NationStates Jolt Archive

Ok all you 'clever clog' forum-goers, this week's puzzle is a REAL toughie.

Last week's answer:

The woman was Eve, and, by giving Adam the forbidden fruit (The Bible never said it was an apple- interesting huh?) caused him to die.

Results:

Correct Answer: Benorim, Junii, Drunk commies deleted, Sarkhaan, Damaske.

Most Imaginative answer: Bedition (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=12700912&postcount=71)

Cleverest Answer: The Plenty (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=12712013&postcount=94)

Today's Puzzle: (REALLY hard)

One night a detective went into a bar to have a drink. As he sat facing a block of flats across the street, he noticed a single room was lit up, which must have been 3 or 4 floors up. The room sayed lit the whole night, being the only one to do so. "Must be a late-night party" he chuckled to himself.

After several hours of pondering to himself, he left the bar to go home. But no sooner had he left the bar he heard a deaffening scream coming from the illuminated room. Before he could rush in to investigate, the light went out, blending the room in with all the others on the building, and, being a rather incompetent detective, he soon lost track of which room the scream had come from.

The police arrived in minutes after being called by a worried neighbour, and quickly discovered the body of a woman in one of the elevators. Soon all eyes were on the detective, the only one to in some way have witnessed the crime. At that moment, he came up with a clever way of deducing which room the murder had taken place, despite the fact that there would be no visual evidence of the crime having ever taken place.

How did he determine the scene of the crime?

(P.S. Sorry again for the morbidity)

Ask the electricity company for records from that night for every flat on the third, fourth, and fifth floors. See which flat had a drop in usage at around the time the detective saw the light go out.

How did he determine the scene of the crime?[/I]

(P.S. Sorry again for the morbidity)

Fondling lightbulbs for traces of heat.

Feeling lightbulbs ?
EDIT: darn you Bodies Without Organs ;)

...of course, the real question is how he knew where exactly the scream was coming from.

Fondling lightbulbs for traces of heat.

I like that choice of word

He read the number plate with his fingertips; it was in raised letters.

Since dead people don't walk, the scene of the crime was in the elevator where the body was found.

...of course, the real question is how he knew where exactly the scream was coming from.

Or how the body was moved in a few minutes without leaving any indication as to which room it was originally in.

Hmm. Perhaps we should interrogate that detective. His testimony is somewhat suspicious.

Since dead people don't walk, the scene of the crime was in the elevator where the body was found.

Murderers can move them though

Murderers can move them thoughI thought of that but that takes all the fun away.

Checking which light bulb is still warm (given there are old fashioned light bulbs)

Fondling lightbulbs for traces of heat.
That's what I first thought. Would seem to be the best way.

That's what I first thought. Would seem to be the best way.

By time the detective managed to get a warrant for all those apartments the lightbulb would have returned to room temperature, and other lightbulbs probably would have been used.

Just ask the neighbour.

Hang on...how is there:
no visual evidence of the crime having ever taken place.

?

Surely the body is evidence enough that the crime took place?

By time the detective managed to get a warrant for all those apartments the lightbulb would have returned to room temperature, and other lightbulbs probably would have been used.
Meh, whoever said they were following the rulebook?

Hang on...how is there:


?

Surely the body is evidence enough that the crime took place?

Unless the body is a figment of your imagination and there was no crime at all, and the entire event was a plot hole in a really bad movie...

Meh, whoever said they were following the rulebook?

What's the point in finding out who killed someone if they're going to get off on a technicality because you didn't have a warrant?

he heard a deafening scream from across the street. the woman was killed in the apartment with the open window.

he heard a deafening scream from across the street. the woman was killed in the apartment with the open window.

And if more than one have open windows?

he heard a deafening scream from across the street. the woman was killed in the apartment with the open window.

.............


You win.

And if more than one have open windows?

.............


You win.
Pwnd:p

You seem to enjoy telling stories about corpses, Higher Thinking .... hmmm ....

The answer, however, is obvious. The detective was an accomplice to the murderer, and directed the authorities to the wrong room. His account of the events is suspicious in any account, as he had been drinking.

What's the point in finding out who killed someone if they're going to get off on a technicality because you didn't have a warrant?
Who knows. But then again, where in the puzzle does it say that we have to take the culprit to trial?

And if more than one have open windows?

Check more than one apartment for evidence of a murder.

Meh, whoever said they were following the rulebook?

