Case 0009 · October 24, 2026

The Clockmender of Kemeraltı

A shop full of ticking clocks. Five people who wanted something from him. One clock that fell.

Tonight's case — free to play Difficulty: ●●●●●

The briefing

Hikmet Erbay had mended clocks in the lanes of Kemeraltı for forty-five years, and his little shop ticked like a living thing. On Saturday at 19:20 the night watchman found him dead beside his workbench, under the narrow gallery where he kept his heaviest clocks.

The rest of the briefing is waiting in the case file.

The victim

Hikmet Erbay, age 71Antique clock restorerHikmet was known across Kemeraltı for his patience and his honesty. Dealers brought him their doubtful pieces, because he could tell a genuine Ottoman clock from a clever copy by the sound of its tick. He drank his tea at the workbench and never closed before seven.

The suspects

Levent ErbayCafé owner in Alsancak · Son
Nurcan TekinClock restorer · Apprentice of twelve years
Cemil ArıkanAntique dealer · Friend and neighbour across the lane
Ayten KocamanProperty owner · Landlady of the shop
Barış UçarClock collector · Would-be buyer from Istanbul

How to play this case

DifficultyFiendish (5/5)
The suspects5
TimeAbout ten minutes

5 suspects and 16 pieces of evidence wait in the file. Sweep your flashlight across the scene, listen to every voiced statement and pin what doesn't add up. You have three accusations to name the killer, the method and the motive; after that, the morning paper tells the whole story.

About this case

Case 0009, “The Clockmender of Kemeraltı”, opened on October 24, 2026. Difficulty: Fiendish (5/5). It puts 5 suspects and 16 pieces of evidence in front of you, all connected to Hikmet Erbay. Like every Midnight Casebook file, it is a fair puzzle: there is no trick ending and no outside knowledge needed — everything that points to the answer is somewhere in the scene, the evidence or the statements.

Questions about this case

Is “The Clockmender of Kemeraltı” free to play?

Yes. It is tonight's case, so it is free for everyone until the next case opens at midnight. Play it in your browser or in the iPhone or Android app — no account needed to start.

How hard is this case?

Difficulty: Fiendish (5/5). Difficulty follows the week: Monday's case is the gentlest, Friday's and Saturday's are the toughest, and most players close a daily case in about ten minutes.

What if I get stuck?

Hints open one at a time: the first points to evidence worth a closer look, the second to a contradiction, the third explains one part of the puzzle. Free players get one hint per case, plus an extra one on hard cases during their first seven solves; Casebook Pro unlocks all three. Each hint costs 10 points and each wrong accusation 20, but time never counts against you.

Do I need to download anything?

No. The case plays in any modern browser at midnightcasebook.com/play, and there are also iPhone and Android apps. Sign in with Apple or Google when you want to keep your streak, scores and badges on every device.