Case File № 221-BSubject: SherlockSpoils221BStatus: At LargeReward: A Place in the Hall of Fame
Case opened by the Admin: detectives wanted
Unsolved
Unmask the Spoiler
A mystery puzzle book by J. Isabell Redstone
Someone in our book club knows every solution before the rest of us have cracked the first clue, and they have been posting them under the name SherlockSpoils221B. Worse: the evidence points at an innocent friend. The spoiler framed them.
Every name in the book is a suspect. All 42,377 of them. Your job: work the clues, clear the innocent, and name the real culprit, and the accomplice who fed them the answers.
Case
Unmask the Spoiler
Investigator
You
Evidence
One book, 15 clues
Accomplice
Confirmed, identity unknown
The board so far. Every string leads somewhere, and none of them agree yet.
42,377
Names on the board
every single one a suspect
15
Clues to work
no clue solves it alone
2
Final suspects
one guilty, one framed
1
Accomplice
an inside source, still hidden
The case, as we know it
A note from your Admin
Welcome, detectives. Our little book club has a problem. Every month, just as the discussion gets going, just as the rest of us are settling in with our pencils, the solutions appear. All of them. Posted under an anonymous alias they created for themselves, so all we ever see is the alias itself: SherlockSpoils221B. No real name, no face, nothing to trace back to anyone in this club.
Solving fast is no crime. Crack the case early and good for you, just keep it to yourself. But these solutions are posted in the open, where anyone can stumble over them, and nobody can unsee an answer once they've read it. One post ruins the solve for the whole club, and month after month, that is exactly what they are doing. So we are asking questions, and the answers point somewhere none of us wants to look: the trail is laid to make it seem as if one of our own, a friend, has been leaking the solutions all along. It is a frame, and a careful one.
So we are doing what any book club would do. We are putting every name on the board. 42,377 names, spread across the pages of this book, and we are writing down everything we know as clues. Fifteen of them. Worked together, they narrow the whole board down to two final names: the spoiler, and the innocent friend they are framing. Work a little deeper, and there is a second trail, nine more clues hiding in the names everyone crosses off, that leads to the accomplice on the inside who is feeding SherlockSpoils221B the answers.
One warning, from experience: the obvious suspect is exactly who they want you to pick. Check every name against every clue. Trust the board, not your gut.
When you know, really know, file your answer on the page. Get all three names right and you earn your place in the Hall of Fame. Get one wrong, and the case file will tell you which clue your suspect falls down on. If you solve the case, remember to keep the solution to yourself. We never name names publicly. Do not let SherlockSpoils221B win by stooping to their level.
Your Admin
P.S. Keep your pencil sharp. You will be crossing out a lot of names.
P.P.S. And a word before you start: cross names off lightly, in pencil or highlighter, so you can still read every name you eliminate. You may need those names again when you finish. A crossed-off name may come in handy later. But you didn't hear that from me.
How an investigation works
Four steps to an unmasking
1
Work the grid
Page after page of names. Work the 15 clues one at a time, striking names from the board as you go. Crossing a name off does not remove it for good: other clues still count it.
2
Narrow it to two
No single clue solves it on its own. Put all 15 together and exactly two names are left standing: SherlockSpoils221B, and the friend they framed.
3
Find the accomplice
The spoiler had help: an inside source. A second set of 9 clues in the chapters everyone overlooked leads to the one name that supplied the answers.
4
File your answer
Three names, three page numbers. Submit them here and you get an answer right away: either congratulations, or the first clue that eliminates your suspect.
Evidence samples: declassified
A taste of the clues
Here are four of the fifteen clues, exactly as they appear in the book. Each one alone barely narrows the board. All fifteen together leave nowhere to hide.
Clue 2
The suspect is within 3 pages of Sherlock.
Sherlock turns up all over the book. Count Sherlock's page as page 0, and the suspect stands on it, or within three pages either way.
