5 MINUTE DETECTIVEFOLLOW THE EVIDENCE

Detective skills

Got a suspect in mind? These guides help you check whether the clues fit your answer.

You do not need any special knowledge. Each guide explains a skill with a made-up example. Then you can try a short puzzle and open its answer. These stories are separate from the seven game cases, so they will not spoil those answers.

Choose what to learn

Need to sort out the times? Start with a timeline. Unsure about a suspect? Learn to check what they said against the clues. If you enjoy writing mysteries, find out how to make a fair puzzle.

Build a timeline that makes sense

Put the events in order and check which clock each time comes from. Work through a missing-script example, then try a short puzzle.

Check whether an alibi holds up

Someone says they were elsewhere. Does the evidence cover the whole time that matters? A missing recipe card helps you check.

Spot a false statement

Compare what a suspect says with what a clue shows. Learn which details prove a statement wrong, and which only look suspicious.

Tell facts from guesses

A clue shows you something. The story you build around it may still be a guess. A missing brass label helps you tell the difference.

Reasons, clues and false leads

Having a reason to act does not prove someone did it. A garden club mystery shows why you need to read a suspicious clue in full.

What makes a mystery fair?

A fair mystery gives you the clues before the answer. See how a few extra facts turn a guessing game into a puzzle you can solve.

A useful way to practise

Choose one skill. Read the example and follow each step. Notice what the clues tell you and what is still unknown.
Try the short puzzle. Write an answer before opening the explanation. Give a clue that supports it, as well as a name.
Check your steps. If your answer differs, look for where it changed. Did you misread a time or add a detail that was not in the story?
Try a fresh mystery. Choose a quick mystery with a few clues, or play a full case in untimed practice.

When two explanations still fit

Write down how the two answers differ. Then ask what would tell them apart. Do you need an entry time, a clear sighting or the rest of a message? Read the clues again with that question in mind.

If both answers still fit, keep the question open. A clue may show that something is possible without proving it happened.

Move on to a full investigation

In the main games, you search a scene, question suspects and explain what happened. Read the case introductions to choose a story. Try The Last Carriage for a railway mystery, or A Brush with Deception for an art theft.

Our how to play guide explains the controls and how to submit your answer. All the examples here are made up, and the story gives you the facts you need.

Explore the case files

Published by Daniel Jenkins for 5 Minute Detective. How we make the site.