The Mystery of the Vanishing Violin

Format: Digital letter + printable clue pack
Difficulty: Beginner–Intermediate
Play time: 60–90 minutes

The story:

A prized Stradivarius vanishes from a locked room just days before a private recital. The police suspect a simple theft. Holmes disagrees.

You receive a personal letter from Holmes himself, outlining the strange inconsistencies of the case and inviting you to finish the investigation in his absence. Included are scanned newspaper excerpts, a hand-drawn map of Baker Street, a list of suspects, and several curious markings that don’t belong… unless you know how to read them.

This mystery focuses on observation, pattern recognition, and light cryptography. No outside knowledge required, just a sharp eye and a steady mind.

You’ll solve:

• A hidden message concealed in plain sight

• A timeline contradiction

• The true reason the violin was taken

You receive:

• A letter from Holmes (PDF, print-ready)

• Victorian newspaper clippings

• A cipher sheet and suspect notes

• Final solution and explanation