Sleuthic

The Black Files · October 6, 2026 · Difficulty: Investigator

Black File #117 — SolutionCold Call

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The case

Fiona Kowalski, stepdaughter, was found dead at The Aldridge Residence at 6:05 AM. Seven people were at the scene. Exactly one of them was alone with Fiona in the same zone.

The evidence (8 clues)
  1. Celia was sitting in a chair.
  2. Celia was in the Back Garden.
  3. Gary was standing on the stairs.
  4. Evelyn was the easternmost person at the scene.
  5. Audrey was the westernmost person at the scene.
  6. Evelyn was the southernmost person at the scene.
  7. Dana and Gary were in the same zone.
  8. Dana was farther west than Brian.

The answer

The killer: Celia Nakamura, alone with Fiona Kowalski in the Back Garden.

Fixing rows and columns from the extreme-position clues cascades through the board and leaves Celia alone with Fiona in the Back Garden.

Step-by-step deduction

  1. Before placing anyone, each clue eliminates cells:
  2. • Audrey: was the westernmost person of all, and since there is one person per column somebody occupies column A: that is Audrey; row 4 already belongs to Celia; row 7 already belongs to Evelyn; row 2 belongs to Gary; row 5 belongs to Fiona; only Fiona and the killer were in the crime zone (the Back Garden), and those are already Celia and Fiona. Only A1 is left.
  3. • Brian: Dana was farther west than Brian, and Dana is at least at column D; row 4 already belongs to Celia; column C already belongs to Celia; row 7 already belongs to Evelyn; column G already belongs to Evelyn; row 2 belongs to Gary; column F belongs to Gary; row 3 already belongs to Dana; row 5 belongs to Fiona; row 1 already belongs to Audrey. Only E6 is left.
  4. • Celia: was sitting in a chair; was in the Back Garden. Only C4 is left.
  5. • Dana: was farther west than Brian, and Brian is no farther than column E; row 4 already belongs to Celia; column C already belongs to Celia; row 7 already belongs to Evelyn; column A belongs to Audrey; row 2 belongs to Gary; column F belongs to Gary; was in the same zone as Gary, and Gary can only be in the Kitchen. Only D3 is left.
  6. • Evelyn: was the easternmost person of all, and since there is one person per column somebody occupies column G: that is Evelyn; was the southernmost person of all, and since there is one person per row somebody occupies row 7: that is Evelyn. Only G7 is left.
  7. • Fiona: row 4 already belongs to Celia; column C already belongs to Celia; row 7 already belongs to Evelyn; column G already belongs to Evelyn; column A belongs to Audrey; row 2 belongs to Gary; column F belongs to Gary; Fiona cannot be in the Kitchen: the crime zone holds exactly two people and Dana and Gary are already there, and with Fiona that would be more than two; row 3 already belongs to Dana; column D already belongs to Dana; column E belongs to Brian. Only B5 is left.
  8. • Gary: was on the stairs; row 4 already belongs to Celia; column C already belongs to Celia; row 7 already belongs to Evelyn; column A belongs to Audrey. Only F2 is left.
  9. That already places Celia at C4, Evelyn at G7, Dana at D3, Gary at F2, Audrey at A1, Fiona at B5 and Brian at E6.
  10. With all seven placed, the only people in the Back Garden are Fiona and Celia: Celia was alone with the victim.
Solved map of Black File #117: Audrey A1, Brian E6, Celia C4, Dana D3, Evelyn G7, Fiona B5, Gary F2
The solved map: Audrey A1, Brian E6, Celia C4, Dana D3, Evelyn G7, Fiona B5, Gary F2.

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