# GAMES.md: Spoiler Guide (designer reference, NEVER served to clients)

Every lock below needs info from **both** players. "A has / B has" shows the split.

---

## 1. Death at Vineyard Hollow (murder mystery · 20 min · 🔑🔑)
Roles: **Inspector** (A) / **Estate Insider** (B)

| Ch | Lock | A has | B has | Answer |
|----|------|-------|-------|--------|
| 1 | Cellar keypad | Butler: "year it began, read backwards" | Gate plaque: Est. 1874 | `4781` |
| 2 | Time of death | ME temp 34.5 °C at 23:10, 1 °C/hr | Keycard log | `20:40` |
| 3 | Poisoned bottle | Lab: red, decanted, cork ends in 7 | Cellar book | `1998` Cabernet Reserve |
| 4 | Diary cipher | Ciphertext "ORAN BFJAC OARMJH", "rack-shift" | Rack 9 = his heart | `FIRE SWART FRIDAY` (shift −9) |
| 5 | Poison source | Tox: fresh *Digitalis* leaves; Vos's tablets sealed | Foxglove bed behind Swart's workshop; card in his apron | `FOXGLOVE` |

**Killer:** Pieter Swart · foxglove extract in the 1998 Reserve · to avoid being fired and exposed for label fraud.
**Red herrings:** Dr Vos (digoxin, near the time window), Marcus (heir, in cellar too late), Isabelle (wanted the estate).

---

## 2. The Last Set at the Blue Lantern (murder mystery · 10 min · 🔑)
Roles: **Detective** (A) / **Regular** (B)

| Ch | Lock | A has | B has | Answer |
|----|------|-------|-------|--------|
| 1 | Drum solo time | Setlist with song lengths | Set started 23:00; solo = last 2 min of Caravan | `23:20` |
| 2 | No alibi | Band walks off during drum solos; Ruby sits out instrumentals | Bar/coat-check alibis (Ruby at coat-check 23:21) | Sammy |
| 3 | Safe | Sheet music notes C·A·F·E | Piano sticker numbers C1…B7 | `1643` |
| 4 | Gun location | Search log: piano not searched | Max: dead "thunk" on low keys | `PIANO` |

**Killer:** Sammy Keys · Vincent's .38 under the drum solo, hidden in the piano · Vincent stole his songs and was about to sell them.

---

## 3. Murder on the Southern Star (murder mystery · 25 min · 🔑🔑)
Roles: **Passenger Detective** (A) / **Railway Inspector** (B)

| Ch | Lock | A has | B has | Answer |
|----|------|-------|-------|--------|
| 1 | Master key box | Rule: carriage × compartment, 4 digits | Plan: Gold Suite = carriage 6, comp 23 | `0138` |
| 2 | Real time of death | Watch 01:15 Greenwich; local is +2h; needle wound | Timetable: Matjiesfontein 03:10–03:20; thump at a platform | `03:15` |
| 3 | Telegram sender | Telegram text | "Name hidden where every line begins" | `HUGO` (acrostic) |
| 4 | Who lied | Corridor watched, nobody passed; only Vera owns a fur coat | Porter: fur-coat lady off car 6, back on car 4 | Vera |
| 5 | Motive word | "V. = 3·7·8·4·2·8", "ask the line" | Numbered stopping list | `FORGER` |

**Killer:** Countess Vera Orlova · hatpin to the base of the skull during the Matjiesfontein stop · Ashby had discovered she was a jewel forger.

