How to Play Nine Suspects — The Detective's Manual
The Goal
A murder has occurred! Deduce the locations of all suspects and the victim at the time of the crime. The murderer is the person who was alone in the same room as the victim.
The Sudoku Rule
Every person (suspects and the victim) is in a different row and a different column. On a 4×4 board there are exactly 4 people — one in every row and every column.
Clues & Vocabulary
- "On a [furniture]": occupying that exact square.
- "Beside a [furniture]": directly adjacent (up, down, left, right — not diagonal) and in the same room as the object.
- "In front of a window": the square shares an edge with a window.
- "In the [Room Name]": anywhere inside that room.
Furniture
People can stand or sit on carpets, beds, and chairs. Tables, TVs, shelves, boxes, and plants block a square entirely.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Nine Suspects?
A murder has occurred in a house. Every person — the suspects and the victim — was in a different row and a different column of the floor plan, like a sudoku. Read each suspect's clue, place everyone on the grid, and accuse the person who was alone in the same room as the victim.
Who is the murderer in Nine Suspects?
The murderer is always the suspect who was alone in the same room as the victim. Once every person is placed, look at the victim's room: exactly one suspect shares it, and that suspect is the killer.
What do the clues mean?
"On a [furniture]" means the suspect occupies that exact square. "Beside a [furniture]" means directly adjacent (not diagonal) and in the same room as the object. "In front of a window" means the square touches a window edge. "In the [Room]" means anywhere inside that room.
Is there a new puzzle every day?
Yes — a new daily case is published every day, rotating between Detective (5×5), Inspector (6×6), and Chief (7×7) difficulty. Past dailies stay playable forever in the puzzle archive.
Is Nine Suspects free?
Yes. Nine Suspects is free to play in any web browser, with no download or account required. Signing up saves your progress and unlocks extra visual themes.
Can I get hints if I'm stuck?
Every case offers one in-game hint. Each daily puzzle also has its own hints page with progressive spoilers, ending with the murderer's name — find it from the puzzle archive.