Sherlock

About this board game

Sherlock is a children’s memory-style card game for 2–5 players, with a playing time of about 20 minutes. Players memorize hidden images, then use arrows and numbers to move Sherlock around a circle of cards.

The game includes one Sherlock card and 49 clue cards. Each clue card shows an image, an arrow, and a number from 1 to 4. To begin, eight clue cards are placed face-up in a circle, with the draw pile in the middle, giving everyone time to memorize the images before the cards are turned face-down.

On a turn, a player places Sherlock next to a card and names the object shown on it. The card is revealed to check the answer. If correct, the player moves Sherlock around the circle in the direction of the arrow, moving the number of spaces shown on the card, and then guesses the object on the new card.

• Correct guesses allow the player to continue moving Sherlock.
• An incorrect guess ends the turn, and the cards are turned face-down again for the next player.
• If Sherlock lands beside a card that is already face-up, the player takes that card and ends the turn.

After a card is taken, a new card is revealed from the draw pile so everyone can memorize it. The cards in the circle are then turned face-down, and play continues with the next player. The first player to collect 6 cards wins.

With its simple movement rules and demanding recall, Sherlock combines visual memory with careful attention to each card’s arrow and number.