53 bicycles: A lateral thinking puzzle

Thread Games
521
  1. Was the room sealed perfectly, and did he suffocate when he ran out of oxygen?
  2. Was the poison gas referred to above exhaled CO2?
  3. Was there some fire or other method used to remove oxygen from the room?
522

There seems to be some emphasis on the “excellent” lock. What’s that all about, I wonder?

We are told the victim did not take anything into the room that killed him. Something was pumped in, though the “yes” on that question seemed qualified. We are told the house belonged to “mutual friends,” so the killer likely had access or at least knew the layout. Hmmm…

523
  1. Was this in an area where fireworks or other loud noises are traditional on New Year’s Eve/Day?
  2. Were noises made in the room that went unheard due to said traditional noise?
524

We are told the victim locked the door before retiring for the evening.

Had anyone else been with the victim in the room before he retired?

525

Yes.

  1. Yes
  2. Unknown
  1. No, and no.
  1. No
  2. No
  1. Unknown
  2. No

No

526

Was the excellent lock disabled by a more excellent lockpicker?

527

Was it obvious to the hosts what had happened?
Could someone commit suicide using this method?

528

No.

529

  1. Was the gas pumped through the air ducts into his room?

  2. Is the poison gas carbon monoxide?

  3. Did the lover ever visit this house to set up the murder?

530

Did the victim suffer from a breathing condition such as asthma?

531

Does the composition of the poisonous gas matter at all?
Was there a fire in the fireplace?
Was the poisonous gas released by burning?
Was a clock involved in the killing? (note: I mean the actual device, not time as measured by a clock)

532
  1. No
  2. Yes, although unlikely
  1. No
  2. Possibly in part, depending on when the story is set.
  3. Yes

No

  1. Yes
  2. Yes
  3. No
  4. No
533

  1. Was there a frozen block of bleach in the room?

  2. Was there a frozen block of ammonia in the room?

  3. If yes to 1 and 2, did they thaw create a deadly gas? (Like, if they were in the same bucket, or something.)

534

1 No
2 No
3 No

535

This is a good one, by the way. These situations are what I love.

  1. Is there something about New Year’s Eve celebrations that make the date significant?

  2. Is the gas from an engine?

  3. Is the gas from a stove?

  4. Is that gas natural gas?

  5. Is it important that you said "…I’m gonna say “yes.” when asked if gas was pumped in the room?

536

I hope so. I worry I missed something in my research that someone smarter than me will know. Hopefully even if that happens folks will roll with it.

  1. No
  2. No
  3. No
  4. Possibly, depending on when the story is set.
  5. Can we change the word “pumped in” to “introduced into”? Then I’ll just say “yes.”
537

Was the gas fireplace tampered with so the flow of gas wasn’t entirely cut off when he turned the fire off for the night?

538

No, but getting close.

539

Did the victim unknowingly cause the gas to enter the room?

540

Was the gas produced by elements that combined when the victim was in the room?
Did the victim bring anything in the room with him that he didn’t have before the NYE party?
Did the victim bring anything in the room with him that he didn’t have before entering the friend’s house?
Were there containers in the room such as jars, vases, bottles, etc?
Was there anything attached to the door before the victim entered the death room?