Clue 6
The chapter title contains a homonym.
Same spelling, same sound, different meaning, like bear, the animal, and bear, to carry. Whole chapters stand or fall on one word.
Clue 11
More than half the letters in the suspect's name are consonants.
Exactly half is not enough. Brad, with three consonants in four letters, stays on the board. Anna, at exactly half, is eliminated.
Clue 14
No letter appears more than once in the suspect's name.
One repeated letter, anywhere in the name, and the name is out. Helen has two E's, so she's out. The repeats don't need to sit side by side.
Training exercise: invented names only
Try a clue on the practice board
Six made-up names, pinned up for practice. Press a clue and watch who gets crossed off. This is how the real board shrinks, one strike at a time. (Vowels are A, E, I, O, U. Y is never a vowel in this book.)
Six suspects pinned. No clues applied yet.
Unmask the Spoiler
J. Isabell Redstone
Get the book
The investigation opens soon
Unmask the Spoiler is in its final preparations: the board is built, the clues are checked, and the ink is nearly dry. It will be available on Amazon at launch. The Buy the Book page is where the Amazon link will live, and the mailing list there will send word the moment the case is open, no spoilers, ever.
Coming Soon
Amazon listing opens at launch
Not Yet Released
Buy the Book
Unmask the Spoiler is not on sale yet. This is the page where the Amazon link will live the moment it is. Until then, here is what the book is, and how to hear the second the case opens.
Unmask the Spoiler, by J. Isabell Redstone.
Coming soon on Amazon
Unmask the Spoiler
A mystery puzzle book built like a case file. Someone in the book club is posting every solution under the alias SherlockSpoils221B, and the evidence has been arranged to frame an innocent friend. Every name in the book is a suspect, all 42,377 of them, printed across its pages.
Your job is the investigation. Work the 15 clues together, cross names off the board, and narrow the whole club down to two final names: the spoiler, and the friend they framed. Then keep digging. A second set of 9 clues leads to the accomplice on the inside who fed the spoiler the answers. No single clue gives the game away, and nothing is solved until you have done the work yourself.
The book has not been published yet, so there is nothing to buy today. On release day, this button becomes the live Amazon link, and this page becomes the place to get the book.
New to Prime? Start a free trial and get the book, and anything from the Detective's Tools below, delivered fast with free shipping once everything is on sale.
Hear it the moment it opens
Get word at launch
Join the mailing list and you will get word when Unmask the Spoiler goes live on Amazon. One email when you sign up to confirm you are on the list, and word whenever a new case opens. Nothing else: no spoilers, ever, and your address is never shared.
Check your spam or junk folder for the confirmation email. If it lands there, mark it as Not spam so the launch news reaches your inbox.
Inside the book
What you are solving
The board
Page after page of names, 42,377 in all. Every one of them starts as a suspect, and the clues decide which ones stay.
The 15 clues
Each clue strikes names from the board, but none of them solves the case alone. Cross-referenced, they leave exactly two names standing: one guilty, one framed.
The second hunt
The spoiler had an inside source. Nine more clues hide in the chapters everyone overlooked, among the names you already crossed off.
From the Admin's desk
Detective's Tools
Solving a board this size takes more than a sharp eye. These are the tools the Admin reaches for while working a case like this one: the markers for clearing names lightly, the pens and pencils for the notes that pile up along the way, and the tabs for flagging pages worth a second look. Her exact picks are pinned below, with a link for each. The FriXion picks are erasable, and they are labeled so you cannot miss them: on a board this size, being able to undo a mark is half the battle.
Tool 01
Highlighters
For crossing names off lightly, so every name you eliminate stays readable. You will need those names again: the second hunt hides in the ones everyone crossed off.
