The cases for 2026-08-24

Every guest on the top floor signed the book under a name that is not theirs. The bell captain kept his own count — suites, keys, and lies, front to back. Reconcile the corridor. The file names 4 guests; Nathaniel Brandt's statement sits on top of the pile.

1. 1. Oscar Dunne and the guest carrying the ivory key tag are the same person.
2. 2. The guest pretending to be the heiress and the guest carrying the ebony key tag are the same person.
3. 3. The guest pretending to be the wine merchant was somewhere after the guest pretending to be the heiress but before the guest pretending to be the stage magician.
4. 4. The guest pretending to be the wine merchant and the guest carrying the brass key tag are the same person.
5. 5. Emerson Gale and the guest carrying the brass key tag had exactly 1 suite between them.
6. 6. Emerson Gale and the guest pretending to be the stage magician had exactly 2 suites between them.
7. 7. The guest pretending to be the wine merchant was right next to the guest carrying the ivory key tag.
8. 8. The guest pretending to be the perfumer was in the suite right before the guest carrying the ebony key tag.
9. 9. Emerson Gale was right next to the guest pretending to be the heiress.
10. 10. The guest pretending to be the heiress was right next to the guest carrying the brass key tag.
11. 11. Seraphina Holt was right next to the guest pretending to be the heiress.

The eclipse bought a few minutes of perfect dark, and someone spent them well. The map case hangs open and the ridge is thick with alibis. Walk the domes and name the thief. 5 astronomers, 5 domes, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Wendell Frost.

1. 1. Dr. Halley Vance and the astronomer tracking the nebula had exactly 3 domes between them.
2. 2. Ottoline Grey was right next to the astronomer tracking the double star.
3. 3. The astronomer using the sextant and the astronomer tracking the eclipse had exactly 1 dome between them.
4. 4. The astronomer using the pendulum clock was in the dome right before the astronomer tracking the comet.
5. 5. The astronomer using the celestial globe was right next to the astronomer tracking the eclipse.
6. 6. Cyrus Penn was in the dome right before the astronomer tracking the eclipse.
7. 7. Dr. Halley Vance was in the dome right before the astronomer tracking the double star.
8. 8. Ottoline Grey was right next to the astronomer using the hourglass.
9. 9. Nadia Ellison and the astronomer tracking the comet are the same person.
10. 10. Dr. Halley Vance and the astronomer tracking the new star are the same person.
11. 11. Nadia Ellison was right next to the astronomer using the star catalogue.
12. 12. Wendell Frost was right next to the astronomer using the celestial globe.

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. 5 performers, 5 dressing rooms, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Emil Sandoval.

1. 1. Bianca Orsini was in the dressing room right before whoever was last seen at the death aria.
2. 2. The performer in the crimson gown was right next to whoever was last seen at the overture.
3. 3. The performer in the feathered mask was in a lower-numbered dressing room than the performer holding the prop goblet.
4. 4. The performer holding the folding fan was right next to whoever was last seen at the intermission bell.
5. 5. The performer in the feathered mask and whoever was last seen at the intermission bell had exactly 1 dressing room between them.
6. 6. Serafina Locke and the performer in the tattered cape had exactly 3 dressing rooms between them.
7. 7. Nadia Volkova was right next to the performer in the tattered cape.
8. 8. The performer in the crimson gown was right next to the performer holding the folding fan.
9. 9. The performer holding the lute was in the dressing room right before whoever was last seen at the overture.
10. 10. The performer in the feathered mask was in the dressing room right before whoever was last seen at the overture.
11. 11. Reinhold Faust was in the dressing room right before whoever was last seen at the encore.
12. 12. The performer in the tattered cape and the performer holding the prop goblet had exactly 2 dressing rooms between them.
13. 13. Emil Sandoval was in a lower-numbered dressing room than whoever was last seen at the encore.
14. 14. The performer holding the tin crown was in a lower-numbered dressing room than whoever was last seen at the encore.
15. 15. The performer in the tattered cape was in the dressing room right before whoever was last seen at the death aria.
16. 16. Serafina Locke and the performer holding the ivory comb are the same person.
17. 17. Emil Sandoval was right next to the performer holding the lute.
18. 18. The performer in the feathered mask was right next to the performer holding the folding fan.
19. 19. The performer in the peasant smock was in the dressing room right before the performer holding the prop goblet.