I'm thinking that, guy was killed then brought in the room with a trick set up to lock the door since the body was in the middle of the room and nowhere near the door where a trick could be used, possibly the victim was looking up at the light bulb then something happened. But the way sstimson phrased his riddle makes me doubt this idea.
Here's an idea then, the victim was dead already and placed in the center of the room, the pencil fell out. The key was placed in the lock and a person attached some string to the key, left the room pulled it so the key turned and pulled harder to get the string of
Victim killed in room. No room for any under the door string tricks. This door has a max a one nanometer under the door or above it due to inside door drafts guards. In other words, nothing is going under or over the door in those cracks.
It is possible the victim was placed in the center of the room. Also NO WINDOWS. Only one way in and only one way out, and there are the same way, the door.
Killer drugs victim with sleeping pills.
Enters room with victim and ladder.
Climbs ladder with victim.
Drops victim from the top of the ladder.
Victim hits floor, neck breaks and dies.
Killer returns to door with ladder.
Killer puts key in inside key lock.
Killer leaves room with ladder and closes door.
Killer locks room with a duplicate key using outside key lock.
Again there is only ONE way in and out
and there is only one key.
Okay:
Spoiler:
- Killer drugs victim with sleeping pills.
- Enters room through the only door with victim and ladder.
- Climbs ladder with victim.
- Drops victim from the top of the ladder.
- Victim hits floor, neck breaks and dies.
- Killer returns with ladder to the one door.
- Killer opens the one door.
- Killer puts key in inside key lock, and turns it so that the lock is locked.
- Killer leaves room with ladder and closes door.
- Room is now locked with only victim inside.
How long is the light bulb wire (the thing than holds it up there from the ceiling)?
If the victim was standing in the same position, would his back face towards the door?
If I opened the door fully would it hit the switch?
Was it dark when the victim entered the room?
Does the trick have something to do with air?
Does the light bulb work?
Does the light bulb have any damage?
Does the light switch have holes?
About c-squares solution: It doesn't address the pencil/lightbulb/lightswitch part of the riddle, which I assume is relevant (Chekhov's Gun and all) unless it was introduced as a red herring, but that would be in bad taste.
Spoiler:
Also, why is the ladder necessary? If he fed him sleeping pills, couldn't he have just snapped his neck?
If we're allowed to ask questions (feel free not to answers though if it gives away too much) are the pencil, lightbulb and lightswitch all relevant to solving the murder?
"It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."
Again there is only ONE way in and out
and there is only one key.
Okay:
Spoiler:
- Killer drugs victim with sleeping pills.
- Enters room through the only door with victim and ladder.
- Climbs ladder with victim.
- Drops victim from the top of the ladder.
- Victim hits floor, neck breaks and dies.
- Killer returns with ladder to the one door.
- Killer opens the one door.
- Killer puts key in inside key lock, and turns it so that the lock is locked.
- Killer leaves room with ladder and closes door.
- Room is now locked with only victim inside.
Ok that might work. but
1) not what I am looking for.
2) the lock is a deadbolt type. Doing that means the door is open not locked when the killer leaves.
M.Holmes wrote:
About c-squares solution: It doesn't address the pencil/lightbulb/lightswitch part of the riddle, which I assume is relevant (Chekhov's Gun and all) unless it was introduced as a red herring, but that would be in bad taste.
Spoiler:
Also, why is the ladder necessary? If he fed him sleeping pills, couldn't he have just snapped his neck?
If we're allowed to ask questions (feel free not to answers though if it gives away too much) are the pencil, lightbulb and lightswitch all relevant to solving the murder?
You need to figure out it anything is a red herring or not.
All I am going to say is they could be, once the entire picture comes to light, while they might /or not be involved in the murder, they again might /or not be involved in the reason(motive) behind this event.
lucky777 wrote:
Some questions
How long is the light bulb wire (the thing than holds it up there from the ceiling)?
If the victim was standing in the same position, would his back face towards the door?
If I opened the door fully would it hit the switch?
Was it dark when the victim entered the room?
Does the trick have something to do with air?
