The Last Voyage of the Aurora
Thursday, 29 October 2026 · Medium
There is something about solving a puzzle on paper that a screen cannot match. You can scribble in the margins, tick off suspects, and leave it on the table to come back to with your coffee. That is why every Daily Whodunit case is designed to be printed as well as played online.
Each day brings a new free printable murder mystery puzzle: a one-page case file with a scene, six suspects, a sudoku that hides the evidence and a space to name the killer. Here is what is on the page, how to print it, and some ideas for using it.
What is on each printable case file
- A case number and date, so you can collect them or compare times with friends.
- An incident report naming the victim, the scene and the time of death.
- A 9×9 sudoku with row and column numbers around the edge, which makes the clues easy to follow on paper. Three evidence cells are shaded and marked S, W and L.
- Numbered lists of suspects, weapons and locations, each with a tick-box so you can rule out the innocent as you go.
- The evidence: clues that point to the three marked cells, plus facts to check your answer.
- The accusation: lines for the killer, weapon and location, and space for your name and time.
- The solution, printed upside down at the foot of the page, and a QR code that opens the case online.
How to print a case
- Open today’s case, or any earlier case from the archive.
- Press the Print button under the grid.
- Choose your paper size. The case file fits on a single sheet of US Letter or A4.
- Print in colour for the red accents, or in black and white: the page is designed to read clearly either way.
The printable version only shows the starting numbers, never your progress, so you can print the same case several times for a group.
Ideas for using printable mystery puzzles
A screen-free coffee break
An easy Monday case takes most people ten to twenty minutes, about the length of a coffee. Print the week’s cases on Sunday evening and you have a small daily ritual that does not involve your phone.
Race a friend or partner
Print two copies of the same case, start together and see who names the killer first. Write your time in the box at the bottom. The loser makes the next round of tea.
Murder mystery party warm-up
Hosting a murder mystery dinner? Hand out a case file as guests arrive. It sets the mood, breaks the ice, and gives early arrivals something to do while you finish in the kitchen.
Book clubs and puzzle clubs
If your book club is reading a detective novel, a printed case makes a fun opener. Puzzle clubs can use a Saturday case as a weekly challenge.
The office puzzle of the week
Pin a Friday case on the noticeboard and let the team compete. Whoever cracks it first signs their name in the detective box.
Classrooms and clubs
Teachers and youth clubs are welcome to print cases for non-commercial use. They are a gentle way to practise logical thinking, and the story keeps students engaged until the last cell. Early-week cases suit beginners best.
Travel and waiting rooms
Fold a couple of case files into a bag for flights, train journeys or appointments. They need nothing more than a pencil and do not run out of battery.
Running a puzzle night
Printed cases work well for a group. Choose one case, print a copy for each person or pair, and set a timer. Ask everyone to fold the bottom of the page under before they start, so nobody spots the upside-down solution by accident.
When someone thinks they have the answer, they write their accusation and time in the boxes and hand it in. The first correct accusation wins. For a longer evening, play three cases in a row, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, so the difficulty builds as the night goes on.
Teams of two also work nicely: one person solves the grid while the other checks the evidence and keeps an eye on the suspect list.
Choosing the right difficulty
Cases get harder through the week. Print a Monday or Tuesday case for beginners and children, a Wednesday or Thursday case for regular puzzlers, and a Friday or Saturday case for anyone who wants a real challenge. Sunday cases are tricky ones to round off the week.
Tips for solving on paper
- Use a pencil with an eraser. Even good solvers rub things out.
- Write small candidate numbers in the corners of cells when you get stuck.
- Tick off suspects, weapons and locations as you rule them out, just like a real detective.
- Check your three evidence numbers against the facts in the case file before you look at the solution.
New to sudoku? Our guide to sudoku techniques for beginners covers everything you need for your first case.
A new case every day
A fresh case opens every day at midnight, New York time, and every earlier case stays available in the case archive. All of them are free to play online and to print. Grab a pencil and start today’s case.