Riddles are a fun and challenging way to stretch our minds. One particularly intriguing mystery involves the murder of Mr. Brown on a Sunday afternoon. Can you figure out the culprit based on the alibis provided by the suspects? Let’s walk through the clues step by step to crack this case.

The Clues:

• Mr. Brown was killed on a Sunday afternoon.
• The wife said she was reading a book.
• The butler claimed he was taking a shower.
• The chef said he was making breakfast.
• The maid mentioned she was folding clothes.
• The gardener said he was planting tomatoes.

At first glance, all these alibis seem plausible, but one of them doesn’t quite fit. Let’s analyze the details.

Breaking Down the Alibis

1. The Wife: Reading a Book
   • The wife’s alibi of reading a book is fairly common for a quiet Sunday afternoon. No red flags here.
2. The Butler: Taking a Shower
   • The butler claimed to be taking a shower. Again, there’s nothing particularly unusual about this, as people shower at various times of day.
3. The Chef: Making Breakfast
   • This is where things start to fall apart. Mr. Brown was killed in the afternoon, so why would the chef still be making breakfast? Breakfast is typically prepared in the morning, not in the afternoon. This inconsistency is a major clue.
4. The Maid: Folding Clothes
   • Folding clothes is a typical household chore, especially on a Sunday. There’s nothing suspicious about the maid’s alibi.
5. The Gardener: Planting Tomatoes
   • Planting tomatoes might seem like an odd Sunday activity, but depending on the season and weather, it’s not unreasonable. His alibi holds up.

The Key to Solving the Puzzle: Timing

The crucial detail lies in the timeline. The murder happened in the afternoon, but the chef’s alibi was that he was making breakfast, a task typically done in the morning. This doesn’t add up and suggests the chef is lying to cover something up. While other alibis might seem odd, they don’t conflict with the timing of the crime like the chef’s does.

Common Mistakes

People often suspect the wrong person by focusing on irrelevant details, like the gardener planting tomatoes or the butler taking a shower. But the real answer comes from analyzing the timeline and recognizing that the chef’s story doesn’t fit the time of day.

Conclusion: The Chef is Guilty!

So, who killed Mr. Brown? After reviewing the alibis and considering the timeline, the chef is the clear culprit. His alibi of making breakfast in the afternoon doesn’t align with the time of the murder, which exposes his lie.

Did you solve the riddle? If so, congratulations! If not, don’t worry—these puzzles are meant to be tricky. The key is to pay close attention to the details. Now that you’ve solved this mystery, why not challenge your friends and see if they can figure out who killed Mr. Brown?