Gameplay

Character actions, the witness call, visibility, and the end of each round.

Activate characters

Each round uses four characters. In odd rounds, the Detective chooses first, Jack chooses two of the remaining three, and the Detective uses the last. In even rounds, Jack chooses first, the Detective chooses two of the remaining three, and Jack takes the last. The official book does not expressly settle whether the second player must declare both choices before resolving the first; see the community timing clarification. Resolve each character’s movement and/or ability at the timing shown on its card; when using ordinary movement, a character must leave its starting hex. Sir William Gull may use his swap ability instead of moving. Movement cannot end on another character, except when the Detective moves onto Jack to accuse. [Extension] keeps this round structure but changes the character pool and starting-position setup (Extension).

Call for witnesses

After four activations, Jack states whether his disguised character is visible. A character is visible if it occupies a lit street hex or is next to another character. A hex is lit by a gaslight or Watson’s lantern; obstacles stop Watson’s beam. If Jack is visible, the Detective clears all invisible characters. If Jack is invisible, the Detective clears all visible characters. Flip cleared tokens to their innocent sides without moving them.

Close a gaslight

At the end of rounds one through four, remove the gaslight bearing that round’s number. The remaining rounds do not turn off additional numbered lights. Then advance the round counter; reshuffle the character deck after even rounds.

Movement and special spaces

Characters can pass through occupied spaces but cannot stop there. Buildings block ordinary movement; Miss Stealthy may cross them but must finish on a street hex. Open manholes connect for one movement point, while a covered manhole blocks sewer travel. A police cordon blocks its exit. Only Jack’s disguised character may leave through an unblocked exit, and only while the Witness card is Invisible (Escape).

Alibi cards

Jack secretly draws and looks at one alibi card to decide which character he impersonates. Sherlock Holmes also draws from this deck and looks at the card privately. Only the player activating Holmes sees that draw. If the Detective draws, the named character is cleared; if Jack draws, that alibi is withheld from the Detective.

Character abilities

The card symbols give movement range and when the ability applies. Sherlock Holmes draws an alibi card after moving. Watson chooses a facing and lights the unobstructed street hexes in front of him, but not his own hex. John Smith relocates a lit gaslight; Lestrade shifts one cordon; Miss Stealthy can cross obstacles. Goodley spends three movement points to move one or more other characters closer to him over the surface. Gull may trade places with any character instead of moving. Jeremy Bert moves a manhole cover to a different manhole.