The mystery archives · Hard mysteries

Hard mysteries, for sharp-eyed sleuths

Clues hide in small details, among red herrings. Our hardest five-minute whodunits, for readers who like to be fooled and then figure it out.

A hard mystery buries its clues: in an offhand remark, the weather, the order things happened. Some sentences that look important are there to mislead you. Slow down, mark what you find, and trust the facts over the suspects.

A perfect solve earns a 5-point bonus, the biggest there is. Fewer players get these right on the first try.

Every mystery Surprise me

16 official mysteries

Hard Who Dun It? Oct 1

The Straw Hat Theater Mysteries - Box Office Nightmare

The current show, “Lehar’s Merry Widow”, was a perennial favorite. It made no difference that half the audience knew all of the song lyrics by heart. They could - and…

by William Shepard 33% solve it · 1,003 players
Hard Who Dun It? Sep 10

The Straw Hat Theater Mysteries - On Stage!

The accident happened on Opening Night, before a full house. It was in the Third Act, when Mrs. Danvers enters from stage right for a bit of business, as they say in…

by William Shepard 32% solve it · 1,028 players
Hard Who Dun It? Sep 7

Canada Day

Glen pushed back the floppy brim of his Tilley hat and mopped his forehead, promising himself a hot dog and cold soda for lunch with the money he’d found. He was up by…

by Laird Long 37% solve it · 1,536 players
Hard Who Dun It? May 25

Who is Telling the Truth?

Terry Brennan was enjoying a glass of wine before dinner with his wife of over 30 years, Rochelle. The early June evening was perfect and, as they relaxed on the…

by Tom Fowler 29% solve it · 1,959 players
Hard Who Dun It? May 14

Diamond Deception

When Madam Rosler’s priceless red diamond, the Star of Hearts, was stolen, the staff at her country house was not unduly concerned that the police could not be at the…

by Stefanina Hill 56% solve it · 2,017 players
Hard Who Dun It? Feb 16

The Date

Boulder, Colorado has some of the most scenic vistas to be found anywhere in America. Mountaintops are everywhere and each one is a sight. Sit at one of the outside…

by Barney Parmington 23% solve it · 3,993 players
Hard Geography Jan 29

The April Fool

“Barney, you may be wondering why you are in a boxcar on a moving train. This is a payback from everyone in your life on whom you have played April Fool’s jokes over…

by Barney Parmington 29% solve it · 2,562 players
Hard Who Dun It? Dec 22

The Big Game

For years since returning to the NFL, the Browns had struggled against all teams. This year was different though as suddenly the Browns were playing well. But in the…

by Barney Parmington 35% solve it · 2,069 players
Hard Who Dun It? Oct 27

No Retreat From Death

It was only 1:00 p.m. on the first day of the company retreat in Hawaii, but already all the employees from Masterson Technologies had sunburns redder than the volcanic…

by Nick Andreychuk 40% solve it · 2,062 players
Hard Who Dun It? Aug 11

The White House Ghosts

The four ghosts took a look around the East Room before beginning their monthly card game. Invisible to all but themselves, they left no trace on the White House motion…

by William Shepard 26% solve it · 1,818 players
Hard Who Dun It? Jun 23

What The Dickens! - A Christmas Eve Mystery

It was Christmas Eve, 1852, in London, a jolly time for those who could enjoy the holiday, and a plain working time for those who could not. The third type of person…

by William Shepard 36% solve it · 1,210 players
Hard Who Dun It? Jun 12

Sky Jack

Sergeant Saunders of Scotland Yard hung up the telephone and turned to his superior who was studying a map of the world tacked to one wall of his office. “No luck…

by Laird Long 43% solve it · 1,158 players
Hard Who Dun It? May 26

The Pilgrim Thanksgiving Puzzle

It was Mr. Torrington, our seventh grade American history teacher at Weaver Middle School, who came up with the idea. Instead of the usual, tired, same old history…

by William Shepard 38% solve it · 754 players
Hard Who Dun It? May 8

The Missing Briefcase

Ed Beatty arrived at the train station half an hour before boarding time. He had booked a New York to Los Angeles train ride weeks ago and looked forward to it with…

by Tom Fowler 41% solve it · 2,219 players
Hard Who Dun It? Apr 24

Brass Keyboard Mystery

Steven pondered this at the kitchen table for several minutes. Intense concentration helped him fight the onset of dementia and now he had something to figure out. He…

by Tom Fowler 41% solve it · 1,276 players
Hard Who Dun It? Mar 17

MORIARTY PICKS A MURDERER (PART ONE)

Professor Moriarty glowered through his one-way mirrors at the four men who had assembled in the anterooms of the study of his mansion in the West End. He stared at…

by Robbie Cutler 50% solve it · 1,712 players

From the community

Written by our members

They don't earn points yet; the ones players love become official.

Hard Who Dun It? Sep 7

Another Hotel Murder

It was a quiet morning in Indianapolis. But as I was enjoying coffee and listening to my wife's desperate attempts at piano, my phone rang and I was speaking to Kevin…

by Jonathan Grease 38% solve it · 440 players
Hard Who Dun It? May 16

The Purloined Wallet

The room was neat but crowded. A desk sat in the middle, and the detective behind it. On the desk, among various papers, was a dust-covered magnifying glass. An…

by Daniel Winn 20% solve it · 325 players

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