We could, of course, just arrest everyone in the apartment and ship them to Gitmo until one or more of them confesses.

He had a drink, and sat there all night?

Tight bastard.

I have a few friends like that, actually.

He looked for the room with a dead lightbulb in the lamp. The lady was afraid of the dark, and in an attempt to quickly find another lightbulb she had fallen into the elevator and cracked her head open.

Check more than one apartment for evidence of a murder.

no visual evidence of the crime having ever taken place.

Good luck.

Today's Puzzle: (REALLY hard)

One night a detective went into a bar to have a drink. As he sat facing a block of flats across the street, he noticed a single room was lit up, which must have been 3 or 4 floors up. The room sayed lit the whole night, being the only one to do so. "Must be a late-night party" he chuckled to himself.

After several hours of pondering to himself, he left the bar to go home. But no sooner had he left the bar he heard a deaffening scream coming from the illuminated room. Before he could rush in to investigate, the light went out, blending the room in with all the others on the building, and, being a rather incompetent detective, he soon lost track of which room the scream had come from.

The police arrived in minutes after being called by a worried neighbour, and quickly discovered the body of a woman in one of the elevators. Soon all eyes were on the detective, the only one to in some way have witnessed the crime. At that moment, he came up with a clever way of deducing which room the murder had taken place, despite the fact that there would be no visual evidence of the crime having ever taken place.

How did he determine the scene of the crime?

(P.S. Sorry again for the morbidity)
Too many variables.
being that he heard the scream from outside, means that the windows were open. however, the body was found in the elevator. meaning that the elevator opens directly into the flat or near an open window.

That would indicate one flat per elevator, per floor.

however, in the event that one or more floors/flats have an open window. the only other indicator would be to feel the lightbulbs. the Scene of the Crime would have hot/warm lightbulbs while the others would be cold.

We could, of course, just arrest everyone in the apartment and ship them to Gitmo until one or more of them confesses.
I like your style.

He had a drink, and sat there all night?

Tight bastard.

I have a few friends like that, actually.
I'm like that.

I like your style.

Either that or arrest any black, muslim or Irish flatdwellers. If you discover a black, muslim Irish person in the block of flats, you're laughing.

Fondling lightbulbs for traces of heat. damn, you beat me too it. :p

By time the detective managed to get a warrant for all those apartments the lightbulb would have returned to room temperature, and other lightbulbs probably would have been used.

probable cause. there wouldn't be a need for a warrant.

however, in the event that one or more floors/flats have an open window. the only other indicator would be to feel the lightbulbs. the Scene of the Crime would have hot/warm lightbulbs while the others would be cold.

That wouldn't happen. Two reasons:
1) By the time they got permission to feel every bulb in the two floors that the detective thinks the murder happened on, the bulb in question would be cold
2) Other people would may have turned on lights in the mean time.

What's actually so wrong with my idea?

We could, of course, just arrest everyone in the apartment and ship them to Gitmo until one or more of them confesses.

Screw Ashmoria, you win.

... being a rather incompetent detective...

At that moment, he came up with a clever way of deducing which room the murder had taken place, despite the fact that there would be no visual evidence of the crime having ever taken place.

Given that we have been told that he is an incompetent detective, it is most likely that his clever method of deduction would be a failure... so did he consult a psychic?

I'm like that.

I find it physically impossible to make a single drink last that long.

As for the puzzle, I'd just ask the neighbour which flat she lived in, then go to the one next door. Fiendishly clever, I'm sure you'll agree.

I find it physically impossible to make a single drink last that long.

As for the puzzle, I'd just ask the neighbour which flat she lived in, then go to the one next door. Fiendishly clever, I'm sure you'll agree.

Which neighbour?

What flat who lived in?

What's actually so wrong with my idea?That it is yours.:p

It was the neighbour. The odds of only one neighbour noticing that scream is too slim to be the case. The neighbour killed the woman, and everyone who came to investigate the noise.

I find it physically impossible to make a single drink last that long.

As for the puzzle, I'd just ask the neighbour which flat she lived in, then go to the one next door. Fiendishly clever, I'm sure you'll agree.
By neighbour, it could just mean someone who lives down the hall...

That it is yours.:p

Ahhhh, of course :p

Which neighbour?

What flat who lived in?

The flat the concerned neighbour who called the police lived in.

Questions:

Do we have anything other than circumstantial evidence to link the scream to the corpse?

Do we have anything other than cicumstantial evidence to link the scream to the room where the light went off?

