B
Bomb
Guest
Original poster
A 1x1 BETWEEN @Bomb and @Mason Moretti
Prologue: Stealing a Traveler's Heart
London was a very bustling city, but what makes this world so special is that many inhabitants are finding puzzles left and right. In a sense, the citizens of London are stumped by the puzzles that appear all throughout the world.
In fact, if one were to live in a world where almost no puzzles existed, then perhaps a world chock full of them would seem like a nice place to go to as an escape or a vacation. One traveller, an eighteen-year-old, (better described as a kid than a man,) set his sights upon the puzzling London streets. In an alley on Chancer Street, a mysterious, swirling light appears. It takes a somewhat circular shape, and from it, the traveller appears.
The boy's name was Mason. He had emerald eyes and long orange hair, which had been peppered with streaks of black dye in an ill-advised sense of self-expression. He wore a green cloak on his shoulders and a golden locket around his neck. The boy was a strange sight, even in his homeland, but didn't stand out too much against the backdrop of London's colorful cast.
In fact, an equally odd man happened to be in the alleyway as Mason appeared. He wore a dark coat and a white mask. As Mason appeared in the portal of aura, the man seemed much less surprised than an ordinary person should be. Indeed, he seemed much more intrigued and amused than shocked. The man spoke to Mason with a low, gravelly voice.
???: "Well, well. What a surprise. You certainly came from somewhere interesting. The question is, where."
Despite all the warning flags that were firing up from this man, Mason's nature was to trust people and give them a chance. After all, prejudice and assumptions kill all across the multiverse. So, he indulged in talking with the man until he proved himself dangerous.
Mason: "Yeah… I suppose where I come from is a bit of a puzzle. I'm not exactly allowed to say."
???: "A puzzle, you say? I've encountered many puzzles in my day. Perhaps you would like to try one?"
Mason: "Oh, sure! I love puzzles!"
While putting his entire focus into the puzzle, he didn't notice when the man had stolen a precious object: the golden locket that was around Mason's neck.
Masom: "Hm… Perhaps the answer is 334?"
???: "I'm sorry, friend, but that answer is wrong. Quite sad for you. I suppose I'll be taking this necklace as payment for your failure. So, what ancient temple did you pilfer this from? Is this perhaps what gets you hop around worlds? I wonder how much charge it has left."
Mason: "Hey, give that back! It's a family heirloom, and last I checked you weren't family!"
Mason reached for the necklace, but the man swiftly ducked under his arms and escaped out of the alleyway. Mason gave chase, but found nobody there when he reached the main street. Nobody except a nearby officer, a man known as Inspector Hastings.
Mason: "Officer! Help! A mysterious man just stole something very valuable from me!"
Hastings: "Well, I didn't see anybody pass by. Did you happen to get a look at their face?"
Masom: "Er… No."
Hastings: "Perhaps a name?"
Mason: "Not really, no."
Hastings: "Do you even know which direction they went down the street?"
Mason: "..."
Hastings: "Well, chap, it seems that you're a bit out of luck in tracking this one down. All the police are very busy on cases right now, so I don't have anyone besides a beat cop or two to look for this thief. It sounds to me like you need a private detective. I'll be sure to have people on the lookout for a shifty character, but I don't think we can do much right now."
Mason: "But where am I supposed to get a private eye?"
Hastings: "There's literally a detective right on this very street! (pointing down the street) Layton Detective agency, right down there!"
Mason: "Ah. Thank you, officer!"
Hastings: "Be warned, though. Layton is known to only take strange or interesting cases."
Mason: "I know how to make it interesting."
Inside the building had an elegant feeling, with the exception of a few things scattered, and the desk at the center of a wall was heavily cluttered with papers, binders, and books. Sitting behind the desk was a woman, wearing a beige coat over her red dress. Coming to view as Mason walks in was a white and brown dog, laying on the blanket-covered basket nearby.
Kat: "Oh, hello, and who might you be?"
Mason: "I'm from another universe."
Kat: "Is that so?"
Mason: "I can show you the multiverse. Thing is... I lost the thing that lets me travel the multiverse."
Kat: "Interesting. So you want me to help you find this thing?"
At this moment, the dog started barking, but to the ears of Katrielle and Mason, it was heard as audible human language.
Sherl: "Are you really going to believe this boy's loony story?!"
Mason: "Yes. It's a golden, heart-shaped locket with a keyhole design on the front. This guy in a mask and fancy cape stole it from me when I failed to solve his puzzle. Think you can track it down? ... Did that dog just talk? Are they supposed to do that in this universe?"
Sherl: "You can hear me talk too?"
Kat: "So a thief stole this locket from you when you failed to solve a puzzle? What kind of puzzle was it?"
Sherl: "This is no time to be thinking about puzzles, Kat!"
Mason: "Ah... Give me a piece of paper and a pen, and I'll write it out."
PUZZLE #001 - A Glacial Gift (20 Picarats)
"My friend gave me this birthday present, but it was delivered in a block of ice!
The card that came with it said you can use five 150 ml cups of hot water to melt 30 g of ice, and that I'd have to work out how many cups of hot water are necessary to melt the 2 kg ice block that's around it."
Can you work out how many cups of hot water are necessary?
Mason held a blank stare at Kat. He was completely dumbfounded by the puzzle's solution.
Mason: "I am such an idiot... I even worked out all the math in my head of the cup to kilogram ratio... And the answer was zero! Please, Miss Layton, help me through some of these puzzles. I really need that necklace back. If the man in the mask finds out what's inside..."
Kat: "But of course! I'll do my best!"
Sherl: "So you're finally going to do work? "
Kat: "I always do work Sherl. Come to think of it, where's Ernest?"
As Katrielle would say that, another man came into the room, holding stacks of papers and books. He was wearing a blue vest and striped pants.
Ernest: "Oh, who's this? A client?"
Kat: "Yes, his name is... I do believe we forgot to ask for your name? But I suppose we should introduce ourselves first. My name is Katrielle Layton. And this is my assistant, Ernest Greeves."
Ernest: "A pleasure to meet you."
Kat: "And this is Sherl. He works as our mascot."
Sherl: "Kind of forced to work with them. Also, Sherl isn't even my own name. I have no memories of who I was."
Kat: "I know that, but we haven't found any clues about what little memories you have..."
Mason: "Mason Moretti. I'm a traveller of sorts. I travel so much, some people just call me Trav. I don't have much on my person in way of payment, but... What if I could show you three other worlds?"
Kat: "Oh, that would be so exciting!"
Sherl: "Yeah, sure. We'll be visiting alien territory, Kat."
Ernest: "Wow, other worlds. Who knew they existed?"
Mason: "Then let's work together and get my necklace back!"
Case 1: Other Worlds, Upside-Down Thinking
The quartet left the confines of the office and headed out into Chancer Street.
Ernest: "So, Kat, where does your detective's intuition say to go first?"
Kat: "Hmm... perhaps we should visit the scene of the crime."
Mason: "It was in an alleyway, just up here."
Kat: Then that's where we're going. Lead the way!
As the group entered the alleyway, they discovered that the portal of aura energy was still open and active from Mason's initial arrival. However, as they approached the portal, it suddenly vanished in a puff of smoke.
Ernest: "Wh-what was that?"
Sherl: "Well one thing is for sure, and that is I believe that loony story might be true..."
Kat continued to stare at the portal that had disappeared, looking for any clues that might have been left behind. On the ground, beneath where the portal stood, was a small patch of white cotton fuzz.
Kat: "Oh, what is this?"
Kat picked up the cotton substance that was left and examined it.
Kat: "If you don't mind me asking, does this substance always get left behind when that portal dissipates?"
Sherl: "You really believe that was an actual portal?"
Mason: "Huh? No, not at all! Usually, all that might be left is some smoke and some latent energy that some people or technology can sense. Nothing physical gets left. And no, Sherl, I'm not some loony."
Kat: "Hmmm... so this cotton-y object was left behind when it wasn't supposed to. Meaning it came from somewhere else."
Kat made sure to remember this clue, as it could be vital to the case.
Ernest: "Still, this whole 'multiverse' portal is very peculiar. And if I may ask, why did you decide to travel here, of all places?"
A nervous look stretched across Mason's face, and it was accompanied by an equally nervous laugh.
Mason: "Well... You see... I've only had this multiverse thing for a couple of weeks. I don't know exactly how it works. I kind of think about the type of place I want to be or the people I want to meet, and a friend of mine takes care of the rest. The way my friend explained it is that the necklace can tell her where the portals should lead, and she makes the portals. The necklace... is kind of a confusing thing. The way it works itself is a puzzle. All I know is that I wanted a place where I could challenge my brain. I guess the necklace said I wanted to come to London, but with puzzles."
Kat: "I see, so even you don't know how it fully functions."
Ernest: "Speaking of necklaces, why don't you try out this puzzle about necklaces, Mr. Moretti?"
PUZZLE #002 – An Expensive Necklace (30 Picarats)
A jewelry shop sells customized necklaces made of silver. The necklace can be adorned with up to three gems. The jewelry shops sells up to four gems, where a ruby costs 40£, a sapphire costs 45£, a topaz costs 50£, and a diamond costs 70£. A couple of special sales are in effect, where:
• Buying at least two of the same gem will reduce the total cost by half.
• Buying a diamond reduces the cost of the cheapest gem type in the arrangement by half.
A customer buys a necklace with three gems. Using these pieces of information, what is the cheapest arrangement of gems possible?
Ernest: "Wow you cracked that puzzle easily. I thought I was able to throw you off, but you shrugged it off!"
Kat: "But of course. Why else do you think Mr. Moretti accepted the thief's puzzle? It's obvious he is a puzzle lover, like us!"
Mason: "Yeah! I do love puzzles! It's just... Puzzles aren't as useful where I come from. So you're encouraged to do other things, like train to fight and excel in school…"
Sherl: "Alright, so we found a cotton piece. Where does this lead us, Kat?"
Katrielle thought about it, but it seems that she didn't have enough clues.
Kat: "Hmm... maybe we should visit the tailor? Maybe we can ask her about this material ad if she sold it to someone."
Ernest: "You mean Bowlyn Hill, miss?"
Ernest appeared to be worried when Kat mentioned the tailor. Sherl also had that grim expression.
Sherl: "So we're going to that place huh?"
Ernest: "You see... It's kind of a bad place to be in alone."
Kat: "But fear would prevent us from moving forward. So onward!"
Ernest: "True..."
Kat: "We can get there on bike. Don't worry, it's going to be alright, everyone!"
Mason: "How many bikes do you have?"
Kat: "Why do you ask?"
Sherl: "Isn't it obvious. You let me ride in the basket while Ernest runs to catch up!"
Ernest: "Oh, I don't mind running behind Miss Layton."
Sherl: "Just what a dogsbody would say..."
Kat: "Is that so? I didn't notice."
Sherl: "Are you being serious, Kat?"
Kat: "I suppose we can take the bus first."
Mason: "If I had my necklace, I could just make another bike... Well, I suppose we have to look at the bus schedule."
Kat: "Alright. I believe there is a bus stop on the other side of this alleyway. Ernest, would you go ahead and check the bus schedule?"
Ernest: "Right away miss!"
As the others walked towards the bus stop, they would see Ernest, who ran up to the stop ahead of everyone else, looking at the notice.
Kat: "What's wrong Ernest?"
Ernest: "It looks like some prankster replaced the sign with a puzzle!"
