The cases for 2026-08-28

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 Sister Beaumont.

1. 1. The professor reading the account ledger and the professor who claimed to be at the rose garden are the same person.
2. 2. Don Whitlock was right next to the professor reading the account ledger.
3. 3. Warden Thorne was right next to the professor reading the botanical atlas.
4. 4. Dean Holloway and the professor reading the psalm book had exactly 2 rooms between them.
5. 5. Don Whitlock was in a lower-numbered room than the professor who claimed to be at the observatory.
6. 6. Dean Holloway was right next to the professor reading the Greek primer.
7. 7. Sister Beaumont was in the room right before the professor who claimed to be at the pantry.
8. 8. The professor reading the psalm book was right next to the professor who claimed to be at the rose garden.
9. 9. The professor reading the botanical atlas and the professor who claimed to be at the observatory are the same person.
10. 10. Sister Beaumont and the professor reading the account ledger are the same person.
11. 11. The professor reading the account ledger was in the room right before the professor reading the Greek primer.
12. 12. The professor who claimed to be at the pantry was in a lower-numbered room than the professor who claimed to be at the observatory.
13. 13. Sister Beaumont was in a lower-numbered room than the professor who claimed to be at the pantry.
14. 14. The professor reading the Greek primer was in the room right before the professor who claimed to be at the observatory.

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. 5 guests, 5 rooms, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Ava Sterling.

1. 1. The guest drinking the mulled wine and the guest carrying the opera glasses are the same person.
2. 2. Dorian Pike was in the room right before Esme Hart.
3. 3. Genevieve Wren was in the room right before the guest drinking the earl grey.
4. 4. Hollis Tate and the guest carrying the silver flask are the same person.
5. 5. The guest drinking the sherry was in a lower-numbered room than the guest carrying the opera glasses.
6. 6. Dorian Pike was in a lower-numbered room than the guest carrying the opera glasses.
7. 7. Genevieve Wren was in the room right before the guest carrying the fountain pen.
8. 8. Esme Hart and the guest drinking the absinthe are the same person.
9. 9. The guest drinking the earl grey and the guest carrying the fountain pen are the same person.
10. 10. Genevieve Wren and the guest carrying the candlestick are the same person.
11. 11. Hollis Tate was in the room right before Ava Sterling.
12. 12. The guest carrying the brass key was somewhere after the guest carrying the candlestick but before the guest carrying the opera glasses.
13. 13. The guest drinking the mulled wine was right next to the guest carrying the silver flask.
14. 14. The guest drinking the sherry and the guest carrying the candlestick had exactly 2 rooms 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. 5 diggers, 5 tents, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Dr. Cornelia Vane.

1. 1. The digger drinking the spiced chai was in the tent right before the digger pretending to be a language expert.
2. 2. The digger guarding the alabaster jar was in a lower-numbered tent than the digger pretending to be a language expert.
3. 3. Lucien Mercer was somewhere after Dr. Cornelia Vane but before Bram Halloway.
4. 4. The digger guarding the ivory comb was in the tent right before the digger pretending to be a field medic.
5. 5. Lucien Mercer was in a lower-numbered tent than Bram Halloway.
6. 6. Lucien Mercer was in the tent right before the digger drinking the spiced chai.
7. 7. The digger guarding the bronze dagger was in a lower-numbered tent than the digger guarding the alabaster jar.
8. 8. Dr. Cornelia Vane and the digger pretending to be a draftsman are the same person.
9. 9. The digger guarding the ivory comb and the digger pretending to be a mapmaker are the same person.
10. 10. Idris Faulkner was in the tent right before the digger guarding the painted mask.
11. 11. The digger guarding the bronze dagger was in a lower-numbered tent than the digger drinking the pomegranate juice.
12. 12. The digger drinking the cold cocoa and the digger pretending to be a draftsman are the same person.
13. 13. The digger guarding the alabaster jar and the digger drinking the hibiscus tea had exactly 2 tents between them.
14. 14. Theo Wren was in the tent right before the digger pretending to be a draftsman.
15. 15. The digger drinking the goat's milk was in a lower-numbered tent than the digger drinking the hibiscus tea.