Multiply your number of players by 3, and let’s call this number X. Only include cards from 1 up to and including X. (Each card should appear 3 times.)
Then,
- Deal each player twice as many cards as the number of players
- Place 3 cards facedown to the side: this is the Murder you’re trying to solve.
- Place any remaining cards facedown on the table: the (shared) Evidence.
In these rules, the “Midnumber” is defined as the middle number of your deck: X divided by 2, rounded.
At the end of your turn, you may say “I know the solution!”
State the missing numbers that are the Murder (order is irrelevant), then check privately.
- If you’re right, you win!
- If you’re wrong, the game continues, but without you.
From start player, take clockwise turns until done.
On your turn, either guess a card or play a combo.
If you’re ever out of cards, immediately take any 3 cards from Evidence into your hand.
This action is the simplest, but don’t underestimate its power.
- Pick another player.
- Guess the lowest or highest card in their hand.
If you’re right, they give that card to you. If not, they simply say you’re wrong and nothing happens.
Play a set of 1, 2 or 3 cards faceup to Evidence.
- 1 card? Steal 3 random cards from other players. If someone has the same number, however, they MAY reveal it and say “Stop!” This prevents you from stealing anything. It must be called before you state your victim(s).
- 2 cards? If they combine to the “Midnumber” (if the numbers are added or subtracted), take 2 cards from Evidence.
- 3 cards? If they’re three of a kind ( = “all of the same number”), look at 1 of the murder cards.
All variants and expansions can be played with the exact same base material.
Currently, playing a combo that does nothing … just means nothing happens. The main variant of the game means adding a rule for what to do if you play a combo without consequences.
Pick one of the ideas below.
- If your combo does nothing, flip one card (faceup <-> facedown) from Evidence
- If your combo does nothing, privately look at one facedown card from Evidence.
- The Evidence starts empty; those cards are simply a draw pile. If your combo does nothing, draw a new card from the draw pile.
During setup, also include (some of) the 6 special cards. These only appear once and have a number below 1 or above 18.
The card itself tells you how it works. They generally allow more powerful actions or creative restrictions on how to conduct your investigation.