[Guest]

At the Zoo

Jack, the night keeper, has gone missing. Six people arrive in the morning and discover his absence: Adam and Rita- keepers; Aymi- vet, Seth- PR; Cati- gift shop; Chad- zoo director. While searching for Jack, they come to the African animal exhibits. This is what they see:

The animals' food is all mixed up. Three pieces of the lions' meat are lying in front of the penguins' habitat. One carrot that is supposed to be for the hippos is beside the elephants' enclosure. Five of the penguins' squid are next to the hippos' exhibit. One bale of the elephants' hay is by the lions.

Seth and Cati whisper and snicker, and Rita and Aymi look at each other knowingly. Chad mumbles something about Jack having been threatening to quit for the last two weeks. Adam, however, is immediately alarmed, and dials 9-1-1.

Two questions:

1. What is it that worries Adam so much?

And

2. When the police arrive, who is subsequently arrested?

[itachi-san]

something to do with the penguin exhibit being part of the African area.

[Guest]

something to do with the penguin exhibit being part of the African area.

There are African penguins. They live on the southern coast. I don't think this hint will give too much away, so I can tell you that all the animals are in the correct region of the zoo.

[Guest]

There are African penguins. They live on the southern coast. I don't think this hint will give too much away, so I can tell you that all the animals are in the correct region of the zoo.

What is their airspeed velocity if they are unladen?

[Guest]

What is their airspeed velocity if they are unladen?

versus carrying coconuts, right?

[Guest]

versus carrying coconuts, right?

ok, that had nothing to do with the actual riddle. just a little Monty Python.

[Guest]

If you draw out a directed graph of the placement of the food, and start with the hippos, the first letter of the animals (in order) spell help...

Can't figure out who was arrested yet...

[Guest]

If you draw out a directed graph of the placement of the food, and start with the hippos, the first letter of the animals (in order) spell help...

Can't figure out who was arrested yet...

Yep, that's the first half! Good job!

2nd part has something to do with what you have to do with the first, but there's a little more to it.

[Guest]

If you draw out a directed graph of the placement of the food, and start with the hippos, the first letter of the animals (in order) spell help...

Can't figure out who was arrested yet...

The foods and number of them are in order are:

Carrot (1)

Hay (1)

Meat (3)

Squid (5)

The numbered letter of each of the words spell out CHad!

[Guest]

The foods and number of them are in order are:

Carrot (1)

Hay (1)

Meat (3)

Squid (5)

The numbered letter of each of the words spell out CHad!

Yes! That's right! Although I always suspected Ms. Peacock, in the Library, with the Candlestick. Now the only question remaining is why... but that's not in the riddle.

[Guest]

Yes! That's right! Although I always suspected Ms. Peacock, in the Library, with the Candlestick. Now the only question remaining is why... but that's not in the riddle.

Unanswered questions!

1) Did Jack really leave that message?

2) Did Chad really do something wrong, or is he being framed?

3) Would the police really arrest Chad based on this evidence?

4) And what about Naomi?!?!

[Guest]

Unanswered questions!

1) Did Jack really leave that message?

2) Did Chad really do something wrong, or is he being framed?

3) Would the police really arrest Chad based on this evidence?

4) And what about Naomi?!?!

Ok, who's Naomi? As for the others...

I figured that once they find Jack's body, the message would be considered something like dying testimony. I wanted to put more in the riddle, like a message about Chad having a knife or gun or where Jack thought he was being taken, but then I figured that Jack probably would have had very little time to leave a clue for someone else. Also, of that company, who would honestly not notice that Jack was messing up all the animal food? The keepers and vet, if they were the culprits, would have suspected something and would probably never have allowed Jack to leave that message in the first place. So you're left with the director, the PR, and the gift shop lady. Incidentally, if you look at those foods, all 6 of the suspects' names can be spelled by taking one letter out of each food, in the same way as you solved the riddle. So, if you misread the clues, the wrong person goes to jail.

[Guest]

It was Aymi and Cati...or maybe it was the butler in the conservatory with the rope.

[Guest]

Ok, who's Naomi?

"Love of Chair", a skit from a children's television show called "The Electric Company".

Basically, if you're an American in their 30s, you probably would understand the phrase "And what about Naomi?!", just as if you're an American over the age of 30, you probably would understand the phrase "Where's the beef?" It's a cultural reference. Go and Wikipedia "Love of Chair" if you want to know more.

[Guest]

"Love of Chair", a skit from a children's television show called "The Electric Company".

Basically, if you're an American in their 30s, you probably would understand the phrase "And what about Naomi?!", just as if you're an American over the age of 30, you probably would understand the phrase "Where's the beef?" It's a cultural reference. Go and Wikipedia "Love of Chair" if you want to know more.

well, I guess I just gave away my age.

Although I know the "where's the beef" thing.

[Guest]

Unanswered questions!

1) Did Jack really leave that message?

2) Did Chad really do something wrong, or is he being framed?

3) Would the police really arrest Chad based on this evidence?

4) And what about Naomi?!?!

1. Jack did not really leave the message

2. Chad is being framed.

3. The police will arrest Chad because we all know how our judicial system works.

4. We shall never know.

[Guest]

Chad is an animal and a place ????