An art collector reported a forged painting hanging in his gallery instead of the original masterwork. Three suspects had access: the curator, the cleaner, and the framer. The curator wore white cotton gloves. The cleaner wore rubber dish gloves. The framer wore leather work gloves. Which suspect left behind smudge marks of wet oil paint on the frame?
The framer.
Cotton gloves and rubber gloves would leave distinct fabric textures or squeaky prints, but leather work gloves are thick and porous, often carrying residual oils or gripping tightly enough to leave organic smudges. Actually, wait—oil paint smudges are easily transferred by anyone touching the canvas, but the framer is the only one whose job involves direct, heavy handling of the wooden frame edges where fresh paint might linger during installation.
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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