Clue VCR Mystery Game Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• An Invitation
• Suspect Biographies
• Equipment
• Using Your VCR
  • Tape Index
• Getting Ready to Play
• Elements of the Game
  • The Clue Cards
  • The Suspect Cards
  • The Investigation Cards
  • Personal Identity Facts
  • The Detective Factsheet
    • Recording Case Facts
    • Recording Personal Identity Facts
• Playing the Game
• Ending the Game: The Accusations
• The Case Solutions
• Personal Identity Fact Suggestions
• The Case Mysteries

An Invitation

Clue VCR Mystery Game is a unique game based on the spirit and character of the traditional board game Clue. Each game is a different mystery case with multiple murder mysteries for you to solve. As you play you will be watching the video action for important facts, keeping notes on suspects, rooms and weapons and playing your cards strategically to learn more facts from your opponents. To solve a case you must name:

• all the Murderers and their Victims,
• the Rooms in which the murders took place, and
• the Weapons that were used.

But there's one more twist to the mystery. At the beginning of the game each player secretly adopts the identity of one of the suspects in the mansion. To win you must not only solve the case but learn the secret identity of each of your opponents as well!

Because this is a new concept in gameplay, we've prepared a special Introductory Game to help you along. (Game 1 - blue-backed cards.) The instructions are on the tape so you can turn on your VCR right now and begin. (Set your tape counter to 0000 before pressing the "play" button.)

The butler, Didit, will guide you through the use of the Clue cards, the Investigation cards and the Detective Notepad and get you started on a simple introductory game without secret identities. When Didit says it's time to play, stop the tape (make a note of the tape counter number in the tape index on page 3) and begin. If you would like more detailed information on the rules and equipment, check Elements of the Game page 5.

After playing the Introductory Game return to the tape for the second half of Didit's instructions on the use of the Suspect cards and Personal Identity Facts. Refer to the Casebook for additional details and you'll be ready to play a full game.

With 18 different cases to solve, Clue VCR Mystery Game is designed to be played over and over again.

Suspect Biographies

You may read these aloud before beginning a game.

• Col. Mustard was with the Royal Fusiliers in India, now retired. He has busied himself since as a big-game hunter, or so he says.
• Prof. Plum teaches chemistry at a nonaccredited college. On the side he does research in undetectable poisons.
• Madam Rose is the late Mr. Boddy's sister and only known relation. She's an amateur medium with occasional psychic powers.
• Mr. Green claims to be a businessman but refuses to discuss the business he's in. He has never attended charm school.
• M. Brunette is allegedly French, allegedly Mr. Boddy's lawyer, and allegedly needs the eyepatch he's wearing.
• Sgt. Gray is a local policeman, or at least he thinks he is. He suffers from amnesia and uncontrolled fits of temper.
• Mrs. Peacock has been a respectable married woman 14 times, all of her husbands dying under mysterious circumstances.
• Miss Peach seems to have arrived by accident. She's a crack shot, an expert knife-thrower, and is proficient with blunt instruments.
• Miss Scarlet spends much of her time in exotic lands and the rest of her time denying that she was ever there. A woman of oriental mystery.
• Mrs. White is color-blind. She's been the maid at Boddy mansion for 25 years and knows more than she should about everyone.

Equipment

• 60-minute VHS or Beta 1/2 inch video tape
• Detective Casebook with instructions, case mysteries, and case solutions
• red filter solution viewer
• 10 Suspect cards (black back)
• 18 Investigation cards (gray back)
• 3 decks of 28 Clue cards (1 each of blue, green and red backs)
• notepad of detective factsheets
• card tray

Using Your VCR

To help you find and identify all sections of the tape, color-coded title screens mark the beginning of each chapter and scene. A colored scene number appears in the lower left of the screen during all scenes.