Do we have any evidence that a murder actually took place?

Do we have any evidence that the death of the body in the elevator is in any way linked to the room wherein the light went off?


****************

Given that the body was found in an elevator and this is a lateral thinking puzzle, it is almost certain that the killer was a midget standing on a black of ice.

The flat the concerned neighbour who called the police lived in.

Who says it was a next door neighbour?

That wouldn't happen. Two reasons:
1) By the time they got permission to feel every bulb in the two floors that the detective thinks the murder happened on, the bulb in question would be cold
2) Other people would may have turned on lights in the mean time.

What's actually so wrong with my idea?

1) not really. without knowing the setup of the flat, it could be ONE lightbulb illuminating the room or even one lamp.

with multiple officers, you have multiple people checking that out.

2) and the one who's flat lights don't turn on? would be the one she was murdered in (one of those many variables. if we assume that the dead woman was the owner of the flat. thus her flat light wouldn't be on while the bulb itself would still be warm.

and as for your idea... to release records requires a warrant.

also, I don't think the Electric Co keeps track of usage that way... but by the meteres that people have to go and read. thus a spike won't be so easily found.

Questions:

Do we have anything other than circumstantial evidence to link the scream to the corpse?

Do we have anything other than cicumstantial evidence to link the scream to the room where the light went off?

Do we have any evidence that a murder actually took place?

Do we have any evidence that the death of the body in the elevator is in any way linked to the room wherein the light went off?


****************

Given that the body was found in an elevator and this is a lateral thinking puzzle, it is almost certain that the killer was a midget standing on a black of ice.

Who needs evidence when we've conjecture and coincidence?

And if more than one have open windows?

you ask the people in those apartments where the scream came from, it WAS deafening after all.

i really just posted it because the notion of a deafening scream from across the street is stupid.

you ask the people in those apartments where the scream came from, it WAS deafening after all.

i really just posted it because the notion of a deafening scream from across the street is stupid.

THAT'S IT!!!

It's the flat with a Karaoke Machine... with the mic set to MAX.

that's how the 'Deafining Scream' could be heard across the street! :D

1) not really. without knowing the setup of the flat, it could be ONE lightbulb illuminating the room or even one lamp.

with multiple officers, you have multiple people checking that out.

Yet there are many flats, with many bulbs to be checked. Even if you had multiple officers, by the time they arrived the bulb would be cold anyway.

2) and the one who's flat lights don't turn on? would be the one she was murdered in (one of those many variables. if we assume that the dead woman was the owner of the flat. thus her flat light wouldn't be on while the bulb itself would still be warm.

Er...what?

and as for your idea... to release records requires a warrant.

Not if the company complies, and even if you do need to get a warrant it isn't such a big deal. Unlike a warm lightbulb, the evidence wouldn't disappear 5 minutes after the crime.

also, I don't think the Electric Co keeps track of usage that way... but by the meteres that people have to go and read. thus a spike won't be so easily found.
That may well be the case, I don't know.

Who says it was a next door neighbour?
Come on, keep up...I posted that ages ago...

Well, a few minutes.

Today's Puzzle: (REALLY hard)

The room sTayed lit the whole night, being the only one to do so. "Must be a late-night party" he chuckled to himself.

...


But no sooner had he left the bar than he heard a deafFening scream coming from the illuminated room.

...

At that moment, he came up with a clever way of deducing in which room the murder had taken place, despite the fact that there would be no visual evidence of the crime having ever taken place.


Hmmm. I think there is a secret code here: if we take the letters of the missing words, the missing letter and the extra letter, we get - T THAN F IN - which is clearly an anagram of "FAT 'N' THIN".

The murder was commited by a pair of men dressed as Laurel & Hardy. We need only search the closets of all apartments on that side of the block of flats looking for a pair of bowler hats. I rest my case.

Oh wait!

The lightbulb died while two ladies were cleaing up after a party in the 3rd floor appartment. Lady A is afraid of the dark, Lady B was putting the trash in the garbage shoot. Lady A screamed and at the same time startled Lady B.

The trash shoot was clogged, so she had bent down to shove the garbage down with a broomstick. When Lady A screamed, Lady B jumped up, hit her head off the top of the garbage shoot, fell back, into the elevator, the doors shut and crushed her head as she tried to grab the phone in the elevator to call for help.

.. did that make sense?

Come on, keep up...I posted that ages ago...

Well, a few minutes.

