Nosy #9 answer

The case: The jam spoon mystery

Olive Crumb at the mill bridge, carrying the pocket mirror.

It was borrowed to stir a pot of paste for the posters. A clean spoon is soon back at the stall.

The long wooden jam spoon has disappeared from the preserve stall. Nobody can reach the bottom of the jar.

A reliable witness saw the person at the mill bridge carry it away.

The complete arrangement

• Sylvie Puddle: potting shed · paper lantern
• Olive Crumb: mill bridge · pocket mirror
• Rosie Tallow: reading room · gingham cloth

The clues

1. The person at the reading room is either the person carrying the paper lantern or the person carrying the gingham cloth (one only).
2. Olive Crumb is either the person carrying the gingham cloth or the person carrying the pocket mirror (one only).
3. Rosie Tallow is not the person carrying the paper lantern.
4. The person at the reading room is not the person carrying the paper lantern.
5. Rosie Tallow was one stop after Sylvie Puddle on the village trail.

Opening deductions

1. Clue 2: Olive Crumb is either the person carrying the gingham cloth or the person carrying the pocket mirror (one only). With one of each per person, Olive Crumb / paper lantern is ruled out.
2. Clue 3: Rosie Tallow is not the person carrying the paper lantern. With one of each per person, Sylvie Puddle / paper lantern is a match.
3. Clue 4: The person at the reading room is not the person carrying the paper lantern. With one of each per person, Sylvie Puddle / reading room is ruled out.
4. Clue 5: Rosie Tallow was one stop after Sylvie Puddle on the village trail. With one of each per person, Sylvie Puddle / potting shed is a match.
5. Clue 1: The person at the reading room is either the person carrying the paper lantern or the person carrying the gingham cloth (one only). With one of each per person, Olive Crumb / gingham cloth is ruled out.

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