Detective Cruz entered a freezing cabin where a man sat frozen to death by the fireplace. The firewood was stacked high, matches were nearby, but the hearth was completely clean of ash. Cruz knew the victim didn't just forget to light the fire; someone else stopped him. What was the clue?
No ash in the hearth
If the man had previously used the fireplace, there would be leftover ash. The completely clean hearth proves the fireplace hadn't been used in a very long time, meaning he couldn't have intended to light it easily or perhaps was locked out of doing so.
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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