Clues & Culprits › Archive › Oct 14, 2026 Hard walkthrough
Oct 14, 2026 Full Proof Walkthrough
Every verdict in the Hard case “The Song Beside Cashpoint Seven”, in an order where each step is proven by the statements already on file.
Play it first Just a hint, please
This Hard case seats 20 suspects on a 4×5 grid. 17 of them carry a clue; the other 3 only have something to say about themselves. 5 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: Arlo (A1) begins the case proven innocent.
Everyone above Leo is a criminal.— Arlo, courier (A1)
Step 1: Dina (D1, paramedic) is a criminal. This follows from Arlo’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 2: Hattie (D2, paramedic) is a criminal. This follows from Arlo’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 3: Leo (D3, courier) is innocent. This follows from Dina’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
There is exactly one criminal between me and Petra.— Dina, paramedic (D1)
Step 4: Gus (C2, barista) is a criminal. This follows from Hattie’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Kofi and I have exactly one criminal neighbor in common.— Hattie, paramedic (D2)
Step 5: Kofi (C3, cleaner) is innocent. This follows from Gus’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
The person between me and Otto is innocent.— Gus, barista (C2)
Step 6: Petra (D4, courier) is innocent. This follows from Leo’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Petra and I are either both criminals or both innocent.— Leo, courier (D3)
Step 7: Nico (B4, busker) is innocent. This follows from Petra’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Nico and I are either both criminals or both innocent.— Petra, courier (D4)
Step 8: Freya (B2, locksmith) is a criminal. This needs 2 statements together — Kofi’s and Nico’s. Assume the opposite verdict and at least one of them breaks.
An even number of my neighbors are criminals.— Kofi, cleaner (C3)
Exactly one of Otto and Jasper is innocent.— Nico, busker (B4)
Step 9: Tess (D5, courier) is a criminal. This follows from Freya’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Tess and I share the same verdict: both criminal or both innocent.— Freya, locksmith (B2)
Step 10: Sadie (C5, cleaner) is innocent. This follows from Tess’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Otto and I have exactly two innocent neighbors in common.— Tess, courier (D5)
Step 11: Jasper (B3, locksmith) is a criminal. This needs 2 statements together — Kofi’s and Sadie’s. Assume the opposite verdict and at least one of them breaks.
Row 3 has more criminals than Row 4.— Sadie, cleaner (C5)
Step 12: Otto (C4, locksmith) is innocent. This follows from Kofi’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 13: Rufus (B5, locksmith) is innocent. This follows from Otto’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Exactly two of my eight neighbors are criminals.— Otto, locksmith (C4)
Step 14: Ezra (A2, busker) is a criminal. This needs 3 statements together — Sadie’s, Jasper’s and Rufus’s. Assume the opposite verdict and at least one of them breaks.
Iris and I have exactly two innocent neighbors in common.— Jasper, locksmith (B3)
If Iris is a criminal, then so is Ezra.— Rufus, locksmith (B5)
Step 15: Mabel (A4, barista) is innocent. This follows from Jasper’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 16: Cora (C1, busker) is innocent. This needs 2 statements together — Ezra’s and Mabel’s. Assume the opposite verdict and at least one of them breaks.
Exactly three of my five neighbors are criminals.— Ezra, busker (A2)
Exactly five of the fourteen people on the edges are criminals.— Mabel, barista (A4)
Step 17: Bea (B1, cleaner) is innocent. This needs 2 statements together — Mabel’s and Cora’s. Assume the opposite verdict and at least one of them breaks.
Exactly two of Nico's eight neighbors are criminals.— Cora, busker (C1)
Step 18: Iris (A3, busker) is a criminal. This follows from Ezra’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 19: Queenie (A5, barista) is innocent. This follows from Mabel’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
The final lineup
| A | B | C | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arlo innocent | Bea innocent | Cora innocent | Dina criminal |
| 2 | Ezra criminal | Freya criminal | Gus criminal | Hattie criminal |
| 3 | Iris criminal | Jasper criminal | Kofi innocent | Leo innocent |
| 4 | Mabel innocent | Nico innocent | Otto innocent | Petra innocent |
| 5 | Queenie innocent | Rufus innocent | Sadie innocent | Tess criminal |
What happened
Freya and Jasper, the bank's own locksmiths, fitted the skimmer and its tiny camera on a routine Monday maintenance visit; Ezra and Iris played their busking set beside the machine so customers turned their heads to listen while they typed their numbers. Gus, behind the counter of the lobby café, collected the skimmer's memory card from the coffee grounds every evening, and Tess carried the copied cards to a print shop in Croydon on her delivery round. Dina and Hattie, who ran the bank's first-aid post, used its locked medicine cabinet as the ring's safe. Iris gave them all away by paying for a round of drinks with a card that wasn't hers.