Support 5 Minute Mystery
Keep the mysteries free.
For everyone.
No ads, no subscriptions, no paywall, and we have never sold anyone's data. If 5 Minute Mystery has given you a few good puzzles, a small gift helps keep it that way.
Why it matters
Free since 2012, by choice
We've brought joy to hundreds of thousands of mystery fans over the years, from schoolchildren to young professionals to retirees. We don't charge for access and don't run ads anywhere, but it does cost money to keep the site running.
- No ads, ever. Nothing between you and the story.
- No subscriptions. Every mystery is free for every solver.
- Your data is yours. We have never sold it to anyone.
- One person behind it. Every "we" here is a royal one.
What your gift pays for
Servers, email, and the rest of the plumbing.
More cases for the archives, from us and from members.
Better tools and the ongoing redesign.
For teachers
The one thing we charge for is optional
Classroom tools let a teacher create student accounts, choose the mysteries, and assign homework. Seats are $0.35 per student per year ($5 minimum), a one-time purchase that never renews on its own. Solving mysteries stays free for everyone.
A brief history
How we got to free
We started with a subscription, tried advertising, and have been free and ad-free since 2012. Today it's no ads, no subscriptions, and free mystery solving for everyone, with optional seats for teachers who want rosters, approved lists, and homework.
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June 2008
The first case
Five Minute Mystery opens as a subscription site, at $19.95 a year.
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March 2010
Free to read
Subscriptions go; advertising pays the bills instead.
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August 2012
Free and ad-free
The ads go too. Solving has been free, with nothing in the way, ever since.
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March 2013
A new look
A completely new look and feel and a bunch of new features. Still no ads, still no subscriptions.
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May 2022
Privacy first
Printer-friendly mysteries, a modernised backend, and stronger privacy and data controls.
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August 2025
Reader supported
An optional way to chip in: one-time support gifts, never a paywall.
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October 2026
Faster, and for classrooms
A lighter, faster site with a dark mode, a new mystery editor for authors, and classroom tools for teachers.
No money needed
Other ways to help
Tell a friend
The best thing for a small site is a new sleuth. Send a friend an invitation, or start a league together.
Sign up first →Write a mystery
New cases keep the archives growing. Popular member mysteries become official, and their authors get $50.
The writing guide →Tell us what to fix
Spotted a bug, a typo, or a mystery that doesn't add up? Every message is read.
Contact us →