FILE No.14Unsolved
In a certain world, a few people have the ability to “turn into smoke.” A person with the ability can turn their body into smoke for at most one minute at a time. After using it, they must wait three minutes before they can use it again. But only the body changes; clothes and belongings do not change with it.
In a locked vault, the master of the mansion was struck dead with an iron paperweight. The entrance door was locked, but near the ceiling there is a ventilation duct 25 cm wide and 12 m long. The paperweight, the weapon, was left on top of the safe.
There are three suspects: Haitani, who can turn into smoke; Nagano, the butler, who held the key to the door; and Takeuchi, the master’s nephew, who had just arrived at the mansion.
Haitani claims, "I can turn into smoke, but I cannot go through the duct carrying a paperweight." Nagano says, "I had the key with me the whole time." Takeuchi says, "I know nothing."
Taking the special rule into account, who is the most plausible culprit?
If you get stuck, open the hints one at a time, in order.
Only the “body” can turn into smoke. What happens to the clothes, then?
If Haitani had left through the duct wearing clothes, something odd would happen.
The weapon was left at the scene. It is a crime that did not need to carry it out.
Taking the special rule into account, who is the most plausible culprit?
Choose the answer closest to the truth.
Nagano, the butler who held the key
The answer is “Nagano, the butler who held the key.”
If Haitani went through the duct, it would take about a minute even as smoke. The ability lasts at most one minute, and only the body changes, so he could not carry the paperweight through. In this case, though, the weapon was left on the safe, so it did not need to be carried out after the blow. Even so, Haitani cannot be the culprit. After the crime he could leave as smoke, but his clothes and belongings do not change with him, so he would have to leave his clothes in the vault. No clothing was left at the scene. Nagano, who held the key to the door, could simply enter and leave normally and lock the door again. The more conspicuous the ability, the harder it is to see the person who does not rely on it.
When a special ability appears, you want to explain the case with it. But applied exactly, the rule shows the person with the ability is unsuited to the crime.
The cases on this site are fictional puzzles created for entertainment. Any resemblance to real people, organizations or events is coincidental.
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