Murder Mystery: ChatGPT vs Copilot

I pit ChatGPT up against Microsoft Copilot in a murder mystery series! I asked Copilot to generate a murder mystery then I asked ChatGPT to solve the murder mystery!

Creating the mystery

Let's play a game. I want you to create a murder mystery and not tell me who did it. Then I'll ask you questions and you answer them. Finally, I'll guess who did it. Let's start!

Title: The Mystery at Maple Manor

Setting: Maple Manor, a grand estate nestled in the countryside, known for its lavish parties and eccentric owner, Mr. Theodore Maple.

The Crime: Mr. Theodore Maple was found dead in his study, a single stab wound to the chest. The study was locked from the inside, and the only key was found in Mr. Maple’s pocket.

Suspects:

Ms. Clara Maple - Theodore’s estranged wife, who recently returned to the manor after a long absence.

Mr. James Blackwood - The loyal butler, who has served the Maple family for decades.

Dr. Evelyn Green - A close family friend and Theodore’s personal physician.

Mr. Victor Steele - A business associate with whom Theodore had a heated argument the night before.

Ms. Lily White - The young maid, who was seen leaving the study shortly before the body was discovered.

Clues:

A broken vase near the study door.

A torn piece of fabric found in Mr. Maple’s hand.

A mysterious letter on Mr. Maple’s desk, partially burned.

Footprints leading from the study to the garden.

A bottle of poison missing from Dr. Green’s medical bag.

Detective ChatGPT

I started with the following lead then pasted Copilot's mystery into the prompt: Let's play a game. I created a murder mystery, and I want you to ask me questions and "look for clues" then when you think you know who did it, ask me. okay?

First question: Discovery

What time was Mr. Maple's body discovered, and who found him? I'll start by gathering some basic information before digging into the clues.

Mr. Maple’s body was discovered at 8:00 PM by Ms. Lily White, the young maid. She had gone to the study to deliver his evening tea and found the door locked. After knocking and receiving no response, she alerted Mr. James Blackwood, the butler, who then forced the door open and found Mr. Maple dead inside.

Second question: Timeline

When was Mr. Maple last seen alive, and by whom? This will help establish a timeline

Mr. Maple was last seen alive at 6:30 PM by Dr. Evelyn Green, his personal physician. Dr. Green had visited him in the study for a routine check-up and left shortly after. According to her, Mr. Maple seemed agitated but otherwise in good health.

Third question: Explore clues

What can you tell me about the torn piece of fabric found in Mr. Maple’s hand? Does it match any of the suspects' clothing or appear unusual?

The torn piece of fabric found in Mr. Maple’s hand is quite distinctive. It’s a piece of dark blue velvet, which matches the material of a jacket worn by Mr. Victor Steele on the night of the murder. The fabric appears to have been torn off forcefully, suggesting a struggle might have occurred.

Fourth question: Digging deeper

What was the content of the heated argument between Mr. Maple and Mr. Steele the night before the murder?

The argument between Mr. Maple and Mr. Steele was overheard by several staff members. It revolved around a business deal that had gone sour. Mr. Steele accused Mr. Maple of backing out of an important investment at the last minute, which had significant financial repercussions for Steele. Voices were raised, and the argument became quite intense, with Mr. Steele threatening to take legal action against Mr. Maple.

Fifth question: Looking elsewhere

Do we know where Ms. Clara Maple, Mr. Maple’s estranged wife, was at the time of the murder? And what was the nature of her return to the manor?

Ms. Clara Maple was in the library at the time of the murder, according to her own statement and corroborated by Mr. James Blackwood, the butler, who saw her there around 7:45 PM. She claimed to be reading and had no knowledge of the events in the study until after the body was discovered. As for her return to the manor, Ms. Clara had recently come back after a long separation from Mr. Maple. Their relationship had been strained due to personal differences, but she returned in an attempt to reconcile and discuss their future. Some staff members mentioned that her return was unexpected and that there were still unresolved tensions between her and Mr. Maple.

Sixth question: The letter

Can you tell me more about the mysterious partially burned letter on Mr. Maple’s desk? Was anything legible, and who might it have been addressed to?

The partially burned letter on Mr. Maple’s desk had some legible parts that provided intriguing hints. The letter appeared to be addressed to Mr. Victor Steele and mentioned a “final warning” regarding their business dealings. The legible portions included phrases like “betrayal of trust” and “consequences you won’t escape”. The rest of the letter was too charred to read, but it clearly indicated a serious conflict between Mr. Maple and Mr. Steele.

