I would've gotten away with it. 'Cause it's October. 'Cause hypothetical murder mysteries are better than real murder mysteries. 'Cause I secretly have a dark side that needs to be unleashed? Just plain 'cause. Any or all of the above! Moving on.
Anyway, gang, here's how it works: I'll post a new mystery each day. The first person to correctly solve it will earn 1 point. (If the puzzle isn't solved the first day, it'll go into an "unsolved puzzles" category and anyone can attempt to solve it at any point-- just let me know which unsolved puzzle you're answering.) On October 31st, the game will end and whoever has the most points will win Quiver (level 1).
There are Scooby Snacks in the corner if anyone needs them. wink
Points: aaleeyyee -- 8 Seren Cian -- 2 As if I even care -- 4 OohShinee -- 6 WraythRose Darkthorn -- 1 Reinik -- 2
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2016 3:03 pm
Current Puzzle:
None-- the game is over
ElegantlyLuminous
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ElegantlyLuminous
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Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2016 3:04 pm
Unsolved Puzzles:
Puzzle 18 Betty successfully proves that her sister, Wilma, murdered her husband, Barney. However, the judge ultimately rules that Wilma cannot be punished in spite of the guilty verdict. Why?
Puzzle 20 Sean was killed recently at the construction site where he worked. Based on prior criminal history, police pulled in some of his coworkers for questioning.
The electrician was suspected of wire-tapping some of his clients, but was never charged. The carpenter once tried to frame another man for assault. The foreman went to great lengths to conceal his past and still claims that he didn't do anything. The painter had a brush with the law a few years ago and she spent several years on probation for it. The heating/AC guy was known to carry a gun without a permit. The mason was regularly getting stoned on the job.
After the autopsy, police arrested the carpenter. He later confessed to the murder. Why him?
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2016 3:05 pm
Solved Puzzles: Puzzle 1
Bob and Sally went on a climbing trip for a surprise second honeymoon. However, only Bob returned from the trip, saying that Sally slipped while they were climbing and fell to her death. The local sheriff arrested him a few days later. When Bob questioned why, the sheriff answered, "Your travel agent called after seeing the story on the news, that's why. This was no accident. You murdered your wife."
Bob hadn't informed anyone about the trip beforehand-- it had been a spur of the moment surprise for Sally. Why, then, was the agent so sure that it was a murder? Answer:
Bob bought a two-way ticket for himself and a one-way ticket for Sally.
Puzzle 2
Rebecca was recently arrested for murdering her own sister. During the course of the investigation, detectives discovered a series of Facebook posts in which the woman talked about having met the most perfect man at her mother's funeral a few short weeks ago. Due to the circumstances, she hadn't gotten his phone number or seen him again but still she believed herself madly in love with him and proclaimed so regularly in her status updates. The most recent update indicated that she was meeting her sister to discuss this "dream guy." Her sister was found dead less than 24 hours later.
After an intense period of questioning, Rebecca admits to killing her sister but refuses to give a reason and instead vows eternal silence. Detectives are flummoxed. Why did Rebecca kill her sister?
She was hoping that the man was a family friend who would show up at her sister's funeral... where she'd finally be able to connect with him.
Puzzle 3
While reviewing for his upcoming police exam, Stuart came across an odd case for which the reasoning behind the ruling hadn't been included. It went something like this: "Subject was found dead in his study, slumped over the desk with a gun in his hand. Beside the man was a cassette recorder, on which was clearly heard 'I can't go on... I have nothing to live for' followed immediately by the sound of a gun shot. Detectives ruled it an open-and-shut case of murder."
Can you help Stuart figure out how this wasn't suicide?
If it was a suicide, how was the tape rewound? The victim wasn't a zombie. So... either the murderer thoughtfully rewound the tape or there was a bored ghost playing with the cassette tape.
Puzzle 4
George killed his wife in front of a large crowd... yet no one accused him of murder and no one had the power to send him to prison for murdering her. How did George get away with it?
George is an executioner or George killed his wife and then everyone else in the large crowd so no one could testify against him.
Puzzle 5
Police came across a grisly crime scene early on Monday morning. A man had been shot to death in his car. There was no gun powder or residue on his hands or clothes, indicating that he was shot by someone outside of the car some distance away. However... all of the windows were up and the doors were locked. Despite this, the only bullet holes found were on the victim's body. So how was he murdered?
Real answer: the victim was in a convertible and was shot from above when the top was down. As if I even care's better answer: the victim was killed elsewhere and then moved to the car.
Puzzle 6
Detectives are called to a crime scene where a man is lying dead in front of an abandoned building. Considering the man's history of depression, one of the two detectives immediately declares it a suicide. The other detective is uncertain and wishes to collect some more evidence before drawing a final conclusion.
