was in column 6. leaves 6 of 46 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Hugo: 6 of 46.
Tesa was in the same row as a window. leaves 19 of 46 squares
Tesa was in the same column as the television. leaves 2 of 46 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Tesa: 2 of 46.
Quentin was in the pit lane or in the storeroom. leaves 14 of 46 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Quentin: 14 of 46.
Quentin was touching the outer wall. leaves 8 of 46 squares
Quentin was somewhere south of Tesa.
Quentin was in the same column as the car. leaves 2 of 46 squares
Marina was somewhere south of the Butler.

Show the squares Yolanda had left

The squares still open to Yolanda 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:

Ada can only be in Pit Lane (row 7, column 4) — down from 46 possible squares.
Yolanda can only be in Repair Bay (row 3, column 8) — down from 2 possible squares.
Irene can only be in Paint Booth (row 6, column 3) — down from 2 possible squares.
Hugo can only be in Repair Bay (row 2, column 6) — down from 6 possible squares.
Tesa can only be in Storeroom (row 1, column 5) — down from 2 possible squares.
Quentin can only be in Pit Lane (row 5, column 1) — down from 2 possible squares.
Marina can only be in Waiting Room (row 4, column 2) — down from 46 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Quentin, in Pit Lane (row 5, column 1).

Show the solved board

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

Medium — The Repair Shop

A 7×7 grid across 5 rooms: Parts Room, Waiting Room, Pit Lane, Storeroom, Paint Booth. Nine statements, eleven squares nobody could stand on, and no assumption anywhere: elimination alone closes it.

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. CA — car · CO — computer · 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.

Marina was in the same room as the Journalist.
Marina was beside the computer. leaves 2 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Marina: 2 of 40.
Wilfred was in the same column as the car. leaves 10 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wilfred: 10 of 40.
Wilfred was in the same row as the wooden chair. leaves 1 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Wilfred: 1 of 40.
Tamara was somewhere west of Selma.
Rufus was beside the window. leaves 1 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Rufus: 1 of 40.
Jimena was beside the potted plant. leaves 2 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Jimena: 2 of 40.
Selma was in row 5. leaves 7 of 40 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Selma: 7 of 40.
Selma was in the same column as the wooden table. leaves 1 of 40 squares

Show the squares Marina had left

The squares still open to Marina 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:

Marina can only be in Parts Room (row 3, column 2) — down from 2 possible squares.
Greta can only be in Pit Lane (row 6, column 4) — down from 40 possible squares.
Tamara can only be in Parts Room (row 1, column 1) — down from 40 possible squares.
Jimena can only be in Pit Lane (row 7, column 6) — down from 2 possible squares.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Jimena, in Pit Lane (row 7, column 6).

Show the solved board

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

Hard — The Repair Shop

An 8×8 grid across 6 rooms: Office, Storeroom, Paint Booth, Pit Lane, Yard, Repair Bay. Thirteen statements, fourteen 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. CA — cabinet · CO — computer · CR — car · CT — crate · 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.

Rufus was exactly 1 row south of Bianca.
Rufus was in the same room as Kurt.
Percy was exactly 4 columns east of Kurt.
Percy was in the same column as the radio. leaves 7 of 52 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Percy: 7 of 52.
Percy was in the same row as the wooden chair. leaves 1 of 52 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Percy: 1 of 52.
Percy was somewhere east of the Journalist.
Bianca was somewhere east of the Journalist.
Leo was somewhere east of the Professor.
Clara was in row 4. leaves 7 of 52 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Clara: 7 of 52.
Clara was somewhere west of the Journalist.
Clara was in the same column as the car. leaves 2 of 52 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Clara: 2 of 52.
Kurt was in the same room as Queralt.
Queralt was somewhere west of Leo.

Show the squares Clara had left

The squares still open to Clara once their own statements are taken into account — 2 of 52.

What the testimony settles on its own

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

Clara can only be in Paint Booth (row 4, column 3) — down from 2 possible squares.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 51 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Rufus stood in Office (row 6, column 4), Queralt would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Vivienne stood in Paint Booth (row 1, column 1), Kurt would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Bianca in Office (row 6, column 6) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Leo in Yard (row 3, column 6) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 47 squares fell the same way.

