THE PLAYING GUIDE

Download, extract, and start your case

Each main game includes a Digital Edition ZIP and a Print Edition PDF. The Second Carbon and the First Collection also include a separate bonus ZIP and PDF, making four files for either eligible purchase. Download your files from Etsy.com after payment clears. Etsy’s app does not provide digital downloads; use a browser instead.

Desktop or laptop · recommended

1. Sign in at Etsy.com, open Your account → Purchases, and choose Download Files beside the order. Guest buyers can use the link in the receipt email.
2. Save the ZIP and PDF. Double-click the ZIP or right-click and choose Extract. Open the extracted folder, then open OPEN-THE-GAME.html in a browser.
3. Use the PDF if you prefer paper. Its first page names the investigation-only range: 14 pages for The Second Carbon; 12 each for The Bellweather Seat, The Orchard Lot and The Last Parcel. The First Collection uses 38 investigation pages across its three cases. Use the page numbers in your own PDF guide: bundle and individual editions have different ranges. Hints and answers are separate.

iPhone or iPad

1. Open Etsy.com in Safari, sign in, then use Purchases → Download Files. Do not use the Etsy app for the download.
2. Save the files to Files. Tap the ZIP to create an extracted folder, then open that folder.
3. For the smoothest game experience, move the extracted folder to a desktop or laptop and open OPEN-THE-GAME.html there. On a phone, use the included PDF for reading or printing; local HTML file behavior varies by device and browser.

Android phone or tablet

1. Open Etsy.com in Chrome, sign in, then use Purchases → Download Files.
2. In Files by Google, find the ZIP and tap Extract. Keep the extracted files together.
3. For reliable offline browser play, move that folder to a desktop or laptop. The PDF can be opened on your phone.

If the download button is gray, Etsy may still be processing the payment. If a file will not open, download it again, extract the ZIP completely, and message the shop if the problem remains.

How the game works

Read the evidence, compare each account with the records, and write down the details behind your deductions. Open hints one at a time. The digital answers remain closed until requested. There is no timer, and nobody needs to host.

Save your notes before you stop

Main-game notes stay in the open tab. Use Save my notes to export a text file before closing or refreshing the game. Keep that file with your case so you can return to your deductions.

One case, one solution

The digital and print editions contain the same case and fixed solution. Once you know the ending, it will be familiar on replay. The First Collection contains the same Carbon, Bellweather and Orchard cases sold individually; The Last Parcel is separate.

Opening The Missing Manifest bonus

The Second Carbon and the First Collection include four files: their main Digital ZIP and Print PDF, plus BONUS-The-Missing-Manifest-Digital.zip and BONUS-The-Missing-Manifest-Print.pdf. The same bonus is included in both purchases.

Extract the bonus ZIP and open OPEN-THE-BONUS.html in a full desktop browser. The scene, notes, hints and ending are embedded. Zoom in for small details; an optional reading alternative opens the notes without the visual search.

For print play, use A4 or US Letter in landscape orientation. Print bonus PDF pages 1-3 for the brief, scene and records. Pages 4-7 enlarge the same scene; pages 8-10 contain hints and answers. These ranges apply only to the separate bonus PDF. The illustrated scene uses more ink than the main case documents.