Roboku
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Case 15: who took the Inca Quipu?
An urgent call has come in from the staff at the museum: the Inca Quipu, normally kept in the Storage Room, has been stolen. The theft must have happened at some point during the day without anyone noticing. Help the police unmask the thief.
The board
- 1Inner Courtyard
- 2Restoration Room
- 3Lobby
- 4Main Hall
- 5Exhibition Hall
- 6Office
- 7Café
- 8Security Room
- 9Workshop
- 10Archive
- 11Storage Room
- 12Restrooms
- 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.
Suspects and clues
- GGustavo
He's in the Workshop. - TTariq
He's not in the Main Hall, and he's in column E. - MMartha
She's 3 columns away from the Restoration Room. - WWendy
She's in row 4. - EEsteban
He's 4 columns away from the Restrooms. - LLiu
He's next to a seat. - IInca Quipu (stolen item)
It's 5 rows away from the Workshop.
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
- Gustavo's clue: He's in the Workshop. 2 cells remain possible: H7 and G8.
- Tariq's clue: He's not in the Main Hall, and he's in column E. 7 cells remain possible.
- Martha's clue: She's 3 columns away from the Restoration Room. It leaves a single cell: A8.
- Wendy's clue: She's in row 4. 6 cells remain possible: A4, B4, C4, D4, E4 and F4.
- Esteban's clue: He's 4 columns away from the Restrooms. It leaves a single cell: D6.
- Liu's clue: He's next to a seat. It leaves a single cell: B1.
- The stolen item's clue: It's 5 rows away from the Workshop. 2 cells remain possible: H2 and G3.
- Martha can only be on A8. No one else can be in row 8 or column A, and no other character can be in the Inner Courtyard.
- G8 has already been ruled out, so Gustavo can only be on H7. No one else can be in row 7 or column H, and no other character can be in the Workshop.
- Esteban can only be on D6. No one else can be in row 6 or column D, and no other character can be in the Storage Room.
- Liu can only be on B1. No one else can be in row 1 or column B, and no other character can be in the Café.
- H2 has already been ruled out, so the Inca Quipu can only be on G3. No one else can be in row 3 or column G.
- Every cell still open to Tariq is in column E, so no one else can be in that column.
- Every cell still open to Tariq is in the Exhibition Hall, so no other character can be there.
- A4, B4, D4, E4 and F4 have already been ruled out, so Wendy can only be on C4. No one else can be in row 4 or column C, and no other character can be in the Main Hall.
- E1, E3, E4, E6, E7 and E8 have already been ruled out, so Tariq can only be on E2.
Conclusion: Tariq is the only person sharing the Exhibition Hall with the Inca Quipu, which is on G3. He is the thief.