Lancashire Mathematics Team

‘Scule’ Murder Game

This game has been designed to be played in two ways:-

  • Stalls
  • Board Game

It is a murder mystery game similar to Cluedo.

You need to print and cut out the suspect, weapon and room cards. Pupils will also need a copy of the ‘detective’s enquiry sheet’.

The game is aimed at Key Stage 3.

Before the game startsyou must select, at random, one suspect card, one room card and one weapon card and place them UNSEEN into an envelope.

The aim of the game is to discover who, where and how.

How to win

Players collect clues by answering questions in each room. Once a player/ team thinks they have collected all of the clues they may guess at the contents of the envelope. If they are correct they win, if incorrect they have fallen victim to the murderer and are eliminated from the game.

Stalls Version

You will need:-

  • a large room eg the hall
  • 11 tables/ stalls to represent the 11 rooms
  • A4 photocopies of the questions for each stall
  • Photocopies of the suspect, room and weapon cards
  • A computer with the ‘Archimedes’ file loaded and ready to use
  • To split the class into teams of 4 or 5 pupils

Each stall/ table acts as one of the rooms. Pupils answer the questions allocated to that room.

Each table also has upto 3 cards assigned to it- one suspect, one room and one weapon. (As there are more rooms than either suspects or weapons, most rooms will have 2 cards assigned to them.)

If pupils answer the questions correctly they can see the cards assigned to the room, and thus eliminate them from their enquires. (It is entirely up to teacher discretion as to how many of the questions need to be correctly answered to gain sight of the cards.)

Pupils can have up to 5 minutes* at each room (table/ stall). It is recommended that pupils start in different rooms. Teams may need to work on several questions at once. If questions are incomplete they can be followed up in class afterwards.

Suggested Layout of Hall

SCULE' Murder

Board Game Version

You will need:-

  • To split the class into teams of 4 or 5 pupils
  • Acopy of the board for each team
  • A4 photocopies of the questions for each room
  • Photocopies of the suspect, room and weapon cards
  • A computer with the ‘Archimedes’ file loaded and ready to use
  • Coloured counters (to represent players on the board)
  • Dice (one per team)

Players start in the ‘Scule’ Murder box and role dice to visit each room. Each role of the dice is one turn, if, for, example, a three is rolled the player may move three squares either horizontally or vertically. Players may choose to take part of their roll horizontally and part vertically, e.g. 2 horizontal squares and 1 vertical move. They may not however move diagonally.

Once in a room the pupil answers the questions allocated to that room.

Each room also has upto 3 cards assigned to it- one suspect, one room and one weapon. (As there are more rooms than either suspects or weapons, most rooms will have 2 cards assigned to them.)

If players answer the questions correctly they can see the cards assigned to the room, and thus eliminate them from their enquires. (It is entirely up to teacher discretion as to how many of the questions need to be correctly answered to gain sight of the cards.)

Players may leave the room by a different doorway to the one they entered by. If there is a secret passage, players may follow it as their next turn if they choose. Note passages are one way unless otherwise stated.

In both versions of the game, pupils may find it useful to have a copy of the ‘Detectives Enquiry Sheet’ to check off suspects etc as they are eliminated from their enquiries.

*Please note all times are estimates and teachers may choose not to use all of the questions in each room.