A priceless golden chalice was stolen from a museum exhibit. The night guard reported hearing a loud crash in the west wing at midnight. When investigators arrived, they found the glass case shattered inward and the chalice gone. However, the layer of dust on the shelf directly beneath the empty spot was completely undisturbed. The lead detective smiled and arrested the night guard. Why?
The chalice had to be lifted off the dust before the glass was broken, or the dust would have been disturbed by the falling glass.
If the chalice was inside the case when it was smashed, falling glass and the removal of the heavy item would have disrupted the thick layer of dust. The undisturbed dust proved the chalice was removed long before the glass was broken to stage a robbery.
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: Hard. More like this: Detective riddles with answers or try Truth & Lie Island for a different kind of puzzle.
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