Puzzle 003: A Bus To Catch (40 Picarats)
Looks like the bus schedule has been replaced with a much more confoundingly worded schedule. However, Ernest is determined to discover the correct bus route. The schedule has three different busses that return to this stop at specific intervals, based on their routes, as follows:
• The Green Bus first arrives at 7:10 AM, and returns every 45 minutes.
• The Blue Bus first arrives at 8:00 AM, and returns every 40 minutes.
• The Orange Bus first arrives at 8:15 AM, and returns every 25 minutes.
The clock reads 8:40 AM, and the sign says the next bus to arrive will lead to Bowlyn Hill. Which bus should Ernest get on?
Mason, watching the scene of the puzzle from an outsider view, had his attention drawn to something on the road.
Mason: "There are three sets of tire tracks here, which means all three busses were here and left. We probably did moss them by a few seconds, so the Orange one is the next to arrive. I guess we have to wait here at the station. Maybe someone here has any clues?"
Ernest: "Now that you mention it, there is someone sitting on that bench there. Let us go ask him."
The man on the bench was... peculiar, to say the least. Katrielle and the others met him on occasions, but he did help them by giving them puzzles before.
Ernest: "Good day, mister, do you mind if we ask you something?"
Stachenscarfen: "Oh, it's all of you. Looks like you picked up a new friend, huh?"
Mason: Hello! You can call me Mason. I'm looking for a stolen item. Have you see any suspicous people about?
Stachenscarfen: "Hmm... suspicious people, huh? Well, alot of people could be considered suspicious, but what's most suspicious is where you came from."
It sounded like Stachenscarfen had an inkling of how Mason wasn't of this world, but how did he know that?
Mason: (suddenly nervous) "Oh! Well... I'm from America, if that's what you're asking. I suppose you don't see a lot of Yanks here in Britain?"
Stachenscarfen: "Yanks? Well, I don't see them too often. Hmm... I do recall seeing a group of suspicious looking people. But I'll tell you what: solve this puzzle and maybe I'll share that info with you."
Mason: "I've been here thirty minutes and this is the third puzzle I've had thrown at me. What's with Londoners? (but now with confidence) Bring it on!"
PUZZLE #004 – Ace In the Hole (35 picarats)
How rude! Someone cut a small circle in the Ace of Diamonds! In order to fill in the circle that the prankster cut in the Diamonds, you must cut out another circle from one of these cards. Which card do you need to cut from? You can disregard the coloring of the suits.
Stachenscarfen: "Hmm... nice work. That puzzle had me stumped for a while now."
Mason: "I don't like the kind of puzzles that trick you and turn your thinking on itself."
Kat: "Still, that was a really clever puzzle. As soon as I heard the first hint, you did mention 'lower half', right? That is when I noticed: the symmetry of the printed suits. It makes sense!"
Mason: "Can you tell us what you saw now?"
Stachenscarfen: "Of course. I saw a group of three figures walking down the road. They were wearing beige capes and hooded, and seemed to whisper to each other."
Kat: "A group of three caped people? Mason, does that sound familiar to you?"
Mason: "I only remember seeing one... Did they have any masks on, and did the capes have this fluffy fringe on the trim?
Stachenscarfen: "Can't say for sure if they have any Mason, but the capes did not have anything fluffy on them."
Kat: "Wait, fluffy fringe?"
Katrielle took out the piece of cotton they picked up from the alleyway.
Kat: "Mason, do you think that this piece of cotton came from that fringe?"
Mason: "Yeah. I remember the man's outfit having a fluffy thing around his neck. So if the cotton came from his outfit, that means it's probably the same guy! But he has two buddies dressed just like him?"
Kat: "Hmmm..."
Mason: "Did you know where they were headed?"
Stachenscarfen: "If I had to take a guess, up the road to the tailor. One of them looked to have a hole in their outfit."
Sherl: "A hole, huh?"
Kat: "Thanks for your help."
Meanwhile it seemed like a bus was coming to view. If one were to look carefully, it had a distinctive orange color.
Ernest: "Looks like the bus arrived."
Mason: "All aboard! C'mon, Sherlock."
As the group got on the bus, they looked for a seat. They eventually resided near the center of the bus.
Ernest: "So if I'm right, this bus will take a few stops until we get to Bowlyn Hill. We'll know when we get there."
Mason: "Maybe in the meantime, we can go over what we know. Maybe spill some more exposition."
Kat: "I think so to. So what did we find so far?"
Ernest: "Well, we did find a cotton-y substance that could have come from our culprit"
Sherl: "And three similar looking people, to boot."
Kat: "One of those three also has a hole..."
Mason: "Which means that that one is where the cotton came from. The question is, what did it get ripped on?"
Kat: "Hmm... or maybe it was just loose? There are still too many mysteries around this."
Mason: "What's weird is that the portal was open when we got there. I'm pretty sure I closed the portal behind me when I came to London..."
Sherl: "Maybe you just forgot?"
Ernest: "Maybe, but Mr. Moretti seems to be sure."
Kat: "The portal... Mason, you did mention that you don't completely know how to use your pendant, right?"
Mason: "Yeah... I kinda got it as a family heirloom... Sort of. It's technically from my family... From thousands of years ago."
Ernest: "A family heirloom? How fascinating!"
Sherl: "Also sounds like an artifact to me."
Kat: "Still, it's pretty interesting to see that it still works!"
Mason: "An artifact... That's what the thief called it too. Asked if I'd stolen it. Perhaps he knows what it is already."
Ernest: "But how would he know what it is if you came from a different world? That makes no sense."
Sherl: "Pinstripes has a point. There is no way the snatcher would have known."
Mason: "That's right... Geez, mysteries feel like a puzzle that doesn't give you all the pieces."
Sherl: "So, maybe it was just someone who nicked the pendant for the money?"
Ernest: "That would be our best guess at this moment."
Kat: "Oh!"
Mason: "Huh? Did you figure something out?"
Kat: "No, it looks like we're approaching Bowlyn Hill!"
Sherl: "You're right. I already see the old, run down buildings."
Mason: "This just looks like downtown back home."
As the group were to get off the bus and onto the nearby street, they found themselves very close to the tailor.
Kat: "Alright! Let's head inside."
The group exits the bus and heads straight towards the tailor that had been mentioned by both Kat and Stachenscarfen.
Inside the tailor was a bit disorganized, but nonetheless it seems to be slow in business today, as usual. Standing behind the counter was Mrs. Slow the Tailor.
Kat: "Hello, do you mind if we asked you a few questions?"
Mrs. Slow: "...."
Kat: "HELLO?!"
Mrs. Slow "Yes, yes. I can hear you. What business do you need with me?"
Ernest: "Well, Mrs. Slow, we're on a case now with our client, Mr. Moretti. We're wondering if you might have seen three men go by here, dressed in similar costumes."
Mrs. Slow: "I don't recall. My memory isn't as good as it was. Besides, my hands are full with this piece of cloth a customer left behind."
Ermest: "Oh, my! I think I know why you're having such trouble! There's a puzzle stuck to it!"
Puzzle #005 - Perplexing Petal Pattern (30 Picarats)
You want to design an embroidered heart for your friend out of different colors of cloth. You have the pattern already drawn out. What is the minimum number different colors of cloth do you need so that no two petals of the flower touch a petal of the same color?
Mason: Good job, Ernest.
Sherl: Looks like we can keep Pinstripes around for something.
Kat: "Nice work, Ernest. Now, about this piece of cotton we picked up, do you mind telling us about anything that you sold that uses this material?"
Mrs. Slow: "Well... I do recall selling something that uses that... One customer bought a couple of cloaks."
Mason: "Was he about this tall, wore a mask and a hat?"
Mrs. Slow: "Why should I tell you about my customer's purchases or looks?"
Ernest: "Well, you see, miss, we are investigating Mr. Moretti's case, where this person stole a valuable heirloom from him. So if you would help miss..."
Mrs. Slow: "Stole, huh? In this area, there are alot of crooks here. But I guess I wouldn't mind helping you... Let's see...."
As Mrs. Slow dug through her pile of store-copy receipts, she picked one out of the bunch.
Mrs. Slow: "Hmm... Looks like this is the one... Take it, but please give it back when you're done."
Mason takes the receipt fron Mrs. Slow and looked at the name of the person who paid.
Mason: "Hershel Descole. Know anybody by that name, Kat?"
Kat's face showed surprise, and she stepped back a bit.
Kat: "Hershel... that's my dad's name!"
Ernest: "It... can't be!"
Kat: "But that's just the first name. I don't know anyone that goes by Hershel Descole."
Mason: "Hershel can't be too uncommon of a name. Descole, though, isn't. We should probably look him up... Kat, do you have internet at the office?"
Kat: "Hmm... maybe it's better if we go to Scotland Yard and look this person up from there."
Sherl: "We better hurry then and catch that next bus."
As the group would head back outside, Ernest would spot something.
Ernest: "Hmm... this grate on the street looks a bit dislodged, don't you think?"
Sherl: "Oh, looks like someone stuck a puzzle there."
PUZZLE #006 – Barbeque Party (30 Picarats)
A father uses his trusty stove to grill BBQ sticks, and notices a pattern with the amount of BBQ sticks he grills. If he grills one BBQ stick, it takes 6 minutes for it fully cook. If the father grills two BBQ sticks at the same time, it takes 13 minutes, and if he cooks three at the same time, then it would take 20 minutes. So what is the minimum amount of time it would take to cook 4 BBQ sticks?
Mason reached down and pet Sherl for a job well done.
Kat: "Alright, now that we got that puzzle out of the way, let us head to the bus stop!"
At a later point in time, the group arrives in front of Scotland Yard.
Mason: "So this is like the British FBI?"
Ernest: "I guess you can say that. This is where the police force can be found."
Mason: "I wonder if that police guy with a trench coat is still here..."
Kat: "Oh, you mean Inspector Hastings? We should go find him. Maybe he's in his office."
Inspector Hastings is indeed in his office, pacing back and forth. Up on the wall, attached to a corkboard by various pins, is what looks to be a puzzle.
Kat: "Oh, Inspector Hastings. Busy with something?"
Hastings: "Ah, good timing, lads. There's this puzzle that I've got this mornin' thats been stumpin' me."
Puzzle #007 - Dead of Night Beat (40 Picarats)
Inspector Hastings is setting up a stake out for a famous robber who left his calling card at the local bank. The area around the bank is enclosed by four streets, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, which run north to south, and four avenues, A, B, C, and D, which run east to west, creating a grid of 3 by 3 squares. The bank sits on the corner of 2nd and B.
Inspector Hastings has five other cops at Scotland Yard to spare. He also knows that the thief's hideout is nearby, and wants to tail the thief all the way to his hideout. Each cop can watch two blocks in every direction from where they're positioned, and they can keep sight of the thief's getaway car as long as it is within those three blocks. However, Hastings can't put any officers at the corner of 2nd and B, or the thief might get suspicious. Where can he place his officers to make sure every street is watched by at least one set of eyes to catch this thief?
Hastings: "Amazing, Kat! Looks like you've done it again! I suppose you can solve any mystery."
Kat: "Of course I can. Anyways, speaking of mysteries, we are currently investigating one, inspector."
Hastings: "You are? Well 'ow can I 'elp?"
Mason: "Ironically, we're looking for a thief, just like in your puzzle."
Hastings: "By jove, you're not looking for the masked thief Jean Descole, are ya?"
Kat: "Jean Descole? Why does that name sound familiar... Wait! Descole... The same last name as Hershel Descole!!"
Ernest: "So our cases are related? This is confusing..."
Mason: "Multiple Descole's... Phantom Thieves... Unknown hideout... Ah! Kat, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Kat: "It seems... This case will only get more interesting from here on out, Mason."
