Unsolved Trails is a self-guided murder mystery walking tour experience that turns a real-world city into the backdrop of a thrilling crime story. It’s part sightseeing adventure, part cold-case investigation – as you explore famous landmarks and hidden streets, you’ll be following clues and unraveling a mystery narrative. In short, Unsolved Trails lets you step into the detective’s shoes and discover a city in a whole new way while you work to crack a case.

Each Unsolved Trails adventure comes with a trail guide (see below for contents) that leads you through a series of locations in your chosen city. You’ll start at a specified point (detailed in your guide) and follow the route at your own pace, uncovering clues and solving puzzles at each stop. There’s no need for a tour guide or reservation – no booking is required; simply head to the starting location whenever you’re ready. As you progress, the story unfolds through the clues and evidence you find, and you’ll piece together information to solve a fictional crime by the end of the trail. Most trails take about 2–3 hours to complete, covering roughly 3–4 km of walking distance (though you can pause for breaks whenever you like). It’s a flexible, immersive experience: you control the timing and can stop to enjoy sights or refreshments along the way. (Tip: Daylight hours are recommended for easier clue-spotting – if you venture out at night, bring a flashlight!)

When you purchase Unsolved Trails, you receive a complete detective kit containing everything needed for your adventure. In the digital version, this is a printable PDF file, and in the physical version, it’s a nicely packaged booklet shipped to you. Each trail guide (around 40+ pages) includes:

• Maps & Route Directions: A city map and step-by-step directions guiding you to each location on the mystery tour.
  
• Mystery Narrative & Clues: A fully developed story with puzzles at each stop – from coded messages and hidden objects to riddles and evidence you’ll examine. The narrative and local historical facts are woven together, so you learn about real landmarks while following a fictional case.
  
• Instructions & Materials: All the instructions on how to play are included in the guide, plus any clue materials, suspect profiles, or diagrams needed to crack the case. Everything is self-contained – no other props or apps are required.
  
• Hints and Answers: To ensure you never get completely stuck, the kit provides a hint system or answer key (often at the back of the booklet or in a separate section) for each puzzle. You can consult these if needed, so you can always progress and eventually solve the mystery.
  

Whether digital or physical, the content is the same – a comprehensive, engaging mystery adventure in printed form. Just grab a pen for note-taking as you solve puzzles (if you like), and you’re ready to go

Both! Unsolved Trails offers the convenience of a digital format and the option of a physical kit, so you can choose what fits you best. If you select the digital download, you’ll get instant access via email to the printable PDF guide immediately after purchase. You can view it on a mobile device or print it at home – no waiting or shipping costs. If you prefer a tangible keepsake or gifting a nicely packaged set, you can order the physical kit (a printed booklet). Physical kits are shipped to your address and typically arrive within about 5–10 working days in the regions we serve. The content of the adventure is identical in both formats. The digital version is great for short-notice plans (since you can start today), while the printed version offers a classic booklet feel. Either way, you’ll have all the same clues, maps, and story ready for your mystery walk.

No bookings or set schedules are required. One of the perks of Unsolved Trails is that it’s completely self-guided and flexible. Once you have your trail guide, you can begin your mystery tour whenever you want. There’s no need to reserve a time slot or inform anyone – just pick a day that suits you. You can start any time of day as well (just be mindful of daylight for easier clue finding, and the operating hours of any optional stops like museums or cafes). Because you’re in control, you can pause or break at any time during the experience. This makes Unsolved Trails perfect for fitting into your own schedule or even doing spontaneously on a free afternoon.

On average, expect to spend about 2 to 3 hours on an Unsolved Trails mystery tour. The trails are designed as half-day outings, though the exact duration can vary depending on your pace. Typically, the walking distance is around 3–4 km total, with multiple stops for puzzles and story elements. If you like to take your time, explore additional sights, or stop for a coffee/snack break, your adventure may be on the longer side (and that’s totally fine!). Conversely, fast puzzle-solvers or brisk walkers might finish a bit sooner. The experience is meant to be enjoyable and not rushed – you have the freedom to linger at interesting spots or discuss theories with your fellow detectives. We recommend allowing a few hours so you can fully immerse yourself in the mystery without any hurry.

Unsolved Trails is designed to be challenging but fair, catering to a wide range of puzzle-solving experience. The difficulty level is balanced so that beginners and experienced sleuths alike can enjoy it. Throughout the trail you’ll encounter a variety of puzzle types – some you might solve quickly, while others will make you think a bit more before you get that “aha!” moment. Examples of the challenges include decoding secret messages, spotting hidden details in the environment, solving word or number puzzles, interpreting historical clues, and more.

If you find yourself stuck on a particularly tricky clue, don’t worry – help is available. Each Unsolved Trails guide comes with a built-in hint system or answer section (typically at the back of the booklet or in the download) to give you a nudge in the right direction. Hints range from gentle clues to the full solution, so you can choose how much assistance you want. This way, you’ll never be completely stuck or frustrated; you can always continue the adventure and enjoy the full story. The goal is to make sure you have fun and feel accomplished solving the mystery, without it ever becoming impossible.

