The cases for 2026-09-01

The night manager of the Hotel Meridian was found slumped over the register, and the guest book had been altered. Each suspect took a different suite along the tower's top corridor, front to back. Sort out who stayed where. The file names 4 guests; Rosalind Carver's statement sits on top of the pile.

1. 1. Nathaniel Brandt was right next to the guest carrying the garnet key tag.
2. 2. The guest pretending to be the antique dealer was right next to the guest carrying the garnet key tag.
3. 3. The guest carrying the mother-of-pearl key tag was in a lower-numbered suite than the guest carrying the garnet key tag.
4. 4. The guest carrying the ebony key tag was in the suite right before the guest carrying the garnet key tag.
5. 5. Emerson Gale and the guest carrying the ebony key tag are the same person.
6. 6. Oscar Dunne was in the suite right before the guest carrying the ivory key tag.
7. 7. Nathaniel Brandt and the guest pretending to be the antique dealer are the same person.
8. 8. Oscar Dunne and the guest pretending to be the perfumer had exactly 1 suite between them.
9. 9. Rosalind Carver and the guest carrying the mother-of-pearl key tag are the same person.
10. 10. The guest pretending to be the heiress and the guest carrying the garnet key tag are the same person.
11. 11. Rosalind Carver was in a lower-numbered suite than the guest pretending to be the stage magician.
12. 12. Rosalind Carver was in the suite right before the guest carrying the ebony key tag.
13. 13. The guest carrying the mother-of-pearl key tag was in a lower-numbered suite than the guest carrying the ebony key tag.
14. 14. Emerson Gale was right next to the guest carrying the garnet key tag.
15. 15. Emerson Gale was in the suite right before the guest carrying the garnet key tag.

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. The file names 5 astronomers; Cassia Moreau's statement sits on top of the pile.

1. 1. Lena Ostrov and the astronomer using the reflector scope had exactly 1 dome between them.
2. 2. Cassia Moreau and the astronomer tracking the ringed planet are the same person.
3. 3. The astronomer using the photometer was in the dome right before the astronomer tracking the ringed planet.
4. 4. Soren Vaughn was in the dome right before the astronomer tracking the ringed planet.
5. 5. The astronomer using the reflector scope was in a lower-numbered dome than the astronomer tracking the lunar crater.
6. 6. Soren Vaughn and the astronomer using the photometer are the same person.
7. 7. Cassia Moreau was right next to the astronomer tracking the red planet.
8. 8. The astronomer using the photometer was somewhere after the astronomer using the star catalogue but before the astronomer using the spectroscope.
9. 9. The astronomer tracking the comet was in a lower-numbered dome than the astronomer tracking the red planet.
10. 10. Wendell Frost was in a lower-numbered dome than the astronomer using the spectroscope.
11. 11. Cassia Moreau was in the dome right before the astronomer tracking the red planet.
12. 12. Idris Hawke and the astronomer using the star catalogue are the same person.
13. 13. The astronomer using the star catalogue was right next to the astronomer tracking the comet.

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. Statements were taken from all 5 performers; Emil Sandoval's is the first page.

1. 1. The performer holding the wooden dagger was in a lower-numbered dressing room than whoever was last seen at the encore.
2. 2. Serafina Locke and whoever was last seen at the duet finale are the same person.
3. 3. The performer in the tattered cape and the performer holding the wooden dagger are the same person.
4. 4. Emil Sandoval and the performer in the mourning veil had exactly 3 dressing rooms between them.
5. 5. Petra Halvorsen was in a lower-numbered dressing room than whoever was last seen at the final blackout.
6. 6. Cordelia Strauss was right next to the performer holding the lute.
7. 7. The performer holding the wooden dagger was right next to whoever was last seen at the intermission bell.
8. 8. The performer holding the wooden dagger and whoever was last seen at the final blackout are the same person.
9. 9. Serafina Locke was in a lower-numbered dressing room than whoever was last seen at the encore.
10. 10. Bianca Orsini was in the dressing room right before the performer holding the shepherd's crook.
11. 11. Serafina Locke was in the dressing room right before whoever was last seen at the death aria.
12. 12. The performer in the plumed helmet and whoever was last seen at the duet finale are the same person.
13. 13. Serafina Locke was in the dressing room right before the performer in the velvet cloak.
14. 14. Whoever was last seen at the duet finale was somewhere after whoever was last seen at the intermission bell but before whoever was last seen at the encore.
15. 15. Bianca Orsini and the performer in the feathered mask had exactly 2 dressing rooms between them.
16. 16. The performer holding the ivory comb was in a lower-numbered dressing room than the performer holding the shepherd's crook.