With that in mind, he enters the building and goes into the first floor room that faces the corpse. He stares at the window for a moment, opens it, and throws out a penny. This process is repeated for the remaining three floors. After checking all of the windows that face the body, he heads back downstairs and meets with the other detective. He then informs him that it was not a suicide but, rather, a murder.
How did he know that it was murder?
All of the windows were closed. At least one should have been open-- the window that the victim jumped from. Since one wasn't opened, the possibility exists that someone pushed the victim out and then closed a window.
Puzzle 7
After receiving an anonymous 911 call, local police raid a nearby house in order to arrest a suspected murderer. They weren't given a description but were told that the murderer's name is John, as well as that he's inside that house. The police enter to find a carpenter, truck driver, mechanic, and fireman playing poker. Without hesitating, they take in for questioning and later arrest the fireman.
How did they know that it was the fireman and not one of the other poker players?
The other three poker players were female.
Puzzle 8
Brian was found dead in his study by his friend, Lucas. Lucas immediately called the police and when they arrived, explained that he had stopped by for an unexpected visit and had wanted to surprise his friend. However after he wiped the frost off of the window in order to peep inside and ensure that his friend was there, he saw a body lying on the floor. Alarmed, he called the police and, well, here they were.
The officer shortly thereafter arrested Lucas. How did the officer know that he was lying?
At least according to the riddle writer, frost only forms on the inside of a window... ergo, Lucas would have had to have been inside in order to know Brian was dead.
Puzzle 9
One day, Louisa went to go bleach her favorite white t-shirt because it had gotten stained in a recent and epic chocolate battle. (Don't ask.) As she was pouring the bleach into the washing machine, she spilled some of the floor. Louisa quickly got some cleaning fluid and mopped up the spill with a rag. Mere minutes later, she was dead. How did Louisa die?
The cleaning product that she picked combined with the bleach to form a toxic, deadly chemical. She accidentally killed herself.
Puzzle 10
You lock the storage unit in the basement of your apartment with a particular sort of lock with a very specific sort of key. While you need the key to open the lock, you do not need the key to close it. There is no duplicate key.
One day, you decide to move your summer stuff down to the basement and take your winter stuff upstairs. After organizing everything, you carefully close the lock. The very next day, police show up at your door and tell you that a body has been found in your storage unit. You are a suspect.
Of course you didn't do it, but... how could someone else have gotten into your unit if you have the only key?
While you were organizing inside the storage unit, the murderer took your open lock and replaced it with an identical one for which he had the key. Then, once you'd closed it, he opened the unit and put the body inside before replacing his lock with your original lock.
Puzzle 11
A man is found dead in the circular wing of a mansion. Detectives interview the cook, maid, and wife. The cook said that he was preparing a meal, so he couldn't have done it. The maid said that she was cleaning in the corners of the wing so of course she couldn't have done it. Meanwhile, the wife said that she was playing with the children. So who was lying / who killed the husband?
The maid-- there aren't any corners in a circular mansion.
Puzzle 12
Jamie went to a friend's party and drank a single glass of punch before leaving. (He wasn't much of a party guy.) Everyone else at the party who later drank the punch died later that night. According to the police, it was poisoned. How, then, did Jamie not die or end up poisoned?
The poison was in the ice. Jamie went to the party and drank the punch before the ice melted... i.e., before the punch was poisoned.
ElegantlyLuminous
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Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2016 3:06 pm
Puzzle 13
Samantha and David have been happily married for the last five years. One day, Samantha shoots David. She then holds him under water for about five minutes. Finally, she hangs him. Yet later that night both Samantha and David go out to dinner. Both are okay. How is this possible?
Samantha shot David's picture, held him under water to develop the picture, and then hung the picture on the wall.
Puzzle 14
A man is condemned to death and faces a rather unusual punishment: he must choose between three doors, each of which hides a nasty fate. Behind door #1, he faces endlessly raging fires. Door #2 boasts assassins armed with perpetually loaded guns and incredibly sharp knives. The last door opens up to a room full of lions who haven't eaten in years.
Which room is the safest?
The third one-- the lions would, presumably, be dead if they hadn't eaten in years.
Puzzle 15
Jim murders his husband, Bob, with a knife while the two are driving along an empty road that runs alongside a cliff. Nobody is around to see this. Jim is careful to dump Bob's body in such a way that there aren't any fingerprints on the body. He then drives a few more miles and throws the knife off the cliff.
A few days later, the police call and tell him that his husband his been found and he needs to come to the scene of the crime immediately. Jim is then immediately arrested. Why?
He drove to the scene of the crime without the police telling him where it was.
Puzzle 16
Jasmine is found dead out in a field of snow. The only tracks that were left was a set of footprints between two parallel lines. Who should the police be looking for?
Someone in an old-fashioned wheelchair.
Puzzle 17
Donald is in court for killing his wife, Daisy. In the closing statements, Donald's lawyer surprises everyone by dramatically announcing, "Daisy was just missing. Everyone look at those doors-- in thirty seconds, she'll walk in." The courtroom goes silent and the entire jury stares at the door. Meanwhile, Donald and the lawyer stare at the jury.