Because you will be selecting specific portions of the tape to watch as you play, you may need to use the following functions on your VCR:

• Fast Forward - to advance to a particular section of the tape.
• Rewind - to replay a portion of the tape.
• Search Forward or Search Reverse - to locate the exact beginning of a scene by scanning the scene numbers or the action.
• Stop - to interrupt the video action for game play.
• Tape counter - to keep track of the locations of all sections of tape. Set the counter to zero, play the tape and record the number for the beginning of each chapter and scene on the tape index below.

Warning: Avoid using the pause button as this will slowly erode the audio/video quality of the tape.

Tape Index

The index is a blank form for recording tape counter numbers (the start of the tape is 0000):

• Start of Tape: 0000
• Introductory Scene
• Introductory Game Only (Use blue-backed cards: Game #1)
• Instructions - Part 1 (Solving the Case)
• Instructions - Part 2 (Personal Identities)
• The Will, Chapter 1 - Blue: scenes 1 through 5 (Use blue-backed cards: Games #2 through #6)
• The Search, Chapter 2 - Green: scenes 1 through 5 (Use green-backed cards: Games #1 through #6)
• The Secrets, Chapter 3 - Red: scenes 1 through 5 (Use red-backed cards: Games #1 through #6)

Getting Ready to Play

1. Select a Mystery Case to Solve. The tape contains three chapters of five scenes each: Chapter 1 - The Will (blue), Chapter 2 - The Search (green), and Chapter 3 - The Secrets (red). Select one chapter to view. The game is played with the Clue cards that match the chapter color. The six facts on each card refer to six different games: 1 and 2 are the easiest to solve, 5 and 6 are the hardest, and 3 and 4 are in-between. Refer to The Mystery Cases on page 14, select a case and read the details aloud. The story is continuous from chapter to chapter, but for game play, each chapter stands on its own. Make sure all players see the introduction prior to watching any chapter so that all players get acquainted with the suspects, weapons and rooms.

2. Decide to Play Individually or in Teams. Team play is recommended for groups of six or more. If you are not playing the introductory game, team up experienced players with beginners. Team members confer on strategy and solutions. They share a hand of cards and a detective factsheet but each player has a secret personal identity.

3. Assign Personal Identities. Shuffle the 10 black-backed Suspect cards and deal one to each player. This card assigns a player's personal identity and must be kept secret and out of play for the duration of the game. Set any remaining Suspect cards aside without looking at them. If there are more than 10 players and team play is not desired, some individuals will be without personal identities. This will not affect play.

4. Prepare the Detective Factsheets. Give each player or team a factsheet from the detective notepad. Write your case number in the box at the left. Write the number of murders, victims, rooms and weapons in the boxes at the top right (diagram A, #1). Write the names of all opponent players in the vertical spaces at the upper left (diagram A, #2). Then write your own name in the space next to the name of your secret personal identity and draw X's through the boxes where that suspect's name crosses the names of your opponents (diagram A, #2). Enter teammates' names in the same way. Fold the factsheet to keep this information secret.

5. Shuffle the remaining Suspect cards in with all the Investigation cards and the Clue cards that match your chapter color. Deal five cards to each player or team of players. (NOTE: If you are playing as individuals and some players are much more experienced than others, handicapping is allowed. Deal one to three cards instead of five to the more experienced players.) Players' hands may contain all three types of cards or only one or two types. This difference does not affect game play.

Elements of the Game

This section is a reference guide. You may turn to it during play to clarify a rule or read it before beginning. Information on all elements is given in greater detail here than on the tape. If you are ready to play now, skip to Playing the Game page 9.

The Clue Cards

The Clue Cards give you the facts needed to solve the mystery cases. Keep them secret if you can. There are three decks of 28 Clue cards each (blue, green and red backs). Use the deck that matches the chapter color you select to play. On the face of each card are six numbered facts. Use only the facts that match the case number you select to solve. The facts designated by the other numbers do not pertain to the case you have selected. Be sure everyone is reading the correct facts.

The scene number to which a fact applies is noted after each fact. When reading a fact from a Clue card aloud, also read the scene number - it's part of the fact. Example: "The suspect who sat in the red chair was a murderer. Scene 4." Different suspects may have sat in the red chair in scenes 1 through 3. You must watch scene 4 to identify the murderer.

