THE DROWNED LOCK

They drained the canal to mend it. By dawn the lock-keeper lay where the water had been.

A canal lock and the keeper's low cottage, the cut drained to bare mud for the night's repairs. A single lantern burned on the lock-side. With no water in the channel, not a boat could move the length of it, and the silence where the wheel should turn lay heavy over everything.

Decode each statement, then name the one liar. The cipher is the same for all five.

INCIDENT REPORT. Silas Reed was found at first light face down in the drained basin, his head broken against the lower gate. The canal had been emptied at dusk for the masons and would not be filled again till the work was done; the mud lay smooth and the channel held no water a hull could float. Five of the canal folk were awake along the cut that night. Each gave an account of the dark hours. One of them swears to a journey the empty channel could not have carried.

TODAY'S CIPHER

A1Z26

FIELD MANUAL ▸

CASE FILED · PRACTICE — DOESN'T AFFECT YOUR STREAK

STATEMENT No.01 ENCRYPTED

— T.M.— Tom Marsh

STATEMENT No.02 ENCRYPTED

— N.C.— Nora Cole

STATEMENT No.03 ENCRYPTED

— G.B.— Giles Bray

STATEMENT No.04 ENCRYPTED

— E.H.— Edith Hart

STATEMENT No.05 ENCRYPTED

— R.W.— Reuben Wren

A revealed letter files the case as assisted.

A pulled lead files the case as assisted.

Who's lying?

Four stories hold. One won't. Name the liar.

One verdict. The case locks for the day.

ANALYZING

VERDICT IN

KEY EVIDENCE

×0STREAK

—DECODED

—PLAYED

—WIN %

—BEST STREAK

CASE FILE No.905 · STATUS: OPEN · CLASSIFIED — EYES ONLY

The Drowned Lock

They drained the canal to mend it. By dawn the lock-keeper lay where the water had been.

Silas Reed was found at first light face down in the drained basin, his head broken against the lower gate. The canal had been emptied at dusk for the masons and would not be filled again till the work was done; the mud lay smooth and the channel held no water a hull could float. Five of the canal folk were awake along the cut that night. Each gave an account of the dark hours. One of them swears to a journey the empty channel could not have carried.

STATEMENT 01 · T.M.

18-15-23-5-4 4-15-23-14 20-15 20-8-5 2-1-19-9-14
10-21-19-20 2-5-6-15-18-5 20-8-5 13-9-4-14-9-7-8-20 2-5-12-12

STATEMENT 02 · N.C.

13-5-14-4-5-4 14-5-20-19 15-14 20-8-5 2-1-14-11
2-25 12-1-14-20-5-18-14 21-14-20-9-12 12-1-20-5

STATEMENT 03 · G.B.

4-18-1-14-11 1-20 20-8-5 12-15-3-11 20-1-22-5-18-14
20-9-12-12 20-8-5-25 3-12-15-19-5-4 20-8-5 4-15-15-18

STATEMENT 04 · E.H.

23-1-12-11-5-4 20-8-5 20-15-23 16-1-20-8 8-15-13-5
23-5-12-12 3-12-5-1-18 15-6 20-8-5 23-1-20-5-18

STATEMENT 05 · R.W.

19-12-5-16-20 9-14 20-8-5 11-5-5-16-5-18-19 12-15-6-20
1-2-15-22-5 20-8-5 5-13-16-20-25 3-21-20

CIPHER: A1Z26

You're given the cipher type. The key is yours to find.

Name the killer. — murdcrypt.com

MURDCRYPT — Dossier 01

Created by A.J. Cardew.

murdcrypt.com · Printed from the daily case. For personal use.