The Veil of the Crown
A ciphered letter, found where it had no business being, put the Chancellery on alert: someone is prying for another crown. The Chancellery has caught only the end of the thread; the whole skein is still in someone's hands. The testimonies keep returning to the same names: Abbot Corvus, Countess Velica de Arin, Manole the Jeweller and Ban Radu the Silent. The hours in question: "at dawn", "after matins", "at noon" and "at dusk". Study the testimonies at your leisure, fit them into the grid, and pronounce your verdict without haste.
Suspects
He raises ravens in the abbey tower. His birds arrive faster than any messenger - and cannot be held to account.
1.78 m
right-handed
dark eyes
bald
She collects fans, debts of honour, and bedchamber secrets. She wields all three as weapons.
1.70 m
left-handed
green eyes
red hair
He tells gold from gilt at a glance. With people, he admits, it takes him two.
1.69 m
right-handed
brown eyes
brown 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
Locations
the old dungeon
Cells abandoned since the new dungeon was built. "Abandoned" is one way of putting it.
the queen's garden
Roses trimmed to a line and paths you may walk only by invitation. At night, the hedge has ears.
the castle cellar
Barrels as big as carts and corners the lantern never reaches.
the salt market
Here anything is bargained for, from salt to silences. The price of silence keeps rising.
Objects
the customs scales
Copper pans, sealed weights. One of the weights rings hollow.
the ruby dagger
A short blade, its hilt set with a stone red as a frozen drop. It was sharpened recently.
the ceremonial crown
The "wearable" copy of the true crown. At least, that was the idea.
the bronze key
Heavy, old, its teeth worn smooth. No one knows what door it opens anymore - or so they say.
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.
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Verdict
The culprit always lies; everyone else tells the truth.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: the queen's garden and the ceremonial crown go together.
- Even the jester says it in earnest: the suspect with brown hair was not present after matins.
- About the culprit, the Chancellery knows one thing for certain: the culprit handled the ceremonial crown.
- The chronicler notes drily: the tallest suspect handled the customs scales, whatever the court may say.
- The gate guard swears: the salt market and the bronze key go together.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: the suspect with brown hair handled the bronze key.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: Abbot Corvus was there at dusk.
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: the old dungeon matches that hour: at dusk.
- Two witnesses, upon their crest: the customs scales does not match that hour: after matins.
- Even the jester says it in earnest: the salt market does not match that hour: at dawn.