Mentor answer key · Minute Mystery #1
The Case of the Missing Blue Ribbon — Solution
Answer: Priya. The sun rises in the east, so by afternoon it is in the western sky. At 4:00 p.m. no sunshine could come through an east window. Priya invented that detail to make her story sound believable. She “borrowed” the ribbon because she was upset about second place. It was in her backpack pocket, and she returned it and apologized to Maya.
Red herring: Leo’s dusty shirt looks suspicious but actually supports his story (stacking chairs).
Owen: his alibi doesn’t cover every minute, but nothing points to him. Good question for class: “Is a gap in someone’s alibi proof they did it?” (No.)
Logic lesson: one detail that can’t be true can bring down a whole story. Good detectives test every detail against facts they already know.
How to run it (10 min): have students read it at home or read it aloud in class. Give them 3 minutes to write a suspect plus one proof clue. Take votes, then let a student explain the east-window clue before you reveal.