---

## 4. The Clockmaker's Attic (escape room · 15 min · 🔑) (best "first game")
Roles: **Tinkerer** (A) / **Collector** (B)

| Lock | A has | B has | Answer |
|------|-------|-------|--------|
| Trunk | Robin 3, Owl 7, Fox 9 | Sampler: dawn bird, hunter, night bird | `397` |
| Music box | "Sky-bow top to bottom, skip what the pendulum stole" | Painting: red, gold, green, blue; pendulum is green | `RED GOLD BLUE` |
| Gear drawer | Gears 48 → 16 → 24 teeth | Turn crank 5 times, count Gear C | `10` |
| Door (finale) | "Order treasures by year made" | Inventory with years | `FOREVER` |

---

## 5. Signal Lost: Station Echo (escape room · 15 min · 🔑🔑)
Roles: **Comms Officer** (A) / **Engineer** (B)

| Lock | A has | B has | Answer |
|------|-------|-------|--------|
| Warning light | Morse chart | Blinking lamp `...-/./-./-` | `VENT` |
| Breach | Current pressures | Normal pressures + ">30% drop" rule | `GRN-3` (Greenhouse, ~33% drop) |
| Generator | Crew roster (5 aboard) | Call sign EC-127 + "× crew aboard" | `635` |
| Beacon (finale, roles swap) | Blinking lamp `..../---/--/.` | Morse chart | `HOME` |

---

## 6. Tick Tock Together (co-op defuse · 10 min · 🔑)
Technician (A) sees the device, Expert (B) reads the manual. 3 levels = 3 keys.
Device is generated server-side and solved by a solver that implements the manual exactly. Fixtures in the YAML are the unit tests.

## 7. In Sync (couples connection · 15 min · 🔑)
Round 1 match, Round 2 predict about A, Round 3 predict about B. 3/5 matches = key. One replay per round.

## 8. Labyrinth of Lanterns (co-op navigation · 10 min · 🔑)
Navigator (A) has the map, Explorer (B) sees only their own cell. 3 lanterns, 3 hidden traps.

```
###########      S start (1,1)       K lanterns (7,3) (9,5) (1,7)
#S..#.....#      E exit  (9,9)       T traps    (4,5) (6,7) (3,9)
#.#.#.###.#
#.#...#K..#      Verified by BFS: every lantern and the exit are
#.#####.#.#      reachable from S without stepping on a trap.
#...T...#K#
###.###.#.#
#K..#.T.#.#
#.###.#.#.#
#..T....#E#
###########
```

---

Difficulty: 1 Easy · 2 Medium · 3 Hard · 4 Expert · 5 Nightmare ☠️
In the harder murder mysteries, **locks only give facts**. The killer is never handed to you; the accusation needs facts from several chapters.

## 9. Dead Air (murder mystery · 30 min · 🔑🔑🔑)
Roles: **Detective** (A) / **Night Intern** (B). Hint penalty 3:00.

| Ch | Lock | A has | B has | Answer |
|----|------|-------|-------|--------|
| 1 | Last song | Track lengths | Run sheet (23:00 start, 2:00 intro, 1:30 talk) + alarm 23:31:35 (15 s rule) | `GHOST SIGNAL` (23:25:00–23:31:20) |
| 2 | Honey last safe | Lab: OKAYEST DJ mug negative, ON AIR mug + honey positive; meeting minutes | Kitchen camera log (offline 23:09–23:21); generator test booked by M. Venter | `23:06` |
| 3 | Studio door card | Card register (decimal); Kyle lost card at 22:30 meeting with Marisa | Door log in hex (0x1A1 at 23:12) | Kyle's card (0x1A1 = 417) |
| 4 | Stencil message | 6×6 letter grid | Card with cut-out windows | `SALE IS FORGED` |

**Killer:** Marisa Venter. Booked the generator test to kill the camera, left the meeting 23:11–23:17, used Kyle's stolen card at 23:12 to take the EpiPen, put peanut oil in the honey. Motive: Rex would reveal on air she forged his signature to sell the station.
**Red herrings:** Zanele (served the fatal tea), Kyle (his card), Tumi (engineer), Owen (superfan, stuck in reception).

