The cases for 2026-08-11

The founder's feast ended early; the library's rarest volume left earlier still. Every professor turned in to a room off the old stone corridor, each with an alibi the porter cannot quite confirm. Reconstruct that corridor, room by room. 4 professors, 4 rooms, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Warden Thorne.

1. 1. Chaplain Sykes and the professor reading the star chart are the same person.
2. 2. Warden Thorne was in the room right before the professor who claimed to be at the dining hall.
3. 3. The professor reading the psalm book was in the room right before the professor who claimed to be at the pantry.
4. 4. Chaplain Sykes and the professor who claimed to be at the dining hall are the same person.
5. 5. Dean Holloway was in the room right before the professor reading the book of hours.
6. 6. Chaplain Sykes was in the room right before Provost Crewe.
7. 7. Chaplain Sykes was right next to the professor reading the map of antiquity.
8. 8. The professor who claimed to be at the pantry was in a lower-numbered room than the professor who claimed to be at the porter's lodge.
9. 9. The professor reading the star chart and the professor who claimed to be at the dining hall are the same person.
10. 10. The professor reading the star chart was in the room right before the professor who claimed to be at the porter's lodge.
11. 11. The professor who claimed to be at the pantry was in the room right before the professor who claimed to be at the dining hall.
12. 12. Chaplain Sykes was right next to the professor who claimed to be at the porter's lodge.

The power failed at ten; by the time the candles were lit, the display case stood open and empty. The guests swear they never left their rooms off the great hall. The hall remembers otherwise — map who was where. Statements were taken from all 5 guests; Ava Sterling's is the first page.

1. 1. The guest drinking the mulled wine was in the room right before the guest drinking the brandy.
2. 2. Felix Marsh was in the room right before the guest drinking the whiskey.
3. 3. The guest drinking the whiskey was right next to the guest carrying the pocket watch.
4. 4. The guest carrying the pocket watch was in a lower-numbered room than the guest carrying the silk gloves.
5. 5. The guest carrying the sealed envelope was somewhere after the guest carrying the silver flask but before the guest carrying the fountain pen.
6. 6. Juniper Shaw and the guest carrying the sealed envelope are the same person.
7. 7. The guest carrying the silk gloves was in a lower-numbered room than the guest carrying the fountain pen.
8. 8. The guest carrying the sealed envelope was in a lower-numbered room than the guest carrying the silk gloves.
9. 9. Ava Sterling and the guest drinking the port had exactly 3 rooms between them.
10. 10. The guest drinking the port and the guest carrying the fountain pen had exactly 3 rooms between them.
11. 11. Bennett Cole was right next to the guest drinking the mulled wine.
12. 12. Bennett Cole and the guest carrying the fountain pen had exactly 1 room between them.

Night on the dig is black as the tomb itself. When the lamps were lit, the find box stood open and every member of the expedition was in a tent — or says so. Set the line of tents straight. The file names 5 diggers; Dr. Cornelia Vane's statement sits on top of the pile.

1. 1. The digger guarding the clay tablet was in a lower-numbered tent than the digger pretending to be a translator.
2. 2. Margot Ashford was in the tent right before Lucien Mercer.
3. 3. Dr. Cornelia Vane was in a lower-numbered tent than the digger pretending to be a quartermaster.
4. 4. The digger guarding the sealed papyrus and the digger drinking the spiced chai had exactly 2 tents between them.
5. 5. Dr. Cornelia Vane was in the tent right before Bram Halloway.
6. 6. The digger guarding the lapis amulet was right next to the digger drinking the date wine.
7. 7. Lucien Mercer was right next to the digger guarding the clay tablet.
8. 8. Margot Ashford was in a lower-numbered tent than the digger guarding the clay tablet.
9. 9. The digger guarding the gold scarab and the digger drinking the goat's milk are the same person.
10. 10. Margot Ashford was in the tent right before the digger pretending to be a restorer.
11. 11. Dr. Cornelia Vane was in the tent right before the digger pretending to be a quartermaster.
12. 12. The digger guarding the gold scarab was in the tent right before the digger pretending to be a surveyor.
13. 13. The digger guarding the jade beetle and the digger drinking the lime cordial are not the same person.
14. 14. The digger drinking the date wine and the digger pretending to be a surveyor are the same person.
15. 15. Penelope Drake and the digger guarding the sealed papyrus had exactly 1 tent between them.