START HERE · 12+
The Meridian Cabinet
Starter mystery
A stolen museum dial, conflicting clocks and a courier due at midnight. Eight guided evidence puzzles.
Museum theft; no murder.
See this case on EtsyOriginal paper mysteries
The cabinet is empty.
The courier leaves
at midnight.
Four staff members were inside when the Aster Dial disappeared. The security records are here. The clocks disagree. Can your team find the thief and the package hiding the stolen Dial?
2–6 suggested players
12+ suggested age
8 guided puzzles
Paper and pens. Everyone investigates. Age and group guidance are design estimates.
Original puzzles✦
A4 + US Letter✦
Low-ink editions✦
Everyone investigates
The Meridian Cabinet · Case 001
Which alibis
hold up?
The museum is closed. The bronze Aster Dial is gone, and a courier is due to collect the waiting crates. Somewhere in that dispatch is a package that needs to stay put.
Work through eight puzzles to trace it. Decode a maintenance note, match the staff to their badges and check the camera records. Each stage explains what to do, with three hints available in the separate guide.
Your full case includes
- 12-page Player File with eight evidence puzzles
- A4 and US Letter files, plus matching low-ink editions
- A separate nine-page guide with graduated hints, worked answers and the ending
- A team investigation sheet and clear printing instructions
Actual pages from the case
A look at the evidence
you'll be working with.
Three small steps
Print. Investigate.
Reveal.
- 01
Print the evidence
Choose your paper size. Print one Player File in your chosen size and ink edition. Keep the hint guide separate.
- 02
Work the case together
Compare ideas, write down discoveries and use a hint whenever you want one. Nobody has to sit out as host.
- 03
Make your deduction
Name the person responsible, identify the package and open the ending to see how everything fits.
A free taste of the casefiles
The Missing
Master Key
A closing-time mix-up. Five books, an encoded label and four drawers. Follow three guided puzzles to find the museum’s key. This short introduction is a separate story and contains no paid-case solutions.
Play here or download the printable version. No signup needed. The PDFs also contain the hints and full ending, so you can finish offline.
FREE MINI CASEClue 1 of 3
1. Put the books back
Arrange the five books left to right. Use each once, follow the four clues, then read the tag letters.
| Book | Tag |
|---|---|
| Moonlog | C |
| Atlas | C |
| Tidebook | K |
| Herbarium | O |
| Aviary | L |
- Atlas is first.
- Aviary is immediately before Herbarium.
- Moonlog is immediately before Tidebook.
- Herbarium is somewhere before Moonlog.
A small hint
Atlas is fixed first. Think of Aviary–Herbarium and Moonlog–Tidebook as two pairs.
2. Read the encoded label
Count the letters in your first word. Move every coded letter backwards by that number of places. One move takes B to A; wrap from A to Z if needed.
XYFW
A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A small hint
Your first word has five letters. X moved back five places becomes S.
3. Find the right drawer
The key weighs 38 g. It is in one envelope weighing 4 g and one pouch weighing 12 g, with nothing else inside.
Choose the drawer matching both your decoded shape and the total packed weight.
A small hint
Add all three weights. The label's shape must match too.
Case closed
Drawer C. Right on time.
The books spell CLOCK. Five backwards shifts turn XYFW into STAR. The key, envelope and pouch weigh 54 g together: Drawer C is the only match.
The archivist retrieves the key and locks the museum for the night. Of course, the next case won't be quite so quiet.
Open the full museum case on EtsyChoose your next investigation
What kind of night
are you planning?
Start with the museum theft, choose an atmospheric adult case, or solve a gentle village mystery with children. Every paid case is a printable PDF download. Everyone investigates; there are no acting roles to assign.
Age and group guidance are design estimates. Full case details, current prices and checkout are on Etsy. Styled scenes show decorative props; actual-page previews are in each Etsy listing.
ADULT & TEEN · 14+
The Last Cue
Murder investigation
A theatre director is dead. Compare rehearsal timings, the tea order and backstage records to make your accusation.
Fictional poisoning and death; no gore.
See this case on Etsy
ADULT & TEEN · 12+
The Blackthorn Signal
Rescue investigation
An engineer is missing at a railway junction. Follow the dispatch records, test the alibis and send help to the right place.
Confinement and danger; a safe ending.
See this case on Etsy
ADULT · 16+
The Thirteenth Guest
Atmospheric Halloween
A voice at a séance. A death down the hall. Compare a sound record, two clocks and the keys to the listening room.
Violent death, bereavement, covert recording and threats; no gore. The voice is a printed record.
See this case on Etsy
ADULT & TEEN · 14+
The Midnight Picture House
Halloween cinema mystery
The last reel has vanished during a fundraiser. Follow staff movements, a damaged pass record and a suspicious cash book.
Theft and financial deception; no murder.
See this case on Etsy
FAMILY · AGES 8–12 WITH ADULTS
The Lantern Parade Mystery
Gentle Halloween
The parade’s paper whale has vanished. Match tracks, follow the village map and get the lanterns glowing again.
No murder or jump scares. The whale is a paper lantern.
See this case on Etsy
FAMILY · AGES 8–12 WITH ADULTS
The Pumpkin Post Office
Gentle Halloween
The Golden Stamp is missing. Follow the delivery round and compare two records before naming the helper who moved it.
No murder, injury or jump scares. Reading and small sums, with adult support.
See this case on EtsyA second and third case for later
The three-case collection contains The Meridian Cabinet, The Last Cue and The Blackthorn Signal. These are the same cases sold separately.
View the three-case collection on Etsy ↗Before you open the file
A few useful answers
Is a physical game posted to me?
No. These are digital PDFs for you to print. The full case includes both A4 and US Letter sizes, with matching low-ink versions.
Does somebody have to host?
No. Everyone can investigate. The hints and solutions are kept in a separate guide so nobody needs to read them in advance.
Do I need locks, props or a special printer?
No. Ordinary paper and pens are enough. There is no cutting, no lock box and no required internet connection once you have the PDFs.
How difficult is the full case?
It is a guided starter mystery with eight different puzzle stages. All methods and information are provided, and three graduated hints are available for every stage. Designed with ages 12+ in mind; this guidance has not yet been calibrated through independent player trials.
How long will it take?
Play at your own pace. The midnight collection is part of the story; there is no real countdown. Your time will depend on how your group tackles the puzzles and how many hints you use.
What if we get stuck?
Use the hint guide for the evidence you are working on. Start with Hint 1 and stop reading when you have enough to continue. Complete answers and the ending are included.
Are the adult cases suitable for children?
Choose the family range for children aged roughly 8–12 with adults. Each listing names its story content. The adult range includes fictional murder or danger in some cases. Age guidance is an estimate; please use the content notes when choosing.
Can I play more than once?
You can reprint your files for personal use. Once you know the solution, you may prefer to pass the case to another group in your household. The paid files may not be resold or publicly uploaded.