A free 1920s murder mystery party game for work

Players, time and what to print

Players

8 to 40: up to 20 cast roles, detective teams, and a jury for anyone who just wants to watch

Time

About 80 minutes, including the reveal

Where

A party room with a few tables, or Zoom or Teams with breakout rooms

Print

The kit below: host pages, 20 role cards, the clue rounds, a detective sheet and the solution

Prep

20 minutes: print, send role cards a few days ahead, read the solution yourself

Who plays what, from 8 to 40 people

• 8 players: Everyone plays one of the eight suspects, and everyone also tries to solve it.
• 9 to 20 players: Eight suspects, then one witness role each for the rest, cast in list order.
• 21 to 40 players: All 20 roles, and everyone else plays detective in teams of 3 to 5.
• Any size: Guests who would rather not play sit on the jury: they watch, cheer and vote at the end.
• Over 40: Split into two parties with a host each, or book a live host for everyone.

More than 40 people, or nobody wants to host? A live host can run Clue with a Twist: Winter Fun!, a murder mystery your teams solve together in breakout rooms.

The 8 suspect cards

Give one card to each suspect a few days ahead. All eight always go out. Any player can take any role.

Playing, not hosting? Stop reading here. Everything below gives the game away.

• Vivian Ashcombe

  Walter's niece, a pilot

  Who you are: Walter's niece. You fly airplanes, you drive too fast, and you are the only family Walter has.

  Your secret: You have entered a long-distance air race next summer and need $5,000 for a new engine. At 11:42 you went up to Walter's study to ask him for it. He said no, and you shouted "You can't stop me!" loud enough to hear downstairs. You came back down at 11:48.

  The last waltz: You danced the last waltz, 11:50 to midnight, with Clement Faraday. You stepped on his feet twice.

  What you know:

  • When you left the study at 11:48, Walter was cross but fine, and he was reaching for his telephone.
  • At dinner Lionel asked you twice whether your uncle had "said anything about the accounts."

  Your dance card (read it out exactly if asked)

  • Gold cord, pencil attached.
  • Dance 6, the Charleston: Rupert S.
  • Dance 7, the foxtrot: nothing written
  • Dance 8, the last waltz: Clement F.

  Play it: Bold and impatient. Nervous, because she knows people heard her shouting.

• Clement Faraday

  Owner of the rival Hotel Regent

  Who you are: You own the Hotel Regent, the flashier hotel across the street. You came tonight to be seen.

  Your secret: You have tried to buy the Ambrose for a year, and Walter laughs you out of the room every time. Tonight you offered his singer, Dot Kingsley, double her pay to sing at the Regent instead.

  The last waltz: You danced the last waltz, 11:50 to midnight, with Vivian Ashcombe. She stepped on your feet twice.

  What you know:

  • Just before the Charleston, Walter told you with a grin: "At midnight I'm cleaning house, Faraday. Read all about it in the Courier."
  • Rupert sat out the foxtrot at his table, staring at his pocket watch.

  Your dance card (read it out exactly if asked)

  • Gold cord, pencil attached.
  • Dance 6, the Charleston: Edith M.
  • Dance 7, the foxtrot: Opal W.
  • Dance 8, the last waltz: Vivian A.

  Play it: Smooth, flashy and pleased with himself. Happy to hint that the Ambrose is in trouble.

• Opal Whitfield

  Society columnist, the Evening Courier

  Who you are: You write "Around the Town" for the Evening Courier. If it happened at a party, you printed it.

  Your secret: You were not invited. Last week an unsigned letter reached the Courier: "Follow the money at the Ambrose." You came on a borrowed invitation to find the story.

  The last waltz: You danced the last waltz, 11:50 to midnight, with Rupert Sinclair, and asked him nosy questions the whole time.

  What you know:

  • At 12:03, just after the New Year's photo, Lionel borrowed your fountain pen "to note the toast." He gave it back at 12:05. It writes in blue ink.
  • During the Charleston, Lionel kept checking his pocket watch and missed half the steps.

  Your dance card (read it out exactly if asked)

  • Gold cord, pencil attached.
  • Dance 6, the Charleston: Lionel P.
  • Dance 7, the foxtrot: Clement F.
  • Dance 8, the last waltz: Rupert S.

  Play it: Charming and nosy, always scribbling. Treats every answer like a scoop.

