The cases for 2026-10-01

A fake high-value chip worth a fortune slipped through the cashier's cage just before the house closed the books. Every suspect sat in a different private gaming room set out in a single long row. Trace the row and unmask the forger. 4 players, 4 rooms, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Vivienne Laroche.

1. 1. Lev Ostrovsky was right next to the mahjong player.
2. 2. The gin rummy player and whoever stacked the silver chips are the same person.
3. 3. Cordelia Frost was right next to whoever stacked the violet chips.
4. 4. The high-card player and whoever stacked the violet chips had exactly 1 room between them.
5. 5. Lev Ostrovsky was right next to the gin rummy player.
6. 6. Lev Ostrovsky was in the room right before the gin rummy player.
7. 7. Cordelia Frost was somewhere after Dashiell Crane but before Vivienne Laroche.
8. 8. Dashiell Crane was in a lower-numbered room than the baccarat player.
9. 9. Cordelia Frost was right next to the high-card player.
10. 10. The baccarat player was right next to whoever stacked the silver chips.
11. 11. Cordelia Frost was in a lower-numbered room than the high-card player.
12. 12. Vivienne Laroche and whoever stacked the amber chips are the same person.
13. 13. The high-card player was right next to whoever stacked the silver chips.
14. 14. Lev Ostrovsky was right next to whoever stacked the silver chips.
15. 15. Dashiell Crane was in the room right before Lev Ostrovsky.
16. 16. Cordelia Frost was right next to the baccarat player.
17. 17. The mahjong player and whoever stacked the scarlet chips are the same person.

Backstage at the Lyceum, the corridor of dressing rooms holds the whole company — and one very good liar. The hair-clip vanished before the final blackout. Assign every performer to a room before the reviews land. Statements were taken from all 5 performers; Reinhold Faust's is the first page.

1. 1. The performer in the emerald shawl was right next to the performer holding the hand mirror.
2. 2. Reinhold Faust was right next to the performer in the peasant smock.
3. 3. The performer in the velvet cloak was right next to the performer holding the hand mirror.
4. 4. Augustin Reyes was right next to the performer holding the ivory comb.
5. 5. The performer holding the lute was in the dressing room right before the performer holding the hand mirror.
6. 6. Lucien Beaumont was in the dressing room right before Thaddeus Crowe.
7. 7. The performer in the plumed helmet was in a lower-numbered dressing room than the performer in the emerald shawl.
8. 8. The performer in the emerald shawl was somewhere after the performer in the velvet cloak but before the performer in the peasant smock.
9. 9. The performer holding the ivory comb was in a lower-numbered dressing room than the performer holding the letter scroll.
10. 10. The performer in the velvet cloak was somewhere after the performer in the feathered mask but before the performer in the peasant smock.
11. 11. Augustin Reyes was in a lower-numbered dressing room than the performer holding the ivory comb.

A priceless star map disappeared the night of the eclipse. Each astronomer worked through the dark in a different dome along the ridge. Walk the domes, one by one, and name the thief. The file names 5 astronomers; Dr. Halley Vance's statement sits on top of the pile.

1. 1. The astronomer using the field glasses was in the dome right before whoever was drinking the peppermint tea.
2. 2. The astronomer tracking the nebula and whoever was drinking the chicory brew are the same person.
3. 3. The astronomer using the prism box was in the dome right before the astronomer tracking the nebula.
4. 4. The astronomer using the prism box was in the dome right before whoever was drinking the chicory brew.
5. 5. The astronomer tracking the pole star was in a lower-numbered dome than whoever was drinking the spiced cider.
6. 6. Dr. Halley Vance was in a lower-numbered dome than the astronomer using the prism box.
7. 7. The astronomer tracking the eclipse was in the dome right before whoever was drinking the peppermint tea.
8. 8. Dr. Halley Vance and the astronomer using the star catalogue had exactly 2 domes between them.
9. 9. The astronomer using the brass telescope and the astronomer tracking the red planet are the same person.
10. 10. Whoever was drinking the cocoa was in the dome right before whoever was drinking the mulled wine.
11. 11. Dr. Halley Vance was right next to the astronomer using the pendulum clock.
12. 12. The astronomer tracking the pole star and whoever was drinking the cocoa are the same person.
13. 13. Cassia Moreau and the astronomer tracking the nebula are the same person.
14. 14. Wendell Frost and the astronomer tracking the comet are the same person.
15. 15. Wendell Frost was right next to the astronomer using the brass telescope.
16. 16. Wendell Frost and whoever was drinking the spiced cider are the same person.
17. 17. Nadia Ellison was in the dome right before the astronomer using the field glasses.
18. 18. The astronomer using the pendulum clock was right next to the astronomer tracking the eclipse.