CASE SOLVED
Kat: "So while we haven't recovered Mason's pendant, the mystery about what has happened today is history!"
Mason: "Lady Katrielle, do you mind if I help explain this brilliant case with you?"
Kat: "Why, sure!"
Ernest: "So who did rob Mr. Moretti's pendant, Miss Layton?"
Kat: "Simply put, it has to be one of the Descoles. But the problem is, we don't know which Descole, because..."
Mason: "... All three Descole's are the same person throughout different universes, like dimensional twins or doppelgangers. They met each other because..."
Kat: "The Descole that resides in this world used Mason's locket!"
Ernest: "No way!"
Hastings: "Is this some sort of joke, Kat? Surely these different universes don't exist?"
Mason: "Ah, but they have to good sir. See, the same power behind my necklace is what has kept Jean Descole out of police hands. Jean Descole became a criminal through using another artifact similar to my locket, except his only went within a single world. That's how he's slipped by police watch for so long."
Sherl: "So that explains why that mutt knows how to use the locket!"
Kat: "But what is this other artifact? And why did he have to take Mason's locket? There seems to be only one possible answer: He lost his other artifact!"
Mason: "Which is exactly why he is stealing it back tonight! Someone must have picked it up and put it in a safe deposit box at that bank. Descole needed it back, so he gathered two people he could trust: Himself and himself."
Hastings: "Well, I'll be!"
Kat: "So, we need to go to the bank next! Inspector Hastings, which bank is Descole planning to rob?"
Hastings: "The Layman's Reserve bank. Looks like this is a serious problem, eh?"
Mason: "But after solving the puzzle, we know how to catch them!"
Sherl: "I wonder if it'll be that easy. We are talking about someone who hops universes."
Mason: "Well, I have an idea. How fast can you pedal, Katrielle?:
Kat: "Pedal? You want me to pedal to the bank?"
Mason: "Not to the bank. From the bank. If we can follow the getaway van, we might be able to get them, even across universes."
Kat: "I see. That sounds like a plan. Inspector Hastings, may we see the calling card?"
Hastings: "Ah, yes. You see, Emiliana was using that card for 'er profiling. She should be in 'er office, Kat. You'll find it to be quite an interesting one."
Kat: "Got it!"
As Hasting were to mention it, Emiliana had already entered the Inspector's office.
Kat: "Oh, hey Emiliana."
Emiliana: "Katrielle! What are you doing here? We're working on a very important case, and we can't have you distracting Inspector Hastings."
Emiliana was reeled back in shock, her glasses nearly falling right off her face, upon seeing Kat and her motley crew.
Hastings: "Actually, she seems to be helping us with the Descole case."
Mason: "Kat, you must have the devil's own luck. Everyone you need just shows up."
Emiliana glares suspiciously and judgementally at Mason.
Emiliana: "So, Kat, did you manage to hire another member to your agency? I'm surprised you can pay his wages."
Kat: "Oh, this is Mason, and we're helping him with a case that is also related to the Descole case."
Sherl: "I wouldn't be surprised to see you recruit him, Kat."
Emiliana: "Of course you are. I suppose that you want to know what I've figured out about the criminal's profile?"
Mason: "And I suppose you have a puzzle for us?"
Emiliana: "You're not wrong. The calling card came in the form of a puzzle."
PUZZLE #008 – Nonsensical Times (60 Picarats)
A girl comes up to you with a digital clock and tells you that there are some unique things about this clock. Apparently, when the time is displayed, alongside that time, there is also a number that goes along with that time. The girl noted the following times:
• 6:44 produces the number 14
• 5:55 produces the number 15
• 3:58 produces the number 17
• 13:29 produces the number 18
Using this knowledge, can you figure out the time that produces the lowest number? This digital clock uses military time, so you don't need to worry about AM or PM.
Mason: "Geez, doesn't Descole need to sleep? Robbing a bank at 1:11AM..."
Emiliana: "Most criminals like to work in the pitch of darkness."
Mason: "Then we have to face the darkness to capture them."
Later, around 12AM at the Layman's Reserve bank, the group arrived at the bank, waiting to catch the culprits when they come.
Kat: "I have a better idea. Why don't we check what this artifact is? It should be in one of the deposit boxes, right?"
Mason: "Do you think they'll let us check? That is a good plan though."
Kat: "Hmm... I wonder if Mr. Sloanes is up at this time... Well, let's check around anyways!"
Sherl: "Wouldn't snooping around after hours make you no better than a Kat burglar?"
Kat: "Then let us go to Ms. Teller's office, and check if she is there. We do have a full hour after all."
Sherl: "I suppose that's alright then. Onward, Kat, Mason, Pinstripes."
As they got to Ms. Teller's office, they would find Bianca Teller, looking very anxious.
Kat: "Ms. Teller, what is the problem?"
Ms. Teller: "You know what the problem is. We're about to get robbed. Why wouldn't that make me nervous?"
Ernest: "Because Miss Layton here is going to catch the robber in the act and keep everything precious within the bank!"
Ms. Teller: "Well, I could count on Katrielle for solving mysteries. But stopping a crime? This is a different level you know."
Ernest: "Well, it's just as simple as solving the mystery before it becomes a mystery! You know Katrielle has done much stranger things."
Ms. Teller: "Hah, ridiculous. If you want me to trust you with this, then solve this puzzle I came up with."
Ernest: "Ah, don't worry Miss Layton. I'm sure I can handle this one."
PUZZLE #009 – Trouble Sum (30 Picarats)
Someone wrote on a chalkboard "?3?95? plus 1 equals 0." What numbers go in the blank spaces?
Ms. Teller: "Not bad. Maybe I can leave this little fiasco with you."
Mason: "That said, can we take a look inside the vault?"
Ms. Teller: "Certainly. Meet me in front of the vault."
The group followed behind Ms. Teller and headed for the vault. Ernest glanced towards a clock on their way and noted that they had a half hour until Descole was supposed to strike.
As Ms. Teller inputted the code to open the vault, the door to the vault slowly opened.
Kat: "Well, at least 'that' didn't happen."
Sherl: "Yeah... 'that'."
Mason: "'That?' What is that? Did something happen at this bank?"
Kat: "Well... We did a case where one hundred million sterling were blown away by the ventilation."
Sherl: "It was a real interesting case."
Ms. Teller: "Ugh. Enough about that. Anyways, you'll need to solve a puzzle to find the right vault. Security measures for our systems, you know?"
Mason: "Bring on that puzzle. I want to know what the thieves are after."
PUZZLE #010 - The Right Vault (30 Picarats)
There are 50 vaults, with 10 vaults in each row. From top to bottom, the rows are labeled A, B, C, D, and E, and the columns are labeled from left to right 0-9. All you know is that the right vault is "Somewhere at the middle." So which is the right vault?
Kat: "Amazing, Mason!"
Ernest: "I must say, I never expected that puzzle contained that trick."
Mason: "All these puzzles seem to have tricks. What ever happened to simple sliding picture puzzles?"
Kat: "I don't know. They seemed to be less popular these days."
Ms. Teller: "Alright, alright. Let me open the vault box."
As the vault box was slowly opened, the fluorescent lights reflected off of the shiny surface of its contents. The object inside was pure, polished gold. It sparkled as if it were brand new. What was it? A key, made of the same material as Mason's missing necklace. Mason appeared very worried and flustered by the discovery.
Mason: "I've... I've seen this before! This is from my homeland. How did they get it? How is it here?"
Kat: "It's from your homeland? What exactly is the key used for, anyways?"
Mason: "I'm... not exactly sure. But I think it's like a skeleton key, it can unlock everything. Even my locket."
Ernest: "So what you're saying is, it can unlock what is hidden in your locket? What exactly is it?"
Sherl: "Something tells me that it's not gonna be good, and that's not my doggy intuition speaking."
Mason: "This is going to sound dumb, but I just haven't had it long enough to know. I have a friend who was teaching me about it, but she never mentioned what's inside. If it lets me use magic powers and create portals between universes, then whatever is inside must be powerful."
Kat: "Hmm... I wonder..."
Ernest: "Umm... Miss Layton, I hate to interrupt your thoughts, but it's 1AM now."
Sherl: "How time flies."
Mason places the key in his pocket and steps out of the vault.
Mason: "Ah, you don't mind me taking this so we can catch our criminal, right? He'll be quite frustrated if his prize isn't where he expects."
Ms. Teller: "Very well. Take it for now. I'll explain the situation to the customer."
Kat: "Thanks! Now, let's get ready!"
The Layton Detective Agency gang found their very best spot to hide and wait for Descole. Eleven minutes pass, but there is no sign of Descole entering the vault.
Mason: "He's not here, but what if... Katrielle. I have a hunch. Should we go for it?"
Kat: "Hmm... Maybe he took a quick snack break?"
Sherl: "C'mon, Kat. No one would rob a bank and stop to eat."
Mason: "What if he is ready in there? This phantom thief doesn't bother with doors..."
Ernest: "Maybe we should go check out the vault again..."
Kat: "Very well. A peep never hurts."
They find Ms. Teller and have her unlock the vault once again. Inside is Descole, frantically searching through drawers, with a glowing portal open behind him. Around his neck is Mason's necklace.
Descole: "Well, it appears that there have been a few meddlers involved in this case. Looks like I will have to try elsewhere."
The mysterious thief turns and runs straight through the portal.
Kat: "Stop right there!"
Kat yelled at the thief who escaped into the portal. To everyone's surprise, Kat also dashed right into the portal!
Sherl: "Are you nuts?!"
Ernest: "Miss Layton!"
Mason: "Well, guys, we can't leave her! Follow suit!"
Mason was next to follow Kat through the portal.
Ernest: "R-right!"
Hesitantly, Ernest managed to run into the portal.
Sherl: "You gotta be kidding me..."
And off goes Sherl into the portal.
Beyond the portal, our heroes found a depressing sight. Dark clouds overran the sky. Remnants of buildings completely destroyed by war could be seen in every direction. The air was dusty and the atmosphere felt like it could choke one's throat. Only two buildings were left standing. They were each very ancient looking temples. Two Descole's could be seen walking towards the temple to the east. A third Descole, leaning up against the side of an armored van, appeared to be waiting for our heroes to arrive.
In a gruff, yet familiar and gentlemanly, voice, the man spoke.
???: So, you're the man who held the World's Heart, and you, miss, are Katrielle Layton. Am I wrong?"
Kat: "Why yes, I am Katrielle Layton. And who are you and what is this place?"
???: "I..."
The man removed his hat, his cloak, and his mask. Underneath was revealed to be a tidy suit and tie, as well as a hidden top hat, which quickly was placed atop the man's head.
???: "... am Hershel Layton."
CASE ONE END
Prologue: Stealing a Traveler's Heart
London was a very bustling city, but what makes this world so special is that many inhabitants are finding puzzles left and right. In a sense, the citizens of London are stumped by the puzzles that appear all throughout the world.
In fact, if one were to live in a world where almost no puzzles existed, then perhaps a world chock full of them would seem like a nice place to go to as an escape or a vacation. One traveller, an eighteen-year-old, (better described as a kid than a man,) set his sights upon the puzzling London streets. In an alley on Chancer Street, a mysterious, swirling light appears. It takes a somewhat circular shape, and from it, the traveller appears.
The boy's name was Mason. He had emerald eyes and long orange hair, which had been peppered with streaks of black dye in an ill-advised sense of self-expression. He wore a green cloak on his shoulders and a golden locket around his neck. The boy was a strange sight, even in his homeland, but didn't stand out too much against the backdrop of London's colorful cast.
