■ CASE 06 · 1985 · WASHINGTON

THE ORCHARD

A picker crushed under a bin trailer at the height of the harvest. An accident, the sheriff said. Two ledgers for the same week say otherwise.

Difficulty●●●○○ 3/5
Play time2–3 hours
Players1–8
Documents25 · 3 sealed envelopes
Price$12.99
The Orchard — Coyle Ridge Orchards, Chelan County, Washington, 1985

The case

On 21 September 1985 a picker named Tomás Reyes was found dead under an overturned bin trailer in block 7 of Coyle Ridge Orchards. The sheriff called it an accident. The grower paid for the funeral. In 2016 a labor historian found two harvest ledgers for the same week with two different sets of numbers, and a name crossed out the day before he died.

Your three objectives

  1. Prove it was not an accident
  2. Establish why he was killed
  3. Name the killer

What is in the file

  • Sheriff's incident report
  • Newspaper 1985, journal article 2016
  • Scene report and block sketch
  • Coroner's report
  • Seven scene photographs
  • Six statements
  • Harvest ledger (official)
  • Pay slips
  • The tally-man's pocket book
  • Wage-claim letter
  • State equipment inspection
  • Tractor fuel log
  • Four sealed documents in Envelope 2
  • The solution file

6 persons of interest

Questions about this case

Do I need to buy anything else to play?

No. The case is complete in your browser: all documents, hints and the solution. Nothing is mailed.

How long does The Orchard take?

About 2–3 hours for two to four people. Solo players take longer. Progress is saved, so you can stop and come back.

Can I play with friends who are not in the room?

Yes. Open a room, share the 5-letter code, and everyone reads the file on their own phone. Objectives, pins and notes stay in sync. Only the host needs to own the case.

What if we get stuck?

Each objective has three hints, from a nudge to the answer. Hints never lock anything.

Is the answer checked?

Yes. Answers are verified server-side, and a correct answer breaks the seal on the next envelope. Guessing does not help: each objective needs two documents cross-referenced.

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