LAWGAMES

GUILTY or NOT?

The daily true-crime puzzle. One real criminal case a day. You're the judge.

Play today's caseBrowse the case library

How it plays

  1. Read the brief. The facts as the court had them. No names, no hint of the outcome.
  2. Weigh both sides. The prosecution's argument against the defence's, point for point.
  3. Render your verdict. Guilty, or not guilty. Commit — the timer stops when you do.
  4. See what the court decided. The real ruling, the court's reasoning, the citation, and how the rest of the day's players voted.

Why it's harder than it looks

The question is never "did they do it?" It's "did the prosecution prove it?" A case where the defendant almost certainly did the thing can still end in an acquittal because of how the evidence was gathered, what the statute actually requires, or what the state could and couldn't show. Every day's case turns on one of those hinges, and finding it is the puzzle.

Streaks and ranks

Correct verdicts score points; harder cases score more; consecutive days multiply. Points promote you through the judiciary from Rookie Judge to Chief Justice, and the day's leaderboard shows where you landed against everyone else.

Free and paid

Today's case is free, every day, no account. The Play Pass ($2.99 a month or $19.99 a year) opens the full archive so you can replay every case that has aired.

Questions

How long does a case take?
Most people finish in two to four minutes. Hard cases can take longer if you read both sides carefully — which is the point.
Are the cases real?
Every one. Each case is a reported court decision. The name and citation appear on the reveal screen with a link to the source.
What are the judge ranks?
Every correct verdict scores points, harder cases score more, and streaks multiply. Points promote you from Rookie Judge up to Chief Justice.
Can I replay old cases?
Yes. The last 14 days are always free in the archive; the full archive is part of the Play Pass. Until 31 October 2026 the whole archive is open to everyone.
Is there a Canadian version?
Yes — GUILTY or NOT? CDN version is hosted by Every Defence LLP at everydefence.ca/guilty-or-not/. It's free and uses Canadian criminal cases.

Also in the family: Sober As A Judge and Bet! GUILTY or NOT?