An old sea captain was found murdered in his inland cabin miles from the ocean. His favorite compass was smashed on the wooden floor. The hands on the grandfather clock were frozen at 3:15. The suspect claimed he dropped off groceries at noon. Detective Briggs arrested the suspect for lying. Why?
The compass
A compass needle points North due to Earth's magnetic field, not time. Wait. The grandfather clock hands were frozen at 3:15, but the suspect delivered groceries at noon. Why did Briggs arrest him? Because the compass was smashed, indicating a struggle. Wait, let's look at the compass: a compass doesn't smash easily unless thrown. Actually, a compass is affected by nearby iron. If the suspect delivered groceries in a heavy iron truck, the compass would deflect. Or, if the suspect claimed he visited at night, but the compass showed daylight? Let's keep it clean: A compass points North; smashing it requires force. But why did the grocery delivery prove him a liar? Because groceries are delivered in the morning, but the clock said 3:15? No, the captain was a mariner who kept ship's time, not standard time.
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: Hard. More like this: Detective riddles with answers or try Truth & Lie Island for a different kind of puzzle.
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