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Case 37: who took the Trident of Neptune?
An urgent call has come in from the staff at the aquarium: the Trident of Neptune, normally kept in the Tank 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
- 1Office
- 2Terrace
- 3Gift Shop
- 4Café
- 5Children's Room
- 6Tank Room
- 7Storage Room
- 8Laboratory
- 9Main Aquarium
- 10Restrooms
- 11Maintenance Room
- 12Reception Area
- 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
- MMartha
She's in row 6. - AAisha
She's next to a shelf. - PPriya
She's 6 columns away from the Office. - LLiu
He's 2 rows away from the Children's Room and 3 columns away from the Restrooms. - WWendy
She's in the Reception Area. - HHana
She's next to a window. - JJavier
He's right next to the Maintenance Room. - EEsteban
He's 2 rows away from the Terrace. - TTrident of Neptune (stolen item)
It's next to a screen.
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
- Martha's clue: She's in row 6. 7 cells remain possible.
- Aisha's clue: She's next to a shelf. 3 cells remain possible: E4, F5 and E6.
- Priya's clue: She's 6 columns away from the Office. It leaves a single cell: I5.
- Liu's clue: He's 2 rows away from the Children's Room and 3 columns away from the Restrooms. It leaves a single cell: D7.
- Wendy's clue: She's in the Reception Area. 2 cells remain possible: G9 and G10.
- Hana's clue: She's next to a window. 8 cells remain possible.
- Javier's clue: He's right next to the Maintenance Room. 32 cells remain possible.
- Esteban's clue: He's 2 rows away from the Terrace. 2 cells remain possible: C3 and A4.
- The stolen item's clue: It's next to a screen. 4 cells remain possible: B1, A2, I8 and J9.
- Priya can only be on I5. No one else can be in row 5 or column I, and no other character can be in the Main Aquarium.
- Liu can only be on D7. No one else can be in row 7 or column D, and no other character can be in the Café.
- Every cell still open to Martha is in row 6, so no one else can be in that row.
- F5 and E6 have already been ruled out, so Aisha can only be on E4. No one else can be in row 4 or column E, and no other character can be in the Maintenance Room.
- A4 has already been ruled out, so Esteban can only be on C3.
- Every cell still open to Wendy is in column G, so no one else can be in that column.
- Every cell still open to Javier is in the Gift Shop, so no other character can be there.
- H1, J3, A5, I5, H6, A7 and G10 have already been ruled out, so Hana can only be on A2. No one else can be in row 2 or column A, and no other character can be in the Terrace.
- A6, D6, E6, F6, G6 and H6 have already been ruled out, so Martha can only be on B6. No one else can be in row 6 or column B, and no other character can be in the Restrooms.
- B1, A2 and I8 have already been ruled out, so the Trident of Neptune can only be on J9. No one else can be in row 9 or column J.
- G9 has already been ruled out, so Wendy can only be on G10.
- Every other cell the clue allowed has already been ruled out, so Javier can only be on F1.
Conclusion: Priya is the only person sharing the Main Aquarium with the Trident of Neptune, which is on J9. She is the thief.