In fact, an equally odd man happened to be in the alleyway as Mason appeared. He wore a dark coat and a white mask. As Mason appeared in the portal of aura, the man seemed much less surprised than an ordinary person should be. Indeed, he seemed much more intrigued and amused than shocked. The man spoke to Mason with a low, gravelly voice.
???: "Well, well. What a surprise. You certainly came from somewhere interesting. The question is, where."
Despite all the warning flags that were firing up from this man, Mason's nature was to trust people and give them a chance. After all, prejudice and assumptions kill all across the multiverse. So, he indulged in talking with the man until he proved himself dangerous.
Mason: "Yeah… I suppose where I come from is a bit of a puzzle. I'm not exactly allowed to say."
???: "A puzzle, you say? I've encountered many puzzles in my day. Perhaps you would like to try one?"
Mason: "Oh, sure! I love puzzles!"
While putting his entire focus into the puzzle, he didn't notice when the man had stolen a precious object: the golden locket that was around Mason's neck.
Masom: "Hm… Perhaps the answer is 334?"
???: "I'm sorry, friend, but that answer is wrong. Quite sad for you. I suppose I'll be taking this necklace as payment for your failure. So, what ancient temple did you pilfer this from? Is this perhaps what gets you hop around worlds? I wonder how much charge it has left."
Mason: "Hey, give that back! It's a family heirloom, and last I checked you weren't family!"
Mason reached for the necklace, but the man swiftly ducked under his arms and escaped out of the alleyway. Mason gave chase, but found nobody there when he reached the main street. Nobody except a nearby officer, a man known as Inspector Hastings.
Mason: "Officer! Help! A mysterious man just stole something very valuable from me!"
Hastings: "Well, I didn't see anybody pass by. Did you happen to get a look at their face?"
Masom: "Er… No."
Hastings: "Perhaps a name?"
Mason: "Not really, no."
Hastings: "Do you even know which direction they went down the street?"
Mason: "..."
Hastings: "Well, chap, it seems that you're a bit out of luck in tracking this one down. All the police are very busy on cases right now, so I don't have anyone besides a beat cop or two to look for this thief. It sounds to me like you need a private detective. I'll be sure to have people on the lookout for a shifty character, but I don't think we can do much right now."
Mason: "But where am I supposed to get a private eye?"
Hastings: "There's literally a detective right on this very street! (pointing down the street) Layton Detective agency, right down there!"
Mason: "Ah. Thank you, officer!"
Hastings: "Be warned, though. Layton is known to only take strange or interesting cases."
Mason: "I know how to make it interesting."
Inside the building had an elegant feeling, with the exception of a few things scattered, and the desk at the center of a wall was heavily cluttered with papers, binders, and books. Sitting behind the desk was a woman, wearing a beige coat over her red dress. Coming to view as Mason walks in was a white and brown dog, laying on the blanket-covered basket nearby.
Kat: "Oh, hello, and who might you be?"
Mason: "I'm from another universe."
Kat: "Is that so?"
Mason: "I can show you the multiverse. Thing is... I lost the thing that lets me travel the multiverse."
Kat: "Interesting. So you want me to help you find this thing?"
At this moment, the dog started barking, but to the ears of Katrielle and Mason, it was heard as audible human language.
Sherl: "Are you really going to believe this boy's loony story?!"
Mason: "Yes. It's a golden, heart-shaped locket with a keyhole design on the front. This guy in a mask and fancy cape stole it from me when I failed to solve his puzzle. Think you can track it down? ... Did that dog just talk? Are they supposed to do that in this universe?"
Sherl: "You can hear me talk too?"
Kat: "So a thief stole this locket from you when you failed to solve a puzzle? What kind of puzzle was it?"
Sherl: "This is no time to be thinking about puzzles, Kat!"
Mason: "Ah... Give me a piece of paper and a pen, and I'll write it out."
PUZZLE #001 - A Glacial Gift (20 Picarats)
"My friend gave me this birthday present, but it was delivered in a block of ice!
The card that came with it said you can use five 150 ml cups of hot water to melt 30 g of ice, and that I'd have to work out how many cups of hot water are necessary to melt the 2 kg ice block that's around it."
Can you work out how many cups of hot water are necessary?
Kat: "Hmm... Cups of hot water, huh?"
Sherl: "You need this many cups to melt a giant ice cube? I feel like the answer is in the hundreds, maybe thousands!"
Kat: "No Sherl. This isn't about the amount of cups we should use. It's about the amount of cups necessary."
Sherl: "You lost me."
Kat: "See, you don't need hot water to melt the ice."
Sherl: "I get it, you just have to let it warm naturally!"
Kat: "So naturally, the answer is 0 cups!"
(Total Picarats: 20)
Sherl: "You need this many cups to melt a giant ice cube? I feel like the answer is in the hundreds, maybe thousands!"
Kat: "No Sherl. This isn't about the amount of cups we should use. It's about the amount of cups necessary."
Sherl: "You lost me."
Kat: "See, you don't need hot water to melt the ice."
Sherl: "I get it, you just have to let it warm naturally!"
Kat: "So naturally, the answer is 0 cups!"
(Total Picarats: 20)
Mason held a blank stare at Kat. He was completely dumbfounded by the puzzle's solution.
Mason: "I am such an idiot... I even worked out all the math in my head of the cup to kilogram ratio... And the answer was zero! Please, Miss Layton, help me through some of these puzzles. I really need that necklace back. If the man in the mask finds out what's inside..."
Kat: "But of course! I'll do my best!"
Sherl: "So you're finally going to do work? "
Kat: "I always do work Sherl. Come to think of it, where's Ernest?"
As Katrielle would say that, another man came into the room, holding stacks of papers and books. He was wearing a blue vest and striped pants.
Ernest: "Oh, who's this? A client?"
Kat: "Yes, his name is... I do believe we forgot to ask for your name? But I suppose we should introduce ourselves first. My name is Katrielle Layton. And this is my assistant, Ernest Greeves."
Ernest: "A pleasure to meet you."
Kat: "And this is Sherl. He works as our mascot."
Sherl: "Kind of forced to work with them. Also, Sherl isn't even my own name. I have no memories of who I was."
Kat: "I know that, but we haven't found any clues about what little memories you have..."
Mason: "Mason Moretti. I'm a traveller of sorts. I travel so much, some people just call me Trav. I don't have much on my person in way of payment, but... What if I could show you three other worlds?"
Kat: "Oh, that would be so exciting!"
Sherl: "Yeah, sure. We'll be visiting alien territory, Kat."
Ernest: "Wow, other worlds. Who knew they existed?"
Mason: "Then let's work together and get my necklace back!"
Case 1: Other Worlds, Upside-Down Thinking
The quartet left the confines of the office and headed out into Chancer Street.
Ernest: "So, Kat, where does your detective's intuition say to go first?"
Kat: "Hmm... perhaps we should visit the scene of the crime."
Mason: "It was in an alleyway, just up here."
Kat: Then that's where we're going. Lead the way!
As the group entered the alleyway, they discovered that the portal of aura energy was still open and active from Mason's initial arrival. However, as they approached the portal, it suddenly vanished in a puff of smoke.
Ernest: "Wh-what was that?"
Sherl: "Well one thing is for sure, and that is I believe that loony story might be true..."
Kat continued to stare at the portal that had disappeared, looking for any clues that might have been left behind. On the ground, beneath where the portal stood, was a small patch of white cotton fuzz.
Kat: "Oh, what is this?"
Kat picked up the cotton substance that was left and examined it.
Kat: "If you don't mind me asking, does this substance always get left behind when that portal dissipates?"
Sherl: "You really believe that was an actual portal?"
Mason: "Huh? No, not at all! Usually, all that might be left is some smoke and some latent energy that some people or technology can sense. Nothing physical gets left. And no, Sherl, I'm not some loony."
Kat: "Hmmm... so this cotton-y object was left behind when it wasn't supposed to. Meaning it came from somewhere else."
Kat made sure to remember this clue, as it could be vital to the case.
Ernest: "Still, this whole 'multiverse' portal is very peculiar. And if I may ask, why did you decide to travel here, of all places?"
A nervous look stretched across Mason's face, and it was accompanied by an equally nervous laugh.
Mason: "Well... You see... I've only had this multiverse thing for a couple of weeks. I don't know exactly how it works. I kind of think about the type of place I want to be or the people I want to meet, and a friend of mine takes care of the rest. The way my friend explained it is that the necklace can tell her where the portals should lead, and she makes the portals. The necklace... is kind of a confusing thing. The way it works itself is a puzzle. All I know is that I wanted a place where I could challenge my brain. I guess the necklace said I wanted to come to London, but with puzzles."
Kat: "I see, so even you don't know how it fully functions."
Ernest: "Speaking of necklaces, why don't you try out this puzzle about necklaces, Mr. Moretti?"
PUZZLE #002 – An Expensive Necklace (30 Picarats)
A jewelry shop sells customized necklaces made of silver. The necklace can be adorned with up to three gems. The jewelry shops sells up to four gems, where a ruby costs 40£, a sapphire costs 45£, a topaz costs 50£, and a diamond costs 70£. A couple of special sales are in effect, where:
• Buying at least two of the same gem will reduce the total cost by half.
• Buying a diamond reduces the cost of the cheapest gem type in the arrangement by half.
A customer buys a necklace with three gems. Using these pieces of information, what is the cheapest arrangement of gems possible?
Mason: "Well, using basic math, it makes sense to start off with the cheapest gem, a ruby."
Sherl: "I think you're starting off on the WRONG idea, Mr. Moretti."
Mason: "Well, three rubies gives you the doubles discount. Let's do some calculations."
Mason's finger traced through the air as if it were a pen writing on paper.
Mason: "Forty times three, divide by two for the sale, equals sixty euros. I wish I had a scale on how good that was. If I were buying it, I'd want to take any sale I can get through, so let's trade a ruby for a diamond. Then the rubies only cost twenty. Twenty plus twenty plus seventy, divide by two... That's only fifty-five! Wow, that diamond discount really helps! If only I could apply the diamond discount to the diamonds. Wait..."
Mason closes his eyes and begins to really think. His left hand rests on his temple, while his right finds its place over his heart. His stature is very closed off as he thinks.
Mason: "Three diamonds makes both discounts. Thirty-five... times three... Divide by two... fifty-two euros and fifty... Whatever you British use instead of cents. Still, that's lower than anything else so far! It has to be it."
Mason: "Three diamonds!"
[Cue victory pose, will draw later]
(Total Picarats: 50)
Sherl: "I think you're starting off on the WRONG idea, Mr. Moretti."
Mason: "Well, three rubies gives you the doubles discount. Let's do some calculations."
Mason's finger traced through the air as if it were a pen writing on paper.
Mason: "Forty times three, divide by two for the sale, equals sixty euros. I wish I had a scale on how good that was. If I were buying it, I'd want to take any sale I can get through, so let's trade a ruby for a diamond. Then the rubies only cost twenty. Twenty plus twenty plus seventy, divide by two... That's only fifty-five! Wow, that diamond discount really helps! If only I could apply the diamond discount to the diamonds. Wait..."
Mason closes his eyes and begins to really think. His left hand rests on his temple, while his right finds its place over his heart. His stature is very closed off as he thinks.
Mason: "Three diamonds makes both discounts. Thirty-five... times three... Divide by two... fifty-two euros and fifty... Whatever you British use instead of cents. Still, that's lower than anything else so far! It has to be it."
Mason: "Three diamonds!"
