Clues & Culprits › Hints › Oct 24, 2026 Easy
Spoiler-Free Hints for Oct 24, 2026
Stuck on the Easy case, “The Grape Rustlers of Verlaine Hill”? 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
One night in late September, four tonnes of prize Pinot grapes were picked from the hillside at Château Verlaine — every bunch, every row. By morning the only trace was a single pair of secateurs and an empty wheelbarrow.
This Easy case seats 16 suspects on a 4×4 grid. 14 of them carry a clue; the other 2 only have something to say about themselves. Every step can be proven from a single clue plus what you already know.
Nudge 1 — where to start
The case opens with Bruno the estate guard (B1) 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).
The only delivery driver in my row is a criminal.— Bruno, estate guard (B1)
Spoiler: who can I prove first?
Arlo (A1) is a criminal, proven by Bruno’s statement.
Nudge 2 — the opening
Four suspects get proven in this stretch, in columns A and C. The statements doing the work are paired verdicts, role counts and “between” clues. Tip: with paired verdicts, two suspects tied together share their fate — prove one and the other follows.
Spoiler: whose statement to read
Bruno’s statement.
Spoiler: which suspect does that settle?
Arlo (A1) — a criminal.
Nudge 3 — after about 4 proven suspects
Four suspects get proven in this stretch, across rows 1, 2 and 4, most of them in row 4. The statements doing the work are direction clues and paired verdicts. Tip: with direction clues, the speaker is never included, and nor is anyone in a different row or column.
Spoiler: whose statement to read
Gus’s statement.
Spoiler: which suspect does that settle?
Cora (C1) — innocent.
Nudge 4 — after about 8 proven suspects
Three suspects get proven in this stretch, in rows 2 and 3. The statements doing the work are neighbor counts and direction clues. Tip: with neighbor counts, treat the number as a budget — once enough of the ring is proven, the rest is forced.
Spoiler: whose statement to read
Petra’s statement.
Spoiler: which suspect does that settle?
Lionel (D3) — a criminal.
Nudge 5 — the endgame
Four suspects get proven in this stretch, across rows 1, 3 and 4, most of them in row 3. The statements doing the work are neighbor counts, role counts and paired verdicts. Tip: with role counts, roles count everyone in the role wherever they stand, so check the whole board.
Spoiler: whose statement to read
Ezra’s statement.
Spoiler: which suspect does that settle?
Iris (A3) — innocent.
Clue types in this case
paired verdicts ×5, role counts ×2, neighbor counts ×3, direction clues ×3 and “between” clues ×1.
Questions
How many clues does this case have?
14 of the 16 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 is published two days after the case, so today’s solvers aren’t spoiled.