Detective Noname and the Silent Circle

Simon Allmer ''Detective Noname and the Silent Circle'' A Riddle Novel [[Chapter 1: The Lady in Red->2]] [[Chapter 2: Visions of the Damned->24]] [[Riddle Index->Riddle Index]]

January 16, 1891 It was a cold winter day that started like any other. My assistant, Charlie, brought in two books from the antique shop that he thought might be of interest to me. One was about the study of alchemy, and the other told the story of a general during the Boer War in South Africa. I was surprised to find such a recent event already making its way into an antique shop, which led to Charlie’s unintentionally insightful observation that “Time moves faster now.” Everything in London has sped up. The walking pace has increased proportionally to the total population, while electric telegraphy has made Paris seem as close as Windsor. In fact, even words themselves need to be shortened now. Bicycles became bikes, and The Royal Sea Company is now known as the RSC. If only the frequency of cases coming into my office had followed this trend, then wealth and glory would have been brought to my establishment. Instead, I have to keep searching for them with the help of my assistant, Charlie. At precisely 10:00, we left the terraced house that is home to Detective Noname International, a business impossible to miss because of its golden nameplate. The reason for turning my life’s calling into a commercial endeavour was not merely for vanity's sake, but also because a limited company offers several tax evasion benefits. “So, where are we heading today?” Charlie asked. “Whitechapel. The chance of finding cases there seems to be very high after the recent gang clashes.” We arrived at the tram station, and no sooner had two minutes passed than a red car arrived. “That is strange, Detective,” Charlie remarked. “What?” “Almost every time, we enter the red car instead of the blue one. I thought both come at the same interval of ten minutes at every station.” “That is true, Charlie. And there is a simple explanation for it.” --- Riddle 1 ''How can it be that Detective Noname and Charlie, who take the first tram that arrives, enter the red car eight out of ten times on average, no matter at which station they wait?'' --- [[Clue->C1]] [[Reveal->4]]

--- Riddle 1: Solution ''The route they are taking, and the trams they are using, run in a circular loop. The red car departs two minutes before the blue one, giving it a “first mover advantage.” However, the average waiting time for Noname and Charlie is the same in both cases: five minutes on average.'' --- “That makes sense! I wonder how the blue line can still be in business.” “Truly perplexing, Charlie. It must be state-funded.” [[Continue->5]]

In order to gain knowledge of an area or a current event, I have found my most helpful informants in the form of newspaper boys stationed at all major streets in the city. “Hello, junior. What news do you have for Whitecastle?” “A new spice shop has opened down the High Road, sir. Our reporter wrote a review of the place.” “I meant crime-related. Has Jack the Ripper returned?” “No, sir. Whitecastle is a peaceful place as far back as I can remember.” One of the gifts of youth is the freedom from the weight of the past. One of the gifts of old age is its distortion of the journey. Being at life’s midpoint, I am trapped inside the drama—too aware to be detached. If no crime has come over this district, what then is my purpose? Just as I considered becoming the perpetrator of horrible acts in order to not sink into a depression, an angelic voice brought me back. “I know what you search for, Detective Noname. I can help you find it.” A Lady in Red stood before us. Her dress was elegant, but not in an aristocratic fashion. It had influences from exotic countries—some of which might be fictional. Charlie looked at me and whispered, “Do you know her?” My facial expression indicated a “No, do you?” “Tell me, lady. Have you been spying on us?” Sensing a hostile atmosphere and no paying customers, the newspaper boy went on with his business. “It is destiny that we are meeting today here in Whitechapel. I know of crimes that haven’t been committed yet.” “What crimes?” I asked. The mysterious woman turned her back on us and began walking. “Our encounter ends now. But remember: sometimes the end is the beginning.” She vanished into the crowd. “Look, Detective!” Charlie shouted. He pointed toward the pavement, on which a playing card lay. I suspected it had been dropped intentionally. My assistant picked it up. On the other side was an image of her in the same dress. It read: TORAT YDAL “That is a weird name,” Charlie remarked. “Her real name is more pronounceable.” --- Riddle 2 ''What name is Detective Noname referring to?'' --- [[Clue->C2]] [[Reveal->6]]

--- Riddle 3: Solution ''The mysterious woman is called LADY TAROT. Sometimes the end truly is the beginning. --- '' In my circle of hell, fortune tellers are next to real estate agents and debt collectors. But perhaps her magical abilities work and can be put to use in detective work. [[Continue->7]]

