Clues & Culprits › Hints › Oct 10, 2026 Medium
Spoiler-Free Hints for Oct 10, 2026
Stuck on the Medium case, “The Trophy at Half-Time”? Open one nudge at a time. Nothing below reveals a verdict unless you click a box marked spoiler.
Back to the case Rules refresher
About this case
Halfway through the centenary match, Ashgate Rovers' 1926 league trophy was lifted from its glass case in the players' tunnel. Forty thousand people were inside the stadium. Not one of them saw it go.
This Medium case seats 20 suspects on a 4×5 grid. 16 of them carry a clue; the other 4 only have something to say about themselves. 1 of the steps can only be proven by reading two or more clues together.
Nudge 1 — where to start
The case opens with Idris the agent (A3) already proven. Their statement is enough on its own to prove one more suspect straight away — read it word by word, especially the counting words (exactly, neighbors, between).
Silas and I share the same verdict: both criminal or both innocent.— Idris, agent (A3)
Spoiler: who can I prove first?
Silas (C5) is innocent, proven by Idris’s statement.
Nudge 2 — the opening
Five suspects get proven in this stretch, in rows 3 and 5. The statements doing the work are paired verdicts, direction clues and if–then clues. Every step in this stretch needs just one statement. Tip: with paired verdicts, two suspects tied together share their fate — prove one and the other follows.
Spoiler: whose statement to read
Idris’s statement.
Spoiler: which suspect does that settle?
Silas (C5) — innocent.
Nudge 3 — after about 5 proven suspects
Five suspects get proven in this stretch, across rows 1, 2 and 4, most of them in row 1. The statements doing the work are paired verdicts, shared-neighbor counts and direction clues. Every step in this stretch needs just one statement. Tip: with shared-neighbor counts, shared neighbors never include the two speakers themselves.
Spoiler: whose statement to read
Jasper’s statement.
Spoiler: which suspect does that settle?
Ned (B4) — innocent.
Nudge 4 — after about 10 proven suspects
Four suspects get proven in this stretch, across rows 1, 2 and 3, most of them in row 2. The statements doing the work are neighbor counts. One step here needs 2 statements read together. Tip: with neighbor counts, treat the number as a budget — once enough of the ring is proven, the rest is forced.
Spoiler: whose statements to read
Bea’s and Freya’s statements, read together.
Spoiler: which suspect does that settle?
Kira (C3) — a criminal.
Nudge 5 — the endgame
Five suspects get proven in this stretch, across rows 1, 2, 3 and 4, most of them in row 4. The statements doing the work are neighbor counts and role counts. Every step in this stretch needs just one statement. Tip: with role counts, roles count everyone in the role wherever they stand, so check the whole board.
Spoiler: whose statement to read
Hattie’s statement.
Spoiler: which suspect does that settle?
Leo (D3) — innocent.
The hardest step
The toughest moment needs 2 statements at once. If you’re stuck in the middle of the case, this is probably it.
Spoiler: the statements for the hardest step
Read Bea’s and Freya’s statements together. They settle Kira.
Clue types in this case
neighbor counts ×6, paired verdicts ×5, shared-neighbor counts ×1, role counts ×1, direction clues ×2 and if–then clues ×1.
Questions
How many clues does this case have?
16 of the 20 suspects carry a clue. The rest only talk about themselves — you can hide those asides in Settings.
Where is the full solution?
The step-by-step walkthrough proves every verdict in order.