Two minutes isn't enough to count :p

Given that the body was found in an elevator and this is a lateral thinking puzzle, it is almost certain that the killer was a midget standing on a black of ice.
A black, muslim, Irish midget?

Hmmm. I think there is a secret code here: if we take the letters of the missing words, the missing letter and the extra letter, we get - T THAN F IN - which is clearly an anagram of "FAT 'N' THIN".

The murder was commited by a pair of men dressed as Laurel & Hardy. We need only search the closets of all apartments on that side of the block of flats looking for a pair of bowler hats. I rest my case.

Then we'd just end up with two Orangemen and we'd be back where we started.

Who needs evidence when we've conjecture and coincidence?

If its good enough for the West Midlands Serious Crimes Squad it is good enough for me.

Two minutes isn't enough to count :p
Two minutes is a long time on NSG.

Well, maybe not...

1) not really. without knowing the setup of the flat, it could be ONE lightbulb illuminating the room or even one lamp.

How do we know that the murder didn't take place in darkness in an entirely different flat, but the flat facing the detective was being illuminated from without through its letter box by a cunning arrangement of flashlights and mirrors?

THAT'S IT!!!

It's the flat with a Karaoke Machine... with the mic set to MAX.

that's how the 'Deafining Scream' could be heard across the street! :D

you are a freaking GENIUS!

How do we know that the murder didn't take place in darkness in an entirely different flat, but the flat facing the detective was being illuminated from without through its letter box by a cunning arrangement of flashlights and mirrors?
Because it's an apartment block and therefore the door wouldn't have a letterbox - instead each apartment would have its own postbox in the entrance lobby to make it easier for the postman.

Because it's an apartment block and therefore the door wouldn't have a letterbox - instead each apartment would have its own postbox in the entrance lobby to make it easier for the postman.

Then it's a very cunning arrangements of flashlights (BWO, flashlights?) and mirrors.

Because it's an apartment block and therefore the door wouldn't have a letterbox - instead each apartment would have its own postbox in the entrance lobby to make it easier for the postman.

Mere details. Would you accept a transom window?

Then it's a very cunning arrangements of flashlights (BWO, flashlights?) and mirrors.

That was for the benefit of our transatlantic brethern. I thought the word 'torches' would conjure up images of peasents storming Baron Frankenstein's castle for them, and didn't want to confuse the poor lambs.

Yet there are many flats, with many bulbs to be checked. Even if you had multiple officers, by the time they arrived the bulb would be cold anyway. really? how many bulbs per room?
how many flats per floor facing the bar that the officer was at?

as I said, too many unknown variables.

Er...what?if, and this is an IF. the woman was found dead in the elevator was actually the resident of the flat, then obviously her flat light would NOT be on since there would be no one there to turn the light on.


another way (and this is another UNKNOWN VARIABLE) is this. does the woman in the elevator have her purse? if not, check the apartments for a purse. or other article of clothing that might be missing... shoes, stockings etc...


Not if the company complies, and even if you do need to get a warrant it isn't such a big deal. Unlike a warm lightbulb, the evidence wouldn't disappear 5 minutes after the crime. and as I also said, Electricity is measured at the building where there is a METER that measures the electrical usage. that's why there are people who go there to read the meters.

all the electrical company will know is what the electrical useage is for that AREA. and being that there is an all night cafe/bar in that area, they won't beable to tell what usage is for the bar and which one would be for one flat.


That may well be the case, I don't know.[/QUOTE]

That was for the benefit of our transatlantic brethern. I thought the word 'torches' would conjure up images of peasents storming Baron Frankenstein's castle for them, and didn't want to confuse the poor lambs.

That would be a far more interesting solution. Solving murder through the storming of castles by peasants.

How do we know that the murder didn't take place in darkness in an entirely different flat, but the flat facing the detective was being illuminated from without through its letter box by a cunning arrangement of flashlights and mirrors?

please note I did say that there were too many variables. but being that the cop found a clever way, all the information given has to be accurate... to a point.

Mere details. Would you accept a transom window?
It's possible, I guess. Though in that case you just cordon off a suitable area around the building and stop and search everyone within that area for a very powerful torch and some mirrors.

That would be a far more interesting solution. Solving murder through the storming of castles by peasants.

Ah - there was no murder - one of the occupants of the bloke of flats was a grave robber and ressurectionist. He had exhumed the corpse of a recently dead woman and snuck it back to his laboratory-cum-apartment where he planned to reanimate the body.

