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Case 6: 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
- 1Main Hall
- 2Exhibition Hall
- 3Storage Room
- 4Reception Area
- 5Cloakroom
- 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
- GGrace
She's in row 3. - FFatima
She's in the Storage Room. - DDana
She's in column D. - EEsteban
He's 4 rows away from the Exhibition Hall. - PPriya
She's next to a screen. - IInca Quipu (stolen item)
It's 5 columns away from the Main Hall.
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
- Grace's clue: She's in row 3. 4 cells remain possible: A3, B3, C3 and D3.
- Fatima's clue: She's in the Storage Room. 6 cells remain possible: D5, E5, F5, D6, E6 and F6.
- Dana's clue: She's in column D. 5 cells remain possible: D2, D3, D4, D5 and D6.
- Esteban's clue: He's 4 rows away from the Exhibition Hall. It leaves a single cell: A1.
- Priya's clue: She's next to a screen. 3 cells remain possible: A5, C5 and B6.
- The stolen item's clue: It's 5 columns away from the Main Hall. It leaves a single cell: F2.
- Esteban can only be on A1. No one else can be in row 1 or column A, and no other character can be in the Cloakroom.
- The Inca Quipu can only be on F2. No one else can be in row 2 or column F.
- There are as many suspects (counting the item) as rows, so each row holds exactly one. Only Dana can still reach row 4, so that is where she must be.
- D2, D3, D5 and D6 have already been ruled out, so Dana can only be on D4. No one else can be in row 4 or column D, and no other character can be in the Reception Area.
- A3, C3 and D3 have already been ruled out, so Grace can only be on B3. No one else can be in row 3 or column B, and no other character can be in the Main Hall.
- A5 and B6 have already been ruled out, so Priya can only be on C5. No one else can be in row 5 or column C, and no other character can be in the Exhibition Hall.
- D5, E5, F5, D6 and F6 have already been ruled out, so Fatima can only be on E6.
Conclusion: Dana is the only person sharing the Reception Area with the Inca Quipu, which is on F2. She is the thief.