The cases for 2026-08-18

Days from the nearest port, the Aurelia is a locked room with an ocean for a moat. The brooch left its cabin; its owner did not. Chart the promenade deck, front to back. Statements were taken from all 4 passengers; Vivienne Aubert's is the first page.

1. 1. Vivienne Aubert was right next to whoever spent the evening at the music salon.
2. 2. The passenger in the silk evening gown and whoever spent the evening at the verandah cafe had exactly 1 cabin between them.
3. 3. The passenger in the silk evening gown was somewhere after the passenger in the tweed suit but before the passenger in the lace veil.
4. 4. The passenger in the tweed suit and whoever spent the evening at the card lounge are the same person.
5. 5. Maxim Volkov was in the cabin right before whoever spent the evening at the music salon.
6. 6. Cordelia Ashe was right next to whoever spent the evening at the promenade rail.
7. 7. Vivienne Aubert was in the cabin right before the passenger in the lace veil.
8. 8. Maxim Volkov and the passenger in the velvet cloak had exactly 1 cabin between them.
9. 9. The passenger in the silk evening gown was right next to whoever spent the evening at the promenade rail.
10. 10. Theo Marchetti and the passenger in the silk evening gown are the same person.
11. 11. Vivienne Aubert was in a lower-numbered cabin than whoever spent the evening at the verandah cafe.
12. 12. The passenger in the lace veil and whoever spent the evening at the verandah cafe are the same person.
13. 13. Theo Marchetti was right next to whoever spent the evening at the card lounge.
14. 14. Maxim Volkov was in a lower-numbered cabin than Vivienne Aubert.
15. 15. Theo Marchetti was right next to whoever spent the evening at the promenade rail.
16. 16. The passenger in the tweed suit was in the cabin right before whoever spent the evening at the music salon.

A priceless old book vanished from the college library the night of the founder's feast, and the night porter's keys went with it. Each professor turned in for the night in a separate room along the old stone corridor. Reconstruct that night, room by room, before the college calls a hearing. Statements were taken from all 5 professors; Reader Vane's is the first page.

1. 1. Magister Finch and the professor who claimed to be at the observatory had exactly 3 rooms between them.
2. 2. Dr. Rosendale and the professor reading the map of antiquity had exactly 1 room between them.
3. 3. Dean Holloway was in a lower-numbered room than Magister Finch.
4. 4. The professor reading the star chart was in a lower-numbered room than the professor who claimed to be at the chapel.
5. 5. Chaplain Sykes was right next to the professor reading the Greek primer.
6. 6. The professor reading the treatise on optics was right next to the professor who claimed to be at the wine cellar.
7. 7. Dean Holloway and the professor reading the treatise on optics are the same person.
8. 8. The professor reading the map of antiquity was in a lower-numbered room than the professor reading the Greek primer.
9. 9. Dr. Rosendale was in a lower-numbered room than the professor reading the map of antiquity.
10. 10. Chaplain Sykes was somewhere after Dr. Rosendale but before Magister Finch.
11. 11. Reader Vane was in a lower-numbered room than the professor reading the volume of sonnets.
12. 12. The professor who claimed to be at the wine cellar was in the room right before the professor who claimed to be at the pantry.
13. 13. The professor reading the volume of sonnets was in the room right before the professor who claimed to be at the archives.
14. 14. Reader Vane was in a lower-numbered room than Dean Holloway.

Between the toast and the closing bell, someone traded a canvas for a forgery worth nothing but trouble. The guests drifted, but each ended the night at one spot on the gallery wall. Fix every patron to their spot. Statements were taken from all 5 patrons; Cyrus Vane's is the first page.

1. 1. The patron holding the negroni and whoever arrived at 7:20 are the same person.
2. 2. Delphine Roux was right next to whoever arrived at 7:20.
3. 3. The patron looking at the charcoal sketch was in the spot right before the patron looking at the fresco panel.
4. 4. Cyrus Vane and the patron looking at the fresco panel are the same person.
5. 5. Delphine Roux was right next to the patron looking at the bronze bust.
6. 6. The patron holding the martini was right next to whoever arrived at 9:40.
7. 7. The patron looking at the bronze bust and whoever arrived at 9:40 had exactly 2 spots between them.
8. 8. The patron holding the martini was in the spot right before the patron holding the vermouth.
9. 9. Beatrix Hale was right next to the patron looking at the fresco panel.
10. 10. The patron looking at the tapestry was in a lower-numbered spot than whoever arrived at 8:50.
11. 11. The patron looking at the fresco panel was in a lower-numbered spot than the patron holding the negroni.
12. 12. Ezra Bloom and the patron holding the whiskey had exactly 1 spot between them.
13. 13. The patron looking at the fresco panel was in the spot right before the patron looking at the miniature.
14. 14. The patron looking at the tapestry was in a lower-numbered spot than the patron holding the whiskey.
15. 15. The patron holding the iced tea was in the spot right before whoever arrived at 7:20.
16. 16. Delphine Roux and whoever arrived at 9:40 had exactly 1 spot between them.
17. 17. Beatrix Hale was in the spot right before whoever arrived at 9:15.
18. 18. Lena Moreau and the patron looking at the bronze bust are the same person.