The Detective’s DeskTHE DETECTIVE’S DESK
How to play
A convincing theory starts with the record that supports it.
The Detective’s Desk is an untimed investigation game. You are given accounts and evidence, then asked to establish a particular finding. A contradiction can disprove an account without proving a theft or identifying a culprit. Read the question carefully before deciding what your evidence must show.
1. Start with a case
First-time visitors start in the guided tutorial. Read the highlighted area and use its Next button to move on. You can use Skip tutorial to go straight to the desk, and return to Tutorial later. From the lobby, choose Easy, Medium, Hard or Pen & Paper, then open a case.
2. Separate facts from accounts
Read the case brief before opening records. Note any stated conditions, such as whether clocks agree or a route has only one entrance. A person’s account is a claim to test. A time-stamped work order or a signed handover may establish a different fact. Pay attention to the limits of each source.
3. Open the evidence
On analytical cases, use the Suspects, Envelopes and Case solution areas. Open the paper envelopes to read the records. Reading or pinning a record does not necessarily select it as proof: use the case’s Use as proof control when it asks you to cite evidence.
Interview cases let you speak to people, search places and follow leads in the order you choose. Ask follow-up questions and present relevant records. The notebook keeps the source of an account so you can distinguish what somebody said from independently verified evidence.
4. State only what your proof establishes
Work through the requested tasks or questions, then connect the relevant records. A finding that a person was at a location does not automatically prove what they did there. On longer cases, check the whole sequence rather than selecting a person solely because they had a motive.
5. Use hints and keep your work
All hints are free while live advertising is disabled. You can open the hint control when you are stuck. Case answers, notes, unlocked hints, stars and tutorial progress save locally. Return using the same browser, device and website address to continue.
Use My saves to export a backup before clearing browser data or moving to another device. Import that backup in the other browser to transfer your progress. Private browsing may remove saves when the session ends.