After a couple of minutes of watching the door, the lawyer at last exclaims, "See! If you were so sure that Donald killed Daisy, then you wouldn't have been watching that door." The jury shortly thereafter convicts Donald of murder. Why?
Because Donald never once looked at the door. He knew that his wife wasn't coming because he really had killed her.
Puzzle 19
Professor William was recently killed in his office. The suspects are a few of his students. (He was a very unpopular, critical teacher and many people had vowed to hurt or kill him.) These suspects include: Eddie, Jason, Jenny, Sophia, and Jacob. Near the calendar on Professor William's desk are numbers written in blood. 6, 4, 9, 10, and 11. Based on this evidence, who do you think the killer is?
Jason.
Puzzle 21
A crime was recently committed on first street. The main suspect is a man named Dante Smith. Reports of the crime say that a man had been walking along the street when he was suddenly shot in the stomach. The suspect, according to witnesses, was wearing a baggy suit, had short brown hair, and green eyes... just like Dante Smith.
Dante was brought in for questioning and asked to describe what he'd seen and done. Dante said that he was on his way back to work after eating lunch in the park when he saw a guy come up behind another guy and shoot him in the stomach. He'd been so scared that he ran right back to the office without any further thought. When asked to give a description, Dante mentioned blonde hair, a thick mustache, and a baggy suit. The officers think that Dante is lying. How do they know?
You can't shoot someone in the stomach from behind // How did he see the man's face if he was looking at his back and ran away before the shooter turned around?
Puzzle 22
A very wealthy socialite was murdered early on a Sunday afternoon. At the time of the murder there were five other people at home with the woman: the maid, the cook, the butler, the gardener, and the personal assistant. They gave the following statements as to what they were doing when the murder occurred.
Maid: I was setting the table. Cook: I was preparing breakfast. Butler: I was polishing the silverware. Gardener: I was watering the plants. Personal assistant: I was balancing her checkbook.
Who, then, murdered the socialite?
The cook. Most people don't make breakfast for lunch or dinner. (I do, but I'm strange.)
Puzzle 23
The Evil Queen, after failing to poison Snow White, invited Dopey to lunch. They ate a hearty meal made by the Queen's finest chef as an apology. They finished the meal with a delectable bowl of figs, grapes, and apples. When the basket was nearly empty, the Evil Queen said to Dopey, "Just one apple left... I insist that you have it."
Dopey protested, of course, uncertain as to if he should trust any apples gifted by the Evil Queen. After numerous protests, the Queen at last offered to share it. Dopey, assuming she wouldn't eat it if were poisoned, nodded. And so the Evil Queen cut the apple in half with a sharp knife. They both started to eat their halves when Dopey suddenly fell to the ground in a fit. He died mere seconds later.
How was it that the Evil Queen did not die after eating the poisoned apple?
Only one side of the knife was poisoned.
Puzzle 24
A famous chemist was found murdered in his lab, his notebooks and computer stolen in the process. Police have narrowed down the suspect list to six people, knowing that there had to have been at least two people: Felice, Maxwell, Archibald, Nicolas, Jordan, and Xavier. Their only clue is a note hastily and messily scrawled near the body which says "26-3-58... 28-27-27-57-16."
Based on that little bit of information, who are the killers?
Felice and Nicolas
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2016 5:56 pm
CUZ IM ALWAYS A SLUT FOR MYSTERIES!!! I will start working on this, once I finish this rug Im working on, I got 13 rows left!!
I can't think of a clever response... so here's a Scooby Doo gif instead:
xD I'll put the answer under spoiler tags, just in case someone else wants to figure it out
But the dumbbutt husband thought he was soooo smart with his plan, but the idiot only bought one ticket back home!! If you're gunna plan to kill someone at least make it look like you're not expecting it xD
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2016 12:56 pm
I think I know the answer too surprised
edit: lol I didn't see you posted the answer already. but I was right, what a dumb butt!
Reinik
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ElegantlyLuminous
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2016 1:02 pm
Yup! You're both right. So... 1 point to Aleye. I'll add a new puzzle in a few minutes. 3nodding
Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2016 2:06 pm
Whoop! Puzzle 2 has been moved to unsolved and puzzle 3 posted in the first spot.
Whoop! Puzzle 2 has been moved to unsolved and puzzle 3 posted in the first spot.
OOOOH I KNOW THE ANSWER FOR #3 TOO!!!
If the man had killed himself, who rewound the tape back to the beginning of the recording huh?!?! The answer is ghost
Hmmm, maybe I'll leave puzzle 2 for someone else now sweatdrop *Edit Awwww, I know this one too! Is it bad I know most of these riddles because I've regularly looked up riddles to solve whenever I'm bored crying