[Cue victory pose, will draw later]
(Total Picarats: 50)
Ernest: "Wow you cracked that puzzle easily. I thought I was able to throw you off, but you shrugged it off!"
Kat: "But of course. Why else do you think Mr. Moretti accepted the thief's puzzle? It's obvious he is a puzzle lover, like us!"
Mason: "Yeah! I do love puzzles! It's just... Puzzles aren't as useful where I come from. So you're encouraged to do other things, like train to fight and excel in school…"
Sherl: "Alright, so we found a cotton piece. Where does this lead us, Kat?"
Katrielle thought about it, but it seems that she didn't have enough clues.
Kat: "Hmm... maybe we should visit the tailor? Maybe we can ask her about this material ad if she sold it to someone."
Ernest: "You mean Bowlyn Hill, miss?"
Ernest appeared to be worried when Kat mentioned the tailor. Sherl also had that grim expression.
Sherl: "So we're going to that place huh?"
Ernest: "You see... It's kind of a bad place to be in alone."
Kat: "But fear would prevent us from moving forward. So onward!"
Ernest: "True..."
Kat: "We can get there on bike. Don't worry, it's going to be alright, everyone!"
Mason: "How many bikes do you have?"
Kat: "Why do you ask?"
Sherl: "Isn't it obvious. You let me ride in the basket while Ernest runs to catch up!"
Ernest: "Oh, I don't mind running behind Miss Layton."
Sherl: "Just what a dogsbody would say..."
Kat: "Is that so? I didn't notice."
Sherl: "Are you being serious, Kat?"
Kat: "I suppose we can take the bus first."
Mason: "If I had my necklace, I could just make another bike... Well, I suppose we have to look at the bus schedule."
Kat: "Alright. I believe there is a bus stop on the other side of this alleyway. Ernest, would you go ahead and check the bus schedule?"
Ernest: "Right away miss!"
As the others walked towards the bus stop, they would see Ernest, who ran up to the stop ahead of everyone else, looking at the notice.
Kat: "What's wrong Ernest?"
Ernest: "It looks like some prankster replaced the sign with a puzzle!"
Puzzle 003: A Bus To Catch (40 Picarats)
Looks like the bus schedule has been replaced with a much more confoundingly worded schedule. However, Ernest is determined to discover the correct bus route. The schedule has three different busses that return to this stop at specific intervals, based on their routes, as follows:
• The Green Bus first arrives at 7:10 AM, and returns every 45 minutes.
• The Blue Bus first arrives at 8:00 AM, and returns every 40 minutes.
• The Orange Bus first arrives at 8:15 AM, and returns every 25 minutes.
The clock reads 8:40 AM, and the sign says the next bus to arrive will lead to Bowlyn Hill. Which bus should Ernest get on?
Kat: "What an interesting puzzle. If one were to calculate, then all three buses would coincide with 8:40."
Sherl: "What in dog's name? Does that mean all three buses are correct?"
Ernest: "No Sherl, I'm sure only one bus would take us to Bowlyn Hill."
Katrielle was deep in thought. Putting her hand on her chin, she thought of ways that a bus would be able to arrive first despite the bus times coinciding with each other. And then, she hit an idea.
Kat: "What if the sign isn't completely accurate?"
Ernest: "What do you mean, Miss Layton?"
Kat: "What I'm saying is, there must be a condition that allows for at least one bus to be delayed. What if there are many passengers?"
Sherl: "I don't get it."
Kat: "What I'm saying here, is that usually, citizens of London get up to go to work in the morning, causing the first bus ride to be full. Wouldn't it make sense that the bus would take more longer stops than necessary?"
Ernest: "Oh, you make a good point, Miss Layton! So the answer is the bus that already passed it's first ride: the Green Bus!"
Suddenly, five picarats hidden within the puzzle jumped into the air! However, whenever they came back down, they did not return to the puzzle. Rather, they disappeared into thin air. The 40 picarats became a mere 35.
Mason: "Hey, that's exactly what happened when I did the ice puzzle! Does that mean we got it wrong?"
Ernest: "It appears so. But where did we go wrong?"
Kat: "Now, now. I believe we can take another look here."
Sherl: "Coming from you, who gave that false advice..."
Kat: "Hmm... Did we miss something?"
Kat looked over the puzzle again: The first arrival, the amount of time it took to return.
Sherl: "I wonder... What if we've been looking at this puzzle wrong?"
Ernest: "You've got something in mind, Sherl?"
Sherl: "I think we've been thrown off by this riddle. The puzzle stated that the next bus to arrive will take us to Bowlyn Hill. But what if we already missed all three buses cued at 8:40?"
Ernest: "What are you talking about?"
Sherl: "I mean, it's obvious by this point. It's 8:40AM and no bus came yet. Maybe this puzzle stated 8:40AM but it didn't state a matter of seconds."
Ernest: "So... The next bus to arrive..."
Sherl: "Is the Orange Bus? No doubt about it now."
(Total Picarats: 85)
Sherl: "What in dog's name? Does that mean all three buses are correct?"
Ernest: "No Sherl, I'm sure only one bus would take us to Bowlyn Hill."
Katrielle was deep in thought. Putting her hand on her chin, she thought of ways that a bus would be able to arrive first despite the bus times coinciding with each other. And then, she hit an idea.
Kat: "What if the sign isn't completely accurate?"
Ernest: "What do you mean, Miss Layton?"
Kat: "What I'm saying is, there must be a condition that allows for at least one bus to be delayed. What if there are many passengers?"
Sherl: "I don't get it."
Kat: "What I'm saying here, is that usually, citizens of London get up to go to work in the morning, causing the first bus ride to be full. Wouldn't it make sense that the bus would take more longer stops than necessary?"
Ernest: "Oh, you make a good point, Miss Layton! So the answer is the bus that already passed it's first ride: the Green Bus!"
Suddenly, five picarats hidden within the puzzle jumped into the air! However, whenever they came back down, they did not return to the puzzle. Rather, they disappeared into thin air. The 40 picarats became a mere 35.
Mason: "Hey, that's exactly what happened when I did the ice puzzle! Does that mean we got it wrong?"
Ernest: "It appears so. But where did we go wrong?"
Kat: "Now, now. I believe we can take another look here."
Sherl: "Coming from you, who gave that false advice..."
Kat: "Hmm... Did we miss something?"
Kat looked over the puzzle again: The first arrival, the amount of time it took to return.
Sherl: "I wonder... What if we've been looking at this puzzle wrong?"
Ernest: "You've got something in mind, Sherl?"
Sherl: "I think we've been thrown off by this riddle. The puzzle stated that the next bus to arrive will take us to Bowlyn Hill. But what if we already missed all three buses cued at 8:40?"
Ernest: "What are you talking about?"
Sherl: "I mean, it's obvious by this point. It's 8:40AM and no bus came yet. Maybe this puzzle stated 8:40AM but it didn't state a matter of seconds."
Ernest: "So... The next bus to arrive..."
Sherl: "Is the Orange Bus? No doubt about it now."
(Total Picarats: 85)
Mason, watching the scene of the puzzle from an outsider view, had his attention drawn to something on the road.
Mason: "There are three sets of tire tracks here, which means all three busses were here and left. We probably did moss them by a few seconds, so the Orange one is the next to arrive. I guess we have to wait here at the station. Maybe someone here has any clues?"
Ernest: "Now that you mention it, there is someone sitting on that bench there. Let us go ask him."
The man on the bench was... peculiar, to say the least. Katrielle and the others met him on occasions, but he did help them by giving them puzzles before.
Ernest: "Good day, mister, do you mind if we ask you something?"
Stachenscarfen: "Oh, it's all of you. Looks like you picked up a new friend, huh?"
Mason: Hello! You can call me Mason. I'm looking for a stolen item. Have you see any suspicous people about?
Stachenscarfen: "Hmm... suspicious people, huh? Well, alot of people could be considered suspicious, but what's most suspicious is where you came from."
It sounded like Stachenscarfen had an inkling of how Mason wasn't of this world, but how did he know that?
Mason: (suddenly nervous) "Oh! Well... I'm from America, if that's what you're asking. I suppose you don't see a lot of Yanks here in Britain?"
Stachenscarfen: "Yanks? Well, I don't see them too often. Hmm... I do recall seeing a group of suspicious looking people. But I'll tell you what: solve this puzzle and maybe I'll share that info with you."
Mason: "I've been here thirty minutes and this is the third puzzle I've had thrown at me. What's with Londoners? (but now with confidence) Bring it on!"
PUZZLE #004 – Ace In the Hole (35 picarats)
How rude! Someone cut a small circle in the Ace of Diamonds! In order to fill in the circle that the prankster cut in the Diamonds, you must cut out another circle from one of these cards. Which card do you need to cut from? You can disregard the coloring of the suits.
Mason: "hm... The Ace of Hearts! It has to be! The point of the heart matches the point of the diamond!"
Suddenly, three picarats flew off into the air!
Stachenscarfen: Heh, if you want, I can give you a hint in exchange of a hint coin.
Mason: "A hint coin? Geez, you all make money off these puzzles? What are hint coins?"
Kat: "I guess you don't know about them. Hint coins are found throughout the world. You can exchange one hint coin for a hint, as the name applies. After three hints, the last hint, which we call a Super Hint, costs 2 hint coins. I only suggest using hint coins when we're really stuck, or harder puzzles will be more difficult to solve."
Ernest: "I've been holding on to a couple of hint coins, if you wish to use one, Mr. Moretti."
Mason: "Alright, Ernest. Give me a coin. Let's see what this hint is..."
Ernest: "Of course."
Ernest handed Stachenscarfen a hint coin in place of Mason.
Stachenscarfen: "Hmm... so here is the first hint: 'You need a card whose pattern matches the lower half of the Ace of Diamonds.' Does that help you?"
Kat was deep in thought after hearing that hint. What if…
Mason: "maybe it's the bottom diamond on the spade? But the red lines aren't thick enough... How about the X's on the clubs? But those don't make points like the diamond... If you just got another diamond and used that, this wouldn't be a problem. Kat, do you have any good ideas?"
Kat: "In fact, that is a good idea Mason. If we had another diamond card, this wouldn't be a problem, after all. Mason, take another look at the puzzle description. Notice anything?"
Mason: "Weird... It's not asking to fill the card, just the hole. And it says 'one of these cards,' almost as if we can choose... The Ace of Diamonds?"
Mason posed with two fingers on his right hand making a "V or Victory" as a sign of success.
(Total Picarats: 117)
Suddenly, three picarats flew off into the air!
Stachenscarfen: Heh, if you want, I can give you a hint in exchange of a hint coin.
Mason: "A hint coin? Geez, you all make money off these puzzles? What are hint coins?"
Kat: "I guess you don't know about them. Hint coins are found throughout the world. You can exchange one hint coin for a hint, as the name applies. After three hints, the last hint, which we call a Super Hint, costs 2 hint coins. I only suggest using hint coins when we're really stuck, or harder puzzles will be more difficult to solve."
Ernest: "I've been holding on to a couple of hint coins, if you wish to use one, Mr. Moretti."
Mason: "Alright, Ernest. Give me a coin. Let's see what this hint is..."
Ernest: "Of course."
Ernest handed Stachenscarfen a hint coin in place of Mason.
Stachenscarfen: "Hmm... so here is the first hint: 'You need a card whose pattern matches the lower half of the Ace of Diamonds.' Does that help you?"
Kat was deep in thought after hearing that hint. What if…
Mason: "maybe it's the bottom diamond on the spade? But the red lines aren't thick enough... How about the X's on the clubs? But those don't make points like the diamond... If you just got another diamond and used that, this wouldn't be a problem. Kat, do you have any good ideas?"
