Only Time Will Tell
■ · By Darth · Published 2024-10-21T11:00:13.626Z
Meta Prompt
Solve the meta to discover who committed the murder.
Mansion Murder Mystery: "Only Time Will Tell"
During a small dinner party at the stately Sinclair Mansion, Ella Sinclair, a renowned art collector, falls victim to murder. Her body is discovered in the grand library, which features an antique clock with the Sinclair monogram etched on its crystal face and a pendulum that has stopped swinging. A bloody umbrella lies near the victim, and in her hand is a crumpled note. The cause of death appears to be blunt force trauma to the head.
Edward Sinclair, the victim’s aloof husband, has been under financial strain and stands to inherit Ella’s vast art collection. The Sinclairs had invited three guests for dinner: Lita Moore, Ella’s personal assistant, recently dismissed from service; J. P. Duvall, a rival art dealer, who had a contentious relationship with Ella; and Sophia Hartwell, a family friend with a mysterious past.
Checking for previous play data...
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Embassy VIP (abbr.)
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Across
- 1AEmbassy VIP (abbr.)
- 5A*At 6:45, the ___ arrive. It's raining and they leave their umbrellas in the foyer -- except for Duvall, who keeps his with him.
- 11AThere are 16 in a lb.
- 14ATwist-apart treat
- 15ATangle up, or involve in intrigue
- 16ABack muscle, briefly
- 17ANine-digit IDs
- 18AWandering, as a lost lamb
- 19ARock producer Brian
- 20A*At 7:25, during dinner, Ella finds a cryptic note tucked under her plate: "___ , Only time will tell. Love, S" (Only one person notices her reaction.)
- 22A"Girl With a Watering Can" painter
- 24ABorders on
- 26AFalcons, on scoreboards
- 29AWitch trials town
- 30AZayn ___ of One Direction, once
- 31A*At 8:40, while ___ drink tea, Ella and Duvall exchange heated words over a prized painting she has refused to sell him.
- 33AHomecoming returnees
- 35AJay-Z's genre
- 36AFlight information
- 43AWord before "salt" or "serpent"
- 44A___ Brothers (failed investment firm)
- 45A*At 9:30, Lita Moore ___ Ella about her sudden dismissal after years of loyal service. Confused and furious, Lita cries, “You’ll regret this!”
- 51ALedger entry in red
- 52AUpscale Honda
- 53A"The Waste Land" monogram
- 54AMends, as socks
- 55A*At 10:00, Sophia Hartwell ___ playing Debussy's "Clair de Lune" on the piano. As Edward listens, Sophia smiles nervously.
- 57A*At 10:10, a servant finds a copy of Dostoevsky's "___ and Punishment" under a chair. When she returns it to the library, she finds Ella collapsed on the floor, dead. A bloody umbrella is next to her.
- 59AGrocery sack
- 60AEast African expedition
- 63AIngrid's "Casablanca" role
- 66ASuffix for "salt" or "serpent"
- 67ABy way of wagering
- 68ALost traction
- 69AWinter hours in DC
- 70AWith 71A, pointer on a timepiece
- 71ASee 70A
Down
- 1DItems on a "must" list
- 2DReturns recipient
- 3D*At 9:45, the large ___ of the grandfather clock in the library stopped swinging (as revealed by the frozen 70A 71A)
- 4DRun slow, as a watch with a weak battery
- 5DMachine part with teeth
- 6DOust from office
- 7DCPR expert
- 8DSpanish 101 verb
- 9DFormer Russian ruler
- 10DLeast outgoing
- 11DWorld Cup chant
- 12DMore madcap
- 13D*At 8:15, the Sinclairs retreat to the library for a "private word." Minutes later, Edward ___ out, clearly upset.
- 21D"___ questions and hear no lies"
- 23D"Nope"
- 24DLatin 101 verb (3rd pers. sing.)
- 25DIsland east of Java
- 27DMenacing remarks
- 28DMove like a frog
- 32DIridescent gem
- 34D"Assuming that's true..."
- 37DFender bender
- 38D___ Wip (dessert topping)
- 39DPlain folk who shun electricity
- 40D*At 9:55, Duvall announces that his ___ has gone missing. Sophia and Lita look at each other and shrug, seeming not to care.
- 41DWet weather
- 42DTolkien tree creatures
- 45DHailed worker?
- 46D71% of the Earth's surface
- 47DGold panning find
- 48DPart of TGIF
- 49DKidnapper's demand
- 50DDeep dark matter?
- 56DCleaning product prefix
- 58DSacred ceremony
- 61DTeam supporter, or ceiling fixture
- 62D___ Dhabi (Mideast capital)
- 64DTransgression
- 65DToss into the mix