A wealthy businessman was poisoned at a dinner party. Four guests drank the exact same vintage of wine from identical glasses. Yet, only the businessman died. The coroner discovered the poison was in the wine glass, but none of the other glasses contained a trace of it. How is this possible?
The poison was applied to only one side of the rim
The poison was placed specifically on the rim of the businessman's glass where his lips would touch, rather than mixed into the liquid itself.
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.
More detective riddles
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?
Inspector Barnes entered the suspect's kitchen and found a pot of coffee still warm on the stove. The suspect claimed he hadn't been home in three days. Barnes noticed condensation on the inside of the glass coffee pot lid. Why did this disprove the alibi?
Three kids race to build the tallest mitten tower. Ida finished before Omar. Omar finished before Kai. Who finished last?
A computer programmer was found slumped over his keyboard, electrocuted. His desktop tower was open, with tools scattered around. The police initially called it a tragic accident during a hardware upgrade. Detective Greene checked the computer's internal clock and arrested the roommate. What did the clock reveal?
A wealthy merchant was murdered in his study during a dinner party. The butler served wine, the maid cleared plates, and the chef stayed in the kitchen. Each claimed they never entered the study. Detective Nash noticed the carpet near the study door had damp footprints, even though it had not rained all day. Who lied?
Inspector Vance found the victim slumped over a desk with a fresh cup of coffee. The victim's left hand held a pen, resting on a notepad with the words 'The winter chill is here.' The apartment windows were sealed shut, the thermostat read 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and frost coated the outside of the glasspane. Yet, the radiator was completely cold. Why did Vance immediately arrest the landlord for foul play?