The cases for 2026-10-28

A cask of the estate's finest vintage was drained and switched the night before the auction. Each vintner worked alone in a different cellar vault along the chalk tunnel. Work the tunnel, vault by vault, and name who swapped the wine. Statements were taken from all 4 vintners; Cosima Ricci's is the first page.

1. 1. The vintner using the crystal decanter was in the vault right before the vintner using the stoneware jug.
2. 2. Rafe Sterling and the vintner using the mixing paddle had exactly 1 vault between them.
3. 3. Amélie Mirabel and the vintner blending the syrah are the same person.
4. 4. The vintner blending the zinfandel and the vintner using the mixing paddle had exactly 2 vaults between them.
5. 5. Gustave Roux was right next to the vintner blending the syrah.
6. 6. The vintner using the tasting pipette was in a lower-numbered vault than the vintner using the stoneware jug.
7. 7. The vintner using the crystal decanter was somewhere after the vintner using the tasting pipette but before the vintner using the stoneware jug.
8. 8. Gustave Roux and the vintner using the stoneware jug are the same person.
9. 9. The vintner blending the syrah and the vintner using the tasting pipette had exactly 2 vaults between them.
10. 10. The vintner blending the tempranillo was in the vault right before the vintner using the stoneware jug.
11. 11. Rafe Sterling was right next to the vintner blending the chardonnay.
12. 12. The vintner blending the zinfandel was in a lower-numbered vault than the vintner blending the syrah.
13. 13. The vintner blending the zinfandel was in a lower-numbered vault than the vintner blending the tempranillo.

Midnight, and the storm still has not broken. Somewhere between the first toast and the last thunderclap, the Blackwood heirloom walked out of its case. Every guest kept to a room along the great hall. Pin each of them to theirs. 5 guests, 5 rooms, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Juniper Shaw.

1. 1. The guest drinking the mulled wine was in the room right before the guest carrying the monocle.
2. 2. Hollis Tate was in the room right before the guest drinking the mulled wine.
3. 3. Hollis Tate and the guest carrying the silver flask are the same person.
4. 4. Hollis Tate and the guest drinking the brandy had exactly 1 room between them.
5. 5. The guest drinking the brandy was in the room right before the guest drinking the sherry.
6. 6. Clara Voss and the guest carrying the sealed envelope are the same person.
7. 7. Genevieve Wren was right next to the guest drinking the brandy.
8. 8. The guest carrying the opera glasses was somewhere after the guest carrying the silver flask but before the guest carrying the monocle.
9. 9. Hollis Tate was right next to the guest carrying the cigar case.
10. 10. Dorian Pike was right next to the guest drinking the mulled wine.
11. 11. The guest drinking the earl grey was somewhere after the guest drinking the port but before the guest drinking the brandy.

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; Nadia Volkova's is the first page.

1. 1. The performer holding the shepherd's crook was right next to whoever was last seen at the second-act entrance.
2. 2. The performer in the powdered wig and whoever was last seen at the first-act aria had exactly 1 dressing room between them.
3. 3. The performer in the feathered mask was right next to the performer holding the tin crown.
4. 4. The performer in the powdered wig was right next to the performer holding the prop goblet.
5. 5. Thaddeus Crowe was right next to the performer holding the hand mirror.
6. 6. Nadia Volkova was in the dressing room right before the performer holding the laurel wreath.
7. 7. Reinhold Faust was right next to the performer holding the prop goblet.
8. 8. The performer holding the tin crown was in a lower-numbered dressing room than the performer holding the hand mirror.
9. 9. Thaddeus Crowe was in the dressing room right before the performer holding the hand mirror.
10. 10. The performer in the tattered cape was in a lower-numbered dressing room than the performer holding the prop goblet.
11. 11. The performer in the tattered cape was in the dressing room right before whoever was last seen at the first-act aria.
12. 12. Thaddeus Crowe and whoever was last seen at the chorus march had exactly 1 dressing room between them.
13. 13. The performer in the powdered wig was in a lower-numbered dressing room than the performer holding the shepherd's crook.
14. 14. Whoever was last seen at the mad scene was somewhere after whoever was last seen at the chorus march but before whoever was last seen at the overture.
15. 15. Lucien Beaumont was in the dressing room right before whoever was last seen at the overture.
16. 16. The performer in the jester's costume and whoever was last seen at the overture are the same person.