A jeweler reported that a tray of sapphire rings was stolen from his shop during a midnight robbery. The glass front window was smashed inward, and sparkling glass pieces littered the hardwood floor. When Detective Moss arrived, she noticed that all the glass shards were piled in a neat, sweeping mound right next to the entrance door inside the shop. Moss immediately suspected an inside job. Why?
The glass had been swept into a pile.
A natural break from an intrusion leaves glass scattered organically across the floor. A neat pile indicates someone swept the glass up after the break occurred.
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.
More detective riddles
Detective Reed found a coded diary belonging to a spy. The diary entry for Monday read: 'Sun rose in the west, snow fell in July, silence filled the concert hall.' Reed smiled and realized the diary was actually a list of locations, not events. Where did the spy go on Monday?
A valuable pearl necklace vanished from a hotel suite. The maid said she was changing sheets. The bellhop said he delivered room service. The guest insisted she left it on the nightstand before going to the pool. Detective Cross noticed the guest's hair was bone dry and arrested her for insurance fraud. Why?
A wealthy merchant was found poisoned in his locked study. There were no signs of forced entry. On the mahogany table sat a half-empty glass of iced tea and a suicide note. Detective Gray examined the ice cubes in the glass and instantly knew it was murder, not suicide. Why?
An antique dealer claimed a burglar broke through his shop's skylight, lowered himself by a rope, and stole a golden statue. Detective Ross inspected the scene: the skylight was bolted shut from the inside with thick dust caked over the latches, and the floor directly beneath it was covered in an undisturbed layer of fine soot. Ross arrested the dealer for insurance fraud. What proved the dealer lied?
A smuggler was caught crossing the border on a bicycle, carrying a large sack of sand. Border Inspector Cole suspected the sand was hiding stolen gold dust. He searched the sack, sifted through the sand, and found nothing else inside. Yet, Cole knew the smuggler was guilty of something. What was it?
A wealthy merchant was found dead in his study during a torrential downpour. His pockets contained a wet wallet, soggy receipts, and a dry postage stamp glued tightly to an unmailed envelope on his desk. Detective Drake noted that the stamp proved the letter was never licked by the merchant that morning. Why?