He attached electrodes to the cadaver and connected it to the mains. At first there was little sign of life, but then the limbs began to twitch and the fingers to move. The ribcage expanded, drawing in air, and then contracted as the corpse expelled a blast of air through its rigor mortis-tightened vocal chords. The wannabe-Baron Frankenstein upped the voltage fed to the experimental subject, but in doing so he overloaded the trip switch and was plunged into darkness. The increased voltage was, however, sufficient to propel the deceased off his table, through his open door and into the waiting elevator.

please note I did say that there were too many variables. but being that the cop found a clever way, all the information given has to be accurate... to a point.

...but, we have also been told that he was incompetent, which alters our entire perspective on things. Quite possibly drunk too.

Ah - there was no murder - one of the occupants of the bloke of flats was a grave robber and ressurectionist. He had exhumed the corpse of a recently dead woman and snuck it back to his laboratory-cum-apartment where he planned to reanimate the body.

He attached electrodes to the cadaver and connected it to the mains. At first there was little sign of life, but then the limbs began to twitch and the fingers to move. The ribcage expanded, drawing in air, and then contracted as the corpse expelled a blast of air through its rigor mortis-tightened vocal chords. The wannabe-Baron Frankenstein upped the voltage fed to the experimental subject, but in doing so he overloaded the trip switch and was plunged into darkness. The increased voltage was, however, sufficient to propel the deceased off his table, through his open door and into the waiting elevator.
So then you'd be able to check the electricity meters to see which apartment used significantly more electricity than the others.

really? how many bulbs per room?
how many flats per floor facing the bar that the officer was at?

as I said, too many unknown variables.

Well, let's put it like this: at the very least, they would have to ask in every apartment about their lightbulbs. Whether or not they have any(:rolleyes:), how many they have, and can they feel them.

By the time this was done (even with multiple officers, by the time they were there it would be too late), the bulb would have gone cold.

This is, of course, before we get to the idea that there may have been more than one lightbulb on in the block that night.

if, and this is an IF. the woman was found dead in the elevator was actually the resident of the flat, then obviously her flat light would NOT be on since there would be no one there to turn the light on.

What's that got to do with anything?

another way (and this is another UNKNOWN VARIABLE) is this. does the woman in the elevator have her purse? if not, check the apartments for a purse. or other article of clothing that might be missing... shoes, stockings etc...

As it's such an unknown variable, why bother even bringing it up? It adds nothing to the discussion.

and as I also said, Electricity is measured at the building where there is a METER that measures the electrical usage. that's why there are people who go there to read the meters.

all the electrical company will know is what the electrical useage is for that AREA. and being that there is an all night cafe/bar in that area, they won't beable to tell what usage is for the bar and which one would be for one flat.

Then I feel it is time we petitioned the electrical industry to measure all usage in order to provide for instances such as this.

Man....you really know how to suck the fun out of a good-natured discussion...

Ah - there was no murder - one of the occupants of the bloke of flats was a grave robber and ressurectionist. He had exhumed the corpse of a recently dead woman and snuck it back to his laboratory-cum-apartment where he planned to reanimate the body.

He attached electrodes to the cadaver and connected it to the mains. At first there was little sign of life, but then the limbs began to twitch and the fingers to move. The ribcage expanded, drawing in air, and then contracted as the corpse expelled a blast of air through its rigor mortis-tightened vocal chords. The wannabe-Baron Frankenstein upped the voltage fed to the experimental subject, but in doing so he overloaded the trip switch and was plunged into darkness. The increased voltage was, however, sufficient to propel the deceased off his table, through his open door and into the waiting elevator.

Seems like a reasonable course of events to me.

It's possible, I guess. Though in that case you just cordon off a suitable area around the building and stop and search everyone within that area for a very powerful torch and some mirrors.

There is also the possibility that the flat was not in fact illuminated as such, but rather had its blinds drawn, and an image of the interior complete with lit bulb was projected onto the outside of the blinds from across the street.

It was the neighbour. The odds of only one neighbour noticing that scream is too slim to be the case. The neighbour killed the woman, and everyone who came to investigate the noise.

if the neighbor had heard the scream wouldnt she know where it came from?

what kind if city people call the police after one scream?

