Birthday Mystery Quest

What Happens

At a quarter past four, the birthday cake was on the kitchen counter. At half past four, it was gone. Six people were in the house, every one of them says it wasn't them, and one of them is lying. Your detectives have until the candles burn down to work out who.

The six suspect cards go face up on the table, each with what that person says, what they're wearing, and what they noticed. Three pieces of evidence are hidden in three rooms: a message written in frosting, in code; a page from somebody who was keeping track of where everyone was; and a place card smudged down one side. Each one gives a single fact about the thief, and each fact rules people out.

Every clue matters, and that's checked. Take away any one of the three facts and two suspects are left standing, never one. Nobody solves it with a lucky guess.

One accusation only. The detectives fill in the accusation and hand it to you. Get it right and the cake comes back out. Get it wrong and you ask which piece of evidence rules their suspect out. They'll find it inside a minute, and they'll be annoyed with themselves, which is part of the fun.

You are the Escape Master. Two pages to read once, then you can put them down. Your pages give you the solution and what to say when they stall, gentlest nudge first.

Thirteen pages to print on plain paper, and about twenty minutes of setup: cut out six cards, hide three sheets, and hide the cake. Really hide it. It lands far better at the end if nobody has seen it since.

For two to six players, twelve and up. It's made for a birthday, and the cake is already part of the plot.