Does the light bulb work?
Does the light bulb have any damage?
Does the light switch have holes?
No light cord or wire, It turns on and off by the switch. Its socket is attached to the ceiling and the bulb screws in to that
He could be but then again he might not ( Does not matter )
The switch is on the other wall. So for example if the door is completely open it would be on the right side of the door jam, and the light switch is on the other (left) side of the door jam. They can not come in contact with each other.
Either ( Again does not matter )
Sorry, about to have some fun at your expense. Yes the trick involves air. The crime could not happen it the room was filled with like sand. Yes Air is necessary. Beside how would the victim enter a room full of sand? >:D
Yes
No
No
MDavid wrote:
This is my crazy and uncompleted theory.
Spoiler:
The victim was drugged with sleeping pills. After that he was glued on the ceiling upside down, with the lightbulb between his feet. When the light was turned on, the heat coming from the lightbulb started melting and/or vaporizing the adhesive, causing the victim to fall and break his neck. The pencil fall off from his pocket the moment he crashed into the floor.
For the lock, maybe a rubber string was pulled from the victim's clothes and attached to the key. When he started moving it was pulled, locked the door, the knot opened then returned to the clothes. But this method would rather pull out the key from the lock. Still working on this.
No. Also how many rubber strings for your idea to work, are 50ft plus long and melt with out any residue?
Last edited by sstimson on June 6th, 2012, 7:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
by air i meant like an really powerful air blast than had enough force to break someone neck but you have a fair point.
more questions
Was the cause of death the broken neck?
Did the victim already have a broken neck before entering the room?
Was the pencil damaged? (Although to be honest i think the pencil is a red herring))
How far away was the pencil from the victim?
You can't remove the walls right? I head a story where this guy removed a wall to kill someone then put it back up to create a locked room scenario
Was the victim mentally fit?
The victim has a meeting in this room with Darth Vader.
Vader isn't pleased with what the victim says and force-chokes the victim to death, breaking his neck in the process.
Vader leaves the room through the only door, leaving the key in the lock on the inside.
Vader closes the door, then uses the force to turn the key and lock the deadbolt.
lucky777 wrote:
by air i meant like an really powerful air blast than had enough force to break someone neck but you have a fair point.
more questions
Was the cause of death the broken neck?
Did the victim already have a broken neck before entering the room?
Was the pencil damaged? (Although to be honest i think the pencil is a red herring))
How far away was the pencil from the victim?
You can't remove the walls right? I head a story where this guy removed a wall to kill someone then put it back up to create a locked room scenario
Was the victim mentally fit?
Yes
The victim walked in with a broken neck? No victim was killed in room
A tiny part might have broken off. It might not be as sharp now as it was.
I believe I said five inches
walls are nice and solid and to make C-squared happy, the room now has a force field that is active as soon as the inside key is placed in the inside lock.
Yes
c-square wrote:
Okay, another theory:
Spoiler:
The victim has a meeting in this room with Darth Vader.
Vader isn't pleased with what the victim says and force-chokes the victim to death, breaking his neck in the process.
Vader leaves the room through the only door, leaving the key in the lock on the inside.
Vader closes the door, then uses the force to turn the key and lock the deadbolt.
great answer but not the one I am think of. Thanks to you the room now has an force proof force field. (see above)
Kogorou wrote:
Spoiler:
The pencil is essential to solve this case.
The light bulb is the red herring.
I will have my deduction ready in a day I just need to figure out one thing ^^
interesting to be on this side for a change
by the way think of the room like a huge empty storage area like are in warehouses.
Last edited by sstimson on June 6th, 2012, 11:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Was this case constructed to be stand-alone solvable or was it made knowing that questions would be necessary to solve it? 'Cause it seems quite impossible to deduce from the original information without making giant leaps in deduction and logic (i.e. a shot in the dark). If questions were meant to be asked, then that's a different story, although it's also possible that I'm missing something that should be obvious.
"It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."
- Get your Detective Conan bobbleheads today! - 
by air i meant like an really powerful air blast than had enough force to break someone neck but you have a fair point.