A jewelry merchant was found bound and gagged in his shop. He claimed three masked men tied him up at noon and looted the safe. Detective Cole examined the crime scene and noticed a candle burning on the front counter. The candle was 6 inches tall and burned at a rate of 1 inch per hour. By the time police arrived at 2 PM, the candle was completely gone. Cole arrested the merchant for insurance fraud. Why?
The math doesn't add up
If the robbery happened at noon and police arrived at 2 PM (2 hours later), a 1-inch-per-hour candle would only have burned down 2 inches, leaving 4 inches remaining. The fact that the candle was completely gone proves hours more had passed, exposing the merchant's fake timeline.
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: Medium. More like this: Detective riddles with answers or try Truth & Lie Island for a different kind of puzzle.
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