Admin's pickPILOT FriXion Erasable Gel Pens, Markers and Highlighters, Assorted, 17-PackErasableShop on Amazon
Sharpie S-Note Creative Highlighters, Toy Story 5 Packaging, Chisel Tip, Assorted, 24 CountShop on Amazon
Mr. Pen Highlighter Tape, 12 Rolls, 0.31 in. x 16.5 ft, MulticoloredShop on Amazon
Admin's pick8 Pieces Guided Reading Strips, Colored Highlight Strips, by YDAHOBVLShop on Amazon
Tool 02
Pens
For the notes that matter: theories that hold up, page numbers worth returning to, and the three names you file at the end, once the evidence is sure.
Admin's pickPILOT FriXion Clicker Gel Ink Pens 0.7mm, Assorted Colors, 15-PackErasableShop on Amazon
Pentel RSVP Ballpoint Pen, Fine Line (0.7mm), Black Ink (BK90-A), 12 CountShop on Amazon
Tool 03
Pencils
The working tool of the whole investigation. Light marks, easy changes of mind, and a board you can rework when a clue sends you back to check your strikes.
Paper Mate Clearpoint Mechanical Pencils, 0.5mm Break-Resistant HB #2 Lead, Eraser Refills, 2 CountShop on Amazon
Tool 04
Tabs and Page Markers
For flagging the pages you will come back to: the chapter that almost fits, the row that will not sit right, the name you are not ready to clear. Mark the page, not the name, and the trail stays easy to retrace.
Admin's pickSticky Tabs, 1000Pcs Transparent Pop Up Writable Colored Book Index Tab, by LinyumuxiangShop on Amazon
Post-it Tabs Value Pack, Assorted Primary Colors, 1 in. and 2 in. Sizes, 114 TabsShop on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Whatever you mark with, mark lightly. A crossed-off name may come in handy later.
File Under: Solutions
Submit your answer
Three names. Three page numbers. If you've worked the board thoroughly, you already know them. File them here and you'll find out right away if you're right, and if not, which clue eliminates your suspect.
House rules for detectives
Stuck on a name? The page spells out exactly how each tricky clue is meant to be read. And a standing rule of the club: never post answers where other detectives can see them. Don't stoop to SherlockSpoils221B's level.
From the Back of the Book
Clue clarifications & FAQs
Stuck on what a clue means? These notes explain how each clue is meant to be read. The examples below are made up. They are not hints about the puzzle itself, and they do not describe any real page, chapter, or name in the book.
Before you start crossing out
Clues 1, 8, 10, 12, 13, and 15 are not listed here. They mean exactly what they say.
Some clues narrow down the location of the suspect, and some clues clear suspects and remove them from the suspect pool. Chapters and pages that are eliminated from the suspect pool may still contain clues to where SherlockSpoils221B is hiding! Also, names that are eliminated by the name-specific clues are still used by other clues, where relevant.
Clue 2Within 3 pages of Sherlock
Sherlock appears on many pages. Count Sherlock's page as Page 0: the suspect is on that page or within three pages of it. For example, Sherlock on page 100 means pages 97–103. Ranges can overlap. Another Sherlock on page 102 extends the range to 97–105. A Sherlock hiding in an adjacent chapter still counts, even if that chapter has been eliminated.
Clue 3Fewer than 4 names on the page start with F
If there are 0, 1, 2, or 3, names that start with F on a page, that page remains in the suspect pool. If it is 4 or more, that page is eliminated.
Clue 4Between Enola's page and Watson's page
Names on Enola's and Watson's pages are eliminated, since those pages are not between.
Clue 5Exactly 3 famous detectives in the chapter
Only the names on the Famous Detectives list on page 201 count. Chapters with exactly 3 remain; any chapter with more or less is eliminated.
Clue 6The chapter title contains a homonym
A homonym is a word that is spelled and pronounced the same as another word but has a different, unrelated meaning. For example, bear is a homonym, since it can mean the animal or to carry something. Words whose meanings are just related senses of the same idea do not count. Words that are pronounced the same but spelled differently do not count, as those are homophones.
