Whodunnit #1 solution: The Gilded Lily Theatre

Saturday 7 November 2026 · Hard · par 7. Midnight, the Gilded Lily Theatre: the leading lady's script was shredded in the Dressing Room.

Spoilers below. Haven't cracked it yet? Play case #1 first.

The suspects

🎩 Desmond, the butler
📚 Edith, the governess
🎹 Odile, the pianist
👩‍🍳 Agatha, the cook
🎨 Greta, the painter

Among them: 1 Liar, 2 Evasive, the rest Honest. Desmond and Edith are married. Desmond and Greta are married. Agatha and Greta are married.

What really happened

At midnight, Desmond was alone in the Dressing Room, where the leading lady's script was shredded. Desmond refused to say where they’d been, because the truth was the Dressing Room.

Edith was in the Box Office, just as they said.
Odile lied: they claimed the Foyer but were in the Stage. Not the crime, though: Odile had slipped away from a job they were meant to be doing.
Agatha was in the Stage, just as they said.
Greta wouldn’t say, but was in the Box Office. Greta was rehearsing a speech nobody was meant to hear yet.

The evidence: the blurry photograph showed Edith.

The par route in 7 questions

A careful order that never relies on knowing an answer in advance.

Ask Desmond: “Where were you at midnight?”
“I’d rather not say where I was.”
Ask Edith: “Where were you at midnight?”
“I was in the Box Office.”
Ask Edith: “Who was with you?”
“Greta was there.”
Ask Odile: “Where were you at midnight?”
“I was in the Foyer.”
Ask Odile: “Who was with you?”
“Nobody. I was on my own.”
Ask Agatha: “Where were you at midnight?”
“I was in the Stage.”
Ask Agatha: “Who was with you?”
“Odile was there.”

With hindsight it can be done in 5. Can you find the shortcut?