The Missing Stapler is a free daily logic puzzle about truth and lies. Something is missing from the office, and one of a few coworkers took it. Each of them says one sentence, such as “It wasn’t me” or “It was Ben.” A yellow note tells you how many of them are telling the truth, or how many are lying. Only one person fits the note. Find that person and accuse them. Monday has three people in a case. Friday has five, and some of them talk about who else is lying.
No sign-up and nothing to install. It runs in your browser on a computer or a phone, and your progress is saved on your device.
- Three cases a day. Each case is a new group of people and a new missing thing.
- The note is always right. It says, for example, “Exactly one of them is lying.”
- Mark as you think. Tap a sentence to mark it true or false. The marks are your own notes.
- Accuse with care. A wrong accusation costs 20 seconds.
How to play The Missing Stapler
- Read the yellow note. It tells you how many people tell the truth or how many lie.
- Pick one person and suppose they took it. Count how many sentences would then be true.
- If the count does not match the note, that person did not take it. Try the next one.
- Tap the face of the person who fits, then press Accuse.
What you see
| Part | What it means |
|---|---|
| Dark bar | What is missing, and which case of the day this is. |
| Yellow note | How many people tell the truth, or how many lie. It is always right. |
| Face | A person. Tap it to choose who you want to accuse. |
| Speech bubble | What that person says. Tap it to mark it as true or as a lie. |
| Crossed-out face | A person you accused wrongly, or one the hint cleared. |
| Orange button | Accuses the chosen person. |
Tips for truth and lie puzzles
- Test one person at a time. Suppose Ana took it, then check every sentence. It is slow but it always works.
- Look for two sentences that clash. “It was Ben” and “It wasn’t Ben” cannot both be true or both be false. One liar or one honest person is hiding in that pair.
- Two people who say the same thing stand or fall together. If the note allows only one liar, neither of them is lying.
- “It wasn’t me” is true for almost everyone. Only the person who took it lies with that sentence.
- Read “is lying” as a flip. “Ben is lying” is true exactly when Ben’s sentence is false.
How the week gets harder
| Day | People in a case | Sentences | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 3 | Simple: “It wasn’t me”, “It was Ben” | One liar, or one honest person |
| Tuesday | 4 | Adds “It was Ben or Cora” | One liar, or one honest person |
| Wednesday | 4 | One person talks about another: “Ben is lying” | One liar, or one or two honest people |
| Thursday | 5 | One or two people talk about another | One liar, or one or two honest people |
| Friday | 5 | Two people talk about another | Also two liars |
Saturday plays like a Wednesday and Sunday like a Tuesday.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Missing Stapler free?
Yes. There is no account, no download and no paywall.
Is there always exactly one answer?
Yes. A program tests every person in every case. Exactly one person makes the note come true.
Did only one person take it?
Yes. In every case, exactly one of the people shown took the missing thing.
What happens when I accuse the wrong person?
The game tells you why it cannot be that person, crosses them out and adds 20 seconds to your time. Then you go on.
What does the hint do?
It clears one person who did not take it and explains why: how many sentences would be true if they had.
Does the person who took it always lie?
No. The note decides how many people lie, and the person who took it can be among the honest ones. For example, “It wasn’t Ben” is true when the speaker took it.
When does the new set of cases appear?
At midnight in your local time.
Can I play earlier days?
Yes. Open the calendar button at the top of the game and pick any day from the past eight weeks.
More to play on WiseChecker
- Browser Games: every WiseChecker game in one place.
- Clean Desk: remember the desk and find what is gone.
- No Blind Spots: place cameras so that no square is a blind spot.
- Cell Value: find the number behind every letter.
- File Pairs: turn over two cards and find the pairs.