The victim was found poisoned at a dinner party. Every guest drank from the same punch bowl, but only the victim died. Detective Ortiz discovered that the ice cubes in the punch were poisoned, yet nobody else at the table was harmed. How did the killer pull this off?
The victim drank after the ice melted
Only the victim drank after the ice cubes fully melted into the punch, whereas others drank when the ice was still solid and trapping the poison.
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
A wealthy banker was shot in his private study. His calendar was turned to Sunday, December 25th. The coroner established he died on a Tuesday in June. Why was the calendar set to December?
Detective Vance found a coded message left by a secret agent: 'S-O-N-G of the W-I-N-D'. Below it, the agent had written the numbers 3, 7, 12, 19. By counting the letters in each word of the phrase, Vance found the combination to the safe. What was the 4-digit combination?
Three kids race to build the tallest clock tower. Lily finished before Mia. Mia finished before Noah. Who finished last?
A merchant reported that his warehouse safe was broken into. The heavy steel door was swung wide open, and gold coins were scattered across the floor. The detective inspected the hinges of the door and immediately accused the merchant of insurance fraud. Why?
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?
A museum curator was found bound and gagged in the vault. He claimed masked men tied him up and stole the golden chalice. Detective Lane noticed the curator's wristwatch was facing outward on his wrist instead of inward. What did that prove?