Clue cards can be read aloud, stolen, buried or given to another player depending on the action of an Investigation Card.

The Suspect Cards

The Suspect Cards are not used in the introductory game. In all other games one is given to each player as a secret personal identity. Do not include your identity card in your hand; it must be hidden out of play. Any remaining cards are shuffled into the deck where they may be picked and played. The suspect cards are used to assign and solve secret identities only. They give no information about a suspect's involvement in the case.

If you draw a Suspect card during play you know that no player has that suspect as a personal identity. Mark your factsheet to eliminate that suspect as a possible identity for all players (diagram A, #3). However, that suspect may be a murderer, victim or innocent survivor. Hold and play a Suspect card from the deck as you would a Clue card... you may steal, bury or give it to another player instead of a Clue card... or you may show it to all players instead of reading a fact from a Clue card, depending on the action of your Investigation card.

The Investigation Cards

The Investigation Cards tell you what to do on a turn. Most of them give you three options from which to choose. To play an Investigation card, select one of the options, read it aloud and take whatever action is required. Then discard the card face up onto the discard pile to end your turn. All Investigation cards in your hand must be played. If you begin the game with more than one Investigation card, you must play them, one to a turn, before drawing any new cards. Suspect Cards and Clue Cards apply to all of the actions described below.

• Read a Clue Card Aloud. To play this card, you must select a Clue card from your hand, read it aloud and then discard it to the public evidence discard pile. (HINT: Read a fact that gives away the least valuable information.) If you have no Clue cards or Suspect cards, take one from another player's hand to read and discard.

• Steal a Clue Card from any Player. To play this option, take one Clue card of your choice from any other player's hand and keep it.

• Bury 1 to 3 Clue Cards. Use this option to discard your best facts in the discard pile, thus keeping them from your opponents until after the deck is reshuffled. Bury Clue or Suspect cards face up on the discard pile with your Investigation card on top. (HINT: The best facts tie three pieces of a murder together.)

• Ask any Player to Give You a Clue Card. Use this option to get a Clue card from the player of your choice. He or she must select the Clue card to give you. (HINT: If you must give a card, choose the one with the least valuable information.)

• Ask any Player to Read a Clue Card Aloud. Use this option to force a player to read a fact from his or her hand and then discard it to the public evidence pile.

• Replay Any Scene. Use this option to replay one scene. Select any scene already viewed from the chapter that you are playing.

• Ask Any Player for a Personal Identity Fact. Use this option to force a player to give a fact out loud about his or her secret personal identity. (See page 4 on Personal Identity Facts for additional rules.) This option is not used in the Introductory Game.

If you do not wish to replay a scene or ask for a personal identity fact, and you cannot use an option on your Investigation card, then discard your Investigation card and end your turn.

A team's hand is treated by the same rules of action as an individual's hand. When a team is asked for a personal identity fact, each member of the team gives one fact.

Personal Identity Facts

Before beginning a game (except the Introductory Game) each player adopts a secret personal identity and "becomes" one of the suspects in Boddy Mansion. (See Suspect Cards above.) Players try to learn the identities of their opponents while keeping their own a secret through the use of personal identity facts.

A Personal Identity Fact is a True Statement, made in the first person, about your secret suspect.

When called upon to give a personal fact, you must state a fact about your suspect which is:

• true, based on your observation of the video and verifiable.
• a new fact about your suspect. (You may not repeat or restate information you have given before. Example: Do not restate a gender clue like "I am male" with a clothing clue like "I am wearing slacks," which is true of all males and no females.)
• a positive statement of fact. (Statements worded as a negative, for example: "I do not..." or "I am not..." are disallowed.)

