At a glance
- Players. 2–6 adults, together in one room.
- Devices. One shared computer or TV, plus a phone each. No downloads.
- Prologue. Free, with no buyer account.
- Full story. $9.99 for the whole group.
Last Light Before Christmas is the first story on SolveNight. You can try a complete little mission before choosing the longer Christmas story.
A real conversation, with a little mystery in the middle.
The town’s Christmas beacon has gone dark. You can see a control panel, but the instructions are on a friend’s phone. Someone else needs the note only you can read. Describe what you see, compare details, and restore the town one discovery at a time.
The shared screen shows your group’s progress. It keeps the private clues off the TV, so everyone has a useful part to play. This is cooperative puzzle solving, with no trivia knowledge, acting challenge, or drinking rule required.
What you need at the Christmas table
- Two to six people, playing together in the same room.
- One phone per person, each using its own browser identity.
- A computer for the public view. Connect it to a TV with HDMI or a compatible screen-mirroring setup if you want a bigger scene.
- An internet connection on every device.
A projector, dedicated TV app, printer, and game controllers are not required. Your computer screen works if you do not have a TV available. Still choosing the evening? Christmas party games for adults sets this story beside other low-prep options for two to six people.
Start small, then stay a little longer.
| Free prologue | Complete Christmas story |
|---|---|
| One complete beacon mission | Three chapters: beacon, midnight depot, and Christmas gathering |
| Six cooperative stations and a final signal | New station types, changing partners, and two chapter breaks |
| Designed for about 5–8 minutes of play | Designed for about 20–30 minutes of play |
| No payment or buyer account | One organizer buys the complete story for the whole 2–6-person group for $9.99 |
These are design targets, not measured promises for your group. Reading, hints, conversation, and device setup change the time you need. There is no punishing countdown, and your organizer can pause.
How the phones and TV work together
- Host the room. On the computer, privately pair the organizer’s phone first. That phone can manage the room and also play.
- Open the public view. Put only the shared-screen tab on the TV. Your friends scan its ordinary join QR code.
- Practice, get ready, and talk. Everyone enters a name and describes a quick practice card. The organizer starts when all players are ready.
- Keep your phone, share your clues. Your control card names the friend who has its instructions. Read, listen, and make your own move.
See the complete setup guide for the organizer-phone path, hints, and reconnecting.
Questions before you gather everyone
Is this a single-screen quiz?
No. The TV carries the shared scene, while separate phones hold complementary instructions and controls. Everyone is on the same team.
Do all my friends need to buy or register?
No. Players use a nickname and room code. Only the person buying the longer story needs a buyer account.
Can we play with just two people?
Yes. The six stations are distributed across two, three, four, five, or six players. Smaller groups hold more cards; a station’s instructions stay with a different person.
Can the host help without knowing the answers?
Yes. The organizer has layered in-game hints, pause controls, and the final-signal input. You do not need an author or a live game master to send the next part of the story.
Should we test our devices first?
Yes. Run the free prologue on the exact phones and shared-screen setup you intend to use. TV-browser and wireless-casting compatibility depends on your devices; using a computer with HDMI avoids needing a TV browser.
Give your evening a little plot twist.
Try the prologue with a friend, then see whether your night shift wants the whole story.
Get the full story