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Case 27: who took the Illuminated Book?
During the night rounds at the library, a guard raised the alarm: the Illuminated Book, which should be in the Lobby, is missing. Everything points to the thief still being among those present. Help the police unmask them.
The board
- 1Restoration Room
- 2Conference Room
- 3Reception Area
- 4Study Room
- 5Periodicals Room
- 6Children's Room
- 7Vault
- 8Reading Room
- 9Archive
- 10Lobby
- 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
- DDana
She's right next to the Vault. - YYusuf
He's in row 7. - BBoris
He's 4 rows away from the Children's Room. - SSandra
She's in column A. - EEsteban
He's in the Periodicals Room. - CCarla
She's not in the Periodicals Room. - KKenji
He's 3 columns away from the Restoration Room. - IIlluminated Book (stolen item)
It's next to a table.
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
- Dana's clue: She's right next to the Vault. 16 cells remain possible.
- Yusuf's clue: He's in row 7. 7 cells remain possible.
- Boris's clue: He's 4 rows away from the Children's Room. It leaves a single cell: H1.
- Sandra's clue: She's in column A. 5 cells remain possible: A1, A2, A3, A7 and A8.
- Esteban's clue: He's in the Periodicals Room. 9 cells remain possible.
- Carla's clue: She's not in the Periodicals Room. 36 cells remain possible.
- Kenji's clue: He's 3 columns away from the Restoration Room. It leaves a single cell: D5.
- The stolen item's clue: It's next to a table. 4 cells remain possible: H2, G6, F7 and G8.
- Boris can only be on H1. No one else can be in row 1 or column H, and no other character can be in the Reading Room.
- Kenji can only be on D5. No one else can be in row 5 or column D, and no other character can be in the Archive.
- Every cell still open to Yusuf is in row 7, so no one else can be in that row.
- Every cell still open to Sandra is in column A, so no one else can be in that column.
- Every cell still open to Esteban is in row 8, so no one else can be in that row.
- H2, F7 and G8 have already been ruled out, so the Illuminated Book can only be on G6. No one else can be in row 6 or column G.
- Every other cell the clue allowed has already been ruled out, so Dana can only be on F4. No one else can be in row 4 or column F, and no other character can be in the Study Room.
- Every cell still open to Esteban is in the Periodicals Room, so no other character can be there.
- A7, B7, C7, D7, F7 and H7 have already been ruled out, so Yusuf can only be on E7. No one else can be in row 7 or column E, and no other character can be in the Vault.
- There are as many suspects (counting the item) as columns, so each column holds exactly one. Only Esteban can still reach column C, so that is where he must be.
- A7, B7, C7, D7, A8, B8, D8 and E8 have already been ruled out, so Esteban can only be on C8.
- Every cell still open to Carla is in the Lobby, so no other character can be there.
- A1, A2, A7 and A8 have already been ruled out, so Sandra can only be on A3. No one else can be in row 3 or column A, and no other character can be in the Conference Room.
- Every other cell the clue allowed has already been ruled out, so Carla can only be on B2.
Conclusion: Yusuf is the only person sharing the Vault with the Illuminated Book, which is on G6. He is the thief.