Case file

The Five-Star Daily No. 96 December 16, 2026 Open and Shut

The Gear Locker Inquiry: a free mystery logic-grid puzzle

A contested claim came over from Wexlar with the Gear Locker at the middle of it. I have written down what I can stand behind and no more.

This free Open and Shut logic-grid puzzle has 4 suspects, 4 locations, and 4 pieces of evidence. New to logic grids? Start with the mystery-solving guide.

How to mark the grid

●
These two belong together.
✕
These two are ruled out.
blank
Still undecided.
How to play

Click, tap or press Enter on a cell to cycle it: blank, then ● for a pairing you have confirmed, then ✕ for one you have ruled out. Nothing fills itself in — the deductions are yours to make. Use the arrow keys to move around the grid.

Fill obvious Xs does the bookkeeping only: for each ● you have marked, it crosses off the rest of that pairing's own row and column. It never adds a ●, never reads a clue, and never changes a mark you made.

On a narrow screen the grid scrolls sideways.

Every case has exactly one solution, and it is always reachable by deduction alone. Nothing here guesses for you, and Check will not tell you which mark is wrong.

What Margo can prove

  1. Rosalind Pryce was in the Tiki Bar.
  2. Rosalind Pryce was found with the Brass Cleat.
  3. Bertrand Ashe was not in the Bait & Tackle Shop.
  4. Bertrand Ashe was not found with the Empty Rum Bottle.
  5. Hollis Tanaka was not in the Bait & Tackle Shop.
  6. Bertrand Ashe was not found with the Unsigned Release Form.
  7. Bertrand Ashe was not in the Gear Locker.
  8. Hollis Tanaka was not found with the Empty Rum Bottle.

The grid

On a narrow screen the grid scrolls sideways.

Your marks, completions and streak are saved in this browser only. There is no account, and clearing your browser data clears that local progress. If you accept analytics, the site sends anonymous puzzle-usage events; it never sends your grid marks, clues or solution.

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Each Five-Star Mysteries volume holds 60 story-led logic-grid cases at one remarkable hotel or resort — the short mystery, the complete evidence, and one answer you can prove. Every volume stands alone.

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