The billionaire was found dead in his study during a blackout. On his desk was a notepad with four scrawled numbers: 19, 5, 12, 12. His greedy nephew rushed into the room shouting, 'Uncle! Who did this to you?' Detective Roy smiled and arrested the nephew on the spot. Why?
The nephew knew the victim wrote a message before dying, even though the room was in total darkness.
During a blackout with no lights or candles, the victim could not have written a note, yet the nephew assumed he did.
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: Easy. More like this: Detective riddles with answers or try Truth & Lie Island for a different kind of puzzle.
More detective riddles
Inspector Vance entered the study and found the victim face down on the carpet. A shattered teacup lay nearby. On the desk sat four suspect files: the chef, the maid, the gardener, and the butler. A note written in spilled tea read: 'The poison was in the second cup.' The butler had served two cups of tea to the victim. Why did Vance arrest the butler without tasting the tea?
Detective Quinn questions five witnesses about the order they reached the museum door. Elena reached the door before Iris. Dmitri reached the door before Aria. Iris reached the door before Gwen. Gwen reached the door before Dmitri. Who reached the door first?
Detective Reed entered the freezing cabin where a smuggler sat wrapped in three woolen blankets. The smuggler insisted he had been shivering alone since midnight. Reed noticed the candle on the table had melted wax pooled evenly on all sides, despite a fierce gale blowing through the broken window. Why did Reed arrest the smuggler?
A famous explorer was poisoned in his tent deep in the jungle. Three crew members were questioned. The cook was boiling river water. The navigator was charting stars. The guide was sharpening a machete in the rain. Detective Thorne arrested the killer instantly. Who was it?
During a blackout, a wealthy art collector was shot in his pitch-black study. Detective Cross arrived and questioned the three suspects. Anna said she was reading a paperback book by the window. Ben said he was organizing his coin collection by touch in the corner. Clara said she was checking the analog clock on the wall to pass the time. Cross instantly arrested the murderer. Who was it and why?
An antique pocket watch stopped ticking precisely at 8:15 AM, covered in dust on a shelf. The suspect claims he was at the bakery across town from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM. Detective Gable looked at the watch, noted the time, and arrested the suspect for the morning robbery. What did Gable notice about the watch?