Guess the Crime Game: Can You Solve What Happened Here?

Find out if your detective skills are up to snuff!

You've arrived at the scene of the crime...but what is the crime, exactly? Could it be arson? Insurance fraud? Burglary? Or even...murder??

We'll give you a story with a set of clues, and you'll have to use your detective skills to tell us which crime occurred. Grab your magnifying glass and your book of clues, then click "Start Quiz" whenever you're ready to bust some criminals.

A close-up image of a crime scene.

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Questions Overview

1. A bookstore owner opens up their shop one morning to find no money missing from the register, no alarms triggered, and employees insisting that everything has been business as usual. However, a customer soon storms in and angrily demands a refund, as the “signed first edition” they bought is smudged with fresh ink. The bookstore owner checks the security cameras to see that they were offline for six minutes the previous morning. The owner then quietly calls their insurance company before calling the police. What’s the crime?
  1. Forgery
  2. Robbery
  3. Sabotage
  4. Vandalism
2. The local fish and chips restaurant had a mishap last night—their freezer stopped working for six hours, for no apparent reason! Nothing was stolen, but the backup generator had been unplugged. Meanwhile, the rival café across the street has put out a big sign advertising “Fresh Seafood—Today Only!” What’s the crime?
  1. Sabotage
  2. Theft
  3. Murder by food poisoning
  4. Piracy
3. The day before the final exam at Howiki High, the answers to the test suddenly appear online. No teachers have reported a break-in, signs of a forced entry, or a theft of their version of the test. The principal is aware that a substitute teacher asked for a personal copy of the janitor’s keys a few weeks earlier, so that they could access their classroom after hours. What’s the crime?
  1. Theft of confidential information
  2. Blackmail / Extortion
  3. Plagiarism
  4. Breaking and entering
4. The window of the local jewelry store—Fittany & Co.—has been shattered. All of the necklaces and fine jewels are still inside, in their display cases. Witnesses say that the shop owner was alone in the store just minutes earlier. Now, the owner is busy filing an insurance claim before calling in a team to repair the window. What’s the crime?
  1. Insurance fraud
  2. Theft
  3. Filing a false police report
  4. Selling counterfeit goods
5. A man returns home after an overnight shift and calls the police to report that his apartment was robbed. His TV, laptop, and gaming consoles are all gone, but the front door and windows show no signs of forced entry. Neighbors testify that they saw movers carrying out boxes during the afternoon, while the man was away at work. The man’s roommate had also moved out that day, so it didn’t seem suspicious at the time. What’s the crime?
  1. Theft
  2. Insurance fraud
  3. Breaking and entering
  4. Kidnapping
6. Two local politicians have been in a heated race for the Senate, when one of them suddenly withdraws before the election. It’s discovered that his inbox is full of anonymous emails threatening to leak financial scandals unless he withdraws from the election. These emails end up tracing back to a staff member on the other politician’s campaign. What’s the crime?
  1. Blackmail / Extortion
  2. Trespassing
  3. Theft of confidential information
  4. Racketeering
7. A CEO gathers her employees for a staff meeting and asks her assistant to pour everyone an iced tea. Everyone drinks the iced tea, except for the assistant, who “wasn’t thirsty.” A few minutes later, the CEO suddenly drops dead, but everyone else is fine. What’s the crime?
  1. Murder by poisoning
  2. Murder by asphyxiation
  3. Assault and battery
  4. Money laundering
8. Jo goes to the police and reports that someone stole her vintage ring from her home. The police arrive at their house, where they see glass on the grass beneath a broken window, a mess of overturned furniture inside, and dirty footprints on the carpet. There are no other signs of a break-in. What’s the crime?
  1. Fraud
  2. Burglary
  3. Arson
  4. Illegal gambling

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Expert Tips For Solving Any Riddle

Riddles are difficult by definition, but did you know that there are some tricks, hacks, and techniques for solving even the most challenging of puzzles? Whether you're solving a true crime riddle or any other type of brainteaser, we spoke with wikiHow's top riddle experts for their tips on finding a solution:

  • Riddle expert Michael Fortner says that he always starts by looking at the wording of a riddle. "There's always a trick in the wording," explains Fortner, "so try to look at the wording of what the riddle is saying, instead of hearing what it's saying. Make sure they're not trying to get you with any word trickery."[1]
  • Riddle expert Ng Jie Xin reiterates this advice, adding that you should look to "see if there is any pun intended or another similar pattern to the wording of the riddle." It's also important to think outside the box, "and try not to give the obvious answer."[2]
  • Mathematics educator Zina Savva shares advice specifically for math riddles, explaining that "the secret is logical thinking and persistence. It helps to first understand exactly what the riddle is asking. Then, experiment with small steps and try different ideas to get a better feel for the problem. Simplifying the situation whenever possible makes patterns easier to notice."[3]
  • Ultimately, concludes Ng Jie Xin, the best way to improve at riddles is to practice them regularly. "Read a lot of riddles, read a lot of mind teasers," he says, and you'll start to get an idea of how they work and find them easier to solve in the future.[4]

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References

  1. ↑ Michael Fortner. Riddle Expert. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ Ng Jie Xin (Jason). Riddle Expert. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ Zina Savva. Mathematics Educator. Expert Interview
  4. ↑ Ng Jie Xin (Jason). Riddle Expert. Expert Interview