There is also the possibility that the flat was not in fact illuminated as such, but rather had its blinds drawn, and an image of the interior complete with lit bulb was projected onto the outside of the blinds from across the street.
NSG...home of criminal masterminds such as this. :p

It was the neighbour. The odds of only one neighbour noticing that scream is too slim to be the case. The neighbour killed the woman, and everyone who came to investigate the noise.

Could it not be that the block of flats could be sheltered housing for deaf people, and the neighbour who called the cops was in fact the caretaker employed by the sheltered housing association, and as such the only person in the building able to hear the scream, eh?

EDIT: alternatively all the other neighbours could be in on the murder, and by not reporting the scream have thus framed the neighbour who did.

Well, let's put it like this: at the very least, they would have to ask in every apartment about their lightbulbs. Whether or not they have any(:rolleyes:), how many they have, and can they feel them.every apartment being... 2? 3? 4?

By the time this was done (even with multiple officers, by the time they were there it would be too late), the bulb would have gone cold.

This is, of course, before we get to the idea that there may have been more than one lightbulb on in the block that night.but there was only ONE flat with their light on that night.



What's that got to do with anything? lets see... if the apartment is dark because no on is in there, yet that bulb is warm/hot... then that's the scene of the crime.

As it's such an unknown variable, why bother even bringing it up? It adds nothing to the discussion. well, you're bringing up other unknown variables. the number of apartments, the need for warrants, questioning of people... all also adds the same value to the discussion.


Then I feel it is time we petitioned the electrical industry to measure all usage in order to provide for instances such as this. go right ahead. but you realize that an increase in meter reading would mean more employees and thus higher rates right?

Man....you really know how to suck the fun out of a good-natured discussion...
and since a discussion requires TWO people, you also have a hand in the... er... sucking... :p

The woman in the elevator had lost her apartment key. She went to the landlord of the apartment building to get his copy in the meantime. He gave her his spare and she let herself into her apartment, slipping the key into her pocket at the same time.
She entered her apartment and was about to close the door when she noticed she had left the lamp on the end table on all night. She pondered how she could be so stupid as to do this when someone shoved the apartment door open. She screamed, and in the process, knocked the lamp over, pulling the cord out and plunging the apartment into darkness.
There was a scuffle, and yadda yadda yadda, and she ended up in the elevator. The dumb detective had the bright idea of searching the woman, and in doing so found the spare key - conveniently labeled with the number of the apartment the woman lived in.

The woman in the elevator had lost her apartment key. She went to the landlord of the apartment building to get his copy in the meantime. He gave her his spare and she let herself into her apartment, slipping the key into her pocket at the same time.
She entered her apartment and was about to close the door when she noticed she had left the lamp on the end table on all night. She pondered how she could be so stupid as to do this when someone shoved the apartment door open. She screamed, and in the process, knocked the lamp over, pulling the cord out and plunging the apartment into darkness.
There was a scuffle, and yadda yadda yadda, and she ended up in the elevator. The dumb detective had the bright idea of searching the woman, and in doing so found the spare key - conveniently labeled with the number of the apartment the woman lived in.
It works in your scenario, but given the information in the OP, you shouldn't assume that the dead woman lived in the apartment.

By time the detective managed to get a warrant for all those apartments the lightbulb would have returned to room temperature, and other lightbulbs probably would have been used.

That depends on if he was in the US and acting under the patriot act, now doesn't it...

every apartment being... 2? 3? 4?

but there was only ONE flat with their light on that night.


the number of apartments has to be very high

it was on the 3rd or 4th floor maybe....that means that it has to have more than....6 floors more likely 10.

he forgot immediately where the lighted window was...that means that it has to be .....10 or more apartments wide. otherwise anyone looking at it all night would remember "2nd floor down, 4th window over". he may be a bit dull but anyone could do that.

i like jello's answer and hope that its not the correct answer but the best non-correct answer.

the number of apartments has to be very high

it was on the 3rd or 4th floor maybe....that means that it has to have more than....6 floors more likely 10.

he forgot immediately where the lighted window was...that means that it has to be .....10 or more apartments wide. otherwise anyone looking at it all night would remember "2nd floor down, 4th window over". he may be a bit dull but anyone could do that.

i like jello's answer and hope that its not the correct answer but the best non-correct answer.

Third of fourth floor means that there is at least four floors.

forgetting which apartment right away doesn't mean ten flats per floor, it just means HE FORGOT RIGHT AWAY.

truth be known, I like all the answers so far... including Nadkor's. :p

It works in your scenario, but given the information in the OP, you shouldn't assume that the dead woman lived in the apartment.Why else would the landlord have given her the key?

