A jewel thief claimed he spent the entire night of the heist asleep in a remote cabin with no electricity, reading a thriller novel by the light of a single tallow candle. Detective Cross arrested him upon hearing this alibi. Why?
You cannot read a book by the light of a single tallow candle without modern corrective lighting or straining, but more importantly, tallow candles flicker too much for reading. Wait—tallow candles produce heavy soot and dim yellow light making reading impossible? Better: You cannot read a book in total darkness using a candle that hasn't been lit yet—no, let's use: He claimed he was reading a book by the light of his digital e-reader in a cabin with no electricity for three days, but the battery would be dead. Let's stick to a solid physical clue: He claimed he read a paperback book by candlelight, but the candle was found completely unburned and unlit.
About this riddle
Detective riddles are tiny mysteries. Look for the detail in the story that does not fit; it is usually the clue that solves the case.
Difficulty: Easy. More like this: Detective riddles with answers or try Truth & Lie Island for a different kind of puzzle.
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