How to read clues and question suspects.

Reading clues

Clues arrive over seven nights, two or three at a time, as you walk. (If you are new to Lore, start with how Lore works, night by night.) Once you collect a clue, it stays in your case file and you can reread it at any time.

Read every clue twice

The first time, read for what happened. The second time, read for details: times, places, names, objects, and who could have known what. Small details are often what connect one clue to another.

Ask who each clue points to

When you open a clue, Lore asks who it points to. Pick a suspect. It is a quick way to keep your thinking organised, and it lets you present that clue straight to that suspect. You can change your mind later as more clues come in.

Keep a simple timeline

Many cases turn on who was where, and when. Jot down a rough timeline in your phone’s notes as clues come in. When two clues disagree about a time or a place, that is worth a closer look.

Look for motive, means and opportunity

For each suspect, ask three questions. Did they have a reason? Did they have a way to do it? Were they in a position to do it at the time? A suspect who fits all three deserves more attention than one who fits only one.

Spotting dead ends

Not every clue leads to the killer. Some point to other suspects on purpose, and some only look important. A few habits help:

• Don’t decide on night 2. Early clues are incomplete by design. Keep two or three suspects in mind until later in the week.
• Check clues against each other. A clue that nothing else supports is weaker than one that fits with several others.
• Notice what’s too neat. A clue that seems to settle the whole case on its own deserves a second read.
• Let later clues revise earlier ones. New information can change what an old clue means.

How much help the game gives you here depends on your challenge level. On gentler levels the game offers more help with dead ends. On harder levels you are on your own.

Questioning suspects

You can question any suspect at any point during the week. Hold the mic and ask out loud, or type. The suspects are played by AI and answer in character, so you can ask whatever you like. Free players get five questions per suspect for each case, and Bureau members get more. That limit is the main reason to plan your questions.

Collect before you ask

Suspects only react to evidence you have actually collected. If you use all your questions on night 1, you will have nothing to test their answers against later. A good rhythm is one or two questions per suspect early on, and the rest once you have more clues.

Ask one thing at a time

Short, specific questions get clearer answers. “Where were you that evening?” works better than a long question with three parts. If an answer is vague, follow up on the vague part.

Ask open questions first

Start with questions that let the suspect talk: what they saw, who they spoke to, what they think happened. Then narrow down to details. Let them commit to a story before you test it.

Compare stories

Ask different suspects about the same moment. If two people describe the same event differently, at least one of them is wrong or not telling you everything.

Presenting evidence

You can put a clue in front of a suspect as part of a question. This is the strongest tool you have. If what they say doesn’t fit the clue, the game may flag it, depending on your challenge level.

• Present clues that test a claim. The best moment is right after a suspect has told you something a clue contradicts.
• Pick your strongest clue. One clear piece of evidence is worth more than several weak ones.
• Present to more than one suspect. How different people react to the same clue can tell you a lot.

Collect first. Ask second. Accuse last.

When you’re stuck

If the case stops making sense, ask the Chief. The Chief gives you a nudge in the right direction based on the clues you have collected, but never names the killer. On the gentler challenge levels you get one or two nudges per case, and Bureau members get two more at any level. Save them for when you are really stuck, usually later in the week.

Walking helps too. A new clue often settles a question you have been going round in circles on. The steps are the point of Lore, and they are also how you get more evidence.

Making the accusation

Accusations open on night 7. You get one per case and it can’t be undone. Before you file it:

• Collect the final clue of night 7 first.
• Reread your case file from the start.
• Check that your suspect had a motive, a means and the opportunity.
• Make sure you can explain away the clues that point to someone else.

Right or wrong, the verdict explains what happened, and a new case opens on Monday. You can see what’s open now on this week’s case, and compare your week with friends in leagues.

Frequently asked