Roboku
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Case 14: who took the Ancient Mask?
The alarm at the theater went off for no apparent reason for the third time this month, so almost no one paid attention. That was a mistake: this time the Ancient Mask, kept in the Props Room, really was missing. Help the police unmask the thief, who clearly knew exactly when no one checks the cameras.
The board
- 1Orchestra Pit
- 2Lobby
- 3Dressing Room
- 4Private Box
- 5Box Office
- 6Stage
- 7Props Room
- 8Rehearsal Room
- 9Café
- 10Restrooms
- 11Storage Room
- 12Makeup Room
- Plant: no character can stand on its cell, but the stolen item can be there.
- Seat: anyone can be on it.
- Shelf: no character can stand on its cell, but the stolen item can be there.
- Table: nothing can be on its cell.
- Screen: nothing can be on its cell.
- Window: the blue line on a wall.
Suspects and clues
- KKenji
He's in row 1. - GGrace
She's next to a window. - EElena
She's on the Stage and next to a shelf. - SSandra
She's on a seat. - IIvan
He's 4 rows away from the Private Box. - CCarla
She's in column H. - AAncient Mask (stolen item)
It's 1 column away from the Props Room.
Remember the rules: no two suspects (nor the item) ever share a row or a column, each character is in a different room, and the thief is the only one sharing a room with the stolen item. Unsure? Read how to play and the clue types.
Solution
Try it yourself first: pen and paper are enough. When you want to check, open the reasoned solution.
Show the step-by-step solution
- Kenji's clue: He's in row 1. 4 cells remain possible: A1, B1, F1 and G1.
- Grace's clue: She's next to a window. 5 cells remain possible: B1, G1, A5, G6 and A8.
- Elena's clue: She's on the Stage and next to a shelf. It leaves a single cell: B7.
- Sandra's clue: She's on a seat. It leaves a single cell: D6.
- Ivan's clue: He's 4 rows away from the Private Box. It leaves a single cell: E3.
- Carla's clue: She's in column H. 4 cells remain possible: H4, H6, H7 and H8.
- The stolen item's clue: It's 1 column away from the Props Room. It leaves a single cell: F2.
- Elena can only be on B7. No one else can be in row 7 or column B, and no other character can be in the Stage.
- Sandra can only be on D6. No one else can be in row 6 or column D, and no other character can be in the Orchestra Pit.
- Ivan can only be on E3. No one else can be in row 3 or column E, and no other character can be in the Rehearsal Room.
- H4, H6 and H7 have already been ruled out, so Carla can only be on H8. No one else can be in row 8 or column H, and no other character can be in the Makeup Room.
- The Ancient Mask can only be on F2. No one else can be in row 2 or column F.
- Every cell still open to Kenji is in row 1, so no one else can be in that row.
- B1, G1, G6 and A8 have already been ruled out, so Grace can only be on A5. No one else can be in row 5 or column A, and no other character can be in the Café.
- A1, B1 and F1 have already been ruled out, so Kenji can only be on G1.
Conclusion: Ivan is the only person sharing the Rehearsal Room with the Ancient Mask, which is on F2. He is the thief.