We decided to unravel the mysteries packed within the charming game of 5 Minute Mysteries while gathering over coffee with a friend after the holiday hustle and bustle. This game simplifies the thrill of solving a crime into relaxing sessions that pair perfectly with a steaming mug of coffee. Here’s a twist we added to the game: We skipped the case cards and didn’t use the timer or the app.

The centerpiece of our adventure was the gorgeously illustrated codex, which not only served as our guide, but also as a beautiful art piece that drew us deeper into each mystery. I split the suspect between me and my friend before starting the game.

A Culprit commits each crime. On one side of the card, there are 4 types of colored boxes that match up with the clue cards. On the other side there is a picture of the culprit.

The gameplay starts with choosing a scene card that sets the stage with a tantalizing crime scene. We gather clues by matching symbols from our scene card to those in the codex.

In our casual sessions, we fine-tuned our approach by naming each shape and symbol, ensuring our teamwork was seamless. We had nicknames for each shape, for instance the above codex has the wide square, the double triangle, the sun, the complicated cross and the Wonder Woman star. Each symbol matched the back of the scene card, so we get to draw a clue card.

I usually start with the pink card, which gives a clue on the skin type. I found that this is the easiest way to eliminate lots of suspects off the bat.

After matching the symbols on the codex and selecting the clue card, we try to match it up with the culprit. Success! We matched the skin type on the first try!

We were able to pare down our pile of suspect cards to the 7 cards with skin. That meant we removed all cards with feathers, scales, and fur.

We played another scene card and after solving it we chose the green clue card. Unfortunately, it didn’t match, but it did let us know that the culprit does NOT have a newspaper. This allowed us to remove Frank and Maurice.

The game continued and we finished our third scene card. We selected the blue clue card and it matched! Notice how the different shades of blue line up.

We sifted out all the suspects who didn’t have fans, which narrowed it down to just one. With confidence, I declared that Isaac was the culprit and flipped his card to reveal the truth. I was right! If you guess correctly, then you guess correctly, your final Suspect card will match the Culprit card.

What truly stands out about 5 Minute Mysteries is its ability to engage everyone equally. It doesn’t matter if you’re a puzzle-solving aficionado or a newcomer to gaming; everyone contributes and shares in the excitement. It’s perfect for those times when you want a quick but stress-free activity that pulls everyone in, making it a relaxing choice for any gathering, even a casual game at a coffeehouse.

This site uses affiliate links. To purchase, use the following link: https://amzn.to/3BNNkIt

We decided to unravel the mysteries packed within the charming game of 5 Minute Mysteries while gathering over coffee with a friend after the holiday hustle and bustle. This game simplifies the thrill of solving a crime into relaxing sessions that pair perfectly with a steaming mug of coffee. Here’s a twist we added to the game: We skipped the case cards and didn’t use the timer or the app.

The centerpiece of our adventure was the gorgeously illustrated codex, which not only served as our guide, but also as a beautiful art piece that drew us deeper into each mystery. I split the suspect between me and my friend before starting the game.

A Culprit commits each crime. On one side of the card, there are 4 types of colored boxes that match up with the clue cards. On the other side there is a picture of the culprit.

The gameplay starts with choosing a scene card that sets the stage with a tantalizing crime scene. We gather clues by matching symbols from our scene card to those in the codex.

In our casual sessions, we fine-tuned our approach by naming each shape and symbol, ensuring our teamwork was seamless. We had nicknames for each shape, for instance the above codex has the wide square, the double triangle, the sun, the complicated cross and the Wonder Woman star. Each symbol matched the back of the scene card, so we get to draw a clue card.

I usually start with the pink card, which gives a clue on the skin type. I found that this is the easiest way to eliminate lots of suspects off the bat.

After matching the symbols on the codex and selecting the clue card, we try to match it up with the culprit. Success! We matched the skin type on the first try!

We were able to pare down our pile of suspect cards to the 7 cards with skin. That meant we removed all cards with feathers, scales, and fur.

We played another scene card and after solving it we chose the green clue card. Unfortunately, it didn’t match, but it did let us know that the culprit does NOT have a newspaper. This allowed us to remove Frank and Maurice.

The game continued and we finished our third scene card. We selected the blue clue card and it matched! Notice how the different shades of blue line up.

We sifted out all the suspects who didn’t have fans, which narrowed it down to just one. With confidence, I declared that Isaac was the culprit and flipped his card to reveal the truth. I was right! If you guess correctly, then you guess correctly, your final Suspect card will match the Culprit card.

What truly stands out about 5 Minute Mysteries is its ability to engage everyone equally. It doesn’t matter if you’re a puzzle-solving aficionado or a newcomer to gaming; everyone contributes and shares in the excitement. It’s perfect for those times when you want a quick but stress-free activity that pulls everyone in, making it a relaxing choice for any gathering, even a casual game at a coffeehouse.

This site uses affiliate links. To purchase, use the following link: https://amzn.to/3BNNkIt

We decided to unravel the mysteries packed within the charming game of 5 Minute Mysteries while gathering over coffee with a friend after the holiday hustle and bustle. This game simplifies the thrill of solving a crime into relaxing sessions that pair perfectly with a steaming mug of coffee. Here’s a twist we added to the game: We skipped the case cards and didn’t use the timer or the app.

The centerpiece of our adventure was the gorgeously illustrated codex, which not only served as our guide, but also as a beautiful art piece that drew us deeper into each mystery. I split the suspect between me and my friend before starting the game.

A Culprit commits each crime. On one side of the card, there are 4 types of colored boxes that match up with the clue cards. On the other side there is a picture of the culprit.

The gameplay starts with choosing a scene card that sets the stage with a tantalizing crime scene. We gather clues by matching symbols from our scene card to those in the codex.

In our casual sessions, we fine-tuned our approach by naming each shape and symbol, ensuring our teamwork was seamless. We had nicknames for each shape, for instance the above codex has the wide square, the double triangle, the sun, the complicated cross and the Wonder Woman star. Each symbol matched the back of the scene card, so we get to draw a clue card.

I usually start with the pink card, which gives a clue on the skin type. I found that this is the easiest way to eliminate lots of suspects off the bat.

After matching the symbols on the codex and selecting the clue card, we try to match it up with the culprit. Success! We matched the skin type on the first try!

We were able to pare down our pile of suspect cards to the 7 cards with skin. That meant we removed all cards with feathers, scales, and fur.

We played another scene card and after solving it we chose the green clue card. Unfortunately, it didn’t match, but it did let us know that the culprit does NOT have a newspaper. This allowed us to remove Frank and Maurice.

The game continued and we finished our third scene card. We selected the blue clue card and it matched! Notice how the different shades of blue line up.

We sifted out all the suspects who didn’t have fans, which narrowed it down to just one. With confidence, I declared that Isaac was the culprit and flipped his card to reveal the truth. I was right! If you guess correctly, then you guess correctly, your final Suspect card will match the Culprit card.

What truly stands out about 5 Minute Mysteries is its ability to engage everyone equally. It doesn’t matter if you’re a puzzle-solving aficionado or a newcomer to gaming; everyone contributes and shares in the excitement. It’s perfect for those times when you want a quick but stress-free activity that pulls everyone in, making it a relaxing choice for any gathering, even a casual game at a coffeehouse.

This site uses affiliate links. To purchase, use the following link: https://amzn.to/3BNNkIt