A murder mystery puzzle gives you suspects on a floor plan and a true statement from each. Every row and column holds one person; place them all, find the one cell left for the victim, and the suspect in the victim's room did it.
What's in a murder mystery puzzle
- A floor planA square grid of cells, divided into named rooms with furniture.
- Suspects and a victimOne person for every row and every column of the board.
- StatementsEach suspect says something true about where they were.
- One questionWho was alone in the room with the victim?
Ten kinds of clue
Every clue is true and is about the person saying it. The narrator only ever tells you that a room was empty. These are the ten kinds you'll meet in UnMask:
- In a room“I was in the Library.”
- Not in a room“I never set foot in the Kitchen.”
- On an object“I was sitting in the armchair.”
- Beside an object“I stood next to the piano.”
- Not beside an object“I was nowhere near the clock.”
- Along the edge“I kept to the left wall.”
- Same room as someone“Basil and I were together.”
- Different room from someone“Cora was not in my room.”
- A direction“I was somewhere left of the fireplace.”
- Nobody in a roomThe narrator: “The Pantry was empty.”
Finding the victim and the killer
The victim fills a row and a column like everyone else. Once the suspects are placed, the victim lies in the one cell whose row and column hold nobody. Then look at the victim's room: the only suspect in it is the killer. Sometimes the clues pin the victim down before you've placed everyone.
A case, start to finish
- 1
Read the case file
Meet the victim and the suspects, and note the rooms and furniture on the floor plan.
- 2
Place the sure suspects
“I was in the armchair” may leave a single cell. Place them and cross out their row and column.
- 3
Narrow down the rest
Combine clues: a room that's empty, a suspect who stood beside the clock, someone left of the fireplace.
- 4
Accuse
Place the victim in the last free cell. The suspect in that room is your culprit.
Play murder mystery puzzles
UnMask is a whole library of murder mystery puzzles: story cases with a cast and an ending, and 800 free cold cases when you just want the puzzle.
- Every case has exactly one solution
- Beginner to Expert, 5×5 to 12×12
- Hints that explain the next deduction
- On iPhone and iPad
FAQ
What is a murder mystery puzzle?
A logic puzzle in the shape of a crime: suspects, a floor plan and true statements. You place everyone, find the victim's cell, and the suspect alone in the victim's room is the killer.
Do I have to guess in a murder mystery puzzle?
Not in a good one. Every UnMask case has exactly one solution and can be solved by deduction alone.
Are murder mystery puzzles good for beginners?
Yes. Beginner cases use a 5×5 board and only the basic moves, and the tutorial case walks you through the rules first.