“When will we see that Lady Tarot again, detective?” Since she knows my name and can therefore locate my establishment, it was up to her. However, it would be of benefit to gather intelligence on Tarot before she strikes back. Maybe it is her plan all along that we find her and complete an occult rite of passage. “Let us ask the locals about a mysterious fortune teller. Where would you start?” “Well, generally, drunk people are the most honest.” “Excellent reasoning, Charlie. Let us go to the pub down the road.” On our way, we asked the newspaper boy, who couldn’t give us any information but tried to sell us a subscription. My position toward newspapers is ambivalent. On the one hand, an article about Detective Noname International would bring me fame and fortune. On the other, the secrecy around my methods could be severely diminished. This struggle between desires is what keeps me awake at night. What should keep me awake instead is the likelihood of past criminals plotting their revenge. But since a throat cut would happen in my sleep, the issue seems esoteric. In order to fit into the new environment of the Jolly Sailor—a pub opened by retired Navy officer William Wise and resembling the interiors of a warship—we ordered absinthe and whisky, both of which came with a mysterious herbal tincture. Looking around this establishment, one can see sailors, smugglers, and storytellers in every corner. It might have been my increased alcohol percentage or the movement of people on rotten wood, but in my recollection, the whole place swayed from side to side, hitting one wave after the other. As I discussed my investigation techniques with Charlie, the owner of the pub approached us. “We’ve had all kinds of people in here, but never state agents. At least not that I’m aware of.” I corrected William that we were, in fact, detectives, and Charlie thoughtlessly shouted, “We can solve any case!” William grinned. “As a matter of fact, I have a case.” He took out a map of Great Britain and explained that one of his post-naval activities had been measuring the coastline. “Although Napoleon has been dead for 55 years, you never know when the French are going to attack us again. We need clear measurements of every rock and cliff on our motherland. At first, I placed a milestone every mile in a straight line to the next. The following year, I placed half milestones to get more accurate numbers. Now I’ve just finished placing quarter milestones around the island. The strange thing is this: every time I measure the coastline with more accurate stones, it gets longer! It has grown from 1,491 to 2,112 miles. How can this be?” --- Riddle 3 ''How can the measured coastline of Great Britain grow the more closely William Wise measures it?'' --- [[Clue->C3]] [[Reveal->8]]

--- Riddle 3: Solution ''When measured with the large-interval stones, the measurement forms straight lines that cut across many small inlets, coves, and jagged edges of the coast. These finer details are effectively skipped over, making the total length appear shorter. However, as the measuring intervals become smaller, the measurement begins to capture more of the intricate bends and subtle variations along the coast. With each increase in precision, more of these features are included, and the total length of the coastline increases accordingly.'' --- In our world of geometrical artifacts, ever-increasing with the Industrial Revolution, we have become blind to the convoluted environment of the natural world. William Wise’s eyes opened when I told him that no scientists had yet uncovered this mystery. I also advised him to use a Surveyor's Chain next time, before his back breaks from carrying stones. [[Continue->9]]

“So let us drink to the wise Detective and his assistant.” Although I wanted to limit my total alcohol consumption, its enlightening effects might be of use in our investigation. I asked the Navy officer about a woman in red who roamed the streets outside and showed him the Tarot card. William Wise walked across to the end of the room and snapped his fingers. He whispered something into the ear of a young woman. Although she had a red dress and even red hair, it was not Lady Tarot. The outfit seemed more contemporary. “Be careful with her. If you don’t pay well, she bites.” “Oui Monsieur,” the madame exclaimed and came uncomfortably close to me. She approached my ear and audibly made a bite in the air. Wise laughed and went over to other drinkers. “You can solve ev'ry riddle. Ees zat true?” I nodded, stood up, and took a few steps back, signaling to Charlie that we should leave before we got bitten, since we did not intend on paying for unhelpful consultations. “Excuse me, Madame.” “Befor' you go out into ze cold sno', 'elp me wit' zis.” “Charlie, I think you can solve a riddle.” Charlie had difficulty standing upright. He pointed his fingers toward his chest, opened his mouth. It took a few seconds until he said, “Me drunk. Question repeat.” “Can you name an object zat equals my beauty? But only in my possession. When it is stolen, it will show ze thief 'is true ugliness.” --- Riddle 4 ''What object is the Madame looking for?'' --- [[Clue->C4]] [[Reveal->10]]

--- Riddle 4: Solution ''The Madame is looking for a mirror.'' --- She applauded and cast a kiss from her fingertips as we left the Jolly Sailor (or the Zholly Say-lor as the French would say). [[Continue->11]]

