Clues & Culprits › Archive › Oct 6, 2026 Easy walkthrough
Oct 6, 2026 Full Proof Walkthrough
Every verdict in the Easy case “The Machine That Answered Too Well”, in an order where each step is proven by the statements already on file.
Play it first Just a hint, please
This Easy case seats 16 suspects on a 4×4 grid. 13 of them carry a clue; the other 3 only have something to say about themselves. Every step can be proven from a single clue plus what you already know. 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: Marco (A4) begins the case proven innocent.
Exactly one of Olive and me is innocent.— Marco, founder (A4)
Step 1: Olive (C4, founder) is a criminal. This follows from Marco’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 2: Percy (D4, investor) is innocent. This follows from Olive’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
The person to my right is innocent.— Olive, founder (C4)
Step 3: Ned (B4, intern) is a criminal. This follows from Percy’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
There are no innocents between me and Marco.— Percy, investor (D4)
Step 4: Greta (C2, office manager) is a criminal. This follows from Ned’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Greta and I are either both criminals or both innocent.— Ned, intern (B4)
Step 5: Arlo (A1, intern) is innocent. This follows from Greta’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Exactly one of Arlo and me is innocent.— Greta, office manager (C2)
Step 6: Hugo (D2, salesperson) is innocent. This follows from Arlo’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Hugo and I are either both criminals or both innocent.— Arlo, intern (A1)
Step 7: Dev (D1, investor) is a criminal. This follows from Hugo’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
The person above me is a criminal.— Hugo, salesperson (D2)
Step 8: Cal (C1, investor) is innocent. This follows from Dev’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Only one of my three neighbors is a criminal.— Dev, investor (D1)
Step 9: Basil (B1, office manager) is innocent. This follows from Cal’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
The person between me and Arlo is innocent.— Cal, investor (C1)
Step 10: Emil (A2, office manager) is innocent. This follows from Basil’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Only one of my five neighbors is a criminal.— Basil, office manager (B1)
Step 11: Felix (B2, salesperson) is innocent. This follows from Basil’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 12: Idris (A3, investor) is a criminal. This follows from Emil’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Exactly one of Idris and me is a criminal.— Emil, office manager (A2)
Step 13: Juno (B3, intern) is a criminal. This follows from Felix’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Exactly four of my eight neighbors are criminals.— Felix, salesperson (B2)
Step 14: Kurt (C3, salesperson) is a criminal. This follows from Felix’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Step 15: Lionel (D3, founder) is a criminal. This follows from Idris’s statement and the verdicts already proven.
Exactly five of the twelve people on the edges are criminals.— Idris, investor (A3)
The final lineup
| A | B | C | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arlo innocent | Basil innocent | Cal innocent | Dev criminal |
| 2 | Emil innocent | Felix innocent | Greta criminal | Hugo innocent |
| 3 | Idris criminal | Juno criminal | Kurt criminal | Lionel criminal |
| 4 | Marco innocent | Ned criminal | Olive criminal | Percy innocent |
What happened
Oracle was four tired people and a very fast keyboard. Juno and Ned, the interns, typed the answers in a cupboard behind the server racks; Greta ran their shifts and their sandwiches; Kurt sold 'licences' to customers who never noticed Oracle slowed down at lunchtime. Lionel and Olive, the founders, gave the keynotes, while Dev and Idris, who led the first funding round, recruited every later investor and skimmed a fee each time. The cheese sandwich was Ned's. He had never been asked a question he could answer honestly before.