• Rupert Sinclair

  Walter's banker

  Who you are: You manage the hotel's accounts at First Lakeside Bank, and you have known Walter for twenty years.

  Your secret: Clement Faraday promised you a $5,000 "thank you" if you could talk Walter into selling him the hotel. You tried at dinner. It did not go well.

  The last waltz: You danced the last waltz, 11:50 to midnight, with Opal Whitfield, who asked far too many questions.

  What you know:

  • Last week Walter asked the bank for copies of every hotel check from the past two years. You sent them on Tuesday.
  • At dinner Lionel told you, "After tonight, I'll finally get what I'm owed."

  Your dance card (read it out exactly if asked)

  • Green cord, pencil attached.
  • Dance 6, the Charleston: Vivian A.
  • Dance 7, the foxtrot: nothing written
  • Dance 8, the last waltz: Opal W.

  Play it: Careful and polite, the kind of man who counts the silverware. Twitchy whenever Clement comes near.

• Edith Marchetti

  Walter's secretary

  Who you are: Walter's private secretary for eleven years. You type his letters, keep his diary and read his mail first.

  Your secret: You are leaving. A firm in New York has offered you a job, and from 11:52 to 11:58 you were in the lobby telephone booth on a long-distance call to accept it. Walter never knew. Say it was a private call and dodge who it was to.

  The last waltz: You sat out the last waltz. At 11:52 you rode the elevator down to the lobby telephone booth, and at 11:59 it brought you straight back up for the photo.

  What you know:

  • At 9 pm a telegram came for Walter. He read it twice, went pale and said: "Send Lionel up to me after midnight. Not before." You told Lionel at 11:35.
  • When you found Walter at 12:08, his coffee was still warm and his desk drawer had been pulled open.

  Your dance card (read it out exactly if asked)

  • Green cord, pencil attached.
  • Dance 6, the Charleston: Clement F.
  • Dance 7, the foxtrot: Lionel P.
  • Dance 8, the last waltz: nothing written

  Play it: Brisk and efficient, shaken, and very private about that phone call.

• Lionel Pryce

  Hotel manager

  Who you are: You have managed the Hotel Ambrose for twenty years. Everyone here assumes Walter will name you to run it at midnight.

  Your secret: You are the killer. Since 1924 you have taken $41,200 from the hotel by paying a linen company that does not exist. At 11:35 Edith said Walter wanted you "after midnight, not before," and you guessed the telegram meant the auditors had found it. At 11:51, as the last waltz began, you slipped up the side stairs behind the bandstand to beg him. He refused: "At midnight, Lionel, everyone hears the truth." You struck him with his own walking cane, and the pencil on your dance card snapped off its cord. You yanked open his desk drawer looking for the telegram, but the band struck up the midnight fanfare and you ran down for the photo. At 12:03 you borrowed Opal's fountain pen and wrote "Vivian A." on your empty last-waltz line. You may lie about anything except your name and your dance card.

  The last waltz: Say you danced the last waltz with Vivian Ashcombe. If anyone asks about your missing pencil, say it fell off on the dance floor.

  What you know:

  • At about 11:48 you saw Vivian come down from the mezzanine looking furious.
  • Clement Faraday has been trying to buy this hotel for a year.

  Your dance card (read it out exactly if asked)

  • Green cord, no pencil.
  • Dance 6, the Charleston: Opal W.
  • Dance 7, the foxtrot: Edith M.
  • Dance 8, the last waltz: Vivian A.
  • The last-waltz line is written in blue ink. Every other line is in pencil.

  Play it: Calm, helpful and loyal, the perfect hotel man. Gently steer suspicion toward Vivian and Clement.

• Harlan Booker

  Bandleader, the Starlight Orchestra

  Who you are: You lead the Starlight Orchestra, the hotel's house band: ten musicians and one very loud trumpet.

  Your secret: Walter has paid the band late for three months, and you have quietly been auditioning for the Hotel Regent.

  The last waltz: You conducted the last waltz from the bandstand, 11:50 to midnight, in front of every guest, then played the midnight fanfare.

  What you know:

  • At 11:51 the bandstand telephone rang. It was Walter, from his study: "Fanfare at midnight sharp, Harlan, then hand me the microphone." He sounded cheerful.
  • At about 11:30 Lionel asked you exactly how long the last waltz would run. You told him ten minutes, never shorter.

  Dance card: none. You were on the bandstand all night.

