How a Murder Sudoku Works
A murder sudoku is a crime story you solve with logic. In Sudocrime, you read a scene, solve a sudoku and place the suspects on a floor plan. In the end, only one person fits.
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What is a murder sudoku?
A murder sudoku, sometimes called a murder mystery sudoku, combines a number puzzle with a crime story. Instead of only filling in digits, you draw conclusions about people: who was in which room at the time, and who was alone with the victim? Since every statement is true, the answer can be worked out with certainty.
Sudocrime tells full stories this way. Each chapter takes place at a specific time and asks a question, such as who was alone with whom at eight in the morning. Chapter by chapter, the answers add up to the full picture.
Before chapter one: the case file
The prologue shows what happened. Then the case file introduces the victim, the suspects, and your role in the story. The practice case centers on a missing key. You can reopen the case file from the evidence wall later.
Step 1: Scene and statements
Every chapter opens with a short illustrated scene: the time, the place and the chapter’s question. Then you tap the suspects and read what they say. Every statement goes straight into your notebook.
Scenes and statements can be read aloud, paused and resumed. When a new kind of clue shows up, such as “next to a plant”, the app explains it first with the actual card on your floor plan. You can return to the explanation in the glossary later.
Step 2: Solve the sudoku
Each chapter has a sudoku, called “Forensics” in the app. It follows the classic sudoku rules: every digit appears exactly once in each row, column and box. In the stories, the circled square is the code square, and solving the sudoku secures its digit.
If you get stuck, hints come in three steps: they show where to look, explain the next step of reasoning, and only then enter the correct number. You can also leave the sudoku for later and continue the chapter.
Step 3: Place the suspects on the floor plan
Now you work out who was where. Tap a person, then their square on the plan. The key rule: each row and column holds exactly one person. Every statement is true, blocked furniture stays empty, and the square left free at the end belongs to the victim.
You can view the plan flat or as a 3D diorama. The rules and clue types are on the floor plan rules page, with an example you can solve yourself.
Step 4: Your suspect and the evidence wall
Once everyone is placed and exactly one person is alone with the victim, the Suspect button appears. The chapter’s resolution then tells you what happened at that hour.
Your evidence wall collects snapshots, times and notes. In “Silence at Lindenrain”, every solved sudoku adds a letter to a code word that comes together chapter by chapter.
Who is it for?
- Cozy mystery fans: the cases are murderous but cozy, with no blood and no weapon on screen.
- Puzzle lovers: every step can be justified with logic. You never have to guess.
- Sudoku beginners: the practice case teaches the rules with a 4×4 sudoku and a small plan.
Try it right now, with nothing to install: play a murder mystery puzzle online. Or take a look at the cases first.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to solve every sudoku right away?
No. Choose “Solve later” to skip a sudoku and continue the chapter. You can finish open sudoku puzzles from the evidence wall.
What if I get it wrong?
There’s no penalty. If you’re wrong, the game shows you which statement doesn’t fit, and you adjust the plan. It only costs badges such as “Flawless”.
How hard are the cases?
Every story shows its difficulty in magnifying glasses. The practice case is one chapter with a 4×4 sudoku. “Silence at Lindenrain” has six chapters with 6×6 sudoku puzzles.