{"format":"murdoku-puzzle/1","id":"league-night","iconSet":"catalogue","version":1,"difficulty":"easy","level":4,"size":{"rows":8,"cols":8},"languages":["en","hu","de","fr","es","it","nl","pl","pt","ro","ca","cs","fi","vi","tr","el","ru","uk","ar","ko","ja","zh-Hans","zh-Hant"],"defaultLanguage":"en","title":"League Night","tagline":"A small town in Ohio, Tuesday evening · the bowling league's last frames · a missing score sheet","author":"mathace","concept":"Murdoku – Manuel Garand (murdoku.com); unofficial fan-made case","created":"2026-10-19","story":"Tuesday is league night in the four-lane Starlite Lanes bowling hall, on the main street of a small Ohio town. Vicky, the league secretary, told the owner that somebody’s averages did not add up. At half past nine the lights went out, and Vicky was nowhere to be found. Vicky was found dead; nobody checked the averages any more.","rules":{"standard":["Every row and every column holds exactly one person. As soon as you place someone, cross out their whole row and column.","“Beside” = directly left, right, above or below, and in the same area. Squares with objects (the pin decks, the scoreboard, the arcade cabinet, the pinball machine, the ball racks, the counters, the shelves, the trophy and the vending machine) cannot be occupied; the benches, the chairs and the bar stool can.","Directions refer to rows and columns, not to the same line: “exactly one row north of him was a league bowler” = the person in the row directly above was a league bowler, in any column.","The murderer was alone with the victim: nobody else was in that area. The victim made no statement – her square, too, follows from the others’."],"special":[],"notes":[],"example":{}},"roleNames":{"staff":"member of staff","bowler":"league bowler","victim":"victim"},"personGroups":[{"id":"staff","name":"The staff","persons":["A","B","C"]},{"id":"bowlers","name":"The league bowlers","persons":["D","E","F","G","V"]}],"map":{"groups":[],"gaps":[],"areas":[{"id":"Lanes 1-2","cells":[[1,1],[1,2],[1,3],[2,1],[2,2],[2,3],[3,1],[3,2]],"fill":"#dfe9ee","pattern":"tiles","labelAt":[1,1.5],"name":"Lanes 1-2"},{"id":"Lanes 3-4","cells":[[1,4],[1,5],[1,6],[2,4],[2,5],[2,6],[3,3],[3,4],[3,5]],"fill":"#e6dcc8","pattern":"boards","labelAt":[1,4.5],"name":"Lanes 3-4"},{"id":"Arcade","cells":[[1,7],[1,8],[2,7],[2,8]],"fill":"#efd9c9","pattern":"marble","labelAt":[1,7.5],"name":"Arcade"},{"id":"Settees","cells":[[3,6],[3,7],[3,8],[4,1],[4,2],[4,3],[4,4],[4,5],[4,6],[4,7],[4,8],[5,3],[5,6]],"fill":"#f2e6c8","pattern":"planks","labelAt":[3,6.5],"name":"Settees"},{"id":"Front Desk","cells":[[5,1],[5,2],[6,1],[6,2],[7,1],[7,2],[7,3],[8,1],[8,2],[8,3]],"fill":"#d5e6d8","pattern":"tiles","labelAt":[5,1.5],"name":"Front Desk"},{"id":"Pro Shop","cells":[[5,4],[5,5],[6,3],[6,4],[6,5],[7,4],[7,5],[8,4],[8,5],[8,6]],"fill":"#d9d6e0","pattern":"tiles","labelAt":[5,4.5],"name":"Pro Shop"},{"id":"Snack Bar","cells":[[5,7],[5,8],[6,6],[6,7],[6,8],[7,6],[7,7],[7,8],[8,7],[8,8]],"fill":"#e4ddd0","pattern":"boards","labelAt":[5,7.5],"name":"Snack Bar"}],"objectTypes":{"pins":{"occupiable":false,"name":"pin deck","icon":""},"scoreboard":{"occupiable":false,"name":"scoreboard","icon":""},"arcade":{"occupiable":false,"name":"arcade cabinet","icon":""},"pinball":{"occupiable":false,"name":"pinball machine","icon":""},"bench":{"occupiable":true,"name":"bench","icon":""},"ballrack":{"occupiable":false,"name":"ball rack","icon":""},"chair":{"occupiable":true,"name":"chair","icon":""},"counter":{"occupiable":false,"name":"counter","icon":""},"shelf":{"occupiable":false,"name":"shelf","icon":""},"trophy":{"occupiable":false,"name":"trophy","icon":""},"vending":{"occupiable":false,"name":"vending machine","icon":""},"stool":{"occupiable":true,"name":"bar