  Play it: Big, warm and theatrical. Answers in rhythm when he can.

• Dot Kingsley

  Singer, the Starlight Orchestra

  Who you are: You sing with the Starlight Orchestra. Half the people in this room bought tickets to hear you.

  Your secret: Clement Faraday offered you double pay to sing at the Regent, and tonight you said yes. You start in February and have not told Harlan.

  The last waltz: You sang the last waltz from the bandstand, 11:50 to midnight. From up there you can see the whole dance floor.

  What you know:

  • During the last waltz, Vivian danced with Clement and Opal danced with Rupert, the whole song. You never saw Lionel on the floor.
  • Edith hurried out toward the elevator just as the last waltz began.

  Dance card: none. You were on the bandstand all night.

  Play it: Glamorous and sharp-tongued, and enjoying the drama a little too much.

12 optional witness roles

Small parts for guests who want a role but not a secret. Cast them in this order; each one backs up a clue, and the case still solves without them.

1. 1. Hazel Brooks

   Switchboard operator

   What you saw: At 11:51 you connected Mr. Ambrose's study to the bandstand telephone. At 11:52 you placed Miss Marchetti's long-distance call to New York from the lobby booth. It ended at 11:58.

   Play it: Hears everything, repeats most of it.

2. 2. Augie Lark

   Hotel photographer

   What you saw: You took the New Year's photo at 12:01. Lionel was the last one into the back row, out of breath and straightening his tie.

   Play it: Fussy about lighting, proud of his flash.

3. 3. Frankie Doyle

   Elevator operator

   What you saw: At 11:52 you took Edith Marchetti down to the lobby. At 11:59 you brought her straight back up to the ballroom. She was smiling.

   Play it: Cheerful, and keeps calling out floor numbers.

4. 4. Percy Hale

   Waiter

   What you saw: At 12:04 you saw Lionel at a corner table writing on his dance card with a fountain pen. He covered it with his hand when you came by with the lemonade.

   Play it: Discreet, until someone asks him directly.

5. 5. Mabel Quinn

   Coat-check attendant

   What you saw: At about 11:45 you heard Vivian shouting upstairs, "You can't stop me!" At 12:02 Lionel leaned over your counter and asked whether anyone had turned in a little pencil on a green cord.

   Play it: Chatty and loves a mystery.

6. 6. Ruby Fontaine

   Dance instructor

   What you saw: You called tonight's dances: dance 6, the Charleston, 11:30 to 11:40; dance 7, the foxtrot, 11:40 to 11:50; dance 8, the last waltz, 11:50 to midnight.

   Play it: Counts everything in eights.

7. 7. Ozzie Kemp

   Bellhop

   What you saw: At 9 pm you delivered a telegram to Mr. Ambrose. He read it twice and went pale. At 11:50 you carried a fresh pot of coffee up to his study, and he was humming.

   Play it: Eager, and hoping for another big tip.

8. 8. Lottie Vance

   Flower seller at the ballroom doors

   What you saw: At 11:49 Vivian bought a white carnation and muttered, "My uncle is impossible." Then she went straight onto the floor and found Clement.

   Play it: Sweet, and remembers every flower she sold.

9. 9. Cosmo Reyes

   Trumpet player

   What you saw: Just as the last waltz began, a man in a black dinner jacket slipped through the door behind the bandstand that leads to the side stairs. You only saw his back, and half the men here wear black dinner jackets.

   Play it: Laid-back, and taps out a rhythm on everything.

10. 10. Gus Moran

    Hotel detective

    What you saw: You have watched the front doors all night. Nobody came into or left the hotel between 11 pm and 12:30.

    Play it: Gruff, and takes his job very seriously.

11. 11. Beatrice Holloway

    Walter's oldest friend

    What you saw: At dinner Walter told you, "Tonight I find out who my real friends are, Bea." He would not say more.

    Play it: Grand and sentimental, and dabs her eyes often.

12. 12. Bastien Roux

    Head chef

    What you saw: At 10 pm Clement Faraday came into your kitchen and offered you a job at the Regent. You chased him out with a ladle.

    Play it: Dramatic, and insulted by everything.

The detective sheet (one per team)

Detective teams get no secrets, just these questions to start them off and space for notes. The jury gets nothing at all: they watch, and vote at the end.

