More about
Mini-Mysteries!

Mini-mysteries, to recap the basic definition, are also commonly known as “minute mysteries” or “mystery puzzles.” They are short mystery narratives that end with a question challenging the reader to solve the mystery. The solution is given separately.

Naturally, to be fair, vital clues to the mystery are included in the narrative. These clues (often a single Vital Clue), when spotted and combined with the common knowledge of the reader, are usually enough to enable the reader to figure out the solution.

Some mini-mysteries rely instead for their solution on internal clues AND some bit of fairly specialized or esoteric knowledge that the ordinary reader might not possess. While some readers might consider them unfair, these puzzles can be as entertaining as the common-knowledge type. Part of the fun of mystery puzzles is never being sure which type it is!

Most of my Thomas P. Stanwick stories, though not all, require only common knowledge. Some mini-mystery authors, such as Donald Sobol (of Encyclopedia Brown fame) and Ken Weber rely more heavily on specialized knowledge.

Although the brevity of mini-mysteries prevents any lengthy development of plot, it does allow action, dialogue, suspects, alibis, red herrings, and the customary interplay of possible means, motives, and opportunities. When the same characters are used over a series, it even allows character development.

Most mini-mysteries involve crimes, but now and then one will be based on an innocent but puzzling situation.

Mini-mysteries can combine the elements of the traditional whodunit (crime, suspects, physical clues, statements, alibis) with the elements of conventional logic-based puzzles (true/false statements, matching variables, syllogism strings, time sequences, even a little math). I mix these together in my stories, sometimes together and sometimes not. This too is part of the challenge and part of the fun!