Unsolved Trails is crafted with adults in mind – the murder mystery stories and puzzle complexity are primarily aimed at adult players and older teens. That said, the content is generally family-friendly (no extreme gore, focus is on sleuthing and historical intrigue), so children around age 8 and up can certainly participate with adult guidance. In a family or mixed-age group, adults can tackle the tougher puzzles while younger detectives handle the simpler clues. Kids often enjoy the adventure of following the trail and the excitement of the storyline, even if they need some help on puzzles. We’ve found that everyone learns interesting local facts and has fun along the way, regardless of age.

For very young children (under ~8), the walking and length of the activity might be tiring, and they may not grasp the puzzles – but they could still enjoy tagging along for the “treasure hunt” aspect. Overall, the whole family can join in, but the sweet spot is likely ages pre-teen and up. As always, parental discretion is advised given the murder mystery theme, but we keep the tone entertaining and engaging rather than overly dark.

Unsolved Trails is flexible for any group size – from a solo outing to a team event. You can absolutely play alone if you’re up for a solo challenge; many individual players enjoy the freedom of exploring on their own. However, solving a mystery with others can be especially fun, so we recommend it for couples, friends, families, or even team-building groups.

For the best experience, a small group is ideal so everyone can actively participate. Typically, 2–4 people per trail guide is a good balance, ensuring each person can read clues and contribute to puzzle-solving. (For example, if you have a larger group of, say, 8 people, you might split into two teams with separate guides, so no one is crowded out.) That said, we’ve had groups of all sizes enjoy the game – it’s a fun outdoor activity for groups of all sizes and ages. Just keep in mind that very large groups all following one booklet might get unwieldy (ten heads huddled around one clue can be tricky!). If you plan a big group event, consider ordering multiple kits and turning it into a friendly competition to see which team of detectives solves the case first. Whether you’re doing it solo, as a date adventure, family day out, or corporate outing, Unsolved Trails adapts well to the number of players.

Each Unsolved Trails storyline is intended as a one-time experience for each group of players. Once you have completed a particular trail and solved the mystery, you’ll know “whodunit” and how all the clues fit together – so replaying the same trail would not have the same challenge or surprise. The puzzles and culprit remain the same on repeat runs, so we generally don’t recommend doing the exact same trail twice with the same people (it would be like re-reading a mystery novel when you already know the ending).

However, there are a couple of ways to get additional value from your kit: if you purchased a physical booklet, you could pass it along to a friend or family member for them to enjoy (as long as you haven’t written in it, or you can erase any pencil marks). Similarly, a digital kit can be gifted to someone else to try after you’ve finished (just ensure only one group uses it at a time per purchase). Most importantly, we offer multiple different Unsolved Trails – each city or scenario has a unique case and puzzles. So while you won’t get a new challenge from replaying the same trail, you can definitely dive into a new Unsolved Trail in a different city or a new story and have a fresh adventure. Many of our fans collect various trails to experience new mysteries each time. In summary: enjoy each mystery to the fullest when you do it, and when you’re done, look forward to tackling the next case!

Digital Orders: If you choose a digital Unsolved Trails kit, there is no shipping wait at all – your downloadable guide will be delivered instantly via email as soon as your purchase is complete. You’ll receive a link to download the PDF files and can get started right away. Be sure to save the files to your device, and you can even print them out if you prefer a physical copy in hand.

Physical Orders: For physical boxed kits (printed booklets), we currently ship via courier to select countries (see the international question below). Shipping times are usually around 3–5 working days from the purchase date for delivery within the supported regions. The delivery cost will be calculated at checkout based on your location. We strive to process and dispatch orders promptly; typically orders are shipped within 1-2 business days, and then the transit time is added on top of that. All physical packages come with basic tracking, so you can keep an eye on your delivery status. If you need your kit by a specific date (for a gift or event), we recommend ordering early to be safe, or opt for the digital version if time is short.

You will receive email confirmations with tracking info (for physical) or download links (for digital). If you have any issue accessing your digital files or if a physical shipment seems delayed beyond the expected window, our support team is happy to help straighten things out.

We currently ship physical Unsolved Trails kits to a limited number of countries. At this time, shipping is available to addresses in the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, plus Republic of Ireland) and the United States. If you are located outside of these regions, we unfortunately cannot send a physical package to you yet. However, international customers can still play by purchasing the digital version, which is available worldwide. Because the digital kit is delivered via email and downloadable, you can enjoy Unsolved Trails from anywhere on the globe instantly.