Kat: "In fact, that is a good idea Mason. If we had another diamond card, this wouldn't be a problem, after all. Mason, take another look at the puzzle description. Notice anything?"
Mason: "Weird... It's not asking to fill the card, just the hole. And it says 'one of these cards,' almost as if we can choose... The Ace of Diamonds?"
Mason posed with two fingers on his right hand making a "V or Victory" as a sign of success.
(Total Picarats: 117)
Stachenscarfen: "Hmm... nice work. That puzzle had me stumped for a while now."
Mason: "I don't like the kind of puzzles that trick you and turn your thinking on itself."
Kat: "Still, that was a really clever puzzle. As soon as I heard the first hint, you did mention 'lower half', right? That is when I noticed: the symmetry of the printed suits. It makes sense!"
Mason: "Can you tell us what you saw now?"
Stachenscarfen: "Of course. I saw a group of three figures walking down the road. They were wearing beige capes and hooded, and seemed to whisper to each other."
Kat: "A group of three caped people? Mason, does that sound familiar to you?"
Mason: "I only remember seeing one... Did they have any masks on, and did the capes have this fluffy fringe on the trim?
Stachenscarfen: "Can't say for sure if they have any Mason, but the capes did not have anything fluffy on them."
Kat: "Wait, fluffy fringe?"
Katrielle took out the piece of cotton they picked up from the alleyway.
Kat: "Mason, do you think that this piece of cotton came from that fringe?"
Mason: "Yeah. I remember the man's outfit having a fluffy thing around his neck. So if the cotton came from his outfit, that means it's probably the same guy! But he has two buddies dressed just like him?"
Kat: "Hmmm..."
Mason: "Did you know where they were headed?"
Stachenscarfen: "If I had to take a guess, up the road to the tailor. One of them looked to have a hole in their outfit."
Sherl: "A hole, huh?"
Kat: "Thanks for your help."
Meanwhile it seemed like a bus was coming to view. If one were to look carefully, it had a distinctive orange color.
Ernest: "Looks like the bus arrived."
Mason: "All aboard! C'mon, Sherlock."
As the group got on the bus, they looked for a seat. They eventually resided near the center of the bus.
Ernest: "So if I'm right, this bus will take a few stops until we get to Bowlyn Hill. We'll know when we get there."
Mason: "Maybe in the meantime, we can go over what we know. Maybe spill some more exposition."
Kat: "I think so to. So what did we find so far?"
Ernest: "Well, we did find a cotton-y substance that could have come from our culprit"
Sherl: "And three similar looking people, to boot."
Kat: "One of those three also has a hole..."
Mason: "Which means that that one is where the cotton came from. The question is, what did it get ripped on?"
Kat: "Hmm... or maybe it was just loose? There are still too many mysteries around this."
Mason: "What's weird is that the portal was open when we got there. I'm pretty sure I closed the portal behind me when I came to London..."
Sherl: "Maybe you just forgot?"
Ernest: "Maybe, but Mr. Moretti seems to be sure."
Kat: "The portal... Mason, you did mention that you don't completely know how to use your pendant, right?"
Mason: "Yeah... I kinda got it as a family heirloom... Sort of. It's technically from my family... From thousands of years ago."
Ernest: "A family heirloom? How fascinating!"
Sherl: "Also sounds like an artifact to me."
Kat: "Still, it's pretty interesting to see that it still works!"
Mason: "An artifact... That's what the thief called it too. Asked if I'd stolen it. Perhaps he knows what it is already."
Ernest: "But how would he know what it is if you came from a different world? That makes no sense."
Sherl: "Pinstripes has a point. There is no way the snatcher would have known."
Mason: "That's right... Geez, mysteries feel like a puzzle that doesn't give you all the pieces."
Sherl: "So, maybe it was just someone who nicked the pendant for the money?"
Ernest: "That would be our best guess at this moment."
Kat: "Oh!"
Mason: "Huh? Did you figure something out?"
Kat: "No, it looks like we're approaching Bowlyn Hill!"
Sherl: "You're right. I already see the old, run down buildings."
Mason: "This just looks like downtown back home."
As the group were to get off the bus and onto the nearby street, they found themselves very close to the tailor.
Kat: "Alright! Let's head inside."
The group exits the bus and heads straight towards the tailor that had been mentioned by both Kat and Stachenscarfen.
Inside the tailor was a bit disorganized, but nonetheless it seems to be slow in business today, as usual. Standing behind the counter was Mrs. Slow the Tailor.
Kat: "Hello, do you mind if we asked you a few questions?"
Mrs. Slow: "...."
Kat: "HELLO?!"
Mrs. Slow "Yes, yes. I can hear you. What business do you need with me?"
Ernest: "Well, Mrs. Slow, we're on a case now with our client, Mr. Moretti. We're wondering if you might have seen three men go by here, dressed in similar costumes."
Mrs. Slow: "I don't recall. My memory isn't as good as it was. Besides, my hands are full with this piece of cloth a customer left behind."
Ermest: "Oh, my! I think I know why you're having such trouble! There's a puzzle stuck to it!"
Puzzle #005 - Perplexing Petal Pattern (30 Picarats)
You want to design an embroidered heart for your friend out of different colors of cloth. You have the pattern already drawn out. What is the minimum number different colors of cloth do you need so that no two petals of the flower touch a petal of the same color?
Ernest: "I must say. Such a fascinating pattern!"
Sherl: "Don't get too worked up about this, Pinstripes."
Kat: "So we just need to figure out the least amount of color necessary, isn't it?"
Ernest: "It appears so."
After studying the pattern for a while, Ernest put his fist into his palm, as if he had an idea.
Ernest: "If we were to look for the petal who borders the most petals, then it would be near the edges of the flower. In other words, 6! Including that petal itself, we need 7 colors!"
Three picarats kinda... just... walked off of the puzzle. Slowly. Like caterpillars.
Ernest: "What?"
Kat: "Calm down Ernest. I think you were just too engrossed into the beautiful flower here. There are other petals that border more than just six. Like this one petal that borders seven other petals. So... Hm..."
Kat paused for a moment. Was there something else to this puzzle?
Kat: "Hmm... I wonder... Maybe we've been looking at this all wrong?"
Sherl: "What are you up to? We just need to take a closer look at how many petals surround another petal, am I wrong?"
Kat: "Take a look at the center. Notice that it's a bud?"
Sherl: "What about it?"
Kat: "If it's a bud, then it has to touch all the petals in the center, if we were to think this in a more 3-D perspective, you might say. Since there are three parts to the bud, and six petals, then the answer is 9 colors!"
And three more picarats blew away in the wind, a wind that was most audible in the silence of the puzzle not being solved.
Mason: "I'm not sure higher is the answer. I think rather than going in circles around the bud. I think I know what this puzzle is trying to do. Have you all ever had a double decker sandwich?"
Ernest: "A double decker sandwich? No, I don't believe I've ever heard of that."
Kat: "A double decker sandwich... that sounds delicious!"
Sherl: "Eyes back onto the puzzle, Kat!"
Mason: "Oh. I guess it's an American thing. It's a sandwich that goes bread-filling-bread-filling-bread. The bread isn't touching bread because your meat, lettuce, tomato, cheese or what have you is going between it. Now, you could use the same filling for both decks of the sandwich and it still wouldn't touch because of the middle piece of bread. You don't need to go bread-cheese-mustard-bread when you could go bread-cheese-bread."
Kat: "Ahh, so you're talking about layers, right? Of course, that would make sense!"
Ernest: "So let's see... One... Two..."
Ernest began to count the stacked petals. After he counted, he made sure to recount in case if he missed something.
Ernest: "I think it looks like there can be 3 colors. Mr. Moretti, what do you think?"
Mason: "I think we might want to try coloring in the flower ourselves, just to be safe. Puzzles can be pretty tricky."
Ernest: "Oh! There are certain spaces that require another color!"
Kat: "So... the answer is 4 colors?"
(Total Picarats: 141)
Sherl: "Don't get too worked up about this, Pinstripes."
Kat: "So we just need to figure out the least amount of color necessary, isn't it?"
Ernest: "It appears so."
After studying the pattern for a while, Ernest put his fist into his palm, as if he had an idea.
Ernest: "If we were to look for the petal who borders the most petals, then it would be near the edges of the flower. In other words, 6! Including that petal itself, we need 7 colors!"
Three picarats kinda... just... walked off of the puzzle. Slowly. Like caterpillars.
Ernest: "What?"
Kat: "Calm down Ernest. I think you were just too engrossed into the beautiful flower here. There are other petals that border more than just six. Like this one petal that borders seven other petals. So... Hm..."
Kat paused for a moment. Was there something else to this puzzle?
Kat: "Hmm... I wonder... Maybe we've been looking at this all wrong?"
Sherl: "What are you up to? We just need to take a closer look at how many petals surround another petal, am I wrong?"
Kat: "Take a look at the center. Notice that it's a bud?"
Sherl: "What about it?"
Kat: "If it's a bud, then it has to touch all the petals in the center, if we were to think this in a more 3-D perspective, you might say. Since there are three parts to the bud, and six petals, then the answer is 9 colors!"
And three more picarats blew away in the wind, a wind that was most audible in the silence of the puzzle not being solved.
Mason: "I'm not sure higher is the answer. I think rather than going in circles around the bud. I think I know what this puzzle is trying to do. Have you all ever had a double decker sandwich?"
Ernest: "A double decker sandwich? No, I don't believe I've ever heard of that."
Kat: "A double decker sandwich... that sounds delicious!"
Sherl: "Eyes back onto the puzzle, Kat!"
Mason: "Oh. I guess it's an American thing. It's a sandwich that goes bread-filling-bread-filling-bread. The bread isn't touching bread because your meat, lettuce, tomato, cheese or what have you is going between it. Now, you could use the same filling for both decks of the sandwich and it still wouldn't touch because of the middle piece of bread. You don't need to go bread-cheese-mustard-bread when you could go bread-cheese-bread."
Kat: "Ahh, so you're talking about layers, right? Of course, that would make sense!"
Ernest: "So let's see... One... Two..."
Ernest began to count the stacked petals. After he counted, he made sure to recount in case if he missed something.
Ernest: "I think it looks like there can be 3 colors. Mr. Moretti, what do you think?"
Mason: "I think we might want to try coloring in the flower ourselves, just to be safe. Puzzles can be pretty tricky."
Ernest: "Oh! There are certain spaces that require another color!"
Kat: "So... the answer is 4 colors?"
(Total Picarats: 141)
Mason: Good job, Ernest.
Sherl: Looks like we can keep Pinstripes around for something.
Kat: "Nice work, Ernest. Now, about this piece of cotton we picked up, do you mind telling us about anything that you sold that uses this material?"
Mrs. Slow: "Well... I do recall selling something that uses that... One customer bought a couple of cloaks."
Mason: "Was he about this tall, wore a mask and a hat?"
Mrs. Slow: "Why should I tell you about my customer's purchases or looks?"
Ernest: "Well, you see, miss, we are investigating Mr. Moretti's case, where this person stole a valuable heirloom from him. So if you would help miss..."
Mrs. Slow: "Stole, huh? In this area, there are alot of crooks here. But I guess I wouldn't mind helping you... Let's see...."
As Mrs. Slow dug through her pile of store-copy receipts, she picked one out of the bunch.
Mrs. Slow: "Hmm... Looks like this is the one... Take it, but please give it back when you're done."
Mason takes the receipt fron Mrs. Slow and looked at the name of the person who paid.
