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The Detective’s Desk

MEDIUM · CASE FILE

The sixth lantern

Medium · IVY FESTIVAL STORE

A row of festival lanterns followed a repeating pattern. One lantern was removed before the row was renumbered. Also reconstruct the review register: it records who examined which source, independently of whether their later proposed answer is correct. Review slots describe order, not travel or clock times.

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 correctly names the new sixth lantern’s colour?

People and accounts

Niko Cole

Proposed deduction

“The new sixth position is empty.”

Kira Reed

Proposed deduction

“The new sixth lantern is green.”

Lars Pine

Proposed deduction

“The new sixth lantern is blue.”

Mina Hart

Proposed deduction

“The new sixth lantern is gold.”

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.

PRIMARY RECORD

Original colour pattern

The original row repeated green, gold, blue, in that order, starting with green at position 1. There were twelve lanterns.

This establishes the original sequence.

LINKED RECORD

Removal note

The original lantern at position 2 was removed. All later lanterns shifted one place left and the row was renumbered from 1.

This shifts the target position into the original row.

CONTEXT NOTE

Lighting plan

All remaining lanterns will be lit after sunset.

Lighting time does not alter the colour order.

RECONSTRUCTION RECORD

Review register

This is the same investigation’s document review record. There are 3 ordered events, labelled Review 1, Review 2, Review 3. Each listed person, location and item occurs exactly once. These slots describe record order, not times from the analytical problem.

  • The event reviewed by Kira Reed occupies slot 2 (Review 2).
  • The event at Reading desk occurs earlier than the event reviewed by Mina Hart, without claiming they are consecutive.
  • The event at Intake counter is the same event as the event involving “Lighting plan”.

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

RECONSTRUCTION RECORD

Review cross-check

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 following later recollections are claims to test, NOT verified facts. Exactly one disagrees with the reconstructed board; this alone is not proof of deliberate deception.

  • The event at Intake counter occupies slot 3 (Review 3).
  • The event involving “Removal note” occurs immediately before the event at Review bench (consecutive rows, with no event between them).

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

Questions to resolve

Match every recorded item to its handler or reviewer.

Whose supplementary location recollection conflicts with the board?

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 Medium case files