The Living Alibi
Puzzle
The Blackwood brothers were identical twins living in a secluded estate. A massive oak tree grew against the back of the house, its heavy branches pressing right up against the older brother, Arthur's, bedroom window.
One afternoon, police swarmed the house responding to a 911 call about a dead body in the master bathroom. Officers secured the perimeter immediately—no one left the premises. Yet, inside, the bathroom was spotless. No blood. No body.
Ten minutes into the frantic search, the younger twin, Ben, walked in through the front door, holding a bag of groceries, looking utterly confused by the chaos.
Just as the detective began to question him, a groggy, irritated shout erupted from Arthur's closed bedroom upstairs:
"Will you people keep it down? I'm trying to sleep!"
The police apologized and left, ruling it a prank call. But the corpse was in the house the entire time.
Detective Hints
- Q1: The bathroom was clean enough to look like a prank. If the 911 call was real, where did the body go in those few minutes?
- Q2: Police swore they watched the victim walk into the bedroom. If the real body never left the house, what exactly did that officer see?
- Q3: Arthur's voice was heard after Ben had already appeared downstairs. How can a dead or sleeping person yell from a room without being seen?
- Q4: The front door was guarded, and no one left the estate. Where was the impossible exit that the police forgot to watch?
Key Characters
Arthur Blackwood
SSR
Main Character
"Mm... who's there? I was having the strangest dream—water..."
Ben Blackwood
SSR
Main Character
"Hey—I just got back from the store. What's with all the s..."
The Officer Who Answered the Door
SR
Supporting Character
"Look, I know procedure. But that man—Arthur?—opened the d..."
The Oak Tree by Arthur's Window
N
Witness
"Creak... creak... I hold birds and lanterns and children...."
4 key milestones
6 evidence slots
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