- BGG rating
- 8.2
Watson & Holmes: A Damsel in Distress
- 2–7 players
- 45–75 min
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,607
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Watson & Holmes
2015
Rules assistance for Watson & Holmes
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–7 players
- 45–75 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.2/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Watson & Holmes
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Watson & Holmes is a board game released in 2015 for 2–7 players, 45–75 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Jesús Torres Castro and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Player Elimination, and Auction / Bidding.
Expansions
Watson & Holmes: La aventura de El coleccionista de juegos
- 2–7 players
- 2016
Watson & Holmes: La aventura del montón de periódicos
- 2–7 players
- 2026
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #242
- BGG rating
- 7.5
A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition)
- 3–6 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #790
- BGG rating
- 7.2
A Game of Thrones
- 3–5 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2003
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,737
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Room 25
- 1–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,523
- BGG rating
- 6.2
10' to Kill
- 2–4 players
- 10–15 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #163
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Iberia
- 2–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2016
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Ultimate Werewolf: Deluxe Edition
- 5–75 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,347
- BGG rating
- 8.1
Horror on the Orient Express: The Board Game
- 1–4 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.9/5
- 2026
- BGG rank
- BGG #567
- BGG rating
- 7.5
The Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2005
- BGG rank
- BGG #817
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2002
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,648
- BGG rating
- 8.2
Railways of the Lost Atlas
- 1–5 players
- 60–300 min
- Complexity 3.9/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,934
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Magic Realm
- 1–16 players
- 60–240 min
- Complexity 4.6/5
- 1979
- BGG rank
- BGG #4
- BGG rating
- 8.5
Gloomhaven
- 1–4 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.9/5
- 2017
About the game
Watson & Holmes is a game of deduction set within the magnificent works of Arthur Conan Doyle. Two to seven aspiring detectives step into the shoes of Doctor Watson, working alongside the detective Sherlock Holmes to try to solve a series of so far unpublished cases directly extracted from Doctor John H. Watson's diaries. Those who accept the challenge relive the adventures of the crime-solving duo, visiting each of the locations where the inquiries were made. Following the trail, each clue brings players closer to solving the case. The objective of the game is to immerse yourself in the Victorian world depicted in each story. Visit the right places, decipher the clues, and above all find the path that leads you to solve the mystery before anybody else. Victory goes to the player who accurately uses the deductive reasoning so famously and ingeniously implemented by the hero of 221B Baker Street. The game consists of a series of separate cases, each of which raises a number of questions that each player tries to solve before anyone else. To do this, once the case and the questions have been read aloud, players proceed to visit the locations where the clues are located. Each location cannot be accessed by more than one player at any one time, so if two or more players want to go to the same place, the player who travels there the fastest (i.e., he who uses the largest number of Carriage Tokens) gets the clue, forcing the others to go to a different location. Once every player has a destination, they proceed to read in secret the clue that was discovered at that location. They can discreetly take any notes they deem appropriate. Once this is done, the cards are returned to their place so that others can read them in later turns. This procedure is repeated during each turn until one player believes he has found the solutions to the case; at that time, he must go to 221B Baker Street to check if his answers are correct. If all the answers are correct, the player wins; if they are wrong, he will have lost and retires from the game, and the game continues. Each detective will also have the invaluable assistance of a number of Sherlock Holmes' allies, above all, the good Dr Watson and of course of the detective himself.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- asmodee
- Hobby Japan
- Asterion Press
- Space Cowboys
- MYBG Co., Ltd.
- Summon Games
- Ludonova
Questions and answers
Watson & Holmes supports 2–7 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 Watson & Holmes is 45–75 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 Watson & Holmes for ages 12 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.
Watson & Holmes has a complexity rating of 2.2 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.
Watson & Holmes belongs to these categories: Deduction, Murder / Mystery, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Player Elimination, and Auction / Bidding. 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 Watson & Holmes are: Jesús Torres Castro. 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 Watson & Holmes 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.