Best Served Cold: All Clues Collection Guide

Missing a clue or just stuck? Here’s what questions you need to ask or which clues you need to connect

Basics

Clues in Best Served Cold can be obtained from customers or from your own deductions at the Clue Board at the end of the day. From customers, sometimes you will receive clues automatically, usually at the beginning of the case. More often, you will receive clues either by interrogating customers or by presenting certain clues to them. You can also obtain clues from your Clue Board– connect certain related clues to unlock new ones.

If you’re stuck finding the right clues in Best Served Cold, the best solution is to just keep going through, thoroughly interrogating customers and connecting clues on the board. In my opinion, clue collection came naturally through talking to customers, but if you find yourself stuck this guide can help.

Each section is divided into two tables: one for clues you obtain by talking to customers, and one for clues you obtain by connecting other clues in the Clue Board. (Parentheses) indicate regular dialogue options and “Quotes” indicate clues presented with the magnifying glass.

Requirements

Sometimes, you must get customers in a certain state to get them to speak to you. These states are Mood, Intoxication, and Affection, as indicated by the sliders on the bottom left of the screen while speaking to a customer.

Mood
Customers will either be in a good mood or a bad mood. Generally good mood is the default, but sometimes someone will walk in in a bad mood. Switching moods is fairly simple:

  • Good mood: serve the customer one of their favorite drinks (marked with a star)
  • Bad mood: purposely mess up the drink-serving minigame (sometimes asking certain questions or presenting certain evidence will also spoil the customer’s mood)

Intoxication
A customer’s intoxication ranges sober, tipsy, drunk, inebriated. Each character’s alcohol tolerance varies slightly and is indicated by a chart at the bottom of the serving menu. The alcohol content of each drink is indicated by the blue %. Sometimes customers will need to be drunk (or occasionally tipsy) to give you certain clues. If a customer becomes inebriated they will go home immediately.

Affection
Gain affection with customers by serving them their favorite drinks as often as possible and by answering dialogue options that appeal to them. Maxing out affection shouldn’t be too much of a problem– figure out each character’s favorite drink as soon as possible and make sure to serve it to them every day they’re there, even if you don’t have any questions for them. Note that in cases 1-4, nearly every character will return at some point and their affection level will carry over. (Although I have not yet tested completely, I believe that you need to be at 100 affection to start romances in case 4)

Case 0: The Last Drop (29 clues)

Clues from Customers

Clue
How to Get
Requirements
The Last Drop
Automatically given by Hugo on Day 2
Peter’s Favorite Speakeasy
Automatically given by Peter on Day 2
Peter’s Job
Peter->(Work)
Affection ≥ 25
Potential Patrons
Peter->“Peter’s Favorite Speakeasy”
Blonde Victims
Hugo->(Work)
Drunk
The Lighter
Hugo->“Potential Patrons”
The Syringe
Hugo->“Potential Patrons”
Natalia’s Debt
Vincent->(Victim)
Evil Stepmother
Alina->(Victim)
Drunk
Doctor Durand
Killian->“The Syringe”
Alina’s Old Job
Killian->“The Syringe”
[or Alina->”The Syringe”]
Lounge Chats
Clara->(Victim)
Loverboy
Olivia->(Victim)
Peter’s Matches
Peter->“The Lighter”
Clara Chased
Clara->(Chase) [not available til day 6]
Good mood
Elliot’s Missing Lighter
Elliot->(Reputation)
Drunk
Secret Smoker
Alina->“The Lighter” [or (Smoking)]
Affection ≥ 25
Home Rules
Alina->”Broken Heart Killer”
Elliot Rejected
Elliot->”Lounge Chats”
Not His Style
Peter->(Criminal Background)
Affection ≥ 50
Tactician
Wendy->”Alina the Assassin”
Killian’s Secret
Killian->(Smoke)
Affection ≥ 25

Clues from Clue Board

Clue
Clue Combination
Peter’s Street Smarts
The Last Drop + Peter’s Favorite Speakeasy
Criminal Collector
Peter’s Job + Natalia’s Debt
Alina the Assassin
Alina’s Old Job + The Syringe
Killer Killian
Doctor Durand + The Syringe
Broken Heart KIller
Loverboy + Blonde Victims
It’s a Match
Elliot’s Missing Lighter + The Lighter
Career Criminal
Peter’s Matches + Clara Chased

