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The Detective’s Desk

HARD · CASE FILE

The camera toggle ledger

Hard · NORTHBRIDGE EXHIBIT HALL

A camera’s state changed through manual toggles and a temporary service override. A printed event list includes a cancelled event that never happened. The archive retained the competing reconstructions in separate packets. Rebuild their custody events, identify the proposal supported by the analytical records, then name that packet’s recorded handler. The packet events form a separate ordered register; do not substitute a calculated clock time for a review-slot label.

Investigate this case

Read the case file below, or open the interactive desk to examine records, keep notes and submit your reasoning. These are the case materials, without the solution.

Your assignment

Who handled the packet containing the supported reconstruction?

People and accounts

Oren Bell

Recorded packet handler

“Establish my packet, location and event from the verified custody record.”

Pera Dean

Recorded packet handler

“Establish my packet, location and event from the verified custody record.”

Inez Shore

Recorded packet handler

“Establish my packet, location and event from the verified custody record.”

Tavi Cole

Recorded packet handler

“Establish my packet, location and event from the verified custody record.”

Lena Ford

Recorded packet handler

“Establish my packet, location and event from the verified custody record.”

Case records

Read each record on its own terms. A claim made by a person is different from a fact established by an independent record.

VERIFIED RECORD C

Service override

From 18:10 inclusive until 18:18 exclusive, an override forces recording OFF, regardless of the stored manual state. At 18:18 the stored state resumes.

The question falls inside an override, so stored state alone does not prove recording.

CONTEXT NOTE

Camera direction

The camera points at the west display. Direction does not establish whether it recorded.

This describes the setting; it does not establish the requested result.

VERIFIED RECORD A

Initial state and toggles

At 18:00 the camera is recording. Valid manual toggles occur at 18:03, 18:07, 18:12 and 18:16. Each valid toggle reverses its stored manual state.

Track the stored state through the valid toggles.

VERIFIED RECORD B

Cancelled event

The printed 18:09 toggle was cancelled before execution. It does not change the stored state. No other manual toggle exists.

Do not count a cancelled instruction as an event.

RECONSTRUCTION RECORD

Packet proposal index

This is the same investigation’s packet custody record. There are 5 ordered events, labelled Review 1, Review 2, Review 3, Review 4, Review 5. Each listed person, location and item occurs exactly once. These slots describe record order, not times from the analytical problem. Each packet contains the proposed reconstruction shown in the index. Solve the original three analytical records to identify the supported proposal, then trace its packet to its handler. Control packets have no proposal and cannot be the target.

  • The event handled by Pera Dean occupies slot 4 (Review 4).
  • The event at Reading desk occurs earlier than the event at Dispatch shelf, without claiming they are consecutive.
  • The event handled by Pera Dean occurs earlier than the event at Review bench, without claiming they are consecutive.
PacketProposed analytical answer
Packet AmberON; stored manual state ON
Packet BirchOFF; stored manual state ON
Packet CedarOFF; stored manual state OFF
Packet DuneON; stored manual state OFF
Packet ElmControl packet: no analytical proposal

Use each column’s choices exactly once. Verified relationships govern the board; proposed answers and later recollections do not override them.

RECONSTRUCTION RECORD

Custody sequence

The relationships below were verified independently. “A immediately before B” means A is in the row directly above B, with no row between them. Keep relationships from all worksheet sources together.

  • The event at Reading desk occupies slot 3 (Review 3).
  • The event involving “Packet Cedar” occurs earlier than the event at Reading desk, without claiming they are consecutive.
  • The event handled by Oren Bell and the event at Seal station are exactly 2 positions apart, with 1 intervening event; this alone gives no direction.

Use each column’s choices exactly once. Verified relationships govern the board; proposed answers and later recollections do not override them.

RECONSTRUCTION RECORD

Cross-check and accounts

The relationships below were verified independently. “A immediately before B” means A is in the row directly above B, with no row between them. Keep relationships from all worksheet sources together.

  • The event involving “Packet Elm” occurs immediately before the event at Intake counter (consecutive rows, with no event between them).
  • The event handled by Lena Ford occurs immediately before the event involving “Packet Dune” (consecutive rows, with no event between them).
  • The event involving “Packet Amber” occurs earlier than the event handled by Tavi Cole, without claiming they are consecutive.

Use each column’s choices exactly once. Verified relationships govern the board; proposed answers and later recollections do not override them.

Questions to resolve

Was the camera recording at 18:17?

Match every recorded item to its handler or reviewer.

At which location was the target packet handled?

Use the interactive case desk to select your finding and cite the records that support it. The answer is checked there, and your progress stays in your browser.

Build your finding

Compare the records with each account. Work out what the evidence establishes, then separate that finding from anything it does not prove.

Open the interactive case More Hard case files