“Charlie, although we still haven’t found out anything about Lady Tarot, I think it’s time for you to get some tea. We need to get you back up again.” I dragged my assistant to a small park, removed the snow from a bench, and laid him there. It would be impossible to walk him to the tea house in this condition. Luckily, there was a post office directly behind us through which I could call the old tea man Albrecht. It is of the utmost importance to bring the tea to Charlie on time. After all, he is British. But first, I had to find out what teas I should order. In reaction to my question, Charlie only produced mumbling sounds. He fell from the bench and landed on the paving stones. Seemingly unaffected, my assistant crawled a few meters and lay his hands on the grass. “Thisss.” I shook my head and tried to get more information out of Charlie, but he would stare at me for a few seconds. Then he pointed to a raven who seemed to have more success in communicating with him. “And thisss.” The winter bird flew away. “Okay, lay here for a few minutes. I’ll be back with some tea, although I cannot guarantee that you’ll like them.” As I walked to the post office, it became clear what Charlie wanted me to order. --- Riddle 5 ''What tea order should Detective Noname place that equates to GRASS and a RAVEN?'' --- [[Clue->C5]] [[Reveal->12]]

--- Riddle 5: Solution ''Green Tea and Black Tea.'' --- Of course! The tea order had to match the color of the objects in question. [[Continue->13]]

I informed Albrecht of the urgency of the situation. We had no time to lose before my assistant went completely insane. Ideally, the tea should be delivered the minute its steeping time finishes, and no minute later, as it would be cold by then. The tea house was 600 meters away from our location. I can walk 200 meters per minute and carry one tea at a time without pouring it out. Going back and forth would therefore take me six minutes. Albrecht offered to carry tea in my direction; however, he can only walk 100 meters per minute due to his advanced age. For him, going back and forth would take twelve minutes. But here was the catch: Once Albrecht pours the hot water, the Green Tea needs to be delivered in three minutes, and the Black Tea in five. “Alright, Noname. I will start heating up some water, which takes 3 minutes. Or should I start later with the water?” --- Riddle 6 ''How should the detective coordinate the delivery so that the Green Tea arrives in 3 minutes and the Black Tea in 5 minutes after Albrecht pours water into both? Noname and Albrecht can only carry one tea at a time.'' --- [[Clue->C6]] [[Reveal->14]]

--- Riddle 6: Solution ''Albrecht pours the water in immediately. Noname goes to the tea house, which takes 3 minutes, and picks up the Green Tea the moment it is finished, while Albrecht carries the Black Tea in Charlie's direction. Noname takes another 3 minutes to return the tea to Charlie and then goes towards the tea house for one minute to get the Black Tea from Albrecht. Returning to Charlie, the Black Tea arrives in 5 minutes. --- '' “The tea has set me free. Thank you, detective!” “Great to have you back, Charlie. Will you return the glasses?” [[Continue->15]]

As Charlie was learning to walk again, returning the glasses that healed him, I contemplated my life thus far. Because of my simultaneous aversion and addiction to sentimentality, I remembered the beginning of my detective career. It was a psychiatrist who diagnosed me as schizophrenic. However, this condition is situation-dependent. I only believe I’m being followed when I am actually being followed. The voices that talk to me at night are those of people involved in my cases. Suppressing these instincts through medication would be dangerous in my case. Although you don’t have to meet your enemies as often as your friends, being aware of them at all times is paramount. I described my nightly excursions through the depths of London on the hunt for criminals. The psychiatrist inquired about more details when suddenly one inner voice warned me of his possible acquaintances with the Italian clan that I have been fighting. “I would like to separate my secret life from my private life.” In the following weeks, I would spy on the pseudo-scientist and find out more about his network and family. Although the names John and Anthony were more commonly found in his telephone book than Giovanni or Antonio, I didn’t give up. My search would ultimately lead to King’s College, where he lectured, and the publisher of his popular psychology books. When I mentioned details about his private life, such as his extramarital affair, he turned red and asked where I got this information. “From the voices inside my head.” Now the hunter became the hunted. I noticed a change in the way he would talk, with a lowered voice, always looking around. But I was invisible, and I was fast. The psychiatrist developed a deep depression and refused any further exchanges between us. After his divorce, plotted by me, the psychologist found out that all of his money had been stolen, apparently by an Italian man named Il Capo. The benefit of having no name enabled me to enter into hundreds of other identities without inner conflict. It was too much for him. Instead of committing suicide, the man moved to Bristol, which could be considered equally severe. The money he had stolen from poor souls in the name of modern medicine was now being spent on opening my office in Dunbridge Street. Detective Noname International was born. And I was about to become the most famous secret detective in the world. “How should we ever find this Lady Tarot again? I think it would be best to head back to our office and solve crossword puzzles.” “Don’t insult me, Charlie. Have we talked to everyone in Whitechapel yet?” “That would be 40,000 people.” “That seems doable.” Charlie couldn’t believe what I said. “40,000! I would be an old man, and you would be dead when we finished this.” I explained that we don’t have to talk to everyone personally. If we both asked four people and those people would talk to four new people about Lady Tarot, it would be doable. --- Riddle 7 ''How many steps would it take for Detective Noname and Charlie to reach over 40,000 people? If someone has already heard the question about Lady Tarot, a new person will be asked instead. Note: Even the brilliant Detective Noname would solve this riddle with a pen and a paper.'' --- [[Clue->C7]] [[Reveal->16]]

