Read the card color
| Card appearance | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Orange | A clue or piece of information |
| Purple | A character |
| Green | A location |
| Gold border | An important clue that travels with the investigation |
| Small card with cut corners | Context rather than a directly interactive card |
Color identifies a card’s role. The action icon tells you what you can do with it.
Match the action icon
Check the top-left corner of a card for Talk, Investigate or Explore. A card does not necessarily support all three actions.
This distinction matters when a combination will not work: a location card and an investigation clue have different roles. Match the action to the card before trying another topic.
Put that into practice
The Abigail office puzzle uses Talk with a character and topic cards, then switches to Explore with a location. If your tabletop is crowded, see card selection and the paperclip.