Clue 7Two identical names within 3 rows
There must be at least one pair of duplicate names within 3 rows of the suspect. The duplicates can be on the same row or different rows, and this crosses pages and chapters, even ones eliminated by another clue. Overlapping pairs extend the range.
Hint: An easy way to do this clue: find duplicate names. Count up and down three rows from each name in the pair (the row the name is on counts as Row 0), any rows where the count overlaps are a possible hiding spot for our culprit. If they do not overlap, then there is no place for the suspect to hide in that pair.
Count every name, including ones eliminated by other clues, and count duplicate names separately.
Clue 11More than half the letters are consonants
More than half the letters must be consonants. Exactly half is not enough. It is eliminated. For example, Brad has 3 consonants out of 4 letters, so it remains a suspect. Anna has 2 consonants out of 4 letters, which is exactly half, so it is eliminated.
Clue 14No letter appears more than once
If any letter appears twice or more, the name is eliminated. The repeats do not need to be next to each other. For example, Helen is eliminated, since E appears twice.
The Famous Detectives list (for Clue 5)
Only these six names count as famous detectives for clue 5. In each chapter, count how many of them appear. A detective never appears more than once in a chapter. If it is exactly three, the entire chapter remains in the suspect pool. A chapter with 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 is eliminated.
Nancy Drew is the teenage sleuth from the Nancy Drew books. Hercule Poirot is Agatha Christie's Belgian detective, famous for his "little grey cells." Jessica Fletcher is the mystery writer turned sleuth from Murder, She Wrote. Sam Spade is the private eye from The Maltese Falcon. Adrian Monk is the detective from the TV show Monk. And Columbo is the rumpled lieutenant from the TV show Columbo, known for "just one more thing."
Nancy
Hercule
Jessica
Sam
Adrian
Columbo
Second file, handle with care
The accomplice's clues
Once the fifteen clues leave two names standing, a second puzzle begins. Tucked into the book is a second file: nine more clues that lead to the accomplice, the inside source who fed SherlockSpoils221B the answers.
One hint: first, set aside every chapter whose title contains a homonym. The accomplice hides in the other chapters, the ones everyone else crossed off.
It's a mystery puzzle book. The story frames a giant logic puzzle: 42,377 names printed across the book, and 15 clues that, applied together, eliminate every name but two. There's no trivia and no wordplay knowledge required; everything you need is in the book, plus a pencil you're willing to wear down.
Do the clues give the answer away one at a time?
No, and that's deliberate. Every clue leaves plenty of names standing on its own. The solution only appears when the clues are cross-referenced against each other, page by page and name by name. If a clue seems to hand you the answer early, check it again; you've probably missed a name it doesn't clear.
What's the difference between the spoiler, the framed suspect, and the accomplice?
The spoiler is SherlockSpoils221B, the culprit. The framed suspect is the innocent friend the evidence was arranged to blame; the 15 clues end with both names still standing, and telling them apart is part of the solve. The accomplice is a third person entirely, the inside source who fed the spoiler the answers, found with the separate set of nine clues once the main board is worked.
Do eliminated names still matter?
Yes, twice over. First, the counting clues (like Clues 3 and 9) count every name on a page, eliminated or not, duplicates counted separately. Second… keep your eliminations tidy. A crossed-off name may come in handy later. That's all the Admin is saying.
How do I submit my answer, and what happens then?
Use the page: the spoiler, the framed suspect, and the accomplice, each with the page their name appears on, plus your email (optional). All three right, and you're congratulated and entered in the Hall of Fame. Anything wrong, and you'll be told what tripped you up. The correct answers are never revealed, only confirmed.
Can I submit more than once?
You can. Each wrong filing comes back with the first clue your suspect falls down on, so a near-miss is genuinely useful. Go back to the board, recheck that clue, and file again when the evidence holds up.
Is Y a vowel in this book?
No. For every clue in this book, the vowels are A, E, I, O, and U only. Y counts as a consonant, and a name ending in Y does not end with a vowel.