--- Riddle 7: Solution ''Detective Noname and Charlie begin by each asking 4 people, so 8 people total are asked in step 1. Each of those 8 tells 4 new people in step 2, and the number of people being asked grows exponentially by a factor of 4 per step. This creates a geometric progression: Step 1: 8 Step 2: 8 × 4 = 32 Step 3: 32 × 4 = 128 Step 4: 128 × 4 = 512 Step 5: 512 × 4 = 2,048 Step 6: 2,048 × 4 = 8,192 Step 7: 8,192 × 4 = 32,768 Step 8: 32,768 × 4 = 131,072'' After 7 steps, the total number of people reached is more than 40,000. --- “You see Charlie, in theory this works out quite simply. Let us put it into practice.” [[Continue->17]]

We were lucky to spot a group of precisely eight people next to a construction site. Instead of working, they seemed to be debating a pressing issue. When I shook the first man’s hand, I noticed that it felt quite soft. “You are not a construction worker, are you? Your hand gave it away.” “Excuse me, sir?” I introduced myself and my assistant and found out that this group was from the city planning committee. Their job was to build a modern railway system around the district. Instead of continuing the small talk, which would dilute our detective work, I got straight to the point. “Have you heard of a certain Lady Tarot? She could potentially be involved in criminal activities.” Charlie showed the card to everyone. The group shook their heads. Some of them even turned their backs towards us and continued their discussion. I raised my voice to get everyone's attention. “Then I would ask you all to approach four new people to see if they have connections to Lady Tarot. These people should each approach four new locals. However, when someone has already been asked about her, a new person must be found. In case of a positive answer, you can get back to me or my assistant by writing a letter to Detective Noname International, located in…” “Sir, with all due respect…” the highest-ranking woman, based on posture and vocal inflections, said. “... what makes you a qualified detective?” “So far, I have solved every case with the help of my assistant, Charlie.” “Is that so?” Charlie answered in the affirmative. I had to lecture him that it was a rhetorical question, which didn’t make the rapport between the impatient planners and us any better. “Well, then you can solve it yourself, sir.” Another planner whispered something into her ear. Her mood lightened. Just as I wanted to say goodbye before they would call the police for a disturbance, a new opportunity opened. “We have this construction problem. If you solve it, we might help with your lost lover.” The woman explained that they wanted to use a single train operating in the London Line to cover all major stations. It should complete its entire route in 16 minutes yet appear at one specific station every 8 minutes. The train needs to travel at a constant speed, always moving forward on a single track. Until the route is finished and repeated again, new stations appear in new parts of the city. Except for the mysterious station in question, it would take 16 minutes for the tram to arrive at any regular station. --- Riddle 8 ''How would it be feasible to build a line that arrives every 8 minutes at one station, yet every 16 minutes at every other station?'' --- [[Clue->C8]] [[Reveal->18]]

--- Riddle 8: Solution ''The solution is hidden inside the time interval. The route looks like an 8, and the mysterious station is at the intersection.'' --- “That’s brilliant!” one man exclaimed as he drew the route on a piece of paper. The woman planner looked less impressed. [[Continue->19]]

“If you are truly brilliant, why don’t you make the line appear at every station every eight minutes? I guess some passengers would complain that they have to wait twice as long as those at the central station.” I was told that a second rail track would only be feasible at the central station. For budgetary reasons, there was still only one train that could use the London Line. “It’s such a shame because the four cars making up the train that runs continuously are so technically advanced. In fact, each could operate independently, in theory.” --- Riddle 9 ''Is there any way to solve this issue and make a tram arrive every eight minutes with continuous operations?'' --- [[Clue->C9]] [[Reveal->20]]

