The cases for 2026-08-23

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. 4 performers, 4 dressing rooms, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Nadia Volkova.

1. 1. Emil Sandoval was right next to the performer in the velvet cloak.
2. 2. The performer holding the lute was in the dressing room right before the performer holding the ivory comb.
3. 3. The performer in the velvet cloak was in the dressing room right before the performer in the mourning veil.
4. 4. The performer in the peasant smock was in the dressing room right before the performer in the velvet cloak.
5. 5. Emil Sandoval was in the dressing room right before the performer holding the laurel wreath.
6. 6. Nadia Volkova was somewhere after Augustin Reyes but before Reinhold Faust.
7. 7. The performer in the mourning veil was right next to the performer holding the ivory comb.
8. 8. Reinhold Faust was right next to the performer holding the lute.
9. 9. Emil Sandoval was in a lower-numbered dressing room than the performer holding the lute.
10. 10. Augustin Reyes was in a lower-numbered dressing room than the performer in the silver tunic.
11. 11. The performer in the velvet cloak and the performer holding the laurel wreath are the same person.
12. 12. Nadia Volkova was in a lower-numbered dressing room than Reinhold Faust.
13. 13. Reinhold Faust and the performer in the silver tunic are the same person.
14. 14. The performer in the silver tunic and the performer holding the shepherd's crook had exactly 2 dressing rooms between them.
15. 15. The performer in the mourning veil was in a lower-numbered dressing room than the performer in the silver tunic.

A cask of the estate's finest vintage was drained and switched the night before the auction. Each vintner worked alone in a different cellar vault along the chalk tunnel. Work the tunnel, vault by vault, and name who swapped the wine. Statements were taken from all 5 vintners; Sylvie Laurent's is the first page.

1. 1. The vintner using the copper still was in the vault right before the vintner using the wax sealer.
2. 2. Sylvie Laurent and the vintner using the wax sealer had exactly 2 vaults between them.
3. 3. The vintner blending the sauvignon blanc was in the vault right before the vintner using the mixing paddle.
4. 4. The vintner using the wax sealer was in a lower-numbered vault than the vintner using the tasting pipette.
5. 5. Odette Blanc was in the vault right before the vintner using the mixing paddle.
6. 6. Amélie Mirabel was somewhere after Henri Faure but before Sylvie Laurent.
7. 7. The vintner blending the sangiovese and the vintner using the wax sealer had exactly 2 vaults between them.
8. 8. Odette Blanc was right next to the vintner blending the malbec.
9. 9. Odette Blanc was in a lower-numbered vault than the vintner blending the sangiovese.
10. 10. Henri Faure was right next to the vintner using the wax sealer.
11. 11. Bianca Conti and the vintner using the mixing paddle are the same person.
12. 12. Amélie Mirabel was in a lower-numbered vault than the vintner blending the malbec.
13. 13. Bianca Conti was in the vault right before the vintner using the crystal decanter.
14. 14. The vintner blending the riesling was in the vault right before the vintner blending the sauvignon blanc.

Someone knew exactly when the orchid would open — and exactly which pane to jimmy. Every botanist worked a glasshouse down the garden path that night. Sort out who tended where. Statements were taken from all 5 botanists; Ingrid Solveig's is the first page.

1. 1. The botanist tending the wax flower and whoever was sipping the rooibos tea are the same person.
2. 2. Tobias Crane and the botanist carrying the brass mister are the same person.
3. 3. Niko Petrakis and whoever was sipping the ginger beer had exactly 1 glasshouse between them.
4. 4. Niko Petrakis was in a lower-numbered glasshouse than the botanist tending the moon cactus.
5. 5. Rashid Noor and the botanist carrying the seed tray are the same person.
6. 6. The botanist tending the silver moss and whoever was sipping the lemonade are the same person.
7. 7. The botanist tending the passion vine was somewhere after the botanist tending the silver moss but before the botanist tending the moon cactus.
8. 8. Niko Petrakis was in a lower-numbered glasshouse than whoever was sipping the hibiscus tea.
9. 9. The botanist tending the moon cactus was somewhere after the botanist tending the wax flower but before the botanist tending the dragon tree.
10. 10. Niko Petrakis was in the glasshouse right before whoever was sipping the elderflower cordial.
11. 11. The botanist tending the moon cactus was right next to the botanist carrying the seed tray.
12. 12. Rashid Noor and the botanist tending the dragon tree had exactly 1 glasshouse between them.
13. 13. The botanist tending the passion vine was right next to the botanist carrying the glass bell jar.
14. 14. Niko Petrakis and the botanist carrying the glass bell jar are the same person.
15. 15. The botanist tending the passion vine was right next to the botanist carrying the potting fork.
16. 16. Camille Dubois was right next to whoever was sipping the rooibos tea.