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The Black Files · September 27, 2026 · Difficulty: Rookie

Black File #108 — SolutionFront Desk

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The case

Gary Ibarra, gym owner, was found dead at Ironworks Gym at 12:50 AM. Seven people were at the scene. Exactly one of them was alone with Gary in the same zone.

The evidence (10 clues)
  1. Bianca was sitting in a chair.
  2. Elliot was in the Locker Room.
  3. Clifford was standing on the floor.
  4. Floyd was in the Parking Lot.
  5. Alicia was standing on the stairs.
  6. David was in the Front Desk.
  7. Elliot was standing on the stairs.
  8. Alicia was in the Parking Lot.
  9. Floyd was standing on the floor.
  10. David was the westernmost person at the scene.

The answer

The killer: Clifford Gallagher, alone with Gary Ibarra in the Weight Floor.

Fixing rows and columns from the extreme-position clues cascades through the board and leaves Clifford alone with Gary in the Weight Floor.

Step-by-step deduction

  1. Before placing anyone, each clue eliminates cells:
  2. • Alicia: was on the stairs; was in the Parking Lot; column A belongs to David. Only C6 is left.
  3. • Bianca: was sitting in a chair; row 1 already belongs to Elliot; column B already belongs to Elliot; row 5 belongs to Floyd; row 7 belongs to David. Only G3 is left.
  4. • Clifford: was standing on the floor; row 1 already belongs to Elliot; column B already belongs to Elliot; column A belongs to David; row 5 belongs to Floyd; column E belongs to Floyd; row 6 already belongs to Alicia; column C already belongs to Alicia; row 7 belongs to David; row 3 already belongs to Bianca; row 4 already belongs to Gary. Only D2 is left.
  5. • David: was in the Front Desk; was the westernmost person of all, and since there is one person per column somebody occupies column A: that is David; row 5 belongs to Floyd; row 6 already belongs to Alicia. Only A7 is left.
  6. • Elliot: was in the Locker Room; was on the stairs. Only B1 is left.
  7. • Floyd: was in the Parking Lot; was standing on the floor; column B already belongs to Elliot. Only E5 is left.
  8. • Gary: Gary cannot be in the Parking Lot: the crime zone holds exactly two people and Alicia and Floyd are already there, and with Gary that would be more than two; row 1 already belongs to Elliot; column B already belongs to Elliot; column A belongs to David; column E belongs to Floyd; row 6 already belongs to Alicia; column C already belongs to Alicia; row 7 belongs to David; nobody else can occupy column F, so it must be Gary. Only F4 is left.
  9. That already places Elliot at B1, Alicia at C6, Floyd at E5, Bianca at G3, David at A7, Gary at F4 and Clifford at D2.
  10. With all seven placed, the only people in the Weight Floor are Gary and Clifford: Clifford was alone with the victim.
Solved map of Black File #108: Alicia C6, Bianca G3, Clifford D2, David A7, Elliot B1, Floyd E5, Gary F4
The solved map: Alicia C6, Bianca G3, Clifford D2, David A7, Elliot B1, Floyd E5, Gary F4.

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