The Trap of the Fair
Not one deed but a whole scheme has come to light — laid patiently, in secret. The crown demands not only the name but the proof: suspicion without grounds is itself a tool of the scheme. Before you, one by one, will stand Chancellor Veniamin, Luca the Squire, Gavril the Farrier and Chamberlain Iorgu. The places named in the testimonies — the castle cellar, the mill by the river, the cathedral crypt and the watchtower — each await their turn under scrutiny. Study the testimonies at your leisure, fit them into the grid, and pronounce your verdict without haste.
Suspects
Every charter of the kingdom passes through his hands. A comma he once moved started a war.
1.64 m
left-handed
grey eyes
bald
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
Arms like tree trunks and a forge where all noise dies. Some things are better beaten while hot.
1.88 m
right-handed
dark eyes
black hair
He arranges the king's audiences and, for a small courtesy, the order in which petitions are read.
1.77 m
right-handed
grey eyes
brown hair
Locations
the castle cellar
Barrels as big as carts and corners the lantern never reaches.
the mill by the river
The wheel turns day and night. Its noise drowns out any conversation - which is why some are held here.
the cathedral crypt
The old kings sleep beneath crested slabs. Now and then, someone disturbs their rest.
the watchtower
The highest point of the fortress. From here you see everything - and from below, everyone sees who climbs up.
Objects
the bronze key
Heavy, old, its teeth worn smooth. No one knows what door it opens anymore - or so they say.
the broken lantern
The glass cracked, the wick burned to the end. Someone needed a lot of light, fast.
the rusted sword
An old weapon, forgotten on the rack. The rust on the blade is newer than it looks.
the abbess's bell
It calls the nuns to prayer. On the night in question, they all say, it rang once too many.
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.
- Two witnesses, upon their crest: the cathedral crypt and the broken lantern do not go together.
- Even the jester says it in earnest: the broken lantern does not match that hour: at noon.
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: Chancellor Veniamin handled the abbess's bell.
- The customs register is clear: the mill by the river and the broken lantern do not go together.
- The bell-ringer remembers well: Chamberlain Iorgu came earlier than Luca the Squire.
- The gate guard swears: Chamberlain Iorgu was there at noon.
- One thing is certain: the cathedral crypt and the hour "at dawn" do not share the same match for suspects.
- About the culprit, the Chancellery knows one thing for certain: the culprit was there after matins.
- Every scout reports the same about the culprit: the culprit handled the bronze key.
- The traces left at the scene show it plainly: the culprit was in the place from which you see everything.