Dagon Files

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Welcome, Seeker of Forbidden Knowledge, to Friday's puzzle, week 13 of the year 2026. (Simpler puzzle) and (Harder puzzle)

The Case Of The Place Smelling Of Salty Food And Coffee.

You have stumbled upon The Dagon Files, a cryptic corner of the web where reality frays and reason falters. Here, beneath shifting sigils and whispering images, ancient puzzles lie in wait—twisting enigmas born from the depths of forgotten tomes and cosmic dread. Each riddle you solve draws you deeper into a truth not meant for mortal minds.

But beware: not all doors should be opened. And some answers… change you.

Begin, if you dare…

Suspects/Weapons/Locations/Motives

Doll Maker

grid [D]

Gregory Symes

height: 5' 4"

hazel eyes

left handed

dagon cultist

Math Professor

grid [M]

Henry Willes

height: 5' 8"

blue eyes

left handed

cthulhu cultist

Car Mechanic

grid [C]

Mark Dodge

height: 5' 10"

brown eyes

right handed

yog-sothoth cultist

Grounds Keeper

grid [G]

Arthur Scott

height: 6' 2"

brown eyes

right handed

nyarlathotep cultist

Club President

grid [P]

Selwyn Caruthers

height: 5' 11"

blue eyes

right handed

necronomicon cultist

Azatoth Dagger

grid [D]

This dagger resonates with ancient evil.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a series of deep, bloody scratches.

Blow Pipe

grid [B]

Some frogs were harmed in the making of this weapon.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a faint smell of frog.

Lobotomy Pick

grid [L]

An angelic instrument used to rid the afflicted of their mental torments.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a feeling of forgetfulness.

Feverish Nightmare

grid [N]

A nightmare powerful enough to rend the sanity of the staunchest investigator.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a miasma of fear.

Golf Club

grid [G]

A gentleman's weapon from a more civilised age.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a small pile of golf tees.

Lecture Hall

grid [L]

The main, large lecture hall shared by various faculties

It has been described as a place of learning.

Indoors

No warding found here.

The Snactuary

grid [S]

A college cafeteria, redolent of over-salted, basic food items

It has been described as a place smelling of salty food and coffee.

Indoors

Area has been blessed or warded by some cult.

College Campanile

grid [C]

The college bell tower with a blue and gold faced clock

It has been described as a place near the sound of bells.

Outdoors

Area has been blessed or warded by some cult.

Rugby Club

grid [B]

A haven for intellectual discussions, as you may imagine

It has been described as a place smelling of sour beer and sawdust.

Indoors

No warding found here.

Cricket Pitch

grid [P]

Very few famous cricketers have played here

It has been described as an immaculately manicured rectangle of grass.

Outdoors

No warding found here.

Suspects/Weapons/Locations/Motives

Doll Maker

grid [D]

Gregory Symes

height: 5' 4"

hazel eyes

left handed

dagon cultist

Math Professor

grid [M]

Henry Willes

height: 5' 8"

blue eyes

left handed

cthulhu cultist

Car Mechanic

grid [C]

Mark Dodge

height: 5' 10"

brown eyes

right handed

yog-sothoth cultist

Grounds Keeper

grid [G]

Arthur Scott

height: 6' 2"

brown eyes

right handed

nyarlathotep cultist

Club President

grid [P]

Selwyn Caruthers

height: 5' 11"

blue eyes

right handed

necronomicon cultist

Azatoth Dagger

grid [D]

This dagger resonates with ancient evil.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a series of deep, bloody scratches.

Blow Pipe

grid [B]

Some frogs were harmed in the making of this weapon.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a faint smell of frog.

Lobotomy Pick

grid [L]

An angelic instrument used to rid the afflicted of their mental torments.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a feeling of forgetfulness.

Feverish Nightmare

grid [N]

A nightmare powerful enough to rend the sanity of the staunchest investigator.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a miasma of fear.

Golf Club

grid [G]

A gentleman's weapon from a more civilised age.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a small pile of golf tees.

Lecture Hall

grid [L]

The main, large lecture hall shared by various faculties

It has been described as a place of learning.

Indoors

No warding found here.

The Snactuary

grid [S]

A college cafeteria, redolent of over-salted, basic food items

It has been described as a place smelling of salty food and coffee.

Indoors

Area has been blessed or warded by some cult.

College Campanile

grid [C]

The college bell tower with a blue and gold faced clock

It has been described as a place near the sound of bells.

Outdoors

Area has been blessed or warded by some cult.

Rugby Club

grid [B]

A haven for intellectual discussions, as you may imagine

It has been described as a place smelling of sour beer and sawdust.

Indoors

No warding found here.

Cricket Pitch

grid [P]

Very few famous cricketers have played here

It has been described as an immaculately manicured rectangle of grass.

Outdoors

No warding found here.

Rules

A restriction you will need to rely on is that every weapon, location and motive in the puzzle will be attributed to exactly one suspect.

So you can make a deduction like this, if the dagger was at the campanile, and the professor was at the campanile, then the professor had the dagger. This must be true since only one suspect can be at each location, possess each weapon, have each motive.

Similarly, negative deductions can be made, if the dagger was at the campanile, and the professor did not have the dagger, then the professor was not at the campanile. This is because only one weapon can be at a given location, and the professor's weapon is not the dagger.

These rules will help to fill in blanks which remain after all the clues have been accounted for.

Clues

  1. A series of deep, bloody scratches was found at the place smelling of salty food and coffee.
  2. The Car Mechanic never visited the immaculately manicured rectangle of grass.
  3. The Math Professor had never possessed a doctor's, medical, lobotomy pick.
  4. This (fingerprint) was found on the weapon producing a miasma of fear.
  5. A feverish nightmare was felt at the rugby club bar.
  6. The second shortest suspect never visited the college cricket pitch.
  7. You receive an anonymous telegram with the cryptic message 'A DNAH DEVRAC KAET WOLB EPIP SAW DNUOF TA EHT NIAM ERUTCEL LLAH.'. (decodeA hand-carved, teak, blow-pipe was found at the main lecture hall. [reversed])
  8. The Grounds Keeper wielded the hand-carved, teak, blow-pipe.
  9. A feeling of forgetfulness was experienced, but not at the college cricket pitch.
  10. The body was found in a place smelling of salty food and coffee.

Accusation