• Where were you during the last waltz, 11:50 to midnight, and who can say so?
• May I see your dance card?
• What did you think Walter would announce at midnight?
• When did you last see Walter, and what did he say?
• Did anyone go near the side stairs tonight?
• Who in this room had the most to lose at midnight?

How to host it at the party

The host narrates and keeps time instead of playing. Read the solution before the party, and only you.

1. 1A few days before: Send each suspect and witness their card privately, by email or in a sealed envelope. Tell everyone dress-up is optional. Detectives and the jury need nothing in advance.
2. 2Before guests arrive (10 minutes): Suspects get name tags and spread out around the room. Detective teams of 3 to 5 sit together with a detective sheet and a pen. Give the jury seats with a good view.
3. 3Read the story (5 minutes): Read the story and the house rules aloud. Point out that everyone carries a dance card.
4. 4Introductions (10 minutes): Each suspect gets 30 seconds: name, job and where they were during the last waltz. Witnesses give their name and job only.
5. 5Clue rounds 1 and 2 (15 minutes each): Read the round's three clues, then start the timer. Detectives question anyone. In a big room, send one detective per team at a time so nobody gets mobbed.
6. 6Clue round 3 (10 minutes): Read the last three clues. It runs shorter, because the dance cards start to contradict each other.
7. 7Accusations (5 minutes): Every team and every suspect writes down a killer, a motive and a weapon. The jury votes by a show of hands. Collect everything before you reveal anything.
8. 8Reveal and awards (10 minutes): Read the solution, score the accusations, then let the jury pick the best performance of the night.

The three clue rounds

Read one round at a time, then start the timer for questioning. Each round narrows the suspects.

Solution and scoring

Take every accusation before you read a word of the solution.

• 3 points for naming Lionel Pryce as the killer.
• 2 points for the motive: Lionel had stolen $41,200, and Walter was going to say so at midnight.
• 1 point for the weapon: Walter's silver-topped walking cane.
• If most accusations name someone else, Lionel's player wins outright for fooling the room.
• Then the jury votes for the best performance of the night.

How to play it on Zoom or Teams

Same cards, same clues. Six changes keep a video call moving:

1. 1Send cards privately. Email or direct-message each role card a day ahead. Never post cards in the group chat.
2. 2Rename everyone. Characters add their role to their display name ("Vivian, pilot"). Detectives add their team number. The jury can keep cameras off.
3. 3Keep the cast in the main room. Questions go round in turns: each detective team asks two per round, out loud, of anyone in the cast.
4. 4Screen-share each round. Show the clue page from the printed kit as you read it, so nobody has to copy times down word for word.
5. 5Huddle in breakout rooms. After each round, detective teams get 4 minutes in breakout rooms to compare notes while the cast waits in the main room.
6. 6Take accusations privately. Each team sends the host a killer, a motive and a weapon by direct message. The jury votes in a quick poll.

With 40 or more people on video, hot-seat questions get slow. A hosted virtual murder mystery splits the group into breakout teams and keeps every team busy at once.

Make it a 1920s party: dress, drinks and decor

All optional. The game works in a plain conference room in everyday clothes.

Dress-up, with no pressure

Say in the invite that costumes are optional. If people want a touch, one item is plenty:

• A bow tie or suspenders
• A flat cap or a fedora
• A long string of beads or pearls
• A headband with a feather
• A dinner jacket, a sparkly top or your usual clothes

Mocktails that fit the story

The game is set in 1926, when Prohibition was the law in the US, so alcohol-free drinks fit the gala:

• Gilded Lemonade: Lemonade, sparkling water and a spoon of honey, with a lemon twist.
• Ginger Fizz: Ginger beer, fresh lime and a sprig of mint over ice.
• Midnight Punch: Cranberry and orange juice topped with soda water and orange slices.

Want a cocktail hour after the reveal? The Mixology Cocktail Trio is a live class that ships a kit to every guest. Kits with alcohol are for guests 21 and over, and alcohol-free kits are available.

1. 1Decor: Black and gold. Paper fans on the walls, a printed "Hotel Ambrose" sign at the door, and a clock set to 11:50.
2. 2Music: An instrumental jazz playlist while people arrive. Turn it down for the clue rounds so everyone hears the times.
3. 3The photo: Take your own New Year's photo of the whole cast before the reveal. It is the best souvenir of the night.

Running it as the year-end party? Most offices celebrate on the last workday of December or in the first week of January. See hosted New Year’s events for teams with live prices.