DETECTIVE SCHOOL
How to solve Case 06
Just a Little Off
One step at a time. Stop whenever you like and finish it yourself. xoxo, Mae
Step 1 of 8Book: step 1
Read the reasons first. Can you see who goes where?
Hugo → A5
○ placed✕ ruled out (for whom: the letter)▢ look here⊙ still possible
- Hugo said: “He was on the Salon Floor, in row 5.” Only one square on the whole plan fits that: A5. So he stood there.
Step 2 of 8Book: step 2
Read the reasons first. Can you see who goes where?
Mort → E7
○ placed✕ ruled out (for whom: the letter)▢ look here⊙ still possible
- Felix's clue links Felix and Chul: “He was south and west of Chul.” Chul is not placed yet, but he can still be at C1, E1, B2 or C2. So check Felix's squares: a square only stays if at least one of Chul's squares fits with it (in another row and column). 14 squares fail; Felix keeps 12.
- Felix's clue links Chul and Felix: “He was south and west of Chul.” Felix is not placed yet, but he can still be on 12 squares. So check Chul's squares: a square only stays if at least one of Felix's squares fits with it (in another row and column). B2 fails, so Chul can only be at C1, E1 or C2.
- Rule 3: the victim's room holds exactly two people, the victim and the murderer. So Trudy needs a square where exactly one other person can join her. At D2, F2 or G2, only Felix could reach the Nail Room, but he would stand in her row or column there, and nobody shares a row or column. So Trudy can't be at D2, F2 or G2.
- Rule 3 again: Trudy needs a square where exactly one other person can join her. At C3, only Bonnie and Felix could reach the Lobby, but they would stand in her row or column there, and nobody shares a row or column. So Trudy can't be at C3.
- Could Mort stand at G7? Rule 3 says no: the victim needs exactly one visitor in her room. With Mort at G7 (and his row and column crossed out), Trudy, the victim, could then still be on 14 squares, and none of those works:
- Anywhere in the Shampoo Bay, the Salon Floor, the Color Bar, the Front Desk or the Lobby: Nell would have no square left.
- Mort said: “He was exactly 7 steps from the nail dryer.” That fits C5, E7 and G7. C5 is in row 5, where Hugo already stands. G7 was ruled out above. One square is left: E7. So Mort stood there.
Step 3 of 8Book: step 3
Read the reasons first. Can you see who goes where?
Nell → G6
○ placed✕ ruled out (for whom: the letter)▢ look here⊙ still possible
- Nell said: “She was at the edge of the floor plan, sitting on a salon chair.” That fits G6, B7, D7 and F7. B7, D7 and F7 are in row 7, where Mort already stands. One square is left: G6. So Nell stood there.
Step 4 of 8Book: step 4
Read the reasons first. Can you see who goes where?
Trudy → D1
○ placed✕ ruled out (for whom: the letter)▢ look here⊙ still possible
- Felix's clue links Felix and Chul: “He was south and west of Chul.” Chul is not placed yet, but he can still be at C1 or C2. So check Felix's squares: a square only stays if at least one of Chul's squares fits with it (in another row and column). C2, D2, C3, C4 or D4 fail, so Felix can only be at B2 or B3.
- Look at column D. Every column holds exactly one person, and only Trudy can still stand in column D (D1 or D4). So Trudy must be in column D, even though her clue allows other squares. All her other squares are out.
- Look at column F: only Bonnie can still stand in column F (F3 or F4). So Bonnie must be in column F, even though her clue allows other squares. Bonnie can't be at B3, C3 or C4 any more.
- Rule 3: the victim's room holds exactly two people, the victim and the murderer. So Trudy needs a square where exactly one other person can join her. At D4, nobody could join her: nobody else can still stand in the Shampoo Bay. So Trudy can't be at D4.
- Trudy is the victim: her card gives no square, only Rule 3. Rows 5, 6 and 7 and columns A, E and G already have their person, so those squares are crossed out. C1, B2, C2, B3, F3, C4, D4 and F4 were ruled out above. D2, F2 and C3 were ruled out in step 2. One square is left: D1. So Trudy stood there.
Step 5 of 8Book: step 4
Read the reasons first. Can you see who goes where?
Chul → C2
○ placed✕ ruled out (for whom: the letter)▢ look here⊙ still possible
- Chul said: “He was in a room with a booster seat, but not beside one.” That fits A1, C1, E1, B2 and C2. A1, C1 and E1 are in row 1, where Trudy already stands. B2 was ruled out in step 2. One square is left: C2. So Chul stood there.
Step 6 of 8Book: step 4
Read the reasons first. Can you see who goes where?
Felix → B3
○ placed✕ ruled out (for whom: the letter)▢ look here⊙ still possible
- Felix said: “He was south and west of Chul.” With Chul at C2, the clue leaves B3, A4, A5, B5, B6, A7 and B7. A5 and B5 are in row 5, where Hugo already stands. B6 is in row 6, where Nell already stands. A7 and B7 are in row 7, where Mort already stands. A4 is in column A, where Hugo already stands. One square is left: B3. So Felix stood there.
Step 7 of 8Book: step 4
Read the reasons first. Can you see who goes where?
Bonnie → F4
○ placed✕ ruled out (for whom: the letter)▢ look here⊙ still possible
- Bonnie said: “She was at the Color Bar or in the Lobby.” Rows 3, 5, 6 and 7 and columns A, C and G already have their person, so those squares are crossed out. One square is left: F4. So Bonnie stood there.
Step 8 of 8
Case closed!
Everyone is placed. Rule 3: the victim's room holds exactly two people, the victim and the murderer. Who shares the Front Desk with Trudy? Only Chul.
Chul did itGUILTY
Lesson 5 · The victim's room: one visitor© Mae Wonder · maewonder.com