DoubleDog Press FAQ

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Frequently Asked Questions
about

Anyone's Guess Mystery Kits

1. What do you mean by "mystery kit"?

Included in the box:

Mytery Planner with all of the instructions

Graphics to be used as evidence in the mystery (including tips for making the evidence more real than the original black and white of the master copies)

Detectives Guide or Notebook for your “detectives.”

Items for promoting your mystery event and yellow “crime scene” tape.

Check out the sampler page.

NOTE: "Heavy Metal Kidnapping" is a different format and has it's own
page HERE

2. Can I order this kit directly from you for a private party?

I'm sorry, but no. I'm no longer providing the kits. Check with

Highsmith/Upstart to purchase a kit. If you cannot get the kit you want from Highsmith, please email Janet Dickey.

You should also know that this is not an out-of-the-box game. It takes preparation and guidance.

I hope to one day develop specific party kits.

3. Are props included?

No, but a list of desired props is in the Mystery Planner. Props could just be described ("Next to the

body was a three-foot length of rope"), but using them adds to the realism.

4. What are "evidence scenes"?

These are places decorated to resemble the scenes described in the mystery. Investigators

can visit these scenes to discover clues (both genuine and "red herrings") to help solve the

mystery. Directions for creating the scenes are included in the kit.

5. How can I use the kit without creating evidence scenes?

Seat your players (detectives) around a table. When it's time to "visit" the first scene, describe it (using "Creating the Scenes") and pass around props and evidence from that scene. You or one of the players then describes each prop or clue to the rest of the group.

6. Why should we enhance the evidence? How do we do it?

The evidence in the kit is all basic black-on-white. It can be used as is, and will provide both useful clues and "red herrings" for your players. However, if you would like to make the clues more varied and more "realistic," suggestions are made for how to do this. For example, if there is a "love note," you could photocopy it onto passionate purple stationery. Or, you or a helper could hand-copy the words in the note with a white gel pen onto dark stationery. This not only adds to the realism, but provides your assistants a way to add their own flair to the clues.
(Warning: do not use the same handwriting for different suspects' notes. Your players will likely pick up on this and be mislead.)

7. What's the basic procedure for the evening?

Player are given some basic rules, such as sharing all evidence found. They learn about the suspects and then explore the first evidence scene.
Next they learn about the suspects' statements to the police and visit the second evidence scene and then the third. (Anyone’s Guess Jr. kits have only two scenes to visit.) Provided "Newscasts" help to move players through the various scenes.
At this time everything has been shared and it's time for the players (individually or in teams) to try to solve the crime. They turn in their answer sheets and can have refreshments while the winner(s) are decided.

8. Can I do this by myself?

Yes. It can be complicated, but take it step-by-step and everything should go well. When it's time to learn about the suspects, ask your players to volunteer to read the suspect introductions, which are only one paragraph each. Ask for players to volunteer to read the suspects' statements to the police when it's time to share those. Usually at least of few of your players are good readers and may even be willing to ham it up a little.

9. I have a student volunteer group. How can they be involved?

Your volunteers can help to enhance some of the evidence. They can loan props, create scenery, and set up the evidence scenes. They can take the brief parts of the suspects and that of the Newscaster. One may even lead the mystery; call her the Chief Detective. Kids have even beefed up the suspect parts and been available for the players to interview. They can help to serve dinner or refreshments and one or two can help determine the winners. We can hope they will also stick around to dismantle everything and clean up!

10. I'd like to do a mystery program, but I'm worried about protests against "promoting violence in the library." How do I handle this?

First, emphasize that the crime has already happened at the time the mystery begins, so the violence is implied, not graphically presented.
Second, the focus is on solving the crime. It is a way for kids to test their investigative skills.
Third, the villain is always brought to justice at the conclusion of the mystery.
Some of the Anyone's Guess mysteries involve a murder. The others and the Junior myteries have another crime as the target of the investigation. The Anyone's Guess and Anyone's Guess Jr. pages have descriptions of each mystery.

11. I have questions. Can I phone you?

Contact by e-mail is preferred. I generally check for messages at least once a day. If you really need a phone number, please e-mail and ask.

email Janet Dickey:
jdickey47@gmail.com

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Last Update 4/26/2011