---

## 10. The Masquerade at Montague House (murder mystery · 40 min · 🔑🔑🔑🔑)
Roles: **Inspector** (A) / **Lady's Maid** (B). Hint penalty 3:00. **1 accusation attempt, 4 questions.**

| Ch | Lock | A has | B has | Answer |
|----|------|-------|-------|--------|
| 1 | Who arrived as Raven | Logic clues 1–4 | Logic clues 5–8 | Odette (verified unique: Agatha Stag/crimson, Rupert Fox/green, Ivy Swan/black, Silas Lion/silver, Odette Raven/gold) |
| 2 | Who the footman saw | Footman: Raven + black cloak | Cloakroom: Raven ↔ Swan swapped at 23:00, cloaks kept | Ivy |
| 3 | Dagger pot | Gardener: primes not watered | Disturbed pots 4, 9, 11, 15; spotless gloves | `11` |
| 4 | Julian's confession | Polybius numbers + method | Motto FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BOLD; Marsh family gossip | `MARSH WAS INNOCENT` |

**Killer:** Ivy Marsh · wearing Odette's **Raven** mask · armoury dagger, buried in cactus pot 11 · Julian framed her father and took Montague House.

---

## 11. The Kalahari Expedition (murder mystery · 60 min · ☠️ Nightmare)
Roles: **Magistrate** (A) / **Camp Clerk** (B). Hint penalty 4:00. **75-minute time limit. 1 attempt, 4 questions.**

| Ch | Lock | A has | B has | Answer |
|----|------|-------|-------|--------|
| 1 | Lantern time | Star-trail photo: lantern at 60°–75° of arc | Shutter opened 22:00, sky turns 15°/hr; Clara alibis Reyes 22:00–04:00 | `02:00` |
| 2 | Boot size | Print 31.5 cm, chevron, sand adds ~1 cm | Size card + boot inventory | `11` (Reyes & Dunmore have size 11 chevron) |
| 3 | Watchman at 02:00 | Rota rules; Samuel's fake snakebite (4 cm marks, sedative) | Watchkeepers + Night 1 = Reyes; murder on Night 3 | Pienaar → figure went to north row (Dunmore, Kessler, Reyes) |
| 4 | Samuel's note | Vigenère ciphertext + method | Key word KOFFIE; tobacco list (pipe: Reyes, Dunmore) | `HE SMELLED OF PIPE SMOKE` |
| 5 | Diamond source | Gem report: sample K-3, never water-worn | Reference samples; prospectus "found by F. Dunmore" | `KIMBERLEY` |
| 6 | Telegram | Book-cipher numbers | Expedition handbook | `SALTED` |

**Elimination:** size 11 chevron → Reyes, Dunmore · Reyes alibied by Clara · pipe smoke → Dunmore.
**Killer:** Felix Dunmore · struck Marlowe at the dig at 02:00 and put him in the pit · drugged Samuel and faked a snakebite · the diamond find was salted with Kimberley stones.

---

## 12. The Alchemist's Vault (escape room · 25 min · 🔑🔑🔑)
Roles: **Apprentice** (A) / **Scribe** (B).

| Lock | A has | B has | Answer |
|------|-------|-------|--------|
| Cabinet | Flasks: numbers + flame colours | Element table + rainbow order | `GENIUS` (Ge N I U S) |
| Stone dial | Two balanced scales | Silver = 5, gold = 3 × silver | `25` |
| Dotted plaque | Braille ⠍⠑⠗⠉⠥⠗⠽ | Braille card; Mercury = Hg | `80` |
| Vault (finale) | ☉ ☽ ♂ ♄ | Symbol → metal chart (+ element table from ch1) | `234` (79 + 47 + 26 + 82) |

