Welcome, Seeker of Forbidden Knowledge, to Thursday's puzzle, week 29 of the year 2025. (Simpler puzzle) and (Harder puzzle)
You have stumbled upon The Dagon Files, a cryptic corner of the web where reality frays and reason falters. Here, beneath shifting sigils and whispering images, ancient puzzles lie in wait—twisting enigmas born from the depths of forgotten tomes and cosmic dread. Each riddle you solve draws you deeper into a truth not meant for mortal minds.
But beware: not all doors should be opened. And some answers… change you.
Begin, if you dare…
Suspects/Weapons/Locations/Motives
grid [G]
Arthur Scott
height: 6' 2"
brown eyes
right handed
nyarlathotep cultist
grid [C]
Mark Dodge
height: 5' 10"
brown eyes
right handed
yog-sothoth cultist
grid [P]
Selwyn Caruthers
height: 5' 11"
blue eyes
right handed
necronomicon cultist
grid [D]
Gregory Symes
height: 5' 4"
hazel eyes
left handed
dagon cultist
grid [M]
Henry Willes
height: 5' 8"
blue eyes
left handed
cthulhu cultist
grid [L]
An angelic instrument used to rid the afflicted of their mental torments.
Sometimes leaves a trace of a feeling of forgetfulness.
grid [G]
A gentleman's weapon from a more civilised age.
Sometimes leaves a trace of a small pile of golf tees.
grid [B]
Some frogs were harmed in the making of this weapon.
Sometimes leaves a trace of a faint smell of frog.
grid [N]
A nightmare powerful enough to rend the sanity of the staunchest investigator.
Sometimes leaves a trace of a miasma of fear.
grid [D]
This dagger resonates with ancient evil.
Sometimes leaves a trace of a series of deep, bloody scratches.
grid [B]
A haven for intellectual discussions, as you may imagine
It has been described as a place smelling of sour beer and sawdust.
Indoors
No warding found here.
grid [C]
The college bell tower with a blue and gold faced clock
It has been described as a place near the sound of bells.
Outdoors
Area has been blessed or warded by some cult.
grid [L]
The main, large lecture hall shared by various faculties
It has been described as a place of learning.
Indoors
No warding found here.
grid [P]
Very few famous cricketers have played here
It has been described as an immaculately manicured rectangle of grass.
Outdoors
No warding found here.
grid [S]
A college cafeteria, redolent of over-salted, basic food items
It has been described as a place smelling of salty food and coffee.
Indoors
Area has been blessed or warded by some cult.
Suspects/Weapons/Locations/Motives
grid [G]
Arthur Scott
height: 6' 2"
brown eyes
right handed
nyarlathotep cultist
grid [C]
Mark Dodge
height: 5' 10"
brown eyes
right handed
yog-sothoth cultist
grid [P]
Selwyn Caruthers
height: 5' 11"
blue eyes
right handed
necronomicon cultist
grid [D]
Gregory Symes
height: 5' 4"
hazel eyes
left handed
dagon cultist
grid [M]
Henry Willes
height: 5' 8"
blue eyes
left handed
cthulhu cultist
grid [L]
An angelic instrument used to rid the afflicted of their mental torments.
Sometimes leaves a trace of a feeling of forgetfulness.
grid [G]
A gentleman's weapon from a more civilised age.
Sometimes leaves a trace of a small pile of golf tees.
grid [B]
Some frogs were harmed in the making of this weapon.
Sometimes leaves a trace of a faint smell of frog.
grid [N]
A nightmare powerful enough to rend the sanity of the staunchest investigator.
Sometimes leaves a trace of a miasma of fear.
grid [D]
This dagger resonates with ancient evil.
Sometimes leaves a trace of a series of deep, bloody scratches.
grid [B]
A haven for intellectual discussions, as you may imagine
It has been described as a place smelling of sour beer and sawdust.
Indoors
No warding found here.
grid [C]
The college bell tower with a blue and gold faced clock
It has been described as a place near the sound of bells.
Outdoors
Area has been blessed or warded by some cult.
grid [L]
The main, large lecture hall shared by various faculties
It has been described as a place of learning.
Indoors
No warding found here.
grid [P]
Very few famous cricketers have played here
It has been described as an immaculately manicured rectangle of grass.
