Nosy #15 answer

The case: The absent brass watering rose

Ada Pottle at the old bandstand, carrying the biscuit tin, at 12:00.

It was being cleared of a stray leaf. The display can water in style once more.

The display watering can has lost its brass rose. The gardening club is looking under every pot.

A reliable witness saw the person carrying the biscuit tin take it away.

The complete arrangement

• Laurie Tansy: cricket hut · seed packet · 11:00
• Ada Pottle: old bandstand · biscuit tin · 12:00
• Olive Crumb: beekeepers hut · pencil case · 11:30
• Flora Nettle: herb garden · wooden peg · 10:30
• Una Mallow: bunting stall · jam jar · 10:00

The clues

1. The person at the cricket hut is not the person there at 10:30.
2. The person at the herb garden is not the person carrying the jam jar.
3. Laurie Tansy is either the person there at 10:30 or the person there at 11:00 (one only).
4. The person at the old bandstand is the person carrying the biscuit tin.
5. The person carrying the pencil case is either the person there at 10:00 or the person there at 11:30 (one only).
6. Ada Pottle is the person at the old bandstand.
7. Laurie Tansy is either the person there at 11:00 or the person there at 12:00 (one only).
8. The person carrying the pencil case is not the person there at 10:00.
9. Una Mallow was earlier than Laurie Tansy.
10. The person carrying the seed packet is the person there at 11:00.
11. Flora Nettle is either the person there at 10:30 or the person there at 11:00 (one only).
12. The person at the bunting stall is either the person there at 10:00 or the person there at 11:30 (one only).
13. Olive Crumb is either the person at the beekeepers hut or the person at the old bandstand (one only).

Opening deductions

1. Clue 3: Laurie Tansy is either the person there at 10:30 or the person there at 11:00 (one only). With one of each per person, Laurie Tansy / 10:00 is ruled out.
2. Clue 5: The person carrying the pencil case is either the person there at 10:00 or the person there at 11:30 (one only). With one of each per person, Laurie Tansy / pencil case is ruled out.
3. Clue 6: Ada Pottle is the person at the old bandstand. With one of each per person, Laurie Tansy / old bandstand is ruled out.
4. Clue 7: Laurie Tansy is either the person there at 11:00 or the person there at 12:00 (one only). With one of each per person, Laurie Tansy / 10:30 is ruled out.
5. Clue 9: Una Mallow was earlier than Laurie Tansy. With one of each per person, Una Mallow / 11:30 is ruled out.
6. Clue 10: The person carrying the seed packet is the person there at 11:00. With one of each per person, Laurie Tansy / biscuit tin is ruled out.

Every clue is necessary for the unique complete arrangement. The witness statement identifies which person moved the missing object.