Keep in mind that each Unsolved Trails adventure is tied to a specific city’s locations. If you’re buying from outside the UK/US, you’ll likely be planning to travel to the city in question (or gifting the experience to someone who lives there). The game itself requires you to be on location in the city to follow the trail and find clues in the real world. So while you can buy it from anywhere, you’ll want to use it when you’re actually in the city of the mystery. We are continually exploring ways to expand our physical shipping and add new locations, so stay tuned if your country isn’t currently covered. In the meantime, the digital option ensures everyone can get their hands on Unsolved Trails one way or another.

We want you to be happy with your purchase. If you encounter any issues, please reach out to our support team, and we’ll do our best to help. We do offer a 14-day return window for our products, subject to certain conditions. If it’s been less than 14 days since purchase and you have not yet used/downloaded the product, you may be eligible for a return or exchange. For physical kits, this generally means the kit should be unused and in its original condition. For digital kits, note that once the files have been accessed or downloaded, they are considered non-returnable (you wouldn’t be able to “unsee” the mystery content). In fact, downloadable products are exempt from returns in our policy, so please be sure you’ve selected the correct city or version before downloading.

If you purchased a digital game by mistake or have trouble accessing it, contact us right away – in some cases, if the download hasn’t been accessed, we can work with you on an exchange for the correct product. In the rare event that there is an error or issue with the game materials themselves, we will first provide a fix or replacement (we strive to remedy any problems), and if we’re unable to resolve it, a refund may be considered. Our goal is to be fair and ensure customer satisfaction, within the limits of a mystery product (since once the secrets are revealed, it’s not something that can be “returned” in the traditional sense). For detailed terms, you can refer to our Returns & Refund Policy on the website. And of course, if you have any concerns, just get in touch – we’re here to help find a solution.

Absolutely – Unsolved Trails makes a unique and exciting gift for anyone who loves mysteries, puzzles, or adventure. Each guide comes with a giftable envelope.

Unsolved Trails stands out for its blend of real-world exploration and immersive storytelling. Unlike a standard sightseeing tour where you passively learn facts, or a typical puzzle game that’s confined to a table or screen, Unsolved Trails combines the best of both: you get to discover a city’s secrets and engage in an interactive crime-solving challenge. Here are some key points that make Unsolved Trails special:

• Interactive Murder Mystery + Tour: We integrate a gripping cold-case style mystery into a self-guided city tour. This means as you walk around notable sites and hidden gems, you’re also gathering clues and evidence to solve a case – giving deeper purpose to your exploration. It’s not just a scavenger hunt; it’s a full narrative experience where you are the detective uncovering a story step by step.
  
• Perfect Mix of History and Intrigue: Each trail is carefully researched and written to include fascinating local history tidbits and famous landmarks, woven into the plot of the mystery. You might find that a statue, an old pub, or a historic alleyway is not only interesting on its own, but also serves as a clue in your investigation. This fusion of authentic history with fictional intrigue creates a really rich experience – you’ll see the city with new eyes.
  
• Flexible, On Your Own Terms: Unsolved Trails gives you the freedom to play at your own pace and schedule. There’s no tour guide rushing you along or group of strangers to keep up with. You can start and pause when you want, spend more time at places you find intriguing, or grab lunch in between. It’s essentially a private tour and mystery game in one, playable exactly when and how you choose. This sets it apart from some guided mystery tours or events that require bookings or have fixed times.
  
• Suitable for Many Occasions: The design of Unsolved Trails makes it great for a variety of situations – whether it’s a date, a family day out, an activity with friends, or even a team-building exercise. It’s fun for couples, families, and groups of all sizes, and works for locals who want a new adventure in their city or tourists looking for a memorable way to sightsee. Not all mystery games have that versatility of being both an outdoor exploration and a cooperative puzzle activity.
  
• Digital and Physical Options: We are one of the few offering both instant-download printable kits and high-quality physical kits. If you compare to other similar mystery trail companies, some might only offer printed booklets that you have to wait for, while others might be app-based. We give you a choice: a beautifully designed booklet (digital or print) that doesn’t require a phone screen if you prefer analog, but also the convenience of printing at home or viewing on a device if you decide to play spur-of-the-moment. This flexibility and immediate access (with digital) can be a big advantage if you’re eager to start or buying last-minute.
  
• Quality Storytelling and Puzzles: As part of the Masters of Mystery brand, Unsolved Trails benefits from our experience in crafting engaging mystery games. We put a lot of effort into the storyline, the variety of puzzles, and the overall production quality of the kit. The goal is to deliver an experience that’s immersive and challenging without being frustrating. We also keep our content updated – if city changes occur (like a location closes or a clue becomes unavailable), we adapt the game accordingly to ensure a smooth experience. Our commitment to customer support and ensuring you have a great time is also a key differentiator.
  

In summary, Unsolved Trails delivers “the perfect mix of history, intrigue, and detective work”. It’s more than just a sightseeing tour and more than just a puzzle – it’s the unique combination of the two that sets it apart. If you’re comparing options, we believe Unsolved Trails offers a one-of-a-kind adventure that will let you see the city like never before while scratching that mystery-solving itch. Happy sleuthing!