Overview

Gumshoe is a detective investigation board game set in 1930s San Francisco. Players take on the roles of hard-boiled private detectives working for a detective agency. Using a detailed map of San Francisco, telephone directories, fingerprint files, and clue books, players investigate real murder cases over a 9-day game timeline. Players plan their days, visit locations, interview suspects, and gather evidence to answer the Old Man’s questions about each case.

Components

• Case and Clue Book (daily introductions, clue point pages, and clues)
• Map of San Francisco (1933, with labeled block numbers)
• Map of Bay Area (for travel outside SF)
• Bay Counties Telephone Directory (alphabetical listing of people/businesses)
• Classified Telephone Directory (listings by category)
• Fingerprint File (14 cards with fingerprint classifications)
• 27 Mug Shot Cards (photos, fingerprints, criminal records)
• Autopsy Reports booklet (14 reports)
• 9 Laboratory Reports
• 9 Newspapers (The Call-Bulletin, one per game day)
• Time Pads
• Report Book (questions and answers for each case)
• Rules

Setup

1. Place maps, directories, fingerprint file, and mug shot cards where all players can access them.
2. Give each player a sheet from the time pad.
3. Read Clue 117 to begin.
4. Open the Clue Book to Day 1 (July 3, 1934). One player reads the Daily Introduction aloud.
5. All players review that day’s Call-Bulletin newspaper.
6. Players discuss and plan their day together before departing.

Turn Structure

The game is played over 9 days. Each day:

1. Morning Briefing

• Read the Daily Introduction aloud.
• Review the day’s newspaper.
• Players discuss plans and strategy cooperatively.

2. Investigation

• Players choose locations to visit from the Clue Point Page for that day.
• Look up locations by name or address to find clue numbers.
• Read the clue and advance your Time Sheet by the time indicated.
• Players can only communicate when at the same place at the same time.

3. End of Day

• Play continues until a player reaches 9 p.m. on their time sheet.
• That player stops and waits for others to finish their day.
• Players discuss the Old Man’s questions in the Report Book.

4. Next Day

Resume with the next day’s Daily Introduction and new Clue Point Page.

Actions

Visiting Locations

• Find the location on the day’s Clue Point Page (by name or address).
• Read the corresponding clue number in the Clue Section.
• Advance your Time Sheet by the time listed at the end of the clue.

Using the Telephone Directory

• Look up people or businesses by name (Bay Counties Directory) or by category (Classified Directory) at any time.

Fingerprint Analysis

• Fingerprints are classified by type: Loop (L) or Whorl (W) with ridge counts.
• Use the Fingerprint File cards to match fingerprints found at crime scenes to suspects.
• Each fingerprint has a unique four-digit number.

Autopsy and Lab Reports

• Available after the time indicated on each report.
• Check reports against your current Time Sheet position.

Traveling the Bay

• Look up destination city on the day’s Clue Point Page.
• Usually referred to Clue 100 for a travel time chart between 28 Bay Area cities.
• Some travel may involve random encounters or delays.
• Adjust Time Sheet for travel time both ways.

If Situations

• Some clues present conditional scenarios requiring additional choices.
• Follow the branching narrative based on prior knowledge and choices.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

At the end of each day, the Old Man provides questions about the cases. Players attempt to answer them in the Report Book.

• You cannot answer all questions in one playthrough.
• The game is designed to be replayed multiple times, uncovering more information each time.
• “Winning” is measured by how many of the Old Man’s questions you can correctly answer.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Time Clock symbols: When you see a clock face in a clue, set your time sheet to match it exactly (this represents lost time, being knocked out, etc.).
• Hazards: Some situations lead to injury or time loss. Being attacked may advance your time by a full day or more.
• Multiplayer timing: If one player gets a day ahead due to hazards, they wait for at least one other player to catch up.
• Cooperative discussion: Players can freely discuss before leaving the office each morning but cannot communicate during the day unless at the same location.
• Street numbering: Use the 400-block system on the map. Example: 420 Hayes Street is on the block labeled 400.
• Replayability: The game is specifically designed for multiple plays, revealing different clues and angles each time.

Player Reference

Game span: 9 days (July 3-11, 1934)

Daily cycle: Morning briefing > Investigation (track time) > End at 9 p.m. > Report Book

Information sources: Clue Book, Maps, Directories, Fingerprints, Mug Shots, Autopsies, Lab Reports, Newspapers

Time tracking: Advance time sheet after each clue by the amount specified

Key rule: Players can only talk in-game when at the same location at the same time