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Case 36: who took the Carved Totem?
Amid the chaos of a school visit at the museum, someone took advantage of the confusion to make off with the Carved Totem, on display in the Archive. For once, the suspect list doesn't include any nine-year-olds. Help the police unmask the thief.
The board
- 1Café
- 2Workshop
- 3Main Hall
- 4Inner Courtyard
- 5Restoration Room
- 6Reception Area
- 7Archive
- 8Lobby
- 9Office
- 10Exhibition Hall
- 11Security Room
- 12Storage Room
- Plant: no character can stand on its cell, but the stolen item can be there.
- 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
- KKenji
He's right next to the Security Room. - SSandra
She's right next to the Office and 4 rows away from the Café. - EEsteban
He's 4 columns away from the Reception Area. - BBilal
He's in column B. - DDana
She's in a corner. - HHugo
He's next to a shelf. - AAisha
She's in row 9. - CCarved Totem (stolen item)
It's 7 columns away from the Inner Courtyard.
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 right next to the Security Room. 10 cells remain possible.
- Sandra's clue: She's right next to the Office and 4 rows away from the Café. It leaves a single cell: G5.
- Esteban's clue: He's 4 columns away from the Reception Area. 2 cells remain possible: C8 and D9.
- Bilal's clue: He's in column B. 7 cells remain possible.
- Dana's clue: She's in a corner. 39 cells remain possible.
- Hugo's clue: He's next to a shelf. It leaves a single cell: H2.
- Aisha's clue: She's in row 9. 9 cells remain possible.
- The stolen item's clue: It's 7 columns away from the Inner Courtyard. It leaves a single cell: A3.
- Sandra can only be on G5. No one else can be in row 5 or column G, and no other character can be in the Security Room.
- Hugo can only be on H2. No one else can be in row 2 or column H, and no other character can be in the Inner Courtyard.
- The Carved Totem can only be on A3. No one else can be in row 3 or column A.
- Every cell still open to Kenji is in column F, so no one else can be in that column.
- Every cell still open to Esteban is in the Exhibition Hall, so no other character can be there.
- Every cell still open to Bilal is in column B, so no one else can be in that column.
- Every cell still open to Aisha is in row 9, so no one else can be in that row.
- D9 has already been ruled out, so Esteban can only be on C8. No one else can be in row 8 or column C, and no other character can be in the Exhibition Hall.
- The Carved Totem can only be in the Storage Room, and Bilal is the only character who can still get in there. Since the thief shares a room with the item, Bilal must be in the Storage Room.
- B3, B5, B6, B7, B8 and B9 have already been ruled out, so Bilal can only be on B4. No one else can be in row 4 or column B, and no other character can be in the Storage Room.
- Every other cell the clue allowed has already been ruled out, so Kenji can only be on F6. No one else can be in row 6 or column F, and no other character can be in the Main Hall.
- Every other cell the clue allowed has already been ruled out, so Dana can only be on E7. No one else can be in row 7 or column E, and no other character can be in the Workshop.
- A9, B9, C9, D9, E9, F9, G9 and H9 have already been ruled out, so Aisha can only be on I9.
Conclusion: Bilal is the only person sharing the Storage Room with the Carved Totem, which is on A3. He is the thief.