Clues & Culprits › Archive › Oct 12, 2026 Medium walkthrough
Oct 12, 2026 Full Proof Walkthrough
Every verdict in the Medium case “The Lions Who Retired”, in an order where each step is proven by the statements already on file.
Play it first Just a hint, please
This Medium case seats 20 suspects on a 4×5 grid. 16 of them carry a clue; the other 4 only have something to say about themselves. 2 of the steps can only be proven by reading two or more clues together. The order below is one valid route; any order where each verdict is proven when you enter it reaches the same answer.
Spoiler: show the full walkthrough
Start: Bruno (B1) begins the case proven innocent.
My row has exactly one innocent.— Bruno, lion tamer (B1)
Step 1: Arlo (A1, acrobat) is a criminal. This follows from Bruno’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 2: Cora (C1, clown) is a criminal. This follows from Bruno’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 3: Dina (D1, vet) is a criminal. This follows from Bruno’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 4: Greta (C2, safety inspector) is innocent. This follows from Cora’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Frank and I have no criminal neighbors in common.— Cora, clown (C1)
Step 5: Tess (D5, acrobat) is innocent. This needs 2 statements together — Arlo’s and Greta’s. Assume the opposite verdict and at least one of them breaks.
There are exactly three innocents below Dina.— Arlo, acrobat (A1)
There are exactly two criminals above Tess.— Greta, safety inspector (C2)
Step 6: Ruby (B5, lion tamer) is innocent. This needs 2 statements together — Dina’s and Tess’s. Assume the opposite verdict and at least one of them breaks.
There is exactly one criminal in Column B.— Dina, vet (D1)
There is an odd number of innocents above Ruby.— Tess, acrobat (D5)
Step 7: Mila (A4, clown) is innocent. This follows from Ruby’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Mila and I share the same verdict: both criminal or both innocent.— Ruby, lion tamer (B5)
Step 8: Iris (A3, clown) is innocent. This follows from Mila’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
The person between me and Emil is innocent.— Mila, clown (A4)
Step 9: Hattie (D2, vet) is a criminal. This follows from Iris’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Exactly one of Hattie and me is a criminal.— Iris, clown (A3)
Step 10: Kofi (C3, usher) is innocent. This follows from Hattie’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Greta and I have exactly two criminal neighbors in common.— Hattie, vet (D2)
Step 11: Leo (D3, acrobat) is innocent. This follows from Arlo’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 12: Nora (B4, lion tamer) is innocent. This follows from Leo’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Nora and I are either both criminals or both innocent.— Leo, acrobat (D3)
Step 13: Petra (D4, acrobat) is innocent. This follows from Arlo’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 14: Quentin (A5, usher) is innocent. This follows from Nora’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Exactly two of the four people in the corners are criminals.— Nora, lion tamer (B4)
Step 15: Sadie (C5, usher) is a criminal. This follows from Quentin’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Only one of the two ushers in my row is a criminal.— Quentin, usher (A5)
Step 16: Omar (C4, safety inspector) is a criminal. This follows from Sadie’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
There is exactly one criminal between me and Greta.— Sadie, usher (C5)
Step 17: Frank (B2, lion tamer) is innocent. This follows from Kofi’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Juno and I have exactly three innocent neighbors in common.— Kofi, usher (C3)
Step 18: Juno (B3, acrobat) is a criminal. This follows from Dina’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 19: Emil (A2, safety inspector) is innocent. This follows from Petra’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Exactly three of Frank's eight neighbors are criminals.— Petra, acrobat (D4)
The final lineup
| A | B | C | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arlo criminal | Bruno innocent | Cora criminal | Dina criminal |
| 2 | Emil innocent | Frank innocent | Greta innocent | Hattie criminal |
| 3 | Iris innocent | Juno criminal | Kofi innocent | Leo innocent |
| 4 | Mila innocent | Nora innocent | Omar criminal | Petra innocent |
| 5 | Quentin innocent | Ruby innocent | Sadie criminal | Tess innocent |
What happened
The lions never died — they retired, illegally. Dina and Hattie, the circus vets, signed three death certificates and sedated the cats for the journey; Omar, a safety inspector who had spent years writing reports nobody read, approved a 'quarantine trailer' that drove straight to Portugal. Arlo and Juno rigged the ring with smoke from the trapeze so the lions' last show looked like a tragedy, and Cora wept on cue in full clown make-up. Sadie raised the sanctuary's fees with a bucket at every exit. The ringmaster is suing. The lions have not commented.