Other considerations are:

• facts that apply to all suspects are disallowed. For example: "I was at the will reading" is true of all 10 suspects and may not be used. "I was seated at the will reading" excludes a few suspects and is an excellent fact to use.
• a fact that refers to a scene or location must include that information. If, for example, in scene 3 your suspect spoke to a man in the Hall you could say "I spoke to a man in scene 3." or "I spoke to a man in the Hall."
• a fact that is voted as too obscure by a majority of the players is disallowed.

As you watch the video pay special attention to your suspect. You might want to make a note of some facts about actions, speech and appearance. Good choices for personal identity facts are those which apply to several suspects (different players may give the same fact, for example: "I am female.") and those which you think may have been unobserved by your opponents.

Keep track of player information on your factsheet. See Recording Personal Identity Facts page 8.

If you have trouble thinking of a fact, use the Personal Identity Fact Suggestions at the back of this casebook as a guide.

The Detective Factsheet

The factsheet will help you keep track of information. Record case facts on the right side of the chart and personal identity facts on the left. Use a check to indicate something is true, use an X to eliminate whatever is not true. Use the center section to note any fact of which you are unsure. A fact in your hand may be stolen before you figure it out so make a note of it while you can.

Recording Case Facts

Example: "The woman who wore the red dress committed murder with the knife." If you remember that Miss Scarlet wore a red dress, you can put a check in the murderer column next to her name. Because Miss Scarlet used the knife, you can write knife next to her name in the weapons column (diagram A, #4).

Example: "The last two suspects to arrive were innocent survivors." An innocent survivor is not a murderer or a victim. If you know that Miss Peach and Sgt. Gray were the last to arrive you can eliminate them by marking off both columns next to their names (diagram A, #5).

Example: "The weapon held by Mrs. Peacock was used to commit murder in the Kitchen." If you recall that Mrs. Peacock picked up the Knife, you now know that the Knife was used in the Kitchen. You can write Kitchen on the line for Miss Scarlet under the rooms column (diagram A, #6).

Example: "The man who smoked a cigar died in the room with a brown tile floor." If you recall that Mr. Green smoked a cigar and that the Kitchen has a brown tile floor, then you know that Mr. Green was murdered in the Kitchen. You can mark down that Mr. Green was a victim who died in the Kitchen. Because the Knife was used in the Kitchen, Mr. Green must have been murdered with the Knife. And, because Miss Scarlet committed murder with the Knife, she must be Mr. Green's murderer (diagram A, #7).

What you have learned will allow you to begin to fill out the accusation lines at the bottom of the factsheet (diagram A, #8). Some facts tell you about weapons and rooms. You will piece this information together with murderer and victim information.

Example: "The weapon held by the man who wore a green ring was used to commit murder in the room Miss Peach entered." If you remember that Mr. Green wore a green ring and that the room Miss Peach entered was the Library, you can mark Rope-Library in the space for weapons and rooms, or you can make a line connecting the Rope and the Library on the upper right of your factsheet. Later you can connect Rope and Library to a murderer and victim (diagram A, #9).

Another kind of fact tells you what didn't happen.

Example: "The weapons held by Col. Mustard and Prof. Plum were not used to commit murder." If you remember that Col. Mustard held the Gun and Prof. Plum held the Poison, you can eliminate them from the list of weapons in the weapons column. If you keep track of the weapons that were not used and the number of weapons that were used you can learn which weapons were used. In this example there were three weapons used. We know that the Knife and the Rope were used. If we eliminate the Gun and the Poison then the Candlestick must be the third weapon used for murder (diagram A, #10).

Recording Personal Identity Facts

Example: A player, Patty, says, "I smoke." If you can remember who smoked, you can begin to eliminate suspect names in Patty's column. Suppose you remember Col. Mustard, Miss Scarlet, Prof. Plum and Mr. Green smoked, but none of the others did, then you can eliminate all the suspects in Patty's column, except the four smokers. If you don't remember exactly who did and who didn't smoke, you can make a note of the fact and eliminate only the names of which you are certain (diagram B, #11).

If you draw a Suspect card from the deck, or someone exposes a Suspect card as a fact read aloud, then you can eliminate that suspect from every player's suspect column (diagram B, #3).

