Dark stories

Dark stories are usually tricky, morbid, desperately sinister stories where something unfortunate has taken place. In a round, you take on the role of a conspirator in one of these twisted tales. Sometimes the answer will come quickly: two or three questions and you’re on the right track. But often you will find yourself clenching your teeth on what you thought might be an easy story. In recent years, these stories have become increasingly popular. Whether you know them as “brain teasers”, “riddles”, “mysteries”, or simply “puzzles”, no stories are as “dark” as these.

Preparing the game

The enjoyment of cracking these dark stories is greatest when shared with a friend. One player is the master. The master knows the answer to the riddle and must answer questions. The master takes a card from the stack, reads the story on the front, and asks, “what do you think happened?” The master, of course, knows the answer, but keeps it to him or herself.

The other player or players are the detectives, and begin asking the master questions.

Beginning of the round

The other player or players are the detectives, and begin asking the master questions. The questions must be posed so that master can reply with a simple “yes” or “no”. With skill and perseverance, the detectives will draw closer to the solution. Of course, again and again, as they grasp for clues, the detectives might ask a question that...

·        Cannot simply be answered with a “yes” or a “no”. For example: “Was the man tall or short?” Upon receiving such an inquiry, the master must insist that the detectives rephrase their question.

·        Cannot be answered with a “yes” or “no” answer because the question has been posed with clearly incorrect assumptions – for example: if the detectives ask, “Was the man tall?”, when the dark story isn’t about a man, but an animal instead. In this case, the master must inform the detectives that the question is based on false assumptions.

·        Should not be answered with a “yes” or “no” answer because it would lead the detectives astray – for example: if the detectives ask, “Was the man previously in the church?”, when it doesn’t matter whether or not the man was ever in the church. Answering this question could lead the detectives in the wrong direction. What the master chooses to do must be decided on a case by case basis, as it can be fun to string the detectives along. In order to help the detectives along, a kind master can choose to tell the detectives that the answer to a posed question is irrelevant to the story

The master is always right, and the only correct solution is the one found on the back of the card. However, in light of the fact that the solutions in dark stories Real Crime Edition have factual information such as dates, biographical, or geographical information (which are very difficult to determine through the asking of yes/no questions). The master should be fair, and allow the detectives a certain amount of ambiguity in their solution. For example: if the detectives were unable to determine the name of a historical figure within a story, but have solved the mystery in a more broad sense, the master should accept the solution. The master should then reward the detectives with the full story in all its gruesome detail.