---

## 13. Submerged: Deep Lab Nereid (escape room · 35 min · 🔑🔑🔑🔑)
Roles: **Pilot** (A) / **Diver** (B). **40-minute time limit shown as a rising water gauge.**

| Lock | A has | B has | Answer |
|------|-------|-------|--------|
| Hatch valves | Lights L1 L2 L3 L5 on | Valve → light wiring | `145` (unique solution) |
| Breathing gas | 210 L at 21% | Tank X 36%, Y 15% | `60` |
| Pod location | Sonar legs 300 m E, 200 m S | Chart, lab at E5, 100 m squares | `H7` |
| Launch (finale) | Multi-tap code 555·4·3·66·55·9·222 | Rewired intercom keypad | `SURFACE` |

---

## 14. The Kestrel Bank Job (escape room · 50 min · ☠️ Nightmare)
Roles: **Inside Man** (A) / **The Wheel** (B). Hint penalty 4:00. **55-minute limit.**

| Lock | A has | B has | Answer |
|------|-------|-------|--------|
| Staff door | Worn keys 0, 2, 6 (0 most worn) | Codes are DDMM family dates; social posts | `2006` (Mia, 20 June) |
| Laser hall | Mask bit values per column | Row masks 21, 12, 25, 17, 8 | Column `4` |
| Guards | Guards 1 & 2 timings | Guard 3 timing; need 4 clear minutes | `22:33` |
| Vault dial | Sons' ages in Roman numerals | Atbash note "MY SONS AGES, ELDEST FIRST" | `19-12-07` |
| Box | SQL query + CLIENTS | BOXES table | `317` |
| Getaway (finale) | Rail-fence text | Building has 3 floors (= 3 rails) | `OLD PIER` |

---

## 15. Tick Tock: Overtime (co-op defuse · 20 min · 🔑🔑🔑🔑)
4 levels = 4 keys. New: 3–6 wires, indicators (LUV, HUG, BAE, XOX, DTE), passwords, morse, simon. Level 4 runs all six modules with only 2 strikes.
Rules are the GAMES-NEW.md Appendix A solver, ported to `server/src/engines/defuse.ts` (`ruleset: overtime`); all 40 fixtures in the YAML pass as unit tests.

## 16. In Sync: Deep Cuts (couples connection · 25 min · 🔑🔑🔑)
Telepathy (type the same word, 3/5) · Spotlight A (4/5) · Spotlight B (4/5) · Ranking (top AND bottom must match, 3/5). 4 keys.

## 17. The Drowned Catacombs (co-op navigation · 20 min · 🔑🔑🔑)
13×13, 5 traps, 3 lanterns, **3 one-way flood gates**, sparse carvings.

```
#############    S (1,1)   E (11,11)
#S..#.......#    K (3,11) (7,3) (11,5)
###.#.###.#.#    T (2,3) (4,5) (4,7) (10,5) (10,11)
#.T...#K#...#    One-way: (5,9)→E  (5,11)→N  (7,8)→N
#.#.#.#.#.###
#.#.T.#...TK#    Verified: all lanterns + exit reachable without traps,
#.##.##.....#    respecting gates, and no softlocks.
#.#.T...#.#.#
#.#.###.#.#.#
#.......#.#.#
#.###.#.#.#.#
#..K#.....TE#
#############
```

## 18. The Mirror Maze (co-op navigation · 30 min · ☠️ Nightmare)
15×15, 7 traps, **4 lanterns**, Explorer has **relative controls only**, Navigator's map is **mirrored left-right**, two glyphs appear twice (☾ and ✦).

```
###############    True layout (Navigator sees each row reversed)
#S..#.........#    S (1,1) facing east   E (13,13)
###.#.#.#####.#    K (1,3) (1,13) (3,9) (13,9)
#K#.....#...#.#    T (2,13) (3,5) (5,6) (5,7) (9,5) (13,6) (13,10)
#.####.##.#.#.#
#..T.....T....#
#.###T#.###..T#
#...#T#.#.....#
#.#.#.#.#.###.#
#..K#.#.....#K#
#.#.#.#.###.#T#
#.#.........#.#
#.#.#.#.###.#.#
#KT...#......E#
###############
```