The billionaire was found dead in his study, clutching a fountain pen. A suicide note on the desk read: 'I can no longer bear the dark.' The light bulbs in the room were unscrewed, and the curtains were nailed shut. Detective Gray shook his head and called for a homicide detective. Why?
He couldn't have written a note in complete darkness
With the light bulbs unscrewed and curtains nailed shut, the room would be pitch black. It is impossible to write a coherent suicide note without any light sources.
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
A high-stakes poker player was shot dead at a private club table. Four players were at the table. Player A claimed he was dealing the cards. Player B claimed he was shuffling the deck. Player C claimed he was counting his chips. Player D claimed he was cutting the cards. Detective Thorne arrested Player C. Why?
Detective Novak questions five witnesses about the order they reached the museum door. Elena reached the door before Opal. Opal reached the door before Carmen. Carmen reached the door before Hugo. Hugo reached the door before Luca. Who reached the door second?
A jewel thief claimed he spent the entire night of the robbery sailing alone on his yacht under the moonlight. The detective checked the weather report and immediately called him a liar. Why?
A wealthy merchant was found slumped over his mahogany desk, a silver dagger driven into his back. On the desk lay an inkwell, a blotter, and a freshly written suicide note. The detective walked in, glanced at the note, and declared it a homicide without even checking for fingerprints. The note read: 'I can bear this financial ruin no longer. I take my own life today, Tuesday, October 14th.' What gave it away?
Inspector Okafor is checking the order in which five suspects left the locked library. Boris left before Kira. Aria left before Pavel. Pavel left before Jonas. Jonas left before Boris. Who left third?
Detective Lane found a victim slumped over a desk. In the victim's stiff, cold hand was a pen, and on the paper was a single written sentence: 'Jane did this to me at noon.' Lane checked the room thermostat; it was set to a freezing 34 degrees Fahrenheit. Why did Lane doubt the dying declaration?