Mason: "Hershel Descole. Know anybody by that name, Kat?"
Kat's face showed surprise, and she stepped back a bit.
Kat: "Hershel... that's my dad's name!"
Ernest: "It... can't be!"
Kat: "But that's just the first name. I don't know anyone that goes by Hershel Descole."
Mason: "Hershel can't be too uncommon of a name. Descole, though, isn't. We should probably look him up... Kat, do you have internet at the office?"
Kat: "Hmm... maybe it's better if we go to Scotland Yard and look this person up from there."
Sherl: "We better hurry then and catch that next bus."
As the group would head back outside, Ernest would spot something.
Ernest: "Hmm... this grate on the street looks a bit dislodged, don't you think?"
Sherl: "Oh, looks like someone stuck a puzzle there."
PUZZLE #006 – Barbeque Party (30 Picarats)
A father uses his trusty stove to grill BBQ sticks, and notices a pattern with the amount of BBQ sticks he grills. If he grills one BBQ stick, it takes 6 minutes for it fully cook. If the father grills two BBQ sticks at the same time, it takes 13 minutes, and if he cooks three at the same time, then it would take 20 minutes. So what is the minimum amount of time it would take to cook 4 BBQ sticks?
Sherl: "Well, it seems that it takes more time the more sticks you put on at once. It would be fastest if he simply does it one at a time, so the answer must be 24 minutes."
Layton's Mystery Journey - Sherl "Puzzle Solved!"
(Total Picarats: 171)
Layton's Mystery Journey - Sherl "Puzzle Solved!"
(Total Picarats: 171)
Mason reached down and pet Sherl for a job well done.
Kat: "Alright, now that we got that puzzle out of the way, let us head to the bus stop!"
At a later point in time, the group arrives in front of Scotland Yard.
Mason: "So this is like the British FBI?"
Ernest: "I guess you can say that. This is where the police force can be found."
Mason: "I wonder if that police guy with a trench coat is still here..."
Kat: "Oh, you mean Inspector Hastings? We should go find him. Maybe he's in his office."
Inspector Hastings is indeed in his office, pacing back and forth. Up on the wall, attached to a corkboard by various pins, is what looks to be a puzzle.
Kat: "Oh, Inspector Hastings. Busy with something?"
Hastings: "Ah, good timing, lads. There's this puzzle that I've got this mornin' thats been stumpin' me."
Puzzle #007 - Dead of Night Beat (40 Picarats)
Inspector Hastings is setting up a stake out for a famous robber who left his calling card at the local bank. The area around the bank is enclosed by four streets, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, which run north to south, and four avenues, A, B, C, and D, which run east to west, creating a grid of 3 by 3 squares. The bank sits on the corner of 2nd and B.
Inspector Hastings has five other cops at Scotland Yard to spare. He also knows that the thief's hideout is nearby, and wants to tail the thief all the way to his hideout. Each cop can watch two blocks in every direction from where they're positioned, and they can keep sight of the thief's getaway car as long as it is within those three blocks. However, Hastings can't put any officers at the corner of 2nd and B, or the thief might get suspicious. Where can he place his officers to make sure every street is watched by at least one set of eyes to catch this thief?
After experimenting with the possible cop placement, Kat presented this solution to Inspector Hastings.
Kat: "Would this work, Inspector?"
Layton's Mystery Journey - Katrielle "Puzzle Solved!"
(Total Picarats: 211)
Kat: "Would this work, Inspector?"
Layton's Mystery Journey - Katrielle "Puzzle Solved!"
(Total Picarats: 211)
Hastings: "Amazing, Kat! Looks like you've done it again! I suppose you can solve any mystery."
Kat: "Of course I can. Anyways, speaking of mysteries, we are currently investigating one, inspector."
Hastings: "You are? Well 'ow can I 'elp?"
Mason: "Ironically, we're looking for a thief, just like in your puzzle."
Hastings: "By jove, you're not looking for the masked thief Jean Descole, are ya?"
Kat: "Jean Descole? Why does that name sound familiar... Wait! Descole... The same last name as Hershel Descole!!"
Ernest: "So our cases are related? This is confusing..."
Mason: "Multiple Descole's... Phantom Thieves... Unknown hideout... Ah! Kat, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Kat: "It seems... This case will only get more interesting from here on out, Mason."
CASE SOLVED
Kat: "So while we haven't recovered Mason's pendant, the mystery about what has happened today is history!"
Mason: "Lady Katrielle, do you mind if I help explain this brilliant case with you?"
Kat: "Why, sure!"
Ernest: "So who did rob Mr. Moretti's pendant, Miss Layton?"
Kat: "Simply put, it has to be one of the Descoles. But the problem is, we don't know which Descole, because..."
Mason: "... All three Descole's are the same person throughout different universes, like dimensional twins or doppelgangers. They met each other because..."
Kat: "The Descole that resides in this world used Mason's locket!"
Ernest: "No way!"
Hastings: "Is this some sort of joke, Kat? Surely these different universes don't exist?"
Mason: "Ah, but they have to good sir. See, the same power behind my necklace is what has kept Jean Descole out of police hands. Jean Descole became a criminal through using another artifact similar to my locket, except his only went within a single world. That's how he's slipped by police watch for so long."
Sherl: "So that explains why that mutt knows how to use the locket!"
Kat: "But what is this other artifact? And why did he have to take Mason's locket? There seems to be only one possible answer: He lost his other artifact!"
Mason: "Which is exactly why he is stealing it back tonight! Someone must have picked it up and put it in a safe deposit box at that bank. Descole needed it back, so he gathered two people he could trust: Himself and himself."
Hastings: "Well, I'll be!"
Kat: "So, we need to go to the bank next! Inspector Hastings, which bank is Descole planning to rob?"
Hastings: "The Layman's Reserve bank. Looks like this is a serious problem, eh?"
Mason: "But after solving the puzzle, we know how to catch them!"
Sherl: "I wonder if it'll be that easy. We are talking about someone who hops universes."
Mason: "Well, I have an idea. How fast can you pedal, Katrielle?:
Kat: "Pedal? You want me to pedal to the bank?"
Mason: "Not to the bank. From the bank. If we can follow the getaway van, we might be able to get them, even across universes."
Kat: "I see. That sounds like a plan. Inspector Hastings, may we see the calling card?"
Hastings: "Ah, yes. You see, Emiliana was using that card for 'er profiling. She should be in 'er office, Kat. You'll find it to be quite an interesting one."
Kat: "Got it!"
As Hasting were to mention it, Emiliana had already entered the Inspector's office.
Kat: "Oh, hey Emiliana."
Emiliana: "Katrielle! What are you doing here? We're working on a very important case, and we can't have you distracting Inspector Hastings."
Emiliana was reeled back in shock, her glasses nearly falling right off her face, upon seeing Kat and her motley crew.
Hastings: "Actually, she seems to be helping us with the Descole case."
Mason: "Kat, you must have the devil's own luck. Everyone you need just shows up."
Emiliana glares suspiciously and judgementally at Mason.
Emiliana: "So, Kat, did you manage to hire another member to your agency? I'm surprised you can pay his wages."
Kat: "Oh, this is Mason, and we're helping him with a case that is also related to the Descole case."
Sherl: "I wouldn't be surprised to see you recruit him, Kat."
Emiliana: "Of course you are. I suppose that you want to know what I've figured out about the criminal's profile?"
Mason: "And I suppose you have a puzzle for us?"
Emiliana: "You're not wrong. The calling card came in the form of a puzzle."
PUZZLE #008 – Nonsensical Times (60 Picarats)
A girl comes up to you with a digital clock and tells you that there are some unique things about this clock. Apparently, when the time is displayed, alongside that time, there is also a number that goes along with that time. The girl noted the following times:
• 6:44 produces the number 14
• 5:55 produces the number 15
• 3:58 produces the number 17
• 13:29 produces the number 18
Using this knowledge, can you figure out the time that produces the lowest number? This digital clock uses military time, so you don't need to worry about AM or PM.
Ernest: "Oh my! A 60 picarat puzzle!"
Sherl: "Times make a number? Maybe there is a pattern to this..."
Kat: "Hmm... I thought I saw something, but it just doesn't add up... I thought the solution was to add numbers together. For example, for 6:44, 6+4+4 makes 14. But 3+5+8 makes 16, and not 17."
Kat was stumped with this puzzle, for sure.
Mason: "Hm... Perhaps we need to think of this from a different angle. It says the clock is digital... But perhaps an analog clock will give us the answer. The hand would be at six and just before 9, so 6+8=14. But 5:55 would be 5 and 11, and that's 16... Looks like I'm off base as well."
Ernest: "I'm stumped... should we use a hint coin?"
Emiliana: "I can't believe you all. I already have it figures out. Though, I suppose I can lend you a hint coin, Katty. Just to prove my judgement is a bit faster than yours."
Emiliana: "Ahem... 'As with any other time, your answer must have its hour side be 23 or less, and the minute side 59 or less. In addition, there is only one specific time that can produce "the lowest number".
But try to figure out what significance the time has on the produced number. Something is being added to make those numbers.'"
Kat: "Something is being added? It's not just the number?"
Cue a 'lost in thought' Kat.
Mason: "A digital clock... Wait a second... A digital clock is supposed to have three sets of numbers!"
Kat: "You have something in mind, Mason?"
Mason: "That clock isn't very unique, although it is precise. This is just like Descole's other puzzles: You have to flip your thinking. There's a third number, a 'second side,' so any number between zero and 59 can appear to add to the total. 6+4+4=14, 5+5+5=15, 3+5+8=16, and 1+3+2+9=17. However, our numbers that don't match are all lower than the puzzle's numbers, which means you only have to add one imaginary second to reach the numbers. Or perhaps, those third special numbers ARE the number of seconds, in which case they have no correlation to the hours and minutes, except when you're looking for the lowest number. With that in mind, both of those assumptions lead to the same answer for the lowest time..."
Mason pointed towards Emiliana with dramatic flair.
Mason: "00:00:00, also known as midnight!"
Mason could feel the chill of 5 picarats leaving this world.
Emiliana: "I must admit, I like your way of thinking. But no seconds are involved here."
Mason: "Perhaps another hint then? I found a coin that was dropped on the bus."
Emiliana: "Very well. 'You need to add something together in order to produce 6, which is the lowest possible number.
But what can you add from the times presented? There has to be a way to look at the times differently…'"
Kat: "Look at the times differently? What if..."
Kat struck an idea.
Kat: "I got it! Mason, try to visualize the numbers of the time as if you were looking at a digital clock."
And suddenly, the answer clicks into Mason's brain.
Mason: "The last number counts the number of LEDs that are lit up! So the time with the lowest number is 1:11!
Mason posed with two fingers on his right hand making a "V or Victory" as a sign of success.
(Total Picarats: 266)
Sherl: "Times make a number? Maybe there is a pattern to this..."
Kat: "Hmm... I thought I saw something, but it just doesn't add up... I thought the solution was to add numbers together. For example, for 6:44, 6+4+4 makes 14. But 3+5+8 makes 16, and not 17."
Kat was stumped with this puzzle, for sure.
Mason: "Hm... Perhaps we need to think of this from a different angle. It says the clock is digital... But perhaps an analog clock will give us the answer. The hand would be at six and just before 9, so 6+8=14. But 5:55 would be 5 and 11, and that's 16... Looks like I'm off base as well."
Ernest: "I'm stumped... should we use a hint coin?"
Emiliana: "I can't believe you all. I already have it figures out. Though, I suppose I can lend you a hint coin, Katty. Just to prove my judgement is a bit faster than yours."
