LESSON 1
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Only one square fits
Mae's Detective School · Detective Starter Kit (10 free cases)
The first move of nearly every case. Easy, and so satisfying.
Read one clue and find every square it allows. Then cross out the row and column of everyone already placed (one person per row and column), and any square an earlier step ruled out.
If only one square is left, that is where the person stood. Place them, cross out their row and column, and look again: one placement often unlocks the next.
How to spot it
- A clue that names a lot at once: a room AND a row, or a room AND an object.
- Someone whose squares are all crossed out but one.
- The victim too: the victim's card gives no square, but crossing out still works on the victim.
Mae's tip
Start with the clue that fits the fewest squares. Hint 1 of every case tells you who that is.In your Detective's Dictionary
BesideRight next to it: up, down, left or right. Same room.
On or inSitting on it, on it or in it: one of its own squares.
In a room withAnywhere in its room, even on it.
Alone inNobody else in that room.
At the edgeAn outer square.
In a cornerOne of 4 corners.
Show me a real example from Case 01 (a small spoiler for that case)
- Sadie said: “She was in row 2, column E.” Only one square on the whole plan fits that: E2. So she stood there.
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