FILE No.88Unsolved
An antiques dealer was found dead in a storage shed. The door was bolted from the inside with an iron bolt that slides sideways. There are no windows.
The bolt slides freely and takes almost no force to move.
The door is a thin wooden board, only 1/2 inch thick. On the outside surface, at the height of the bolt, are several faint round marks.
A strong magnet was found in the garden.
How did the culprit bolt the door from the outside?
If you get stuck, open the hints one at a time, in order.
What was the bolt made of?
How thick was the door?
What could the item in the garden do?
How did the culprit bolt the door from the outside?
Choose the answer closest to the truth.
Used a strong magnet on the outside of the door to slide the iron bolt across on the inside
The answer is: used a strong magnet on the outside of the door to slide the iron bolt across on the inside.
The door is thin wood, so a magnet's pull passes through it and reaches the iron bolt. Moving the magnet outside slides the bolt. The round marks on the door are where the magnet was pressed and moved, and the magnet in the garden matches.
An iron bolt and a thin door made this method possible.
Because the bolt is on the inside, it seems impossible to move it from outside.
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