stool","icon":""}},"wallTypes":{},"objects":[{"cell":[1,1],"type":"pins"},{"cell":[1,3],"type":"pins"},{"cell":[1,5],"type":"pins"},{"cell":[1,7],"type":"arcade"},{"cell":[2,6],"type":"scoreboard"},{"cell":[2,8],"type":"pinball"},{"cell":[4,2],"type":"bench"},{"cell":[4,4],"type":"ballrack"},{"cell":[4,6],"type":"bench"},{"cell":[5,8],"type":"vending"},{"cell":[6,1],"type":"chair"},{"cell":[6,2],"type":"counter"},{"cell":[6,3],"type":"trophy"},{"cell":[6,5],"type":"shelf"},{"cell":[6,7],"type":"counter"},{"cell":[7,7],"type":"chair"},{"cell":[7,8],"type":"stool"},{"cell":[8,1],"type":"shelf"},{"cell":[8,5],"type":"ballrack"}],"wallFeatures":[],"extras":[],"cellSize":46},"persons":[{"id":"A","name":"Arnold","gender":"M","role":"staff","color":"#c62828","avatar":{"bg":"#2f4858","skin":"#c98d62","hair":"#1c1a1a","style":"short","beard":true,"shirt":"#c62828"},"clue":"He was not beside a shelf. The bar stool was somewhere in his row.","job":"owner of the alley","avatarSvg":"","solverRole":"staff","constraints":[{"type":"not_beside","obj":"shelf"},{"type":"row_has","obj":"stool"}]},{"id":"B","name":"Brandy","gender":"F","role":"staff","color":"#1565c0","avatar":{"bg":"#5b2c6f","skin":"#f0cdb0","hair":"#2a1c14","style":"ponytail","headband":"#ffffff","shirt":"#1565c0"},"clue":"She was beside the bar stool.","job":"runs the snack bar","avatarSvg":"","solverRole":"staff","constraints":[{"type":"beside","obj":"stool"}]},{"id":"C","name":"Chuck","gender":"M","role":"staff","color":"#2e7d32","avatar":{"bg":"#1b2a33","skin":"#f1c8a5","hair":"#5a5a5a","style":"slick","mustache":true,"mustacheColor":"#5a5a5a","shirt":"#2e7d32"},"clue":"The trophy was somewhere in his column. He was beside a ball rack.","job":"pinsetter mechanic","avatarSvg":"","solverRole":"staff","constraints":[{"type":"col_has","obj":"trophy"},{"type":"beside","obj":"ballrack"}]},{"id":"D","name":"Destiny","gender":"F","role":"bowler","color":"#6a1b9a","avatar":{"bg":"#6e2c4b","skin":"#e7b98f","hair":"#1c1a1a","style":"bun","earrings":true,"shirt":"#6a1b9a"},"clue":"She was in the Arcade.","job":"captain of the Alley Cats","avatarSvg":"","solverRole":"bowler","constraints":[{"type":"area","areas":["Arcade"]}]},{"id":"E","name":"Elvis","gender":"M","role":"bowler","color":"#e65100","avatar":{"bg":"#3d5a6e","skin":"#e9bf9b","hair":"#2a1c14","style":"short","cap":true,"beard":true,"shirt":"#e65100"},"clue":"He was alone in his area.","job":"mail carrier, Alley Cats","avatarSvg":"","solverRole":"bowler","constraints":[{"type":"alone"}]},{"id":"F","name":"Flo","gender":"F","role":"bowler","color":"#00838f","avatar":{"bg":"#35607a","skin":"#f3d3b5","hair":"#d9b464","style":"long","necklace":true,"shirt":"#00838f"},"clue":"A bench was somewhere in her column. She was on Lanes 3–4.","job":"hairdresser, Pin Pals","avatarSvg":"","solverRole":"bowler","constraints":[{"type":"col_has","obj":"bench"},{"type":"area","areas":["Lanes 3-4"]}]},{"id":"G","name":"Gus","gender":"M","role":"bowler","color":"#5d4037","avatar":{"bg":"#5a2a2a","skin":"#efc7a3","hair":"#8a8278","style":"bald","glasses":true,"mustache":true,"mustacheColor":"#8a8278","shirt":"#5d4037"},"clue":"Exactly one row north of him was somebody beside a shelf. Somebody else in his area was beside a shelf.","job":"car dealer, captain of the Pin Pals","avatarSvg":"","solverRole":"bowler","constraints":[{"type":"rel_any","dir":"N","exact":1,"beside":"shelf"},{"type":"with_beside","obj":"shelf"}]},{"id":"V","name":"Vicky","gender":"F","role":"victim","color":"#1b1b1b","avatar":{"bg":"#7a6a3c","skin":"#f6d8c0","hair":"#8a5a3a","style":"bob","glasses":true,"shirt":"#1b1b1b"},"clue":"The victim. She was alone with the murderer.","job":"the league secretary","avatarSvg":"","solverRole":"bowler","constraints":[]}],"victim":"V","murderer":"G","solution":{"F":[1,6],"D":[2,7],"E":[3,1],"C":[4,3],"V":[5,5],"G":[6,4],"A":[7,2],"B":[8,8]},"walkthrough":[{"place":["C","F","D"],"cand":{"A":[[7,2],[7,4],[7,8]],"B":[[6,8],[8,8]],"E":[[3,1],[3,2],[3,4],[3,5],[3,8],[5,1],[5,2],[5,4],[5,5],[6,1],[6,4],[6,8],[7,1],[7,2],[7,4],[7,5],[7,8],[8,2],[8,4],[8,8]],"G":[[5,1],[5,2],[5,4],[5,5],[6,1],[6,4],[7,1],[7,2],[7,4],[7,5],[8,2],[8,4]],"V":[[3,1],[3,2],[3,4],[3,5],[3,8],[5,1],[5,2],[5,4],[5,5],[6,1],[6,4],[6,8],[7,1],[7,2],[7,4],[7,5],[7,8],[8,2],[8,4],[8,8]]},"text":"Chuck