Roboku
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Case 30: who took the Crystal Starfish?
This morning, the staff at the aquarium found that the Crystal Starfish, kept in the Storage Room, is no longer where it should be. No one remembers seeing a stranger come in, so the thief must be one of the people already inside. Help the police unmask them.
The board
- 1Maintenance Room
- 2Office
- 3Diving Room
- 4Restrooms
- 5Reception Area
- 6Storage Room
- 7Gift Shop
- 8Tank Room
- 9Lobby
- 10Laboratory
- 11Terrace
- 12Main Aquarium
- 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
- AAisha
She's not next to any wall. - DDiego
He's 5 rows away from the Restrooms. - BBilal
He's 5 columns away from the Storage Room. - IIvan
He's in row 5. - YYusuf
He's in the Main Aquarium. - GGustavo
He's right next to the Lobby. - CCrystal Starfish (stolen item)
It's next to a shelf.
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
- Aisha's clue: She's not next to any wall. 7 cells remain possible.
- Diego's clue: He's 5 rows away from the Restrooms. 2 cells remain possible: A1 and B2.
- Bilal's clue: He's 5 columns away from the Storage Room. It leaves a single cell: I1.
- Ivan's clue: He's in row 5. 6 cells remain possible: A5, B5, C5, E5, F5 and G5.
- Yusuf's clue: He's in the Main Aquarium. 5 cells remain possible: H1, G2, H2, H3 and H4.
- Gustavo's clue: He's right next to the Lobby. 28 cells remain possible.
- The stolen item's clue: It's next to a shelf. 4 cells remain possible: D4, C5, E5 and D6.
- Bilal can only be on I1. No one else can be in row 1 or column I, and no other character can be in the Tank Room.
- A1 has already been ruled out, so Diego can only be on B2. No one else can be in row 2 or column B, and no other character can be in the Storage Room.
- Every cell still open to Aisha is in the Lobby, so no other character can be there.
- B5, C5, E5, F5 and G5 have already been ruled out, so Ivan can only be on A5. No one else can be in row 5 or column A, and no other character can be in the Reception Area.
- Every cell still open to Aisha is in row 4, so no one else can be in that row.
- H1, G2, H2 and H4 have already been ruled out, so Yusuf can only be on H3.
- D4, C5 and E5 have already been ruled out, so the Crystal Starfish can only be on D6. No one else can be in row 6 or column D.
- Every other cell the clue allowed has already been ruled out, so Gustavo can only be on E7. No one else can be in row 7 or column E, and no other character can be in the Gift Shop.
- B2, C2, D2, H2, E4 and E5 have already been ruled out, so Aisha can only be on F4.
Conclusion: Aisha is the only person sharing the Lobby with the Crystal Starfish, which is on D6. She is the thief.