Dagon Files

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Welcome, Seeker of Forbidden Knowledge, to Thursday's puzzle, week 10 of the year 2026. (Simpler puzzle) and (Harder puzzle)

The Case Of The Nyarlathotep Cultist.

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

Smuggler

grid [S]

Moira Cooper

height: 5' 4"

hazel eyes

right handed

necronomicon cultist

Harbor Master

grid [H]

Captain Horne

height: 6' 2"

gray eyes

right handed

dagon cultist

Lighthouse Keeper

grid [K]

Aloysius Greave

height: 5' 11"

gray eyes

right handed

deep-ones cultist

Rich Heiress

grid [R]

Lenora Fitch

height: 5' 10"

brown eyes

right handed

azatoth cultist

Jazz Singer

grid [J]

Clara Devane

height: 5' 6"

brown eyes

left handed

nyarlathotep cultist

Fish Cleaver

grid [C]

Used for gutting fish,... or people.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a series of deep slices.

Concealed Derringer

grid [D]

Easily hidden about the person for surprise shootings.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a group of bullet holes.

Coil of Rope

grid [R]

Handy for mooring boats or garroting people.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a bundle of hemp fibers.

Anchor Fluke

grid [A]

No longer useful for securing ships, but a serviceable blunt weapon.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a pitted surface.

Whaling Harpoon

grid [H]

This one is covered in curious, deep-carved runes.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a faint whiff of ambergris.

Speakeasy

grid [E]

A place to eavesdrop, gather gossip, or confront a suspect during a performance.

It has been described as a house of the saxaphone.

Indoors

No warding found here.

Church of Dagon

grid [C]

Crumbling structure with salt-crusted stained glass. The holy font smells of herring.

It has been described as a shadowplay of stained glass.

Indoors

Area has been blessed or warded by some cult.

Fog-Shrouded Wharf

grid [W]

Endless groaning of ships at anchor, ropes creaking, distant foghorns echoing.

It has been described as a place of creaking timbers.

Outdoors

No warding found here.

Widow's Point Lighthouse

grid [L]

High cliffs, lonely light sweeping through thick fog, keeper haunted by dreams.

It has been described as a source of blinding light.

Indoors

Area has been blessed or warded by some cult.

Warehouse Row

grid [R]

Abandoned or semi-legal storage facilities, perfect for secret meetings or rituals.

It has been described as a big stack of crates.

Indoors

Area has been blessed or warded by some cult.

Suspects/Weapons/Locations/Motives

Smuggler

grid [S]

Moira Cooper

height: 5' 4"

hazel eyes

right handed

necronomicon cultist

Harbor Master

grid [H]

Captain Horne

height: 6' 2"

gray eyes

right handed

dagon cultist

Lighthouse Keeper

grid [K]

Aloysius Greave

height: 5' 11"

gray eyes

right handed

deep-ones cultist

Rich Heiress

grid [R]

Lenora Fitch

height: 5' 10"

brown eyes

right handed

azatoth cultist

Jazz Singer

grid [J]

Clara Devane

height: 5' 6"

brown eyes

left handed

nyarlathotep cultist

Fish Cleaver

grid [C]

Used for gutting fish,... or people.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a series of deep slices.

Concealed Derringer

grid [D]

Easily hidden about the person for surprise shootings.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a group of bullet holes.

Coil of Rope

grid [R]

Handy for mooring boats or garroting people.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a bundle of hemp fibers.

Anchor Fluke

grid [A]

No longer useful for securing ships, but a serviceable blunt weapon.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a pitted surface.

Whaling Harpoon

grid [H]

This one is covered in curious, deep-carved runes.

Sometimes leaves a trace of a faint whiff of ambergris.

Speakeasy

grid [E]

A place to eavesdrop, gather gossip, or confront a suspect during a performance.

It has been described as a house of the saxaphone.

Indoors

No warding found here.

Church of Dagon

grid [C]

Crumbling structure with salt-crusted stained glass. The holy font smells of herring.

It has been described as a shadowplay of stained glass.

Indoors

Area has been blessed or warded by some cult.

Fog-Shrouded Wharf

grid [W]

Endless groaning of ships at anchor, ropes creaking, distant foghorns echoing.

It has been described as a place of creaking timbers.

Outdoors

No warding found here.

Widow's Point Lighthouse

grid [L]

High cliffs, lonely light sweeping through thick fog, keeper haunted by dreams.

It has been described as a source of blinding light.

Indoors

Area has been blessed or warded by some cult.

Warehouse Row

grid [R]

Abandoned or semi-legal storage facilities, perfect for secret meetings or rituals.

It has been described as a big stack of crates.

Indoors

Area has been blessed or warded by some cult.

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. This (fingerprint) was found on the broken fluke of a heavy anchor.
  2. The second tallest suspect was seen at the large, musty warehouse.
  3. The Smuggler caused the series of deep slices.
  4. The Harbor Master was seen at the house of the saxaphone.
  5. A wicked-looking, steel harpoon was found, but not at the widow's point lighthouse.
  6. You receive an anonymous telegram with the cryptic message 'A LSALM CEDTRSEI DRGERNEIR OLTSIP ASW FDNUO TA EHT EOHUS FO HTE ESOAPNXAH.'. (decodeA small, discrete, derringer pistol was found at the house of the saxaphone. [anagrammed])
  7. A well-used, notched, heavy knife was found at the church of Dagon.
  8. A faint whiff of ambergris was found, but not at the big stack of crates.
  9. A nyarlathotep cultist was the murderer.

Accusation