The cases for 2026-07-29

The tower's top corridor sleeps a handful of strangers, each with a rehearsed story. By checkout the register is short one truth and the night manager is not talking. Sort every guest into the right suite. The file names 4 guests; Rosalind Carver's statement sits on top of the pile.

1. 1. The guest pretending to be the antique dealer was in the suite right before the one carrying the garnet key tag.
2. 2. Rosalind Carver and the guest pretending to be the stage magician are the same person.
3. 3. Cassius Lange was right next to the guest pretending to be the travel writer.
4. 4. Rosalind Carver and the one carrying the copper key tag are the same person.
5. 5. The guest pretending to be the opera singer was in the suite right before the guest pretending to be the antique dealer.
6. 6. Cassius Lange was in the suite right before the guest pretending to be the travel writer.
7. 7. The guest pretending to be the antique dealer was somewhere after the guest pretending to be the opera singer but before the guest pretending to be the travel writer.
8. 8. Constance Vail and the one carrying the garnet key tag are the same person.
9. 9. Cassius Lange and the one carrying the amber key tag are the same person.
10. 10. Oscar Dunne was somewhere before the guest pretending to be the antique dealer in the line.
11. 11. The guest pretending to be the travel writer and the one carrying the garnet key tag are the same person.
12. 12. The guest pretending to be the opera singer was in the suite right before the one carrying the amber key tag.
13. 13. The guest pretending to be the opera singer and the one carrying the jade key tag are the same person.
14. 14. Cassius Lange was somewhere before the guest pretending to be the stage magician in the line.

The eclipse bought a few minutes of perfect dark, and someone spent them well. The map case hangs open and the ridge is thick with alibis. Walk the domes and name the thief. 5 astronomers, 5 domes, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Soren Vaughn.

1. 1. The one tracking the eclipse was somewhere before the one tracking the comet in the line.
2. 2. Bram Sutcliffe was somewhere before the one tracking the comet in the line.
3. 3. Idris Hawke was in the dome right before Soren Vaughn.
4. 4. Idris Hawke was right next to the one using the plate camera.
5. 5. Idris Hawke was right next to the one tracking the nebula.
6. 6. Idris Hawke was right next to the one tracking the comet.
7. 7. Bram Sutcliffe and the one tracking the pole star were exactly 3 domes apart.
8. 8. Bram Sutcliffe was somewhere after Pieter Aldous but before Nadia Ellison.
9. 9. Bram Sutcliffe and the one tracking the nebula are the same person.
10. 10. Bram Sutcliffe was in the dome right before the one tracking the eclipse.
11. 11. The one using the sextant and the one tracking the eclipse were exactly 2 domes apart.
12. 12. The one using the spectroscope and the one tracking the new star were exactly 3 domes apart.
13. 13. Pieter Aldous and the one using the photometer were exactly 4 domes apart.

On closing night the lead singer's diamond hair-clip vanished between the second-act bow and the final blackout. Each member of the company waited out the chaos in a separate dressing room down the backstage corridor. Walk the corridor, door by door, and place them. Statements were taken from all 5 company members; Cordelia Strauss's is the first page.

1. 1. The one holding the hand mirror was in the dressing room right before whoever was last seen at the curtain call.
2. 2. The performer in the jester's motley was in the dressing room right before the performer in the silver tunic.
3. 3. The one holding the prop goblet was somewhere before whoever was last seen at the curtain call in the line.
4. 4. Emil Sandoval was somewhere before the one holding the tin crown in the line.
5. 5. The one holding the laurel wreath was right next to whoever was last seen at the mad scene.
6. 6. The performer in the silver tunic and whoever was last seen at the death aria were exactly 2 dressing rooms apart.
7. 7. The one holding the letter scroll and whoever was last seen at the curtain call were exactly 4 dressing rooms apart.
8. 8. Nadia Volkova and the one holding the laurel wreath were exactly 2 dressing rooms apart.
9. 9. The performer in the gold breastplate was in the dressing room right before whoever was last seen at the mad scene.
10. 10. Whoever was last seen at the death aria was somewhere before whoever was last seen at the mad scene in the line.
11. 11. Emil Sandoval was right next to whoever was last seen at the final blackout.
12. 12. Nadia Volkova was right next to the performer in the velvet cloak.
13. 13. The one holding the letter scroll and whoever was last seen at the houselights down are the same person.
14. 14. Reinhold Faust and whoever was last seen at the curtain call were exactly 3 dressing rooms apart.
15. 15. The one holding the hand mirror was somewhere after the one holding the prop goblet but before the one holding the tin crown.
16. 16. Thaddeus Crowe was right next to the one holding the hand mirror.
17. 17. Reinhold Faust was somewhere before the one holding the laurel wreath in the line.