The answer

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

Show the solved board

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

Hard · time attack — The Repair Shop

A 9×8 grid across 6 rooms: Office, Yard, Repair Bay, Car Lift, Waiting Room, Pit Lane. Twelve statements, sixteen 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 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.

Boris was somewhere south of the Heiress.
Boris was exactly 3 rows north of Sofia.
Boris was all alone in a room.
Boris was exactly 2 columns east of Ulises.
Sofia was in the same column as the cabinet. leaves 7 of 60 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Sofia: 7 of 60.
Gordon was in the yard or in the repair bay. leaves 10 of 60 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Gordon: 10 of 60.
Ines was in the same column as a window. leaves 15 of 60 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ines: 15 of 60.
Ines was in the same room as Ofelia.
Ulises was in the same row as the wooden chair. leaves 8 of 60 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ulises: 8 of 60.
Ofelia was in the same row as the potted plant. leaves 6 of 60 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ofelia: 6 of 60.
Ofelia was in the same column as the crate. leaves 1 of 60 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ofelia: 1 of 60.
Abel was somewhere east of the Curator.

Show the squares Sofia had left

The squares still open to Sofia once their own statements are taken into account — 7 of 60.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 64 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Put Boris in Car Lift (row 4, column 4) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Had Sofia stood in Pit Lane (row 8, column 3), Ulises would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Gordon in Yard (row 7, column 6) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Ines in Waiting Room (row 4, column 2) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 60 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.

Ines's motive would have been debts.
Abel's motive would have been jealousy.
Ulises's motive would have been ambition.
Gordon's motive would have been obsession.
Whoever did it was not driven by revenge.
Whoever did it was not driven by buried secrets.

The answer

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

The only motive left standing for Sofia is blackmail.

Show the solved board

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

Expert — The Repair Shop

A 9×9 grid across 7 rooms: Office, Storeroom, Parts Room, Pit Lane, Car Lift, Repair Bay, Yard. 23 statements, twenty squares nobody could stand on, and two rounds of assume-and-test after elimination ran dry — and one of the nine was lying throughout.

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

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

Boris was in the same column as the oil slick. if true, leaves 14 of 64
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Boris: 14 of 64.
Ignacio was in the same column as a window. if true, leaves 15 of 64
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Ignacio: 15 of 64.
Ignacio was somewhere north of Gilda.
Lorenzo was in row 5. if true, leaves 56 of 64
Lorenzo was somewhere east of Ignacio.
Lorenzo was somewhere east of Cesar.
Cesar was in the same row as a television. if true, leaves 12 of 64
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Cesar: 12 of 64.
Cesar was somewhere south of the Professor.
Cesar was in the same room as the Heiress.
Vera was somewhere south of Ignacio.
Gilda and the Chef were in different rooms.
Gilda was somewhere west of the Heiress.
Gilda was somewhere north of the Gardener.
Katia was somewhere west of the Chef.
Katia was somewhere north of Boris.
Katia was in the same row as a window. if true, leaves 22 of 64
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Katia: 22 of 64.
Dora was not touching the outer wall. if true, leaves 40 of 64
Dora was somewhere east of the Butler.
Dora was somewhere south of Vera.
Dora was in the same column as a window. if true, leaves 12 of 64
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Dora: 12 of 64.
Dora was somewhere south of the Magician.
Exactly 2 people were in the parts room.
Exactly 2 people were in the storeroom.

Show the squares Cesar had left

The squares still open to Cesar once their own statements are taken into account — 12 of 64.

Unmasking the liar

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

If Boris were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.
If Ignacio 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 Vera were the one lying, no arrangement satisfies the rest. Not them.

Another 4 candidates collapse the same way.

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

Read backwards, Lorenzo actually told you:

Lorenzo was NOT in row 5.
Lorenzo was NOT east of Ignacio.
Lorenzo was NOT east of Cesar.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 126 eliminations of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Boris stood in Repair Bay (row 5, column 6), Cesar would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Ignacio stood in Yard (row 4, column 3), Gilda would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Put Lorenzo in Yard (row 1, column 1) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.
Put Cesar in Repair Bay (row 4, column 4) and the testimony cannot be satisfied at all. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 122 squares fell the same way.

