A ship captain was found murdered in his private quarters. The first mate stated he discovered the body at sunrise when he brought the captain his morning coffee. Detective Cruz examined the body and noticed the captain's wristwatch had stopped at 2:15 AM, and the room's electric heater was still red-hot and burning. Cruz arrested the first mate for murder. Why?
The heater would have cooled down by morning
If the murder happened at 2:15 AM, the electric heater would have cooled down completely during the remaining hours of the night before sunrise. Because it was still red-hot when the mate arrived, the crime must have occurred very recently.
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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