Sleuthic

The Black Files · November 6, 2026 · Difficulty: Rookie

Black File #148 — SolutionThe Chambers

Missed the case? Play Black File #148 →

The case

Daniel Adebayo, witness, was found dead at County Courthouse at 7:10 AM. Seven people were at the scene. Exactly one of them was alone with Daniel in the same zone.

The evidence (9 clues)
  1. Faye was in the Lobby.
  2. Erica was standing on stairs.
  3. Glen was standing on the floor.
  4. Alvin was sitting on a sofa.
  5. Curtis was in the Judge's Chambers.
  6. Bianca was sitting on a sofa.
  7. Bianca and Faye were in the same zone.
  8. Erica was the easternmost person at the scene.
  9. Glen was the westernmost person at the scene.

The answer

The killer: Alvin Hayes, alone with Daniel Adebayo in the Records Office.

Fixing rows and columns from the extreme-position clues cascades through the board and leaves Alvin alone with Daniel in the Records Office.

Step-by-step deduction

  1. Before placing anyone, each clue eliminates cells:
  2. • Alvin: was sitting on the sofa; row 4 already belongs to Bianca; column E already belongs to Bianca; column G belongs to Erica; row 3 belongs to Faye; column A belongs to Glen; nobody else can occupy column B, so it must be Alvin. Only B2 is left.
  3. • Bianca: was sitting on the sofa; was in the same zone as Faye, and Faye can only be in the Lobby. Only E4 is left.
  4. • Curtis: was in the Judge's Chambers; row 4 already belongs to Bianca; column E already belongs to Bianca; column G belongs to Erica; nobody else can occupy row 5, so it must be Curtis. Only F5 is left.
  5. • Daniel: Daniel cannot be in the Judge's Chambers: the crime zone holds exactly two people and Curtis and Erica are already there, and with Daniel that would be more than two; Daniel cannot be in the Lobby: the crime zone holds exactly two people and Bianca and Faye are already there, and with Daniel that would be more than two; row 4 already belongs to Bianca; column E already belongs to Bianca; row 3 belongs to Faye; column C belongs to Faye; column A belongs to Glen; nobody else can occupy row 1, so it must be Daniel; nobody else can occupy column D, so it must be Daniel. Only D1 is left.
  6. • Erica: was on the stairs; was the easternmost person of all, and since there is one person per column somebody occupies column G: that is Erica; row 3 belongs to Faye. Only G6 is left.
  7. • Faye: was in the Lobby; row 4 already belongs to Bianca; column E already belongs to Bianca. Only C3 is left.
  8. • Glen: was standing on the floor; was the westernmost person of all, and since there is one person per column somebody occupies column A: that is Glen; nobody else can occupy row 7, so it must be Glen. Only A7 is left.
  9. That already places Bianca at E4, Alvin at B2, Curtis at F5, Daniel at D1, Erica at G6, Faye at C3 and Glen at A7.
  10. With all seven placed, the only people in the Records Office are Daniel and Alvin: Alvin was alone with the victim.
Solved map of Black File #148: Alvin B2, Bianca E4, Curtis F5, Daniel D1, Erica G6, Faye C3, Glen A7
The solved map: Alvin B2, Bianca E4, Curtis F5, Daniel D1, Erica G6, Faye C3, Glen A7.

Play today's case →