Detective Sterling walked into a dark alley where a courier had been robbed. The courier insisted he couldn't see the mugger's face because it was pitch black and the streetlamps were broken. Sterling flicked his cigarette, pointed at the courier's watch, and said, 'You're lying.' What did the watch reveal?
It was a digital watch with an illuminated screen
A glowing digital watch would have provided enough light for the courier to briefly see his attacker's face.
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
In a remote mountain lodge, a skier was found dead from an apparent avalanche. His backpack was packed with climbing gear, a map, and a freshly printed digital photograph of the mountain peak dated three days in the future. Detective Reed immediately called for a murder investigation. Why?
A museum curator was found tied to a chair with his mouth taped shut. A priceless golden scarab was missing from its velvet pedestal. When police untied him, he frantically wrote on a pad: 'A masked man broke in at midnight and robbed me!' Detective Fox examined the ropes, untied him, and arrested the curator for insurance fraud. What gave him away?
Detective Miller walked into a freezing cabin where a man sat dead at a wooden table. On the table sat a glowing electric space heater plugged into the wall, a cup of steaming hot cocoa, and a digital thermometer reading 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Miller noticed a thin layer of frost coating the inside of the windows. He knew right away the scene was staged. What proves it?
Inspector Vance found the victim slumped over a desk with a punctured tea cup, a fresh ink stain on his right index finger, and a window blown wide open by a winter gale. Vance immediately arrested the secretary. How did he know the secretary was lying when she claimed she was home all day?
During a stormy night, a rare painting was stolen from a gallery. The security guard insisted he stayed at the front desk the entire time watching the door. The investigator pointed to the guard's dry umbrella in the corner and arrested him. What was the flaw?
A victim was found in a locked hotel room with a single gunshot wound. A tape recorder was found playing on the nightstand. When Detective Reed pressed rewind, he heard a gunshot recording followed by the sound of a window breaking, then silence. Reed knew immediately it was a staged murder-suicide. Why?

