Air New Zealand has teamed up with global games company Hasbro to run an online Cluedo-style game where players have to try and work out which of a range of ‘celebrities’ – including Snoop Dogg – killed the airline’s puppet mascot, Rico.

Anyone in the world can play, and the prize is flights for two to Los Angeles plus five nights accommodation at a four star hotel and passes to Universal Studios and Disneyland – unless the winner already lives in California, in which case they can opt for flights for two to New Zealand instead, with equivalent excursions.

There are also 500 cuddly Rico toys up for grabs.

The game kicked off at 00.01 hours (New Zealand time) on December 1, 2011, and players have until 23.59 hours, Monday 12 November to guess the killer.

In the game Rico has been killed while hosting a celebrity-packed house-warming party in his Los Angeles mansion.

Among the guests, and so on the suspect list, are: Rapper Snoop Dogg; Hugh Hefner's ex, Holly Madison; All Black New Zealand rugby player Ma'a Nonu; Italian-American E! News presenter Giuliana Rancic; US 1980s fitness guru Richard Simmons; and New Zealand TV and radio presenter Paul Henry.

Rico was created to feature in Air New Zealand’s advertising campaigns, promoting a range of services including its economy Skycouch and premium economy Spaceseat. Rico also featured in a series of viral ads, recording a track with Snoop Dogg and hosting his own web-based chat show, interviewing David Hasselhoff, Rancic and Simmons among others. More than 4.5 million people have watched his videos on YouTube.