Why else would the landlord have given her the key?

She had a key?

Why else would the landlord have given her the key?
But we don't know she has a key. It's not a surefire way to work out which apartment she came from, because she doesn't necessarily have a key - we can only go on the information we have in the OP.

Third of fourth floor means that there is at least four floors.

forgetting which apartment right away doesn't mean ten flats per floor, it just means HE FORGOT RIGHT AWAY.

truth be known, I like all the answers so far... including Nadkor's. :p

no

if there are 4 floors, he knows which floor it is.

if there are 5 floors and its the 4th floor, he knows what floor it is.

there has to be at least 6 floors before he MIGHT not be able to know and it really should be more like 10 so you dont know without counting which floor it is.

what kind of moron forgets which window it is if there are only ...5 windows? there has to be lots of window or it doesnt make sense.

i am of the opinion, thinking about jello's answer, that the woman cant be a resident of the building or the clever thing to do is to look in her pocket or ASK THE SUPER. and that is not such a clever answer now is it?

i certainly hope the answer isnt going to be the "feel the bulb" one since its more than a bit silly.

there are an awful lot of assumptions to be made

light is on all night, why? there is a scream and the light goes out. the body is (presumably) moved to the elevator for someone else to find. the killer should still be in the building. if there was a killer.

why assume murder? why assume the dead body is the screamer? why assume the dead body came from the apartment with the light? could not the screamer have looked out the door and have seen the killer carrying a dead body to the elevator then screamed, slammed the door, turned out the light and CALLED THE COPS?

But we don't know she has a key. It's not a surefire way to work out which apartment she came from, because she doesn't necessarily have a key - we can only go on the information we have in the OP.Not really. In the last puzzle, Eve's feeding the apple to Adam didn't cause him to die, it caused God to become pissed at them and kick them out of Eden, which caused him to die. There was a missing piece in there that wasn't stated in the OP.
In this case, I'm postulating that the missing piece is a key. After all, if she lived in the building, she would either need a key to get into her own apartment or always leave her door unlocked.

why assume murder?

Because we are told in the OP 'murder'?

Not really. In the last puzzle, Eve's feeding the apple to Adam didn't cause him to die, it caused God to become pissed at them and kick them out of Eden, which caused him to die. There was a missing piece in there that wasn't stated in the OP.
In this case, I'm postulating that the missing piece is a key. After all, if she lived in the building, she would either need a key to get into her own apartment or always leave her door unlocked.
Ok, assume she does live there and has her door key on her person.

Who said the murder was committed in the dead woman's apartment?

Not really. In the last puzzle, Eve's feeding the apple to Adam didn't cause him to die, it caused God to become pissed at them and kick them out of Eden, which caused him to die. There was a missing piece in there that wasn't stated in the OP.
In this case, I'm postulating that the missing piece is a key. After all, if she lived in the building, she would either need a key to get into her own apartment or always leave her door unlocked.

If we're going to postulate missing pieces we can equally well postulate that the woman was murdered by someone pumping an invisible nerve gas into her room - there will be no visible evidence of where the murder was committed, but if one of the police enters the room they will detect the gas quickly due to the irritation it causes.

As plausible as your key malarky.

Who said the murder was committed in the dead woman's apartment?

We don't even know if the light came from an apartment - it could equally well be from a window in a hallway, a caretaker's office or a stairwell.

Ok, assume she does live there and has her door key on her person.

Who said the murder was committed in the dead woman's apartment?Nobody did.
Who said the murder was committed in the apartment that had had the light on?

If we're going to postulate missing pieces we can equally well postulate that the woman was murdered by someone pumping an invisible nerve gas into her room - there will be no visible evidence of where the murder was committed, but if one of the police enters the room they will detect the gas quickly due to the irritation it causes.

As plausible as your key malarky.Certainly, and if Higher Learning thinks such a solution is interesting, perhaps it will be listed as the Most Clever answer.

I refuse to indulge this Higher Thinking any longer. All he ever does is kill someone in his puzzles, and I'm sick of it.

