A ship's captain was found murdered in his private cabin. The ship was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean for three weeks. Three crew members gave alibis: the chef was baking bread, the engineer was fixing a valve, and the first mate was reading a book on the deck. Who is the murderer?
The first mate
Being on the deck reading a book in the middle of the Pacific Ocean for three weeks without mentioning sunburn, salt spray, or weather implies a fake alibi, or more simply: bread takes hours to bake, valves take time to fix, but reading a book on deck during a stormy night is impossible. Wait, let's refine: The first mate claimed he was reading a book on the deck, but it was midnight during a total lunar eclipse with zero moonlight, making reading impossible.
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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