Clues & Culprits › Archive › Oct 1, 2026 Hard walkthrough
Oct 1, 2026 Full Proof Walkthrough
Every verdict in the Hard case “The Patient Who Never Was”, in an order where each step is proven by the statements already on file.
Play it first Just a hint, please
This Hard 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. 6 of the steps can only be proven by reading two or more clues together. The order below is one valid route; any order where each verdict is proven when you enter it reaches the same answer.
Spoiler: show the full walkthrough
Start: Tariq (D5) begins the case proven a criminal.
The person to the right of Kofi is a criminal.— Tariq, pharmacist (D5)
Step 1: Lionel (D3, private patient) is a criminal. This follows from Tariq’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 2: Percy (D4, pharmacist) is innocent. This follows from Lionel’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
There is exactly one criminal below me.— Lionel, private patient (D3)
Step 3: Dina (D1, nurse) is innocent. This follows from Percy’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
There are exactly two innocents above me.— Percy, pharmacist (D4)
Step 4: Gemma (C2, receptionist) is innocent. This follows from Dina’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Cal and I have no criminal neighbors in common.— Dina, nurse (D1)
Step 5: Frank (B2, security guard) is innocent. This follows from Gemma’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
The person between me and Esme is innocent.— Gemma, receptionist (C2)
Step 6: Hattie (D2, nurse) is innocent. This follows from Percy’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 7: Idris (A3, pharmacist) is innocent. This needs 2 statements together — Frank’s and Hattie’s. Assume the opposite verdict and at least one of them breaks.
Olive and I have exactly one innocent neighbor in common.— Frank, security guard (B2)
Row 3 has exactly two criminals.— Hattie, nurse (D2)
Step 8: Marco (A4, private patient) is innocent. This follows from Idris’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Ruby and I have no criminal neighbors in common.— Idris, pharmacist (A3)
Step 9: Nora (B4, security guard) is innocent. This follows from Idris’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 10: Ruby (B5, security guard) is a criminal. This needs 2 statements together — Marco’s and Nora’s. Assume the opposite verdict and at least one of them breaks.
Exactly two of my five neighbors are criminals.— Marco, private patient (A4)
If Quinn is a criminal, then Joan is innocent.— Nora, security guard (B4)
Step 11: Ada (A1, surgeon) is innocent. This needs 2 statements together — Marco’s and Ruby’s. Assume the opposite verdict and at least one of them breaks.
Only one of the four surgeons is a criminal.— Ruby, security guard (B5)
Step 12: Esme (A2, surgeon) is innocent. This needs 2 statements together — Marco’s and Ruby’s. Assume the opposite verdict and at least one of them breaks.
Step 13: Cal (C1, pharmacist) is innocent. This needs 4 statements together — Frank’s, Marco’s, Ada’s and Esme’s. Assume the opposite verdict and at least one of them breaks.
Exactly five of the fourteen people on the edges are criminals.— Ada, surgeon (A1)
Exactly two of the four receptionists are innocent.— Esme, surgeon (A2)
Step 14: Kofi (C3, receptionist) is a criminal. This needs 2 statements together — Esme’s and Cal’s. Assume the opposite verdict and at least one of them breaks.
Exactly one of Sadie and Bea is innocent.— Cal, pharmacist (C1)
Step 15: Joan (B3, surgeon) is innocent. This follows from Frank’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 16: Olive (C4, private patient) is innocent. This follows from Kofi’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
The person between me and Sadie is innocent.— Kofi, receptionist (C3)
Step 17: Quinn (A5, surgeon) is a criminal. This follows from Marco’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 18: Sadie (C5, receptionist) is a criminal. This follows from Joan’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Column C has exactly two criminals.— Joan, surgeon (B3)
Step 19: Bea (B1, receptionist) is innocent. This follows from Ada’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
The final lineup
| A | B | C | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ada innocent | Bea innocent | Cal innocent | Dina innocent |
| 2 | Esme innocent | Frank innocent | Gemma innocent | Hattie innocent |
| 3 | Idris innocent | Joan innocent | Kofi criminal | Lionel criminal |
| 4 | Marco innocent | Nora innocent | Olive innocent | Percy innocent |
| 5 | Quinn criminal | Ruby criminal | Sadie criminal | Tariq criminal |
What happened
Room 9 was a stage set. Lionel lent the scheme his title and his insurance policy; Quinn wrote six weeks of flawless surgical notes from a laptop in the doctors' mess; Tariq signed for the drugs and sold them on. Kofi and Sadie kept the room alive from the front desk — breakfast trays out, empty trays back, flowers from imaginary nieces — while Ruby turned away anyone who asked to look in. It took one nurse with a muddled rota and a fresh pillowcase to bring it all down.