When you have determined positively that someone is a particular suspect, you can enter his or her name next to that suspect's name on the factsheet.

Example: A player, Joe, says, "My name begins with the letter P." There are three suspects whose names begin with P but, in the sample, two of these have already been eliminated from Joe's column; therefore Joe must be Prof. Plum. Joe's name can be entered next to Prof. Plum, and Plum can be eliminated as a possible identity for the other players. That means that Patty is either Col. Mustard, Miss Scarlet or Mr. Green (diagram B, #12).

Playing the Game

To begin play, load the cassette and set your tape counter to 0000 at the beginning of the tape. Watch the introduction, then advance the tape to the title screen of the chapter you wish to play. The game involves watching each scene one at a time. At this point, each player or team should have 5 cards in hand. Check your Clue cards before viewing a scene. If you are holding any facts pertaining to that scene, watch out for them and enter what you learn on your factsheet. When each scene ends, stop the tape and begin to play with the person to the left of the TV. Play a round of Personal Identity facts (each player gives one personal fact) followed by a round of cards. (Each player takes one turn.)

A turn consists of:

• Playing, or Drawing and Playing an Investigation Card or
• Drawing a Clue Card or a Suspect Card.

If you have an Investigation card, select one of its options and play the card. (If you have more than one Investigation Card, play only one at a time.) If you don't have an Investigation Card, draw a card. If it's an Investigation Card, select an option and play the card. If it's a Clue or Suspect Card, read it privately and keep it. Note new information on your factsheet.

Ending the Game: The Accusations

When you think you have solved the case and learned everyone's secret identity, wait until your turn to announce that you are ready to make an accusation. Do not draw a card on the turn in which you make an accusation.

Procedure: To make an accusation, fill out your accusation form completely and use the red filter to check the correct Solution in the Casebook.

If you are wrong, add your hand to the discard pile. You are out of play except to give personal identity facts when required.

If you are right, begin by announcing each player's secret personal identity. (HINT: Accuse the players you are least sure of first. If you make a mistake you will have revealed the least information to the others.) If you correctly identify everyone, you are the winner. End the game by announcing the Solutions to the case. If you incorrectly identify a player, your right to accuse is suspended. Play continues, beginning with the player on your left, for one final Suspense Round...

If any other player can solve the case, he or she must follow the procedure above and announce the secret personal identities first. If all identities are correctly named, that player steals the win and announces the solution. If no one is able to steal the win on the last turn, the first player who solved the mystery murders and filled in the accusation form correctly announces the solution and is declared the winner after all!

The Case Solutions

The solutions for each case (Introductory Game 1; Blue Chapter Games 1 through 6; Green Chapter Games 1 through 6; Red Chapter Games 1 through 6) are printed in the Casebook in a red-on-red pattern that can only be read through the red filter solution viewer. They are not transcribed here.

Personal Identity Fact Suggestions

Personal identity facts can be based on a suspect's appearance. Examples are:

• I have dark/white/light hair.
• I have/wear headgear. (hat, beret, turban, frill)
• I smoke.
• I have/wear eyewear. (glasses, monocle, eyepatch)
• I wear a necklace.
• I wear a bow. (tie, hair ribbon)
• I speak with an accent.
• I wear a watch.
• I wear a tie.
• I wear a ring.
• I have facial hair.
• I am male/female.

It is clever to mention a fact that you know applies to other suspects as well as your own. Also, look for clues that appear in the different scenes and state the scene number when giving the facts. Examples:

Chapter 1

• Scene 1: I cut the phone line. / I handled the rope in the Hall.
• Scene 2: I held a weapon at the will reading. / I sat/stood at the will reading.
• Scene 3: I held a weapon in the Kitchen. / I was in the library after Mme. Rose screamed.
• Scene 4: I poisoned food that was served at dinner. / I sat to the right/left of Mme. Rose at dinner.
• Scene 5: I wore black/white/no gloves. / I left the Hall carrying a weapon.

