Case file OM-001
Dead Light at Skerrow Point
Dead Light at Skerrow Point
Northumberland, 1986. A lighthouse, a radio contest, and a verdict nobody questioned.
Roland Tennant was found dead at the foot of the lamp-room ladder at Skerrow Point Lighthouse. The coroner called it an accident. Forty years on, a letter the police never saw has turned up, and the Historic Case Review Unit wants you to read the whole file again.
A classic, cosy cold case for 2–6 players, in two envelopes of printed evidence. Check your answers on our website as you go, and name the killer to read DCI Castell’s conclusions.
- players
- 2–6
- to solve
- 2–3h
- ages
- 14+
- difficulty
- Medium
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- Everything to play is in the box. Bring a phone for the case page.
- No app, no account, no subscription
- Missing an item? We’ll post a replacement
What’s in the box
What’s in the box
Envelope 1 (Part 1)
- The Start Here letter from DCI Castell, her memo and the archivist’s note
- Evidence items 01–16: the coroner’s verdict, police reports and photographs, witness statements, radio logs and more
- A Morse code card
Envelope 2 (Part 2)
- A new memo from the review team
- Evidence items 17–34
Online
- The case page: answer checks for each part and DCI Castell’s conclusions
- The hints page: three hints for every question, one at a time
How to play
How to play
Open Envelope 1 and read the Start Here letter. When you think you’ve solved Part 1, check your answers on the case page: it will tell you when to open Envelope 2. Solve Part 2 and the case page unlocks the solution.
You’ll need: a table, a pen and some paper for notes, and a phone, tablet or computer for the case page. No app, no account.
Delivery & returns
Delivery & returns
[YOUR DELIVERY AND RETURNS POLICY]
Content note
Content note
This case concerns a violent death. There is no graphic material. Suitable for ages 14 and over. Every person, place, organisation and callsign in it is invented.
What you’ll need on the night
- A big tableTo spread out 34 items
- A pen and paperFor timelines and theories
- One phoneTo check answers on the case page
Inside the box
Two envelopes and a case page.
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Envelope 1
Part 1 · Open first
The Start Here letter, DCI Castell’s memo and the archivist’s note; evidence items 01–16; a Morse code card.
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Envelope 2
Part 2 · Open when told
A new memo from the review team and evidence items 17–34.
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Case page
Online · obscuramysteries.com
Check your answers as you go, take hints one at a time, and read DCI Castell’s conclusions once you’ve named the killer.
- No app or account needed
- Play at your own pace
- Every person, place and callsign is invented
Your brief
Paper doesn’t forget.
Inside the box is the file as the police left it in 1986, along with the papers that reached the county archive this summer: logbooks, statements, photographs and plans, every item numbered.
Somewhere in them is the mistake that gives the killer away. You won’t find it in one document. You’ll find it where two of them disagree.
Case Review Unit · OM-001/A
Dear colleague,
Thank you for agreeing to look at this one.
I want the documents to tell us. Forty years is a long time, but paper doesn’t forget.
Take your time. Make tea. Argue with each other. It’s the arguing that solves these things.
W. Castell
Detective Chief Inspector Winifred Castell
Do we need to be online?
Only to check your answers. The evidence is all on paper; the case page on our website checks your answers, gives hints and reveals the solution. Any phone, tablet or computer will do, and there’s no app or account.
Do we need to know Morse code or anything about radio?
No. A Morse card is in the box, and everything else you need is explained in the papers.
Can we play over more than one evening?
Yes. Pack it away between Part 1 and Part 2. The case page remembers that you’ve solved Part 1 on the same device.
Is it gory?
No. The case concerns a violent death, but there’s no graphic material. It’s suitable for ages 14 and over.
Something’s missing from our box
Get in touch and we’ll post a replacement. [CONTACT EMAIL]