The answer

That leaves one arrangement, and one person who could have done it: Lorenzo, in Storeroom (row 4, column 1). Lorenzo lied throughout and was never charged.

Show the solved board

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

Expert · time attack — The Repair Shop

A 10×9 grid across 8 rooms: Waiting Room, Repair Bay, Office, Storeroom, Yard, Paint Booth, Pit Lane, Parts Room. Fifteen 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.

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 — 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.

Felix was all alone in a room.
Octavio was all alone in a room.
Ada was somewhere west of the Curator.
Ada was all alone in a room.
Ivan was all alone in a room.
Ivan was somewhere north of the Doctor.
Ivan was exactly 2 rows north of the Butler.
Selma was in the same column as the cabinet. leaves 7 of 75 squares
Show it on the board
The squares this one statement leaves Selma: 7 of 75.
Nestor was exactly 1 column west of the Chef.
Nestor was exactly 5 columns west of Ivan.
Gordon was exactly 1 row south of the Professor.
Gordon was all alone in a room.
Hilda was exactly 2 columns west of Ada.
Hilda was all alone in a room.
Exactly 2 people were in the office.

Show the squares Selma had left

The squares still open to Selma once their own statements are taken into account — 7 of 75.

The squares that had to be tested

The rest does not fall out on its own. It takes 248 eliminations across 2 rounds of the same move: put someone on a square, follow the consequences, and watch the board contradict itself.

Had Milo stood in Yard (row 1, column 3), Ada would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Felix stood in Paint Booth (row 3, column 1), Ivan would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Octavio stood in Parts Room (row 1, column 4), Nestor would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.
Had Ada stood in Yard (row 1, column 3), Nestor would have had nowhere left to stand. So not there.

Show what goes wrong

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

Another 244 squares fell the same way.

Milo can only be in Office (row 6, column 7) — down from 3 possible squares.

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.

Nestor's motive would have been obsession.
Hilda's motive would have been blackmail.
Octavio's motive would have been buried secrets.
Ada's motive would have been revenge.
Gordon's motive would have been inheritance.
Whoever did it was not driven by ambition.
Whoever did it was not driven by debts.

The answer

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

The only motive left standing for Selma is jealousy.

Show the solved board

The only arrangement the testimony allows. Selma 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 — One short at The Repair Shop: 2 saw the lie, 3 makes it stick. That is the whole margin.

Every investigation on the docket for 22 October 2026 led back to The Repair Shop. The untimed cases began smoothly enough on the five-by-five beginner floor, where sixteen of nineteen investigators reached a solution and chentian set the pace at nine seconds. A guest detective took top honors on the six-by-six easy board in twenty-three seconds and the eight-by-eight hard board in two minutes and fifty-one seconds, while chentian returned to claim the seven-by-seven medium case in eighteen seconds. The standard docket culminated in a treacherous nine-by-nine expert case that featured a liar among seven rooms; only two of six detectives managed to crack it, led by Nicole in ten minutes and thirty seconds.

The timed investigations offered smaller fields but heavier complications. Across the clock, chentian swept every single fastest time: seven seconds on the beginner five-by-five, twenty-six seconds on the easy six-by-six, and twenty-four seconds on the medium eight-by-seven grid. The work grew noticeably sterner once motive requirements were introduced. On the hard nine-by-eight board, both entrants solved the puzzle, with chentian clocking fifty-four seconds. The final challenge, a ten-by-nine expert grid spanning eight rooms, yielded just one breakthrough from two attempts, with chentian wrapping up the day's record book in seventeen minutes and twenty-two seconds.

Fastest detectives of the day

Beginner: chentian — 0m 09s · Easy: a guest detective — 0m 23s · Medium: chentian — 0m 18s · Hard: a guest detective — 2m 51s · Expert: Nicole — 10m 30s · Beginner · time attack: chentian — 0m 07s · Easy · time attack: chentian — 0m 26s · Medium · time attack: chentian — 0m 24s · Hard · time attack: chentian — 0m 54s · Expert · time attack: chentian — 17m 22s