Deception: Murder in Hong Kong FAQ
55 questions players ask · Updated Nov 10, 2026 · Full rulebook
Setup and the Crime
- In setup, are the Clue and Means cards dealt before the role cards, and why?
- Does the Forensic Scientist choose the Location of Crime tile or draw it at random?
- When is the Location of Crime tile chosen relative to the Murderer's Means and Clue cards?
- Can investigators examine the Location of Crime tiles the Forensic Scientist did not choose?
- How can the Murderer select their cards silently during setup?
- How many Clue and Means cards does each player get with many players?
- What is the Lozenge evidence card?
- Can players gain new badge tokens in later rounds?
- Must the Murderer pick the Means and Clue cards only from the cards in front of them?
Roles
- Do the Murderer and Accomplice know each other's identity and the solution?
- Does the Witness learn which player is the Murderer and which is the Accomplice?
- Can the Witness reveal their role to other investigators in private?
- Can the Murderer and Accomplice win by naming the Witness after the Investigators identify the Murderer?
- How does the Consulting Detective role work?
- Can the Forensic Scientist play neutrally instead of on the Investigators' side?
- Can the Murderer make an accusation to cover their tracks?
The Forensic Scientist
- Can players ask the Forensic Scientist yes or no questions during the game?
- Can the Forensic Scientist hint at the solution with words, gestures, or eye contact?
- Does the Forensic Scientist make up a full story and speak during the game?
- Can the Forensic Scientist shuffle the cards or give visual cues while placing clues?
- Can the Forensic Scientist point at the murderer or use a numbering code to convey the answer?
- Can the Forensic Scientist place clue markers at their own pace?
- Can the Forensic Scientist signal that a clue is irrelevant by taking a long time to place a marker?
- Should the Forensic Scientist check all players' cards before placing a clue, or only the Murderer's?
- Must the Forensic Scientist's clues point only to the two cards the Murderer selected?
- Can the Forensic Scientist use victim-related clues to point at a specific player?
Evidence collection
- Must the Forensic Scientist place exactly one bullet on each Scene tile?
- Can the Forensic Scientist move a bullet marker after it has been placed?
- Must the Forensic Scientist replace a tile in rounds 2 and 3, or can they keep the drawn tile?
- If the Forensic Scientist replaces a clue tile, does the removed clue still count?
- When does group discussion happen during Evidence Collection?
- Can the Forensic Scientist replace the Location of Crime or Cause of Death tile in later rounds?
Presentations, accusations and the end
- Can a player make an accusation while another player is giving their presentation?
- Can players interrupt another player's presentation?
- Why does the game end right after the last player's third presentation?
- Does the game end after the final presentation in round three, and can players still guess then?
- Must the game continue when only the Murderer and Accomplice still have attempts left?
- Can you accuse yourself when you attempt to Solve the Crime?
- Is discussion open to everyone at once, or does each investigator speak in turn?
- Does each player have to use the full 30 seconds during a presentation?
- Can investigators agree to vote in a circle so that only one guess is placed?
- Should accusations be based on the logic of the clues or on players' behaviour?
Event tiles and variants
Deception: Undercover AlliesExpansion
- Does the Inside Man know who the Murderer and Accomplice are?
- Does the Inside Man win or lose with the Murderer's team, and do they join the Murderer's witness discussions?
- Can players openly claim a hidden role, such as the Lab Technician?
- Is the Undercover Allies expansion compatible with the CS-Files Jolly Thinkers edition?
- How does the Clever Accomplice role work?
- Does the Clever Accomplice replace the regular Accomplice or add to it?
- Can the Clever Accomplice point to two cards in front of themselves?
- Is the Clever Accomplice role included in the retail Undercover Allies edition?