It was a deafening scream. Find the two occupants with the worst hearing, ensure they have no history of hearing problems and then the murder must have happened somewhere between those two people's positions.

what kind of moron forgets which window it is if there are only ...5 windows? there has to be lots of window or it doesnt make sense.
This kind of moron.
being a rather incompetent detective, he soon lost track of which room the scream had come from.
there are various degrees of incompetence.
why did a neighbor call the police and not the detective who heard the scream?
if we are talking Detective - rank and not Detective - PI... he would have the right to investigate, even if off duty.
add to that the fact that he was at a bar getting drunk on ONE drink... :p

Unless the body is a figment of your imagination and there was no crime at all, and the entire event was a plot hole in a really bad movie...

if that was a plot hole then the movie is probably a cheap porn film of some kind...obviously sick since its involving dead bodies and such...but oh well

the "room" was the elevator. the elevator either has a window on it, or is a glass elevator outside the building.

the "room" was the elevator. the elevator either has a window on it, or is a glass elevator outside the building.

... I like this answer...

the scream doesn't necessarily have to be from the woman killed... and if the woman was propped into the door, it could explain why it stayed in one area.

considering the answer to the previous puzzle involved an act of God, I suspect the answer to this puzzle will be the one where God keeps the light bulb warm long enough for them to check it

I'll assume that the murder took place in the room with the light on, and also that the scream came from there, since we don't know much without that.

Surely motive is an important factor here.

The killer must have had a reason for moving the body from the room to the elevator: either something in the room would provide a powerful clue to their identity, or they were a resident in that room.

Assume the latter, since we could always check for clues in rooms near where the scream was heard. Two possibilities spring to mind.

1. The woman visited the murderer in their room by some arrangement (say she was a prostitute or pizza deliverer).

2. The woman spent the evening in the room with the murderer (she knew the killer somehow).

Now, to be honest, the former is very unlikely (very few murders happen like this, and there isn't a motive). If the latter is true, then our job is really easy. We just check up on the identity of the woman, quickly quiz the residents near the scream to find who knows her, and arrest those who do.

I think I've solved your crime, but not really the puzzle :S

One night a detective went into a bar to have a drink. As he sat facing a block of flats across the street, he noticed a single room was lit up, which must have been 3 or 4 floors up. The room sayed lit the whole night, being the only one to do so. "Must be a late-night party" he chuckled to himself.

After several hours of pondering to himself, he left the bar to go home. But no sooner had he left the bar he heard a deaffening scream coming from the illuminated room. Before he could rush in to investigate, the light went out, blending the room in with all the others on the building, and, being a rather incompetent detective, he soon lost track of which room the scream had come from.

The police arrived in minutes after being called by a worried neighbour, and quickly discovered the body of a woman in one of the elevators. Soon all eyes were on the detective, the only one to in some way have witnessed the crime. At that moment, he came up with a clever way of deducing which room the murder had taken place, despite the fact that there would be no visual evidence of the crime having ever taken place.

How did he determine the scene of the crime?

Here is my take on the situation.

The person in the flat had, earlier on in the day, gone to purchase some more CDs at the Otara Flea Markets; CDs that happened to be pirated copies. That day was a rather stormy one, so the person headed home and went up to her flat to listen to the music.

The music was emo, a genre that the girl most associated herself with, being emo herself, so he was calmly listening to the music and cutting her wrists. All of the sudden, the pirated CD went wrong; a blood curdling scream came from the CD and she cut one of her vital arteries.

Realising that she had cut one of hee vital arteries, she proceeded to the elevator and went down, when all of the sudden, the power cut out, as it does in Auckland on stormy days. She very quickly bled to death and then the police came.

The Manukau City Police were desperate for another conviction, there had only been 2499 murder convictions in their area that year, and they need a further one to get their funding for the next year; so they conviently decided to accuse the detective of murder, after all, he was nearby and there were no witnesses. All of the sudden, the detective realised something.

The room could be quite easily found if one sought all the empty flats in the building that had a light switch on; the girl would have been in such a rush that she would have left the light switch on in spite of the power cut. Now it was a matter of searching each room; it did not help that every tenant, except for the emo girl and the worried neighbour, were members of the Mongrel Mob.

After finding two P Labs, a tonne of marijuana, ten million dollars and a table full of heroin, the police found the room, the pirated CD still in the CD Player, a knife dripping with blood next door, the case was closed. A government inquiry was requested, as the power cut caused every part of the country to go cold for the next five weeks. The result was that the wind storm caused the death of the girl and the power cut would have been avoided had the 400kV line been built sooner, thereby making the government inadvertent murderers.

The block of flats was eventually demolished to allow for the Otahuhu Power Station to be expanded, although it was said that years afterward, the ghost of an emo kid could still be seen on windy nights.