SQL Noir
Learning and science
sql learning game
SHOW HN2025
463points
85comments
#85of 3,837 in 2025
Top 3%of 2025 by points
How HN took it
MixedNo clear lean
19 positive, 12 neutral or asking, 8 mixed, 12 critical, out of 51 comments about the project. Thread score +0.14.
Idea: 9 for, 0 againstExecution: 2 for, 6 againstDesign: 2 for, 3 againstDocs: 0 for, 2 againstPerformance: 0 for, 1 against
The thread, comment by comment
Each row is a top-level comment and its replies, in HN's order. Select a cell to open that comment on HN.
positive neutral or mixed critical about another commenter or something else the maker
What HN said
What people liked
Fun and engaging way to learn SQL
From 4 comments
I like it! Very fun! Few ideas: - The "submit" box isn't clear on whether it needs the name or the suspect id for the first case - It would be nice to have a "copy to notes"…
RvdV on HNThis is super fun! One small thing which would be nice is the ability to just download the sqlite database myself so I could use my preferred application to query it, and just…
worble on HNNice work. Just what I need to train the non-tech ppl in my team. Wish more things were fun to learn like this.
Foofoobar12345 on HNOh this is perfect. I was just looking for exercises to practice my SQL, and detective games are my jam.
Gazoche on HN
Great visual style and aesthetic
From 2 comments
Love this! The style is unique and awesome. I see the beginnings of a really fun way to learn / practice / remember SQL. A few notes: - Would be cool if it was a single workspace…
wbakst on HNhaha this is such a cool aesthetic! nice work. education needs more stuff like this - less matter-of-fact regurgitation of information (which ai does an okay job of anyhow) and…
wagslane on HN
Objections
Comment handling in the SQL editor was buggy
From 5 comments
The editor behaves weirdly when I try to add comments. It's hard to explain, but you can reproduce like this: 1. Write several lines, for example: ``` select i.*, s.* from…
kaeruct on HNHey! Firstly - great work - one of my favourite games is Chronicles of Crime and this immediately made me think back to how I would've gone about investigating some of those…
mymacmachine on HNIt works for the first line, but doing it on a second seems to make it merge lines.
pledg on HNThis is cool! Great job! I completed the first challenge. I guess I’m used to sql server management studio I tried running multiple queries at once and wasn’t able to. I also…
yesthisiswes on HNI just shared this with folks, it looks incredible! I’m giving it a try myself too. By the way, I was trying to use a bunch of one-liner SQL statements to explore the data, and…
haliskerbas on HN
Lacks guidance or tutorial for beginners
From 2 comments
This is super fun! One small thing which would be nice is the ability to just download the sqlite database myself so I could use my preferred application to query it, and just…
worble on HNI'm on mobile, so maybe I'm missing something, but I don't understand how youbare even supposed to get started without knowing SQL. If this is supposed to teach SQL then there…
Geezus_42 on HN
Tabs make workflow frustrating; wanted side-by-side view
From 2 comments
Really cute. But I really want the ability to put the different tabs -- Brief, Workspace, Schema -- side-by-side. I know SQL and wanted to play with this, but the UX was…
ryanianian on HNLove this! The style is unique and awesome. I see the beginnings of a really fun way to learn / practice / remember SQL. A few notes: - Would be cool if it was a single workspace…
wbakst on HN
Requests
Side-by-side tabs view
From 2 comments
Really cute. But I really want the ability to put the different tabs -- Brief, Workspace, Schema -- side-by-side. I know SQL and wanted to play with this, but the UX was…
ryanianian on HNThe idea is good, but the UI is all but immersive. Things that would it make more immersive: - autocomplete - and/or the ability to view the schema alongside the query (on a wide…
fodkodrasz on HN
Copy to notes or save query history
From 2 comments
I like it! Very fun! Few ideas: - The "submit" box isn't clear on whether it needs the name or the suspect id for the first case - It would be nice to have a "copy to notes"…
RvdV on HNLove this! The style is unique and awesome. I see the beginnings of a really fun way to learn / practice / remember SQL. A few notes: - Would be cool if it was a single workspace…
wbakst on HN
Download the SQLite database
From 1 comment
This is super fun! One small thing which would be nice is the ability to just download the sqlite database myself so I could use my preferred application to query it, and just…
worble on HN
Questions
Which SQL dialect is used and what functions are available
From 1 comment
I like it! Very fun! Few ideas: - The "submit" box isn't clear on whether it needs the name or the suspect id for the first case - It would be nice to have a "copy to notes"…
RvdV on HN
What the submit box expects, name or suspect id
From 2 comments
I like it! Very fun! Few ideas: - The "submit" box isn't clear on whether it needs the name or the suspect id for the first case - It would be nice to have a "copy to notes"…
RvdV on HNGreat fun, thank you for building this! Was confused since submitting the confession didn't work, would make sense to ask for the name of the person no?
scns on HN
Alternatives named
SQL Murder Mystery (mystery.knightlab.com)
From 2 comments
A great addition to a field where there aren't many offerings: SQL Island (https://sql-island.informatik.uni-kl.de) and SQL Murder Mystery (https://mystery.knightlab.com) come to…
laowantong on HNreminds me of https://mystery.knightlab.com/
agumonkey on HN
SQL Island
From 1 comment
A great addition to a field where there aren't many offerings: SQL Island (https://sql-island.informatik.uni-kl.de) and SQL Murder Mystery (https://mystery.knightlab.com) come to…
laowantong on HN
SQLBolt, PgExercises, RegexOne
From 1 comment
https://sqlbolt.com, https://regexone.com, https://pgexercises.com
frontalier on HN