How to play
Read. Spot the clues.
Name the culprit.
Every 5 Minute Mystery is a short story with a crime and a handful of suspects. The clues are all there in the text. Find them, then make your accusation.
- About 5 minutes a mystery
- New mysteries every Monday and Thursday
- Free, with no ads
Three steps
How a mystery works
Read the story
Press Start solving and the full story appears with a timer. Read carefully: the suspects are listed beside it.
Mark the clues
When a sentence points at a suspect, or clears one, click it and choose Incriminates or Exonerates and the suspect. Change your mind any time.
Name the culprit
Choose the suspect you think did it and submit. You'll see your score, the clues you found and missed, and the full solution.
What a clue looks like
Some sentences point the finger. Others clear a name.
A clue is a whole sentence. An incriminating clue makes a suspect look guilty; an exonerating clue shows someone could not have done it. The best sleuths find both kinds: clearing the innocent is half the case.
Not every sentence is a clue, and a wrong mark costs a point, so mark what matters.
The pie was still warm when the judges arrived at noon. Only Rosa had flour on her sleeves, though she said she hadn't baked in weeks.Incriminates Rosa Mr. Patel had been in the cattle barn all morning, as three farmers swore.Exonerates Mr. Patel
Scoring
You can score without solving it
Points reward careful reading as much as the right answer. The top score takes every clue and the culprit.
Worked examples, on a mystery with four clues
| What you did | How it adds up | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Every clue and the right culprit, on an Easy mystery | 4 × 2 + 10 | 18 |
| Every clue and the right culprit, on a Hard mystery | 4 × 2 + 10 + 5 bonus | 23 |
| Three of the four clues and the right culprit | 3 × 2 + 10 (no bonus: a clue was missed) | 16 |
| Three right, one wrong mark, and the right culprit | 3 × 2 − 1 + 10 | 15 |
| Two right, two wrong marks, and the wrong culprit | 2 × 2 − 2 × 1 | 2 |
Beyond a single case
Keep score, compete, teach
Top Sleuths
Your first attempt at each official mystery counts toward the rankings, by points and by solve rate, over 30 days and a year.
See the rankings →Leagues
Start a league for your family, friends, or book club, or join a public one, and see who really is the best detective.
Find a league →For classrooms
Teachers can create classrooms, choose which mysteries students see, assign homework, and follow every student's progress.
For teachers →Questions
Good to know
Do I need an account?
Anyone can read a mystery's teaser. To read the whole story and solve it you'll need a free account, which is how we keep your score.
Why do I start with a "first mystery"?
New members solve one mystery, chosen for them, before anything else. It shows how marking clues works and doesn't count toward your score, so you can learn without pressure.
Can I play a mystery again?
As often as you like. Only your first attempt at an official mystery earns points for the rankings.
Does the timer affect my score?
No. Your time is recorded so you can see how you compare, but points come only from clues and the culprit.
What are user-submitted mysteries?
Mysteries written by members. They don't earn points at first; if one proves popular it becomes official, and everyone who solved it gets their points then.
Is it really free?
Yes. 5 Minute Mystery has been free and ad-free since 2012, supported by readers' gifts. More about scoring · About us
