A suspicious package arrived at a precinct addressed to Inspector Reed. Inside was a ticking clock and a note written in cut-out magazine letters: 'YOUR TIME IS UP.' Reed calmly picked it up, threw it in the trash can, and walked away. Why wasn't he worried?
It was just a clock
The note said 'your time is up' and it was a ticking clock—a literal, harmless pun sent as a prank, not an explosive device.
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
An antique dealer was murdered behind his counter. His ledger was open to a page dated November 31st. Detective Cross immediately knew the ledger entry was a forgery written by the killer after the murder. Why?
A woman reported that her antique silver teapot was stolen from her locked kitchen cabinet. There were no signs of forced entry on the doors or windows. When Detective Black inspected the kitchen sink, he smiled. What did he find?
At midnight, a gunshot echoed through the mansion. Detective Drake rushed to the parlor to find the homeowner dead on the rug. The butler said he was sleeping. The maid said she was dusting the chandelier. The chef said he was boiling eggs. Drake arrested the chef instantly. What gave the chef away?
A jewel smuggler claimed his backpack containing emeralds was stolen while he was sleeping on a crowded train. Detective Marsh asked him to describe the backpack. The smuggler said, 'It's a bright neon green leather backpack with silver zippers.' Marsh immediately arrested him for filing a false police report. Why?
A wealthy merchant was found slumped over his mahogany desk, a silver dagger driven into his back. On the desk lay an inkwell, a blotter, and a freshly written suicide note. The detective walked in, glanced at the note, and declared it a homicide without even checking for fingerprints. The note read: 'I can bear this financial ruin no longer. I take my own life today, Tuesday, October 14th.' What gave it away?
A security guard at a high-tech vault claims he was knocked unconscious from behind while on his midnight patrol. When investigators arrived, they found his flashlight smashed, his uniform pristine, and his shoes tied in double knots. Detective Hall smiled and charged the guard with insurance fraud. What betrayed the guard's lie?