The cases for 2026-08-21

The chief steward logged every first-class passenger to a cabin on the promenade deck. Then the lights dimmed for the captain's toast, and a diamond brooch vanished mid-ocean. The log is torn — restore it, cabin by cabin. 4 passengers, 4 cabins, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Ingrid Solberg.

1. 1. Ingrid Solberg was right next to the passenger in the lace veil.
2. 2. Whoever spent the evening at the purser's desk was in a lower-numbered cabin than whoever spent the evening at the smoking room.
3. 3. Vivienne Aubert and whoever spent the evening at the purser's desk are the same person.
4. 4. Honoria Pratt was right next to whoever spent the evening at the purser's desk.
5. 5. Vivienne Aubert and the passenger in the lace veil are the same person.
6. 6. Ingrid Solberg and whoever spent the evening at the smoking room are the same person.
7. 7. The passenger in the beaded shawl was right next to whoever spent the evening at the smoking room.
8. 8. The passenger in the white dinner jacket and whoever spent the evening at the wireless office had exactly 1 cabin between them.
9. 9. Vivienne Aubert was right next to whoever spent the evening at the smoking room.
10. 10. Vivienne Aubert was somewhere after Honoria Pratt but before Ingrid Solberg.
11. 11. Whoever spent the evening at the purser's desk was in a lower-numbered cabin than whoever spent the evening at the grand staircase.
12. 12. Honoria Pratt and the passenger in the tweed suit are the same person.
13. 13. Honoria Pratt was in the cabin right before whoever spent the evening at the purser's desk.

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. 5 professors, 5 rooms, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Provost Crewe.

1. 1. The professor who claimed to be at the rose garden was somewhere after the professor who claimed to be at the wine cellar but before the professor who claimed to be at the dining hall.
2. 2. Chaplain Sykes was in the room right before the professor reading the alchemical manual.
3. 3. Bursar Quill was right next to the professor reading the book of hours.
4. 4. The professor reading the alchemical manual was in the room right before the professor who claimed to be at the rose garden.
5. 5. Bursar Quill was in the room right before the professor reading the book of hours.
6. 6. The professor reading the anatomy folio and the professor who claimed to be at the rose garden are the same person.
7. 7. The professor reading the treatise on optics was in a lower-numbered room than the professor who claimed to be at the dining hall.
8. 8. The professor who claimed to be at the rose garden was in the room right before the professor who claimed to be at the dining hall.
9. 9. Reader Vane and the professor who claimed to be at the archives had exactly 2 rooms between them.
10. 10. The professor reading the psalm book was in the room right before the professor who claimed to be at the porter's lodge.
11. 11. Provost Crewe was in the room right before Bursar Quill.
12. 12. The professor reading the psalm book was somewhere after the professor reading the alchemical manual but before the professor reading the book of hours.

The curator noticed the brushwork first — too clean, too new. By then the room had emptied and the sign-in sheet told half the story. Walk the wall and pin every patron to a spot. Statements were taken from all 5 patrons; Jasper Quill's is the first page.

1. 1. The patron holding the champagne was in the spot right before the patron holding the negroni.
2. 2. Jasper Quill was in a lower-numbered spot than the patron holding the white wine.
3. 3. The patron looking at the bronze bust and whoever arrived at 6:40 had exactly 2 spots between them.
4. 4. Jasper Quill and the patron looking at the oil portrait are the same person.
5. 5. Whoever arrived at 8:30 was somewhere after whoever arrived at 7:45 but before whoever arrived at 9:00.
6. 6. Whoever arrived at 6:40 was in a lower-numbered spot than whoever arrived at 7:45.
7. 7. The patron looking at the miniature was in a lower-numbered spot than the patron holding the champagne.
8. 8. Greta Lindqvist and the patron holding the lemonade are the same person.
9. 9. Greta Lindqvist and the patron holding the red wine had exactly 2 spots between them.
10. 10. The patron holding the lemonade was in the spot right before whoever arrived at 7:45.
11. 11. The patron holding the negroni was right next to whoever arrived at 7:45.
12. 12. Cyrus Vane and the patron holding the white wine are the same person.
13. 13. The patron looking at the bronze bust was in the spot right before whoever arrived at 7:10.
14. 14. Otto Krane was right next to the patron looking at the bronze bust.
15. 15. The patron looking at the glass sculpture and whoever arrived at 6:40 had exactly 3 spots between them.