When can I buy the book?
Soon. It's in final preparation now and will be available on Amazon at launch. The page is where the Amazon link will go live on release day. Join the mailing list there, or on the About page, and you'll get one email when the case opens. No spoilers, no spam; the Admin guards the list like evidence.
I'm stuck. Where can I get help without spoiling it for others?
Start with the clarifications above. Most sticking points are a clue being read slightly differently than intended. Beyond that, write to the author at JIsabellRedstone@gmail.com, or join our online mystery puzzle community on Facebook. Please don't post names, pages, or answers publicly; detectives still working the case thank you.
Exhibit A: Scene of the Crime
Join the Mystery Puzzle Book Community
Every case has a place where it begins. This one began online, in a room full of readers trading theories, comparing notes, and swearing each other to secrecy. That room is still open, and there is a chair saved for you.
Where the mystery started
It happened among the members
The Mystery Puzzle Books Discussion group on Facebook is where mystery puzzle readers gather: to talk through the books they are working on, trade recommendations, and get a careful nudge when a clue refuses to give. It is a busy, friendly room, full of people who know exactly how it feels to narrow a long list of suspects down, name by name.
It is also, in the world of this book, the scene of the crime. That is where SherlockSpoils221B struck: solutions posted too early, an innocent friend framed, and a whole club of detectives left staring at the board wondering who could have done it. Unmask the Spoiler grew straight out of that room. The discussions, the spoiler-free help, the thrill of working a case alongside other readers: all of it became the corkboard, the clues, and the investigation in the book.
So joining the community is not just joining a group. It is stepping into the room where the mystery started, among the very readers the case was built for. And if you are one of them, look closely. Your own name might be in the book, among the suspects. Whether you have cracked the book, are halfway through with a pencil worn to a stub, or have not opened it yet, you will fit right in.
Come say hello. The evidence board is up, our highlighters and pencils are at the ready, and nobody will spoil a thing.
Inside the club room
What you will find there
Talk cases, not answers
Swap recommendations, share how far you have gotten, and compare notes on the mystery puzzle books you are working on, all without ruining the solutions for anyone else in the room.
A nudge when you are stuck
Stuck on a clue? Fellow members can point you in the right direction. Detailed help stays in private messages, so the public posts stay clean for detectives still working the case.
First word on new mysteries
Keep up with new mystery puzzle books, monthly picks, and what other readers are opening next. If a fresh case is worth your pencil, someone in the room has an opinion on it.
House rule, posted by the door
No spoilers. Ever.
The one rule that keeps the group safe for every detective in it: never post names, pages, or answers where others can see them. General talk is welcome in the open; specific help belongs in private messages. It is how the group protected every reader's solutions long before SherlockSpoils221B tested it, and it is how the community still works today.
The Door Is Open
Step into the club room
The group lives on Facebook, where the Mystery Puzzle Books Discussion community gathers. Ask to join, pull up a chair, and tell the room what case you are working on. Just remember the house rule before you post: no spoilers.
Headquarters. Every book starts as a board full of string.
Person of interest: cleared of all spoilers
About J. Isabell Redstone
J. Isabell Redstone is the pen name for a Midwest-based mystery puzzle creator. After the little ones are in bed, she builds puzzles that make you work for the answer. Inspired by the Mystery Puzzle Books Discussion group on Facebook, she created Unmask the Spoiler, her debut puzzle book.
She came to these books as a reader first, and fell hard for books like The Killer Isn't Alice and The Lottery Killer series. What she loved most was how long they kept her guessing. She wanted to make that same kind of hunt herself, a puzzle that holds on to its secret until you have done the work to earn it, where no single clue hands you the ending on its own.
