Suspects: Letzter Auftritt
Suspects: Letzter Auftritt Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Players
For 1-5 detectives, ages 12 and up.
What Is It About?
In Suspects you slip together into the role of Claire Harper. This young detective faces tricky criminal cases in the 1930s. Question suspects, examine locations and find the decisive clues to solve a murder.
Game Material
- 57 cards
- 1 introduction sheet (with the investigation questionnaire)
- 1 Document A: Programme booklet
- 1 Document B: Floor plan of the theatre
- 1 solution sheet
In addition you need pen and paper to record your investigative findings and suspicions.
Setup
Take the card deck, the introduction sheet, the two documents A and B and the solution sheet out of the box.
- Place the card deck ready. Do not look at the cards in the deck yet!
- Documents A and B go next to it. Do not look at them more closely until you are told to.
- Set the folded solution sheet aside. Important: do not look at it. Read the solution only at the end of the game.
- Place the introduction sheet ready.
- Place pen and paper ready.
Goal of the Game
You want to solve a criminal case together. To do so you must answer the questionnaire found on the introduction sheet. There is no time pressure and you do not need to run a stopwatch. Instead, the number of cards drawn records your investigative progress.
The "earlier" you arrive at correct results in your investigation, the more points you receive.
Course of Play
After you have read this entire rulebook, you can begin the game.
You begin the game by reading the introduction sheet together with the questionnaire. During the game you have the option of reading the documents and of taking cards from the deck, from a given selection, and looking at them. In doing so you may encounter various symbols that point to possible actions, for example:
- Question someone (a card number is shown). Example: Draw card 7 and read it to question the corresponding person.
- Go to a location (a card number is shown). Example: Draw card 4 and read it to go to the indicated location.
- Examine an object (a card number is shown). Example: Draw card 12 and read it to examine the corresponding object.
Every time you see one of these symbols, you may carry out the respective action. You may carry out these actions in any order. For example, you can first question someone, then go to a location, then go somewhere else, then come back to question someone again, etc.
Some cards contain simple instructions, such as: "Remove card 14 from the deck." You must follow these before you continue your investigation.
Connections Between Two Cards
Sometimes it is necessary to combine the information on two cards in order to develop a theory. To check whether there is a connection between two cards, place them next to each other in the same orientation (do not rotate the cards). If the strips of the same colour on both cards fit together, this means that you can draw a logical conclusion.
Example: If card 22 is placed next to card 10, the green line between the fingerprint and Claire Harper fits together perfectly. From this you can conclude that the fingerprints on the teapot are Claire Harper's. (Card 22 is a fingerprint found on the handle of a teapot; card 10 is Claire Harper.)
Unlocking Cards
Some cards are only available after other cards have been drawn. The conditions for unlocking are printed on the respective card.
Example: You find a teapot symbol. Draw card 10 when you have collected 3 such teapot symbols. At the bottom of card 10: "Draw this card when you have collected 3 teapot symbols."
Answering the Questionnaire
You find the investigation questionnaire on the introduction sheet. We recommend transferring the table onto a sheet of paper so that the game material remains undamaged.
At three points during the game you can answer the questions. If your most recently noted answer is correct, you receive points for it at the end of the game.
The score depends on the number of cards drawn at the time the answer was given. All cards read count, except the STOP card. The earlier you arrive at the correct answers, the more points you get:
- 5 points if you are right after 30 cards drawn.
- 4 points if you are right after 45 cards drawn.
- 3 points if you are right after you have drawn all cards.
- 0 points if your answer is wrong.
Three Discussion Phases
After the 30th card drawn, after the 45th card drawn, and after you have drawn all cards, hold a discussion phase each time to talk about the state of the investigation and to record your answers for the questionnaire.
After each discussion phase, note your answers. Then tick the box in the table under the number of cards drawn. If further information appears during the course of the game, you can change your answers in the next discussion phase. If you want to do so, tick the appropriate box in the respective row again.
On page 7 of this rulebook you will find a detailed scoring example.
Tip: At the start of the game you should appoint one of you to keep track of the number of cards drawn (e.g. with a tally list). Once you have drawn the 46th card, the cards no longer need to be counted. The last discussion phase takes place when you have read all cards.
Note: If, directly before a discussion phase (that is, after the 30th or 45th card drawn), you are instructed to draw another card, you may only do so after you have discussed and noted your answers for the questionnaire.
Variant: If you cannot agree on the answers, you can also answer individually and compare your scores at the end of the investigation.
End of the Game & Solution
The investigation is over when you have read all cards. As soon as you have agreed on the answers for the questionnaire, you are ready for the solution:
Take the solution sheet that you set aside at the start of the game and unfold it. Read it and add up your points. For every question:
- Is your most recently given answer correct? Then you receive the number of points corresponding to the ticked box that is furthest to the right.
- Is your most recently given answer wrong? Then you receive no points for it.
Note: Your answers do not have to be worded exactly as on the solution sheet. What matters is that the keywords printed in bold there (or something equivalent) are named in your answer.
Scoring Example at the End of a Game
Suppose you had to answer the following questions for your case:
- Who committed the murder?
- Where did the crime take place?
- Which murder weapon was used?
The correct solution would be: "Miss Miller committed the murder in the garage with a 12 mm wrench."
The questionnaire would look as follows (columns: number of cards drawn: 30 cards = 5 points, 45 cards = 4 points, all cards = 3 points, wrong answer = 0 points; total score):
| Question | 30 cards (5) | 45 cards (4) | All cards (3) | Wrong answer (0) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Who committed the murder? | X | 5 | |||
| 2. Where did the crime take place? | X | X | 3 | ||
| 3. Which murder weapon was used? | X | X | X | 0 |
Total: 5 + 3 + 0 = 8
- Your answer "Miss Miller is the murderer." is correct. You noted this answer after you had drawn 30 cards. For it you receive 5 points.
- Your answer "The crime took place in the garage." is correct. After you had drawn 30 cards, your noted answer was "In the kitchen", but you changed your mind after you had drawn all cards, and then noted the correct answer. For it you receive 3 points.
- Your answer "The murder weapon is a combine harvester." is wrong. You answered after you had drawn 45 cards. Had your answer been correct, you would get 4 points. But since the answer is wrong, you receive no points for it.
Your final result: 5 + 3 + 0 = 8 points
Claire Harper's Tips
- In SUSPECTS, deduction and critical thinking are called for. Your goal is to solve a murder and convict the guilty person - vague assumptions or your gut feeling alone will not be enough.
- If your theories are not backed up by facts or tangible evidence, they are probably wrong. Do not let your imagination run away with you, but rely on facts and logic. Yet a single clue alone does not mean that a particular person is guilty.
- Stay open-minded! Even if you suspect a person because their fingerprints were found on the murder weapon, that person is not necessarily the guilty one. And if you discover a screwdriver, it is quite likely that it was used to unscrew the safe - but it does not necessarily have to have been so. Collect all clues to find out the truth.
Let's go! Now read the introduction sheet together with the questionnaire and begin the game.