Chapter 2

• Scene 1: I searched for the will. / I wore a bandage on my arm or hand/head or neck/leg.
• Scene 2: I was in the Conservatory when Prof. Plum said, "We found it!"
• Scene 3: I was in the Conservatory when coffee was poured. / I was mentioned in Boddy's will.
• Scene 4: I was in the Kitchen when the will was found. / I ate something in the Hall.
• Scene 5: I gave Mme. Rose something that I wear. / I held a weapon at the seance. / I am related to someone in the mansion.

Chapter 3

• Scene 1: I was in the Library when the will was burned. / I read a note aloud.
• Scene 2: I was in the Hall when White told about her diary. / I was pacing in the Hall.
• Scene 3: My secret was told in the Dining Room. / I ate something in the Dining Room.
• Scene 4: My secret was told in the Kitchen. / I told someone's secret in the Kitchen.
• Scene 5: I have a phony occupation. / I was seen running through the Hall.

The Case Mysteries

Introductory Game, Game 1, blue-backed cards. There were 3 murders in the mansion tonight, committed by 3 different murderers. Each murder was committed in a different room and with a different weapon. Didit solves 1 murder in the instructions on the tape. Can you solve the others? Remember, 4 suspects are innocent survivors.

Games 2 & 3, Blue Chapter. There were 2 murders in the mansion, committed by 2 different murderers. Each murder was committed in a different room and with a different weapon. There were 6 innocent survivors. Will your suspect be among them?

Games 4, 5, & 6, Blue Chapter. There were 3 murders in the mansion committed by 3 different murderers. Each murder was committed in a different room and with a different weapon. Four suspects are innocent and among the living.

Game 1, Green Chapter. There were 2 murders in the mansion, committed by 2 different murderers. Each murder was committed in a different room and with a different weapon. There were 6 innocent survivors. Do you think there's enough money for all of them?

Games 2 & 4, Green Chapter. There were 3 murders in the mansion, committed by 3 different murderers. Each murder was committed in a different room and with a different weapon. Four suspects are innocent.

Game 3, Green Chapter. There were 3 murders in the mansion tonight, each one in a different room and with a different weapon, but there were only 2 murderers. Who was the double murderer? Five suspects are innocent and have escaped harm.

Game 5, Green Chapter. There were 4 murders in the mansion tonight, committed by 3 different murderers. Someone has been very busy. Each murder was in a different room. Only 3 weapons were used; 2 murderers used the same weapon, which means the double murderer used 2 different weapons.

Game 6, Green Chapter. There were 5 murders in the mansion tonight, committed by 5 different murderers. Each murder was committed in a different room and with a different weapon. Since there were no innocent survivors, who is there to call the cops? Didit, you wouldn't dare!

Game 1, Red Chapter. There were 2 murders in the mansion tonight, committed by 2 different murderers. Each murder was committed in a different room and with a different weapon. Six are innocent survivors. What are they trying to hide?

Game 2, Red Chapter. There were 3 murders in the mansion tonight, committed by 3 different murderers. Each murder was committed in a different room and with a different weapon. There are four innocent survivors.

Game 3, Red Chapter. There were 3 murders in the mansion tonight, committed by 3 different murderers. Each murder was committed in a different room with a different weapon; but 1 murderer was murdered in turn. (Your clues will reveal 1 murderer who was also a victim.)

Game 4, Red Chapter. There were 4 murders in the mansion tonight, committed by 4 different murderers. Each murder was committed in a different room and with a different weapon. Things are getting a little too crazy!

Game 5, Red Chapter. There were 4 murders in the mansion tonight. One of the murderers was killed (justice prevails). One weapon was used twice, and 1 room was the scene of 2 murders. A tangled web for experienced detectives.

Game 6, Red Chapter. There were 5 murders in 5 rooms of the mansion tonight. One murderer knocked off 2 different victims; there was 1 innocent survivor. One weapon was used twice (hint: that weapon was not the knife). A tough wrap-up for super-sleuths.