That is the kind of case she tries to build each time. You do not just follow a detective through it. You get handed the file yourself: a board crowded with suspects, patterns tucked into the pages, and clues that only start to mean something when you lay them alongside each other. You compare, you cross names off, you go back and check your work again, and piece by piece a very long list gets very short. It is slow in the best way, and that quiet moment when one more detail clicks into place is the whole point.
Her books are for anyone who knows that feeling and wants more of it: mystery readers, puzzle lovers, and armchair detectives who would rather narrow 42,377 names down to the last few standing themselves than be told who did it. If you like your solutions earned, she is building these for you.
More cases are in the works. The mailing list will hear about the next case first.
One email when you sign up to confirm you're on the list, and word whenever a new case opens. Nothing else: no drip campaigns, no spoilers, and your address is never pinned to anyone else's board.
Check your spam or junk folder for the confirmation email. If it lands there, mark it as Not spam so future case updates reach your inbox and you don't miss anything. Questions? Write to JIsabellRedstone@gmail.com.
Leaving the list?
No hard feelings, detective. Enter the address you signed up with and it will be taken off the mailing list, no questions asked.
Playtesters Only - Sealed by Order of the Admin
The sealed training file
Inside this sealed file is the Admin's practice board: a training case built from names borrowed from the real board and shuffled into new places, so invited detectives can learn to work the clues without ever touching the real board. Work it to the end and it gives up two names: the group member who reported the spoiler's post to the Admin, and the witness who saw the post too and backed up that report.
Sealed by order of the Admin
This file is sealed
Enter the case code the Admin gave you and the seal breaks. Inside is the practice board: three training chapters, 18 pages and 3,748 names in all. The real board is not in this file. There are two names to find here. Work the main clues and one name is left standing: the member who flagged the spoiler's post for the Admin. Work the witness clues and one more name is left standing: the witness who saw the post too and backed up that report. Both names are this sample's answers, and this sample's answers only.
The chapter titles are invented: Chapter 1, “The Quiet Attic”, Chapter 2, “The Brass Key”, and Chapter 3, “The Golden Fan”. The case inside the case: someone in the group spotted the spoiler's post and reported it to the Admin before it could spread, and a second member who saw the post too came forward to confirm that report. Work the board the way you would work the book: read a clue from the list, work out for yourself which names it eliminates, and tap each of those names to cross it off by hand. Tap a crossed name again to restore it if you change your mind.
Work the main clues and one name is left standing: the member who reported the spoiler's post. Everything in this sample is unique: names appearing here do not reflect their innocence or guilt in the main book. Then switch to the witness clues, and one more name is left standing. They are two separate hunts on the same board. Work the main clues on their own to find the first name, then start fresh with the witness clues to find the second. Don't combine the two sets. When you have found them both, file your reports at the bottom of this page and the Admin will tell you whether they hold up. What the Admin also needs from you is how the clues feel to work: what reads clearly, what trips you up, and where the board fights back.
Your marks: every mark on the board was placed by your own hand, in the style and color you picked. Tap a marked name again to remove it
Briefing for playtesters
The practice board: how it works
This is the Admin's practice board: a training file in the shape of Unmask the Spoiler, built so you can learn the ropes without touching the real board.
Your marks, your chosen mark style and color, and which clues you have showing save in this browser only, on this device. Close the tab and they will be here when you come back. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Names still standing: ...
File your report with the Admin
Worked the board down to one name? Type the name your board leaves standing: the member who reported the spoiler's post. The check happens right here on this page, against this practice board only. And remember: the name this board leaves standing is the sample's answer. It is not the book's solution.
File your witness report with the Admin
Worked the witness clues down to one name? Type the name those clues leave standing: the witness who saw the spoiler's post and backed up the report to the Admin. The check happens right here on this page, against this practice board only. And remember: the name those clues leave standing is this sample's witness, and this sample's witness only.
Your notes on the board
Worked the board? Tell the Admin how it felt. What read clearly, what tripped you up, and where the board fought back. Your notes go straight to the Admin, and nothing you write here is shared anywhere else.
