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This post is to provide a place for your guesses and questions concerning the solutions to the Roberto Brake mysteries.

I hope that some of you will post your possible solutions to the problems and your reasons, Inquisitor Brake always needs reasons.

Damn AMA, I had forgotten how good these were. I had read your solutons back in the day, but I can't for the life of me remember what the outcome was. So, I'll give this thing another whack. (Needless to say, the brain teaser was as fun as the last time).

At any rate, my educational background leads me to break down the problem thusly: I am probably missing something key here, but here's my rationalization:

1. Wife is strangulated using the brother's belt - this would seem to indicate that the culprit is physically fit. Which would appear to remove the old man from the equation. As well, the old man seems to have an alibi.

2. The room in which the murder was carried out is small and only fits one other person (other than the victim) - It sticks in my mind a bit that the old codger says that both the big kid and the husband went in to the room. (The only way this would be possible is if the wife wasn't in there... and the old man reports the two of them leaving.

3. The only in and out was the above mentioned two men and the foreign friend.

4. The husband reported the murder.

5. As such, I must conclude that the husband murdered the wife, as he was in the room, had the abiilty and also reported the murder. He was not reported to have returned to the room at any time, and as such could not have been informed by any other party - especially since the foreign friend went directly from the room to the roof.

5a. I had considered the possiblity that the kid murdered the wife, however, I believe most of the evidence points to the husband, as the kid has been reported to be slow in the head, and as such, even though he seems a prime candidate as an accessory, does not seem to have the capacity to commit the act.

I have tried to be as thorough as possible... Comments?

I like your thinking Keezus.  It all seems very reasonable.  I withhold final comment until the solution comes out next week.  I really appreciate you offering it up and hope others agree, or disagree with you.

I have re-read these stories for the first time in about three years, and I know I wrote them, but I LIKE them and wish the fool had written more when he could.

 

I also remember the huge effort that went into them.  I can see a few editting changes I would like to make too.

Congratulations keezus.  You got the main point and clue.

ok I have read the first story and the solution, good stuff. I shall read the second and write my conclusions when I finish work.

Part 4 solution: Method of elimination.

Citizen Anhalt, the arrogant elitist
Citizen Jaeger, the aggrieved father
Karl Junker, the not so young, not so hero
Eric Junker, the young hero

There are 2-3 culprits.

As nobody will attack -alone- with Anhalt, this eliminates the two man crew.
Anhalt won't work -alone-with Eric or Karl
Nobody will work with Karl -alone-.
Jaeger won't work with Eric

Therefore the only remaining combination is Anhalt and Jaeger and Karl.

Anhalt and Jaeger aren't alone as Karl is with them.
As Anhalt and Jaeger are both together with Karl, they aren't working with him alone.
Anhalt and Jaeger have no worries that Eric will shank them when they aren't looking.

Good work keezus.  I'm glad to see a few are still reading the stories.  The solution will appear next Tuesday.

 

What about story III.  How was that?