Why (1958)

"Alfred Hitchcock presents...The Game of Why"

Once upon a time, six people on their way to a costume party took shelter from a storm in a haunted house...And were never seen alive since. But they still haunt the house. You must try to find out who was murdered, by what means and why.

The cards include Motive cards, No Clue cards and a single "It's a Mystery to Me" card. In addition, there are cards that can be assembled side by side to form larger pictures: the six guests (Cleopatra, Napoleon, etc. --they were costumed, you see; in four pieces), four weapons (also in four pieces) and Alfred Hitchcock (in six pieces). Seven cards are dealt to each player, the rest into the house's rooms. You enter a room by exact count, except that a 7, 11 or doubles allows you to go directly to the spot of your choice. When you reach a room, you pick up the top card there and discard either it or another card from your hand to the "Lawn" --off the board. These cards are laid face down without overlapping each other but are shown to the other players as they're laid down. Later, you may try to recover a Lawn card by showing a card from your hand of the appropriate type (a piece of a guest, for example) and then pointing to a Lawn card and picking it up. If you remembered right, you may repeat the procedure. You can also claim cards from other players by meeting them in the house and "accusing them" of withholding a particular card (this is what the No Clue cards are defence for). Once the rooms are empty, everyone gathers in the hall and play is speeded up.

First player to assemble a Ghost, Weapon and Motive OR Alfred and "It's a Mystery to Me" wins.

There are 2 German Editions, both produced by "Otto Maier Verlag Ravensburg" (Ravensburger Spiele):

(1) WARUM? Das neue Detektivspiel von Alfred Hitchcock
(2) WARUM? Das neue Kriminalspiel von Alfred Hitchcock