Sir Arthur was found dead in his study on a crisp autumn morning. The window was wide open, and dry maple leaves littered the carpet. The butler stated he opened the window at dawn to air out the room. Detective Meyer checked the window frame, shook his head, and accused the butler of murder. Why?
Maple trees do not drop dry leaves in the morning if they are just blown in; furthermore, the leaves were glued to the damp windowsill, showing they were placed there before the window was opened.
A simpler clue: The maple tree outside the window was an evergreen pine tree, meaning a maple leaf could never have blown in naturally.
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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