The cases for 2026-10-09

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. 4 guests, 4 rooms, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Ivo Blackwood.

1. 1. The guest drinking the earl grey was in the room right before the guest carrying the candlestick.
2. 2. Juniper Shaw was in the room right before the guest carrying the candlestick.
3. 3. The guest drinking the chamomile was in the room right before the guest carrying the opera glasses.
4. 4. The guest drinking the earl grey was in a lower-numbered room than the guest drinking the black coffee.
5. 5. Ivo Blackwood and the guest drinking the chamomile are the same person.
6. 6. The guest drinking the chamomile was right next to the guest carrying the opera glasses.
7. 7. Juniper Shaw and the guest drinking the earl grey are the same person.
8. 8. Ivo Blackwood was right next to the guest drinking the earl grey.
9. 9. Ivo Blackwood and the guest carrying the riding crop had exactly 2 rooms between them.
10. 10. The guest carrying the candlestick was in a lower-numbered room than the guest carrying the riding crop.
11. 11. The guest carrying the silk gloves was in a lower-numbered room than the guest carrying the riding crop.
12. 12. Genevieve Wren and the guest carrying the riding crop are the same person.
13. 13. Juniper Shaw was right next to the guest carrying the candlestick.
14. 14. Hollis Tate was in a lower-numbered room than the guest drinking the whiskey.

The house lights came up on an empty jewel case and a company of performers who can all cry on cue. Each waited out the search in a separate dressing room. Walk the corridor and place them, door by door. Statements were taken from all 5 performers; Petra Halvorsen's is the first page.

1. 1. The performer in the silver tunic was in a lower-numbered dressing room than the performer holding the lute.
2. 2. The performer in the silver tunic and the performer holding the letter scroll are the same person.
3. 3. Nadia Volkova and the performer holding the shepherd's crook are the same person.
4. 4. The performer in the peasant smock was right next to the performer holding the letter scroll.
5. 5. The performer in the peasant smock and the performer holding the hand mirror had exactly 1 dressing room between them.
6. 6. Thaddeus Crowe and the performer in the peasant smock are the same person.
7. 7. Thaddeus Crowe was in the dressing room right before the performer holding the ivory comb.
8. 8. Nadia Volkova was in the dressing room right before the performer holding the letter scroll.
9. 9. Nadia Volkova was in a lower-numbered dressing room than Thaddeus Crowe.
10. 10. Della Fontaine and the performer in the tattered cape are the same person.
11. 11. Serafina Locke was right next to the performer in the peasant smock.
12. 12. The performer in the crimson gown and the performer holding the ivory comb are the same person.
13. 13. Petra Halvorsen was right next to the performer in the jester's costume.
14. 14. The performer in the crimson gown was in the dressing room right before the performer holding the hand mirror.

A diamond brooch went missing the night the Aurelia steamed out of port. Each first-class passenger settled into a different cabin along the promenade deck, numbered front to back. Reconstruct the deck, cabin by cabin. The file names 5 passengers; Beatrice Lyle's statement sits on top of the pile.

1. 1. Maxim Volkov and the passenger in the velvet cloak are the same person.
2. 2. Whoever spent the evening at the promenade rail was in a lower-numbered cabin than whoever spent the evening at the cocktail bar.
3. 3. The passenger in the captain's blazer was in a lower-numbered cabin than the passenger getting off at Marseille.
4. 4. The passenger in the captain's blazer was in a lower-numbered cabin than the passenger getting off at Port Said.
5. 5. Whoever spent the evening at the cocktail bar and the passenger getting off at Valletta had exactly 3 cabins between them.
6. 6. The passenger in the tweed suit was in the cabin right before whoever spent the evening at the smoking room.
7. 7. The passenger in the captain's blazer was right next to whoever spent the evening at the grand staircase.
8. 8. Whoever spent the evening at the card lounge was in a lower-numbered cabin than whoever spent the evening at the promenade rail.
9. 9. Beatrice Lyle was right next to whoever spent the evening at the grand staircase.
10. 10. Beatrice Lyle was in the cabin right before whoever spent the evening at the grand staircase.
11. 11. The passenger in the white dinner jacket and the passenger getting off at Piraeus are the same person.
12. 12. Marguerite Bell was in the cabin right before the passenger in the white dinner jacket.
13. 13. The passenger getting off at Gibraltar was in a lower-numbered cabin than the passenger getting off at Port Said.
14. 14. Marguerite Bell was in a lower-numbered cabin than the passenger in the velvet cloak.
15. 15. The passenger getting off at Piraeus was in the cabin right before the passenger getting off at Port Said.
16. 16. Sterling Fox was right next to the passenger getting off at Valletta.
17. 17. Sterling Fox and the passenger in the tweed suit are not the same person.
18. 18. Maxim Volkov and the passenger getting off at Gibraltar had exactly 2 cabins between them.