Case 1: A Bitter Pill (33 clues)

Clues from Customers

Clue
How to Get
Requirements
Alina’s Death
Automatically given by Hugo on Day 2
Threatening Letter
Automatically given by Hugo on Day 2
Charcoal
Hugo->(Events)
Late Entrance
Olivia->(Witness)
Alina’s Secret
Wendy->(Alina Dragos)
Bookworm
Vincent->(Shop)
Dumped
Killian->(Attitude)
Affection ≥ 25
Homecoming
Killian->(Family)
Drunk
Unfriended
Ms. Bai->(Victim)
Drunk
Toxicology
Ms. Bai->(Charcoal)
Drunk
Coming Clean
Maria->(Victim)
Affection ≥ 25 + Good Mood
Visiting Family
Automatically given by Wendy on Day 5
Feng’s Past
STAC->[Feng Bai]
Lynxbane
STAC->[Lethal Poisons of Tsara]
Rhinestone Heirlooms
Olivia->(Wendy)
Drunk
Deadly Medicine
Elena->”Lynxbane”
Trip to the Farm
Automatically given by Peter on Day 6
Maternal Perspective
Ms. Bai->”Coming Clean”
The Real Target
Hugo->”Huxian Assassin”
Clean Record
Elena->”Huaxian Assassin”
Second Fiddle
Wendy->(Maria)
The Truth
Wendy->”Keeping Up Appearances”

Clues from Clue Board

Clue
Clue Combination
Blackmail
Alina’s Secret + Threatening Letter
Cut Off
Homecoming +Dumped
Betrayal
Alina’s Secret + Unfriended
Killian’s Freedom
Cut Off + Blackmail
Killian’s Innocence
Lynxbane + Late Entrance
Huaxian Assassin
Feng’s Past + Toxicology
Checkmate
Second Fiddle + Betrayal
Impoverished Relatives
Visiting Family + A Trip to the Farm
Keeping Up Appearances
Impoverished Relatives + Rhinestone Heirlooms
Fresh Harvest
Trip to the Farm + Lynxbane
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
The Truth + Blackmail

Case 2: Here’s to My Love (32 clues)

Clues from Customers

Clue
How to Get
Requirements
Murder at the Opera
Automatically given by Killian on Day 1
Star Couple
STAC->Savros Stone->[Personal Life]
Closed Doors
STAC->Stavros Stone->[Career]
Nom de Plume
STAC->Gayle De Winter
Time and Place
Automatically given by Elena on Day 2
Callback
Lawrence->(Dalliance)
Backstage Fight
Lawrence->(Work)
Affection ≥ 25
Hands on the Table
Efia->(Case)
Butting Heads
Efia->(Reece)
Veiled Threats
Efia->”Backstage Fight”
Working Class
Bjorn->(Stavros)
Drunk
Efia the Writer
Lawrence->”Nom de Plume” [or (Writer)]
Affection ≥ 50
New Prospects
Reece->(Work)
Tipsy (NOT drunk)
Dagger Sabotage
Reece->(Dagger)
Affection ≥ 25
Prop Collector
Automatically given by Olivia on Day 6
Exit Stage Left
Lawrence->”New Prospects”
Efia’s Motive
Efia->(Acting)
Drunk
Prop Fiend
Reece->”Prop Collector”
Anonymous Tip
Olivia->”Efia’s Motive” [or (Stavros)]
Affection ≥ 50 (for asking about Stavros, not sure about asking about Efia)
Sisterhood
Olivia->”Efia’s Motive”
Stavros’s Motive
Lawrence->”Blacklisted”
No Hard Feelings
Olivia->”A Thousand Cuts”
Ditz
Reece->”Olivia’s Sabotage”

Clues from Clue Board

Clue
Clue Combination
Scripted Demise
Efia the Writer + Murder at the Opera
Toolsmith
Dagger Sabotage + Working Class
By a Thread
Time and Place + Prop Collector
Suspect #4
Hands on the Table + By a Thread
Suicide by Proxy
Toolsmith + Suspect #4
A Thousand Cuts
Exit Stage Left + By a Thread
Blacklisted
Anonymous Tip + Closed Doors
Olivia’s Sabotage
Prop Fiend + Dagger Sabotage
Self Defense
Veiled Threats + Olivia’s Sabotage

