
- BGG rank
- BGG #497
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Unmatched Adventures: Tales to Amaze
- 1–4 players
- 20–60 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2023

2025
Rules assistance for Sherlock: The Game Is Afoot
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Sherlock: The Game Is Afoot is a board game released in 2025 for 2–5 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Jason Hager and Darren Reckner and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Point to Point Movement, and Once-Per-Game Abilities.
A crime most heinous has been committed in foggy London. The greatest minds in the city race to identify the criminal. The first to solve the case will earn eternal notoriety as London’s greatest deductive genius. The game is afoot! Sherlock: The Game is Afoot is a quick-paced game of competitive deduction. Step into the role of one of many beloved characters from the Sherlock Holmes novels as you race across London, questioning your opponents and exploring leads that crop up around the city. Keep careful track of the clues you gain in your notepad, because only the quickest detective to suss out the missing culprit card will win. —description from the publisher
Sherlock: The Game Is Afoot supports 2–5 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: The Game Is Afoot is 45 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: The Game Is Afoot for ages 14 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: The Game Is Afoot has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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: The Game Is Afoot belongs to these categories: Deduction, Murder / Mystery, and Novel-based. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Point to Point Movement, and Once-Per-Game Abilities. 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: The Game Is Afoot are: Jason Hager and Darren Reckner. 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: The Game Is Afoot 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.