- BGG rank
- BGG #8,184
- BGG rating
- 6.1
The Secret of Monte Cristo
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #18,795
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Sherlock
2011
Rules assistance for Sherlock
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–5 players
- 15 min
- 5+
- Complexity 1.0/5
Rules assistant for Sherlock
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Sherlock is a board game released in 2011 for 1–5 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 5 and up. It was designed by Arnaud Urbon and its main mechanics are Memory and Cooperative Game.
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About the game
Sherlock is a cooperative memory game in which players try to unmask the culprit by collecting cards that exonerate the remaining suspects. To set up the game, thirty cards are shuffled and placed face-down in a 6x5 grid. Each card shows one of six witnesses on its back and a witness viewing one of the five suspects on its front. On a turn, the active player reveals two cards in the grid. If they match, the player then turns over a third card. If all three cards show show the same suspect, the cards are collected and placed face-up next to the grid. In all other cases, that player turns the cards face-down once again, then flips over one of the ten timing cards, each showing Sherlock's nemesis Moriarty. If all ten Moriarty cards are flipped, then the players lose the game. If, however, the players remove cards from the grid until only three remain, they have successfully identified the culprit – that is, the suspect who remains – and can claim victory. A competitive variant is included in the rules which have players competing to collect witness cards. An additional variant rewards points to the player who holds (or doesn't hold) the suspect eventually identified as the culprit. The Sherlock box also includes eight bonus cards, a new dinosaur and action cards for a fifth player for Ilopeli's Jurassik.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Ilopeli
Questions and answers
Sherlock supports 1–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Sherlock is 15 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Sherlock for ages 5 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Sherlock has a complexity rating of 1.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Sherlock belongs to these categories: Children's Game, Murder / Mystery, and Memory. Its main mechanics are Memory and Cooperative Game. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Sherlock are: Arnaud Urbon. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Sherlock as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.