In a series of novels, reading order is sacred. In a series of puzzle books, not so much. The three Murdoku volumes do not tell a continuous story: each has its own 80 crimes, its own settings and its own instructions. Even so, the order in which you solve them changes the experience, and some paths make more sense than others.

Publication order

1. Murdoku, 80 Crimes Para Resolver: everyday places such as a bakery, a casino or an opera house.
2. Murdoku Volume 2, Regresso ao Passado: the Middle Ages, pirates, the Wild West and Ancient Egypt.
3. Murdoku Volume 3, Volta ao Mundo: crimes on every continent, from Europe to Antarctica.

All three are Portuguese editions.

Path 1: in order, from 1 to 3

This is the most comfortable route if you have never solved a Murdoku. The first book has the most familiar settings, which leaves your mind free to learn the method. The second keeps the rules and changes the era. The third arrives with twists you appreciate best after 160 cases of practice. Following this order, you feel the difficulty rise across the whole series, not just within each book.

For this path, the bundle with volumes 1 and 2 is a practical way to start, leaving the third for later.

Path 2: start with 3

This makes sense when the book is a gift, when the travel theme is what caught your eye, or simply when it is the volume you have at hand. The first cases in volume 3 are easy and the rules are explained at the start, so there is no real obstacle. The only thing you lose is the surprise of the new features: if you start here, you will not know that secret identities and multiple grids are new. The article Murdoku 3 in Portuguese shows what is inside before you decide.

Path 3: hop between volumes

Some people like to alternate: ten cases from the first book, ten from the second, ten from the third, always at the same difficulty level. This gives you variety of settings and stops your eye getting used to a single style of illustration. It works best if you already have some practice, because you are juggling three books and need to remember where you stopped in each.

So which should you choose?

• Never played and want to learn calmly: volume 1, then 2, then 3.
• Already solved the first: volume 2 or 3, depending on whether you prefer history or travel.
• Already solved both: volume 3, no question.
• Buying a gift and unsure what the person has: volume 3 is the newest and the least likely to be on their shelf already.

To understand better what sets the three books apart, read the introduction to Volume 3 and the one on Volume 2. And if you are torn between Murdoku and G. T. Karber's series of written clues, the article Murdoku or Murdle will help you decide.