Seventh question: Poison

What do we know about Dr. Evelyn Green and the missing bottle of poison from her medical bag? Could the poison be linked to Mr. Maple’s death, or is it simply a red herring?

Dr. Evelyn Green is a respected physician and a close family friend of the Maples. She has been Mr. Maple’s personal doctor for many years and is known for her dedication to her patients. Regarding the missing bottle of poison, it was a vial of digitalis, a potent heart medication that can be lethal in high doses. Dr. Green noticed it was missing from her medical bag shortly after Mr. Maple’s body was discovered. However, the autopsy confirmed that Mr. Maple died from a stab wound, not poisoning, which suggests the missing poison might be a red herring or part of a different plot. Dr. Green has no known motive to harm Mr. Maple, but the missing poison raises questions about whether someone else might have taken it to frame her or use it for another purpose.

Eighth question: Ms. Lily White

Ms. Lily White was seen leaving the study shortly before the body was discovered. What was she doing in the study, and did she notice anything unusual during her visit?

Ms. Lily White was in the study to deliver Mr. Maple’s evening tea, as part of her regular duties. She mentioned that Mr. Maple seemed particularly tense and distracted during her visit, but he didn’t say much. She left the study around 7:50 PM, just ten minutes before she discovered the body. Lily did notice a few unusual things: The broken vase near the study door, which she assumed had been knocked over accidentally. Mr. Maple was holding a piece of paper (likely the partially burned letter) and seemed to be reading it intently. She also mentioned hearing faint footsteps outside the study window, which leads to the garden, but she didn’t see anyone.

Ninth question: The footprints

What do we know about the footprints leading from the study to the garden? Were they identified or matched to any of the suspects?

The footprints leading from the study to the garden were examined closely. They were identified as belonging to a pair of men’s dress shoes, size 10. This matches the shoe size of Mr. James Blackwood, the butler. However, Mr. Blackwood claimed he had been in the kitchen preparing for the evening meal and had not been near the study or the garden during the time of the murder. The footprints were slightly muddied, suggesting someone had walked through the garden recently. This detail raises questions about Mr. Blackwood’s alibi and whether he might have been involved or if someone else could have borrowed his shoes to mislead the investigation.

Tenth question: Mr. Blackwood

Has Mr. Blackwood offered any explanation for how his footprints might have ended up in the garden, or is he denying any involvement completely?

Mr. James Blackwood has denied any involvement in Mr. Maple’s murder. He explained that he had been in the kitchen preparing for the evening meal and had not been near the study or the garden during the time of the murder. When confronted with the evidence of the footprints, he suggested that someone might have borrowed his shoes without his knowledge, as he often leaves them by the kitchen door when he changes into his indoor slippers. Mr. Blackwood also mentioned that the garden is accessible to anyone in the house, and it wouldn’t be difficult for someone to take his shoes and return them without him noticing.

Eleventh question: Security System

Was there any security system or other means of verifying the movements of people in and out of the manor? Could anyone have been seen entering or leaving the study around the time of the murder?

Maple Manor does not have a modern security system with cameras, but it does have a night watchman, Mr. Harold Thompson, who patrols the grounds. According to Mr. Thompson, he did not see anyone suspicious entering or leaving the study around the time of the murder. However, he did mention seeing Mr. Victor Steele walking towards the garden around 7:45 PM, which aligns with the timeline of the murder. Additionally, the manor’s staff and guests were all accounted for during the evening, making it unlikely that an outsider committed the crime. This suggests that the murderer is indeed one of the suspects within the manor.

The prime suspect!

With Mr. Victor Steele seen walking towards the garden shortly before the murder, along with the torn fabric from his jacket and the heated argument over a business deal, it paints a compelling picture of him as the prime suspect. Based on all the clues and the alibis provided, my guess is that Mr. Victor Steele is the murderer. He had the motive, opportunity, and physical evidence linking him to the crime scene.

Alright, detective, here’s the reveal: The murderer was indeed Mr. Victor Steele. Your deductions were spot on! His motive, the physical evidence, and his suspicious behavior all pointed towards him. The torn fabric, the heated argument, and his presence near the garden around the time of the murder were key clues that led to the correct conclusion.