The case

Difficulty2 of 46×6 · 5 suspects

The Closed Tea House

Case file

The lanterns go out at three and the gates are chained by half past. was found in the Lantern Market when the sweepers came through. The gate ledger lists everyone still inside, one to a stall — and one of them was standing right there.

Two rules close every case. One person per row, and one per column. The victim takes the last remaining legal square, and whoever shares that room did it.

A square with furniture drawn on it is taken. Bare floor is somewhere a suspect can stand. Rooms are patches of matching floor.

Start from the strongest clues. Stack two clues about the same person before you place anyone. Switch on Pencil when two or three seats remain — that is not a guess.

Underlined words in the clue list — alone, beside, north of — explain themselves if you tap them.

Full guide

Suspects

Tap a portrait for details. Tap below to select, then tap a square.

was in the 1st row

was in the 5th row

was a tea table

was in the Fish Steps

was in the 4th row

was in the same area as

was not in a rattan chair

Found in the room with the murderer.

Deduction board

0 of 6 placed.

Tools

What you are looking at

A square with furniture on it is taken. A square showing bare floor is somewhere a suspect can stand.

cane chair· can stand here
rattan chair· can stand here
palanquin· blocked
brazier· blocked
fruit cart· blocked
drum· blocked
dye vat· blocked
noodle counter· blocked
tea table· blocked
scale table· blocked

Rooms are the areas of matching floor, with a black line with a gold stroke tracing where one ends and the next begins.

Small letters along the bottom of a square are your own pencil marks — a note, never a placement.

Clues

Every clue is load-bearing — drop one and the case stops being solvable.

  1. was in the 1st row
  2. was in the 4th row
  3. was not in a rattan chair
  4. was in the 5th row
  5. was in the Fish Steps
  6. was in the same area as
  7. was a tea table

Everyone stands in a different row and a different column. The victim was with the murderer, so whoever shares 's room did it.