Brain Teasers
The Mysterious Murder of Mister Matthew
I am detective jdwhite, here to tell you the story of the Murder of Mister Matthew.
Mr. Matthew was a well respected man in his community, but there were a few that did not like him.
He had died in his sleep, which was unusual, because he was as healthy as a man half his age. He was 60 years old. After closer inspection, it was revealed that the water he drunk before going to bed had been poisoned.
The three suspects were Bob, Jane, and Dave. All three had been to his house that day, but only someone who knew what Mr. Matthews usually did at night, and when, would know what to poison.
Jane said: I was at his house from 5-6 to clean his house, because the usual person that did that was sick. I talked with Matthew a little bit after he came home from playing tennis, and I have no clue why anyone would want to murder someone like him. I left straight after that.
Bob said: I was at his house to take him to our tennis match, which happened at 5:30. When we got back, I left, and Jane talked with him for a bit.
Dave said: Mr. Matthews invited me to dinner at his house, which seemed unusual to me, because I had never been to his house before, although I knew him. After dinner, I sat in one of the living room chairs and watched him go about his nightly routine, like he usually did. We talked for a bit after that, and then he went to bed. I left after that.
It did not take me very long to pin the murder on the right suspect, and take them to jail.
Mr. Matthew was a well respected man in his community, but there were a few that did not like him.
He had died in his sleep, which was unusual, because he was as healthy as a man half his age. He was 60 years old. After closer inspection, it was revealed that the water he drunk before going to bed had been poisoned.
The three suspects were Bob, Jane, and Dave. All three had been to his house that day, but only someone who knew what Mr. Matthews usually did at night, and when, would know what to poison.
Jane said: I was at his house from 5-6 to clean his house, because the usual person that did that was sick. I talked with Matthew a little bit after he came home from playing tennis, and I have no clue why anyone would want to murder someone like him. I left straight after that.
Bob said: I was at his house to take him to our tennis match, which happened at 5:30. When we got back, I left, and Jane talked with him for a bit.
Dave said: Mr. Matthews invited me to dinner at his house, which seemed unusual to me, because I had never been to his house before, although I knew him. After dinner, I sat in one of the living room chairs and watched him go about his nightly routine, like he usually did. We talked for a bit after that, and then he went to bed. I left after that.
It did not take me very long to pin the murder on the right suspect, and take them to jail.
Answer
The murderer was Dave. He said that "he watched Mr. Matthews go about his nightly routine, like he usually did." He couldn't have known what his nightly routine was, unless he had been watching Mr. Matthews house, or had been to his house before. After I presented this fact to him, he broke down, confessed, and was sent to jail.Case closed.
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Comments
So what did you think? Feedback is greatly appreciated!!
Pretty easy, but fun!
thanks
Well told and enjoyable. I always like the ones with carefully written stories.
It seems to me that there are problems with all three statements. Jane says she was there to clean 5-6, talked a bit when he got back from tennis. But Bob says he took Matthew to a tennis match starting 5.30. By the time they play the match and get back surely it will be well after 6. One of Jane and Bob is either lying or mistaken about time.
This doesn't seem relevant to the key clue, though. So these inconsistencies are misdirection.
The third suspect says something that gives away the fact that he knew Matthew's routine. It doesn't prove it, since he could easily have guessed it was a routine, or Matthew might have indicated it. But the puzzle has the detective then get him to confess. He should have just kept his nerve!
It seems to me that there are problems with all three statements. Jane says she was there to clean 5-6, talked a bit when he got back from tennis. But Bob says he took Matthew to a tennis match starting 5.30. By the time they play the match and get back surely it will be well after 6. One of Jane and Bob is either lying or mistaken about time.
This doesn't seem relevant to the key clue, though. So these inconsistencies are misdirection.
The third suspect says something that gives away the fact that he knew Matthew's routine. It doesn't prove it, since he could easily have guessed it was a routine, or Matthew might have indicated it. But the puzzle has the detective then get him to confess. He should have just kept his nerve!
Thanks for the feedback!
Jane could have kept cleaning after Mr. Matthew went to play tennis, it's not like he didn't trust anyone.
Jane could have kept cleaning after Mr. Matthew went to play tennis, it's not like he didn't trust anyone.
I got tripped up for a similar reason as Vervet.
It seemed strange the tennis match started at 5:30 and Matthew would have been home by 6, but from that it wasn't clear whether Jane or Bob was lying (assuming only one was).
I did find it odd Dave had never even been invited for dinner but was permitted to stay as Matthew got ready for bed. Sadly got too blind-sided by the tennis match time.
It seemed strange the tennis match started at 5:30 and Matthew would have been home by 6, but from that it wasn't clear whether Jane or Bob was lying (assuming only one was).
I did find it odd Dave had never even been invited for dinner but was permitted to stay as Matthew got ready for bed. Sadly got too blind-sided by the tennis match time.
sorry
thanks for the feedback though!
thanks for the feedback though!
I did see that, but still got it anyways.
Good job, jd!
Good job, jd!
thanks
I got it, but the writing was a bit clumsy and made the solution far from ironclad.
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