Outdoors
No warding found here.
grid [S]
A college cafeteria, redolent of over-salted, basic food items
It has been described as a place smelling of salty food and coffee.
Indoors
Area has been blessed or warded by some cult.
G | C | P | D | M | B | C | L | P | S | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
L | ||||||||||
G | ||||||||||
B | ||||||||||
N | ||||||||||
D | ||||||||||
B | ||||||||||
C | ||||||||||
L | ||||||||||
P | ||||||||||
S |
Clues
Accusation
Congratulations!
The Doll Maker is frog-marched into a constabulary wagon and driven off to meet his fate.
All the suspect's details:
suspect | weapon | location |
---|---|---|
Grounds Keeper | Azatoth Dagger | Lecture Hall |
Car Mechanic | Feverish Nightmare | Rugby Club |
Club President | Golf Club | Cricket Pitch |
Doll Maker | Lobotomy Pick | College Campanile |
Math Professor | Blow Pipe | The Snactuary |
The murderer was the Doll Maker, using the Lobotomy Pick, at the College Campanile .
All the suspect's details:
suspect | weapon | location |
---|---|---|
Grounds Keeper | Azatoth Dagger | Lecture Hall |
Car Mechanic | Feverish Nightmare | Rugby Club |
Club President | Golf Club | Cricket Pitch |
Doll Maker | Lobotomy Pick | College Campanile |
Math Professor | Blow Pipe | The Snactuary |
[G] is Grounds Keeper.
[C] is Car Mechanic.
[P] is Club President.
[D] is Doll Maker.
[M] is Math Professor.
[L] is Lobotomy Pick.
[G] is Golf Club.
[B] is Blow Pipe.
[N] is Feverish Nightmare.
[D] is Azatoth Dagger.
[B] is Rugby Club.
[C] is College Campanile.
[L] is Lecture Hall.
[P] is Cricket Pitch.
[S] is The Snactuary.
You have not made a selection for all the categories.
Try to find the murderer, what weapon they used and where the murder took place (suspect, weapon, location).
Turn over the cards to find the names of the suspects, weapons and locations. Click on the cards to find more detailed information. This information may be used in the clues.
Each person can only be in one location and have one weapon. This constraint makes the problem tractable.
Draw a grid like the one in the popup window to help you to solve the crime (or you can use the grid on the page by clicking on cells). Place an X in cells where the combination of items is false and O if it is true.
Each cell in the grid represents the combination of the two items specified at the top of the column and the left of the row. For example, the center grid represents which suspect has which weapon.
The clues allow you to rule out possibilities and the grid allows you to track the state accurately. Finally the grid will be filled with X's where connections are false and O's where they are true.
There will only be a single O in a given row or column (otherwise you have made a mistake), and this explcitly links a person to a weapon, or a weapon to a location, or a person to a location.
For example, if a clue states (or indirectly implies) that Major Gladstone was not in The Park, then place an X in the cell intersecting those two symbols.
If a clue states that Major Gladstone had The Revolver, then place an O in the cell intersecting those two symbols. This will automatically place X's in all the remaining cells in the related row and column.
Why? If Major Gladstone has The Revolver, then no one else can have it (that accounts for the X's in The Revolver row). Similarly, Major Gladstone cannot have any other weapon (that accounts for the X's in the Major Gladstone column).
Similarly, if Major Gladstone was not in The Park, but the Revolver is in The Park, then Major Gladstone cannot have the Revolver, and you can place an X in that box.
After you have filled the grid with all the information from the clues, you can start making deductions using the grid itself. For example, if there is only one empty space (non-X) in a row or column of a given block, then that space must be true and you can place an O there. It must be true since all other cells are false and it is the only remaining possibility. Usually this will cause other rows or columns to get more X's. Check to see if there are other rows/columns now with only one empty cell and proceed to fill those with O.
There are also other deductions which can be made e.g. if The Revolver is in the Park and Major Gladstone is in The Park, then Major Gladstone must have The Revolver and you can put an O in that cell.
Finally you will have enough information (a full grid) to solve the crime. You will know who, where and with what weapon.
Then proceed to Make an Accusation and see if you got the correct answer.