Case 3: The Crucible (21 clues)

Clues from Customers

Clue
How to Get
Requirements
Double Homicide
Automatically given by Vincent on Day 1
Bjorn’s Alibi
Automatically given by Lucas on Day 1
Sacramental Wine
Feng->(Problem)
Bad Mood
The Argument
Vincent ->(Bjorn)
The Scotian Mule
Lucas->”The Argument”
Affection ≥ 25
Clara’s Statement
Clara->(Work)
Drunk
The Set Up
Bjorn->(Memory)
Good Mood
Karla’s Demise
Peter->(Karla)
Affection ≥ 50 + Drunk
Karla’s Bribe
Peter->”The Scotian Mule”
Modus Operandi
Peter->”Bare-Knuckle Job”
Vladimir’s Profile
STAC->Vladimir Broz
Government Secrets
Ilya->(STAC)
Affection ≥ 25 (possibly an Affection check for Vincent as well?)
For I Have Sinned
John->(Confessions) [or John->”Bless Me Father”]
Affection ≥ 25
A Good Man
John->(Voice), then John->(Talk)->”you can atone for that”->we all die eventually”->”your community hasn’t given up
Good Mood

Clues from Clue Board

Clue
Clue Combination
Bless Me Father
Double Homicide + Sacramental Wine
False Alibi
Bjorn’s Alibi? + The Argument
Red Handed
Clara’s Statement + The Argument
Two Birds, One Stone
The Set Up + Double Homicide
Bare-Knuckle Job
Karla’s Demise + Double Homicide
The Killer’s Confession
For I Have Sinned + Clara’s Statement
Plugging the Leak
Government Secrets + Karla’s Bribe

Case 4: Best Served Cold (24 clues)

Note: Only a couple clues will come from your clue board, so make sure to take advantage of a character visiting the bar for the day and interrogate them thoroughly!

Clues from Customers

Clue
How to Get
Requirements
The Crime
Given automatically by Ilya on Day 1
Mugging
Given automatically by Elena on Day 1
Street Sweeper
Peter->”Mugging”
Hugo’s Letter
Hugo->(The Crime)
Key Thief
Hugo->”Mugging”
The Second Letter
Ilya->”Hugo’s Letter”
Cigarette Case
Found automatically on Day 5
In Danger
Elena->”Regards, the Culprit”
Elliot Lynn
Hugo->(Case)
Drunk + Bad Mood
Elliot’s Motive
Elena->”Elliot Lynn”
Khassian Crimes
STAC->[Khassia]->[Crime]
After obtaining “Elliot’s Motive”
Elliot’s Death
Ilya->”Khassian Crimes”
Skeletons in the Closet
Hugo->”Elliot’s Death”
Your Predecessor
Hugo->”Elliot’s Death”
Drunk(?)
Old Habits
Talk to Peter after presenting “Sandra Fischer” to Elena
You’ll softlock yourself from getting this clue if you get “Sandra’s Switchblade” before talking to Elena
Peter’s Motive
Talk to Peter after presenting “Sandra Fischer” to Elena
You’ll softlock yourself from getting this clue if you get “Sandra’s Switchblade” before talking to Elena
Vincent’s Mistake
Sandra->(Attack)[or (Confession)]->Why did you do it?
Affection ≥ 50 + Bad Mood
Sandra’s Switchblade
Peter->[Confession] or [Convince] or “Sandra Fischer”
Possibly need high affection?
Arson
Hugo->”Old Habits” or “Peter’s Motive”
Good Mood + say you don’t believe Peter
Peter’s Alibi
Maria->(Fire)
Tipsy
Coming Clean
Hugo->”Peter’s Alibi”

Clues from Clue Board

Clue
Clue Combination
Regards, the Culprit
Hugo’s Letter + The Second Letter
The Culprit’s Gift
Key Thief + Cigarette Case
Sandra Fisher
Skeletons in the Closet + Your Predecessor

Conclusion

And that’s about it! I really enjoyed Best Served Cold and hope you did too!

The final case has a couple alternate endings, as well as the option to pursue romance with a couple characters. If anyone is interested in a guide for these please let me know!

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