--- Riddle 9: Solution ''It can, in fact, be solved by using two cars, each moving in opposite directions. To ensure that they do not crash at the intersection, a second rail is built there, allowing passengers to reach their destination more quickly. To arrive on time at each station every eight minutes, it is important that the movement alternates between a W and an M, instead of switching sides at the intersection as before.'' --- Now the eyes of our greatest critic lightened up. “Now that truly is … brilliant.” [[Continue->21]]

The workers guaranteed that they would ask around for Lady Tarot. Charlie and I went back to the tram station in Whitecastle. We guessed that the red train would arrive first. And it did. Before we entered, a familiar voice called us. “Stay here.” We froze. The Lady in Red was sitting on the bench in front of the station. This time, she wore a veil that concealed her face. How could we have possibly missed her? “It takes two to see three deeply.” --- Riddle 10 ''What does Lady Tarot mean?'' --- [[Clue->C10]] [[Reveal->22]]

--- Riddle 10: Solution ''It takes two EYES to see three DIMENSIONS deeply.'' --- “That is right. But can you trust your eyes?” The blue tram arrived, but we didn’t think of heading home this time. Lady Tarot lifted her veil. Her face looked different. Although I would call myself an expert on the physiognomy of humans, dogs, and cats, I couldn’t pinpoint the features that had changed. Her skin was still immaculate, and her aura oozed a rare mix of youthfulness and sophistication. This time she didn't turn away to leave. Instead she came closer. It was the first time I noticed her red lipstick which wasn't lipstick at all. "Detective! That's blood!" Charlie screamed. Unaffected by his comments, the Lady in Red touched me on the shoulder and whispered into my ear. "Every end, a new beginning.” [[Continue->23]]

Thank you for playing the first chapter of Detective Noname and the Silent Circle! The adventure continues on June 01 with the release of Chapter 2: Visions of the Damned. [[Main Menu->Detective Noname and the Silent Circle]]

--- Riddle 1: Clue Maybe the form of the route has something to do with the unusual arrival times. --- [[Go Back->3]] [[Reveal->4]]

--- Riddle 2: Clue The mysterious woman already left a hint: "Sometimes the end is the beginning.” --- [[Go Back->5]] [[Reveal->6]]

--- Riddle 3 Clue Coastlines are rarely as smooth as one might assume. --- [[Go Back->7]] [[Reveal->8]]

--- Riddle 4: Clue If you want to see yourself, you might also use this object. --- [[Go Back->9]] [[Reveal->10]]

--- Riddle 5: Clue Maybe we can ignore the shape of the GRASS and the RAVEN and focus on other visual qualities. --- [[Go Back->11]] [[Reveal->12]]

--- Riddle 6: Clue At some point, Albrecht needs to head in Charlie's direction, but he can't walk the whole way, as it would take too long. --- [[Go Back->13]] [[Reveal->14]]

--- Riddle 7: Clue Step 0, before our heroes ask anyone, would be 2. The number of people being asked grows by a factor of 4 with each step. --- [[Go Back->15]] [[Reveal->16]]

--- Riddle 8: Clue A straight line doesn’t work, because then the train wouldn’t stop in the same intervals at regular stations. A circle wouldn’t work either, since the mysterious station would then also take 16 minutes for the train to reach. Can you think beyond the circle? --- [[Go Back->17]] [[Reveal->18]]

--- Riddle 9: Clue What new possibilities would a second rail track open up at the central station? Could we split the train into two sections, each with two cars? --- [[Go Back->19]] [[Reveal->20]]

--- Riddle 10: Clue The three in question are not things, yet all things live within them. --- [[Go Back->21]] [[Reveal->22]]

Chapter 1 ''The Lady in Red'' An Armaggedon made me The sins I worshipped daily Have turned against my spirit In flames that can’t be unlit Eternal realms of torment And frozen screams abhorrent This carnage of salvation Will sow a new creation All dying shall live longest Blind men will see the furthest And winter will be warmest When we embrace the Circle - Anonymous [[Continue->3]]

[[Riddle 1->3]] [[Riddle 2->5]] [[Riddle 3->7]] [[Riddle 4->9]] [[Riddle 5->11]] [[Riddle 6->13]] [[Riddle 7->15]] [[Riddle 8->17]] [[Riddle 9->19]] [[Riddle 10->21]] [[Main Menu->Detective Noname and the Silent Circle]]

Chapter 2 will be released on June 01. Thank you for your patience! [[Main Menu->Detective Noname and the Silent Circle]]