had the trophy in his column and was beside a ball rack. The trophy is at R6C3, so he is in column 3; the ball racks are at R4C4 and R8C5, and the only column-3 square beside one (in the same area) is R4C3: Chuck is at R4C3. Flo had a bench in her column and was on Lanes 3–4. The benches are at R4C2 and R4C6, and the only square of Lanes 3–4 in column 2 or 6 that can be occupied is R1C6 (R2C6 is the scoreboard): Flo is at R1C6. Destiny was in the Arcade, where R1C7 is the arcade cabinet and R2C8 the pinball machine, so she is at R1C8 or R2C7. R1C8 is in Flo's row, so Destiny is at R2C7."},{"place":["B"],"cand":{"A":[[7,2],[7,4]],"E":[[3,1],[3,2],[3,4],[3,5],[5,1],[5,2],[5,4],[5,5]],"G":[[6,1],[6,4]],"V":[[3,1],[3,2],[3,4],[3,5],[5,1],[5,2],[5,4],[5,5]]},"text":"Arnold was not beside a shelf and had a bar stool in his row; the bar stool is at R7C8, so he is in row 7. Columns 3, 6 and 7 are taken by Chuck, Flo and Destiny, so his squares are R7C2, R7C4 and R7C8, all in row 7: the row is his, and R7C1, R7C3, R7C5, R7C6 and R7C7 are empty for everybody. Brandy was beside the bar stool, which means R6C8, R7C7 or R8C8. Column 7 belongs to Destiny, so R6C8 and R8C8 are left, both in column 8: the column is hers, and R1C8, R3C8, R4C8 and R7C8 are empty. Gus said that exactly one row north of him somebody was beside a shelf, and that somebody else in his area was beside one too. The shelves are at R8C1 and R6C5, so the squares beside a shelf (in the same area) are R7C1, R8C2, R5C5, R6C4 and R7C5. R7C1 and R7C5 are empty (row 7 is Arnold's, and he was not beside a shelf); with somebody at R8C2 Gus would have to be in a row 9 that does not exist; with somebody at R6C4 he would be in row 7, which is Arnold's. So that person is at R5C5 and Gus is in row 6: R5C1, R5C2, R5C4, R5C5, R8C2 and R8C4 drop out for him. His two squares R6C1 and R6C4 are both in row 6: the row is his, and R6C6 and R6C8 are empty. Brandy loses R6C8: Brandy is at R8C8."},{"place":["G","A"],"cand":{"E":[[3,1],[3,5],[5,1],[5,5]],"V":[[3,1],[3,5],[5,1],[5,5]]},"text":"Could Gus be at R6C1, in the Front Desk? Then somebody else from the Front Desk would have to be beside the shelf R8C1, at R7C1 or R8C2. Nobody can be there: row 7 is Arnold's and he was not beside a shelf, row 8 is Brandy's, and Elvis and Vicky are out of rows 7 and 8 - everybody else is already placed. So R6C1 drops out: Gus is at R6C4. That also uses up column 4, so Arnold loses R7C4: Arnold is at R7C2."},{"place":["E"],"cand":{"V":[[5,5]]},"text":"Gus is in the Pro Shop (R6C4), and somebody else in the Pro Shop was beside a shelf. The shelf is at R6C5, and the squares beside it are R5C5, R7C5 and R6C4, which is Gus himself. R7C5 is in Arnold's row, so R5C5 is occupied, and only Elvis and Vicky are left to be on it. Its row and column are therefore taken: R3C5 and R5C1 drop out for both of them, and each is left with R3C1 or R5C5. Elvis said he was alone in his area. R5C5 is in the Pro Shop, where Gus certainly is, so Elvis would not be alone there: R5C5 drops out for him, and Elvis is at R3C1, alone on Lanes 1–2."},{"place":["V"],"cand":{},"text":"Only Vicky is left, and the only free square is R5C5: Vicky is at R5C5 – in the Pro Shop, beside the shelf at R6C5, with Gus."},{"final":true,"text":"Case closed: Gus, captain of the Pin Pals, was alone with Vicky in the Pro Shop – she had found that his suspiciously high scores did not add up. Gus is the murderer!"}],"solver":{"rules":[],"occupiable":["bench","chair","stool"]},"verification":{"tool":"tools/murdoku_solver.py","unique":true,"guessFree":true,"checked":"2026-10-19"},"score":4.1131}