Emiliana: "Ahem... 'As with any other time, your answer must have its hour side be 23 or less, and the minute side 59 or less. In addition, there is only one specific time that can produce "the lowest number".
But try to figure out what significance the time has on the produced number. Something is being added to make those numbers.'"
Kat: "Something is being added? It's not just the number?"
Cue a 'lost in thought' Kat.
Mason: "A digital clock... Wait a second... A digital clock is supposed to have three sets of numbers!"
Kat: "You have something in mind, Mason?"
Mason: "That clock isn't very unique, although it is precise. This is just like Descole's other puzzles: You have to flip your thinking. There's a third number, a 'second side,' so any number between zero and 59 can appear to add to the total. 6+4+4=14, 5+5+5=15, 3+5+8=16, and 1+3+2+9=17. However, our numbers that don't match are all lower than the puzzle's numbers, which means you only have to add one imaginary second to reach the numbers. Or perhaps, those third special numbers ARE the number of seconds, in which case they have no correlation to the hours and minutes, except when you're looking for the lowest number. With that in mind, both of those assumptions lead to the same answer for the lowest time..."
Mason pointed towards Emiliana with dramatic flair.
Mason: "00:00:00, also known as midnight!"
Mason could feel the chill of 5 picarats leaving this world.
Emiliana: "I must admit, I like your way of thinking. But no seconds are involved here."
Mason: "Perhaps another hint then? I found a coin that was dropped on the bus."
Emiliana: "Very well. 'You need to add something together in order to produce 6, which is the lowest possible number.
But what can you add from the times presented? There has to be a way to look at the times differently…'"
Kat: "Look at the times differently? What if..."
Kat struck an idea.
Kat: "I got it! Mason, try to visualize the numbers of the time as if you were looking at a digital clock."
And suddenly, the answer clicks into Mason's brain.
Mason: "The last number counts the number of LEDs that are lit up! So the time with the lowest number is 1:11!
Mason posed with two fingers on his right hand making a "V or Victory" as a sign of success.
(Total Picarats: 266)
Mason: "Geez, doesn't Descole need to sleep? Robbing a bank at 1:11AM..."
Emiliana: "Most criminals like to work in the pitch of darkness."
Mason: "Then we have to face the darkness to capture them."
Later, around 12AM at the Layman's Reserve bank, the group arrived at the bank, waiting to catch the culprits when they come.
Kat: "I have a better idea. Why don't we check what this artifact is? It should be in one of the deposit boxes, right?"
Mason: "Do you think they'll let us check? That is a good plan though."
Kat: "Hmm... I wonder if Mr. Sloanes is up at this time... Well, let's check around anyways!"
Sherl: "Wouldn't snooping around after hours make you no better than a Kat burglar?"
Kat: "Then let us go to Ms. Teller's office, and check if she is there. We do have a full hour after all."
Sherl: "I suppose that's alright then. Onward, Kat, Mason, Pinstripes."
As they got to Ms. Teller's office, they would find Bianca Teller, looking very anxious.
Kat: "Ms. Teller, what is the problem?"
Ms. Teller: "You know what the problem is. We're about to get robbed. Why wouldn't that make me nervous?"
Ernest: "Because Miss Layton here is going to catch the robber in the act and keep everything precious within the bank!"
Ms. Teller: "Well, I could count on Katrielle for solving mysteries. But stopping a crime? This is a different level you know."
Ernest: "Well, it's just as simple as solving the mystery before it becomes a mystery! You know Katrielle has done much stranger things."
Ms. Teller: "Hah, ridiculous. If you want me to trust you with this, then solve this puzzle I came up with."
Ernest: "Ah, don't worry Miss Layton. I'm sure I can handle this one."
PUZZLE #009 – Trouble Sum (30 Picarats)
Someone wrote on a chalkboard "?3?95? plus 1 equals 0." What numbers go in the blank spaces?
Ernest: "Say, Miss Layton, doesn't this set of digits remind you of that digital clock from an earlier puzzle?"
Sherl: "We certainly have been dealing with a lot of those..."
Mason: "Please, no more clocks... Haven't we had enough?"
Ernest: "Well, a clock is something that can get really high and wrap back around to zero. If we were to subtract one second from midnight, we would end up with 23:59:59. That lines up with the numbers, so it must be our answer!"
Layton's Mystery Journey - Ernest "Puzzle Solved!"
(Total Picarats: 296)
Sherl: "We certainly have been dealing with a lot of those..."
Mason: "Please, no more clocks... Haven't we had enough?"
Ernest: "Well, a clock is something that can get really high and wrap back around to zero. If we were to subtract one second from midnight, we would end up with 23:59:59. That lines up with the numbers, so it must be our answer!"
Layton's Mystery Journey - Ernest "Puzzle Solved!"
(Total Picarats: 296)
Ms. Teller: "Not bad. Maybe I can leave this little fiasco with you."
Mason: "That said, can we take a look inside the vault?"
Ms. Teller: "Certainly. Meet me in front of the vault."
The group followed behind Ms. Teller and headed for the vault. Ernest glanced towards a clock on their way and noted that they had a half hour until Descole was supposed to strike.
As Ms. Teller inputted the code to open the vault, the door to the vault slowly opened.
Kat: "Well, at least 'that' didn't happen."
Sherl: "Yeah... 'that'."
Mason: "'That?' What is that? Did something happen at this bank?"
Kat: "Well... We did a case where one hundred million sterling were blown away by the ventilation."
Sherl: "It was a real interesting case."
Ms. Teller: "Ugh. Enough about that. Anyways, you'll need to solve a puzzle to find the right vault. Security measures for our systems, you know?"
Mason: "Bring on that puzzle. I want to know what the thieves are after."
PUZZLE #010 - The Right Vault (30 Picarats)
There are 50 vaults, with 10 vaults in each row. From top to bottom, the rows are labeled A, B, C, D, and E, and the columns are labeled from left to right 0-9. All you know is that the right vault is "Somewhere at the middle." So which is the right vault?
Mason: "Huh?! That's the puzzle?! There's barely anything there! Well, first thing's first, the middle going vertically is row C. The problem is that there's ten vaults a row, so there's no exact middle. Both 4 and 5 split the vaults... Gah. Kat, any thoughts?"
Kat: "Mmm... This is a very interesting puzzle. Looks like this is one of those puzzle where you need to pay careful attention to the wording."
Sherl: "Still, I'm stumped. What does 'Somewhere at the middle' really mean?"
Kat: "If I had to guess, it would be the middle row, like Mason brought up. But maybe we ought to go over the puzzle again."
Ernest: "But which one is the correct vault? There's almost nothing to go off of."
Mason: "No, Ernest. Not the correct vault. The right vault. Which means we need the middle row, but all the way opposite of left! C0 would be the left vault, and C9 would be the right vault!"
For the third time, Mason posed with two fingers on his right hand making a "V or Victory" as a sign of success.
(Total Picarats: 326)
Kat: "Mmm... This is a very interesting puzzle. Looks like this is one of those puzzle where you need to pay careful attention to the wording."
Sherl: "Still, I'm stumped. What does 'Somewhere at the middle' really mean?"
Kat: "If I had to guess, it would be the middle row, like Mason brought up. But maybe we ought to go over the puzzle again."
Ernest: "But which one is the correct vault? There's almost nothing to go off of."
Mason: "No, Ernest. Not the correct vault. The right vault. Which means we need the middle row, but all the way opposite of left! C0 would be the left vault, and C9 would be the right vault!"
For the third time, Mason posed with two fingers on his right hand making a "V or Victory" as a sign of success.
(Total Picarats: 326)
Kat: "Amazing, Mason!"
Ernest: "I must say, I never expected that puzzle contained that trick."
Mason: "All these puzzles seem to have tricks. What ever happened to simple sliding picture puzzles?"
Kat: "I don't know. They seemed to be less popular these days."
Ms. Teller: "Alright, alright. Let me open the vault box."
As the vault box was slowly opened, the fluorescent lights reflected off of the shiny surface of its contents. The object inside was pure, polished gold. It sparkled as if it were brand new. What was it? A key, made of the same material as Mason's missing necklace. Mason appeared very worried and flustered by the discovery.
Mason: "I've... I've seen this before! This is from my homeland. How did they get it? How is it here?"
Kat: "It's from your homeland? What exactly is the key used for, anyways?"
Mason: "I'm... not exactly sure. But I think it's like a skeleton key, it can unlock everything. Even my locket."
Ernest: "So what you're saying is, it can unlock what is hidden in your locket? What exactly is it?"
Sherl: "Something tells me that it's not gonna be good, and that's not my doggy intuition speaking."
Mason: "This is going to sound dumb, but I just haven't had it long enough to know. I have a friend who was teaching me about it, but she never mentioned what's inside. If it lets me use magic powers and create portals between universes, then whatever is inside must be powerful."
Kat: "Hmm... I wonder..."
Ernest: "Umm... Miss Layton, I hate to interrupt your thoughts, but it's 1AM now."
Sherl: "How time flies."
Mason places the key in his pocket and steps out of the vault.
Mason: "Ah, you don't mind me taking this so we can catch our criminal, right? He'll be quite frustrated if his prize isn't where he expects."
Ms. Teller: "Very well. Take it for now. I'll explain the situation to the customer."
Kat: "Thanks! Now, let's get ready!"
The Layton Detective Agency gang found their very best spot to hide and wait for Descole. Eleven minutes pass, but there is no sign of Descole entering the vault.
Mason: "He's not here, but what if... Katrielle. I have a hunch. Should we go for it?"
Kat: "Hmm... Maybe he took a quick snack break?"
Sherl: "C'mon, Kat. No one would rob a bank and stop to eat."
Mason: "What if he is ready in there? This phantom thief doesn't bother with doors..."
Ernest: "Maybe we should go check out the vault again..."
Kat: "Very well. A peep never hurts."
They find Ms. Teller and have her unlock the vault once again. Inside is Descole, frantically searching through drawers, with a glowing portal open behind him. Around his neck is Mason's necklace.
Descole: "Well, it appears that there have been a few meddlers involved in this case. Looks like I will have to try elsewhere."
The mysterious thief turns and runs straight through the portal.
Kat: "Stop right there!"
Kat yelled at the thief who escaped into the portal. To everyone's surprise, Kat also dashed right into the portal!
Sherl: "Are you nuts?!"
Ernest: "Miss Layton!"
Mason: "Well, guys, we can't leave her! Follow suit!"
Mason was next to follow Kat through the portal.
Ernest: "R-right!"
Hesitantly, Ernest managed to run into the portal.
Sherl: "You gotta be kidding me..."
And off goes Sherl into the portal.
Beyond the portal, our heroes found a depressing sight. Dark clouds overran the sky. Remnants of buildings completely destroyed by war could be seen in every direction. The air was dusty and the atmosphere felt like it could choke one's throat. Only two buildings were left standing. They were each very ancient looking temples. Two Descole's could be seen walking towards the temple to the east. A third Descole, leaning up against the side of an armored van, appeared to be waiting for our heroes to arrive.
In a gruff, yet familiar and gentlemanly, voice, the man spoke.
???: So, you're the man who held the World's Heart, and you, miss, are Katrielle Layton. Am I wrong?"
Kat: "Why yes, I am Katrielle Layton. And who are you and what is this place?"
???: "I..."
The man removed his hat, his cloak, and his mask. Underneath was revealed to be a tidy suit and tie, as well as a hidden top hat, which quickly was placed atop the man's head.
???: "... am Hershel Layton."
CASE ONE END
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