The cases for 2026-08-02

By the time the chapel bells rang, every story matched: locked library, missing volume, a corridor of scholars who saw nothing. The rooms know better. Place every professor before the college calls its hearing. Statements were taken from all 4 fellows; Warden Thorne's is the first page.

1. 1. Dean Holloway was right next to the scholar reading the psalm book.
2. 2. Reader Vane was right next to the scholar reading the map of antiquity.
3. 3. Reader Vane was somewhere before the scholar reading the psalm book in the line.
4. 4. Dean Holloway and the scholar reading the star chart are the same person.
5. 5. The one who claimed to be at the dining hall was in the room right before the one who claimed to be at the porter's lodge.
6. 6. The scholar reading the psalm book and the one who claimed to be at the dining hall are the same person.
7. 7. Reader Vane and the one who claimed to be at the muniment room are the same person.
8. 8. The one who claimed to be at the muniment room was somewhere before the one who claimed to be at the boathouse in the line.
9. 9. Don Whitlock was somewhere before the one who claimed to be at the dining hall in the line.
10. 10. The scholar reading the psalm book was in the room right before the one who claimed to be at the porter's lodge.
11. 11. Reader Vane was in the room right before Don Whitlock.
12. 12. The one who claimed to be at the muniment room was in the room right before the one who claimed to be at the boathouse.
13. 13. The scholar reading the account ledger was in the room right before the one who claimed to be at the boathouse.
14. 14. Don Whitlock was somewhere after Reader Vane but before Warden Thorne.
15. 15. The scholar reading the account ledger was in the room right before the scholar reading the map of antiquity.

Midnight, and the storm still has not broken. Somewhere between the first toast and the last thunderclap, the Blackwood heirloom walked out of its case. Every guest kept to a room along the great hall. Pin each of them to theirs. The file names 5 guests; Lavinia Crane's statement sits on top of the pile.

1. 1. The one carrying the opera glasses was somewhere after the one carrying the monocle but before the one carrying the sealed envelope.
2. 2. The guest drinking the absinthe and the one carrying the sealed envelope are the same person.
3. 3. Lavinia Crane was right next to the one carrying the monocle.
4. 4. The guest drinking the espresso and the one carrying the monocle were exactly 4 rooms apart.
5. 5. Hollis Tate was in the room right before the one carrying the fountain pen.
6. 6. The guest drinking the chamomile and the one carrying the fountain pen were exactly 3 rooms apart.
7. 7. Ivo Blackwood and the one carrying the monocle are the same person.
8. 8. The guest drinking the sherry was somewhere before the one carrying the riding crop in the line.
9. 9. Lavinia Crane was somewhere before the one carrying the sealed envelope in the line.
10. 10. Lavinia Crane was right next to the guest drinking the brandy.
11. 11. Clara Voss and the one carrying the opera glasses are the same person.

The tomb kept its seal for three thousand years; the expedition kept theirs for one season. The scarab is gone and the sand shows no tracks out of camp. Work the tents along the trench and name the thief. 5 diggers, 5 tents, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Theo Wren.

1. 1. The digger guarding the jade beetle was somewhere before the one drinking the barley water in the line.
2. 2. The digger guarding the silver ankh and the one drinking the goat's milk are the same person.
3. 3. Penelope Drake was somewhere before the digger guarding the sealed papyrus in the line.
4. 4. Penelope Drake was right next to the digger guarding the obsidian blade.
5. 5. Rashid el-Amin was somewhere after Penelope Drake but before Nadia Sokolova.
6. 6. The digger guarding the sealed papyrus was somewhere before the one drinking the goat's milk in the line.
7. 7. The one drinking the barley water was in the tent right before the one pretending to be a language expert.
8. 8. Nadia Sokolova and the one drinking the arak were exactly 4 tents apart.
9. 9. Theo Wren and the one drinking the ginger beer are the same person.
10. 10. The digger guarding the sealed papyrus was right next to the one pretending to be a foreman.
11. 11. The digger guarding the jade beetle was somewhere before the one drinking the goat's milk in the line.
12. 12. The digger guarding the obsidian blade was somewhere before the one pretending to be a language expert in the line.
13. 13. Rashid el-Amin and the one drinking the barley water were exactly 2 tents apart.
14. 14. Rashid el-Amin was in the tent right before Nadia Sokolova.
15. 15. The digger guarding the silver ankh and the one pretending to be a restorer are the same person.
16. 16. The digger guarding the obsidian blade was right next to the one pretending to be a language expert.
17. 17. The one pretending to be a translator was in the tent right before the one pretending to be a restorer.