The Enigma of the Envoy
A ciphered letter, found where it had no business being, put the Chancellery on alert: someone is prying for another crown. What has leaked so far is hard to weigh; what might yet leak, impossible. Before you, one by one, will stand Iustin the Mariner, Ban Radu the Silent, Luca the Squire and Filip the Steward. The places named in the testimonies — the guild forge, the throne room, the great stable and the wharf — each await their turn under scrutiny. Open the grid, weigh every clue, and pronounce your verdict: the Chancellery awaits only your signature.
Suspects
He brings goods from ports with unpronounceable names. Half the cargo never appears in the customs records.
1.78 m
left-handed
blue eyes
black hair
He has never uttered a needless word in his life. Sadly, nor a useful one for investigators.
1.81 m
right-handed
grey eyes
grey hair
He polishes the knight's armour and dreams of a sword of his own. For a coat of arms he would do almost anything.
1.72 m
right-handed
green eyes
brown hair
He counts the crown's silver every evening. On some evenings the count comes out different - and he says nothing.
1.79 m
right-handed
grey eyes
chestnut hair
Locations
the guild forge
Anvils, tongs, and a fire that never goes out. Many small metal things vanish here.
the throne room
Gold, purple, and the most closely watched place in the kingdom. In theory.
the great stable
It smells of hay and hurried departures. Horses give no testimony.
the wharf
Moored boats, wet ropes, and goods that prefer to arrive in the fog.
Objects
the vial of belladonna
A small flask, a wax stopper, a label written with care. Three-quarters empty.
the map of the realm
The kingdom's borders, drawn with a fresh correction where there should be none.
the ermine cloak
White fur with black tails - only the royal family may wear it. It has a tear at the hem.
the purse of gold coins
New coins, unworn, from a minting not yet in circulation. Interesting.
Moments
at dawn
When the citadel is barely waking and the guards still doze.
after matins
The hour after the morning service, when the abbey empties.
at noon
Midday, with bustle in the markets and silence in the alcoves.
at dusk
When the shadows lengthen and the lanterns are not yet lit.
Open the Grid (below) to solve the case, with the testimonies at hand.
Touch a cell: blank → ✗ (excluded) → ✓ (certain) → blank. Each pair of categories meets exactly once.
| SUSPECTS | LOCATIONS | OBJECTS | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
| MOMENTS | |
||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| OBJECTS | |
||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| LOCATIONS | |
||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
Verdict
The culprit always lies; everyone else tells the truth.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: the throne room matches that hour: after matins.
- The gate guard swears: the great stable matches that hour: at dusk.
- The healer says it with a raised finger: if Ban Radu the Silent was at the throne room, then Luca the Squire was there at dusk.
- A maid whispered it at confession: the wharf matches that hour: at dawn.
- The tracks in the dust do not lie: the great stable and the ermine cloak go together.
- Whatever the market gossips: the left-handed suspect was not present at noon.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: the suspect with grey hair handled the purse of gold coins.
- An unsigned note, slipped under the door: "the culprit handled the vial of belladonna".
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: the map of the realm matches that hour: at dawn.
- A maid whispered it at confession: the suspect with grey hair was there after matins.