Professor Layton and the Shining Stone
Disclaimer: The Prof and his many friends aren't my property. BTW, good luck with that cool looking crossover, Team Layton…
Rating: PG…dunno, see how the later chapters go…
Summary: The rarest treasure in Scotland, known as the Shining Stone, has been stolen from the house of one of the Professor's colleagues. Together with his self-proclaimed apprentice, Luke, and his unofficial adopted daughter, Flora, Layton has been asked to unravel the mystery…
Well, how did you find the puzzle last chapter? Hope it wasn't too hard, I'll probably lower standards this chapter, a 40 picarat one straight from a 20 may have been harsh…well, as promised, this chapter has the solution, as well as another puzzle. Enjoy!
Layton stared at the stones on the desk for a few minutes in total silence. Then he spoke.
"You need four weights. A one gram weight, a three gram weight, a nine gram weight, and a twenty seven gram weight."
Flora looked shocked. "But Professor, what if none of the stones weigh that much?"
"They probably don't," agreed Layton. "But, this is the ingenious solution. If you were weighing a six gram stone, for example, you would place the nine gram weight on the other side, and the three gram weight on the side with the stone. Nine grams on one side minus three grams on the other side make up six grams, you see?"
"I see!" said Luke, in realisation. "So by balancing out each of the weights accordingly, you can weigh every stone accurately!"
"Exactly."
Maples clapped his hands. "Amazing as always, professor. Alright, I'll believe that you are the real Herschel Layton. Now then, what was it that you wanted to ask me? Ah yea, the Shining Stone…"
He started to place the stones back into the bag. When he had finished, he put them back into his desk drawer, and sat down with the trio. He shifted through Hammond's possessions, until he found a gold, square shaped package addressed to Jake Hammond's house. It bore a white stamp with a picture of a diamond shape on it.
"This was the package that was supposed to come with the Shining Stone," he told Layton.
"Yes, I heard that Mr Hammond's will said you were to send the Shining Stone, along with packaging, here to the museum," he replied.
Hammond gave a weak smile. "Well, I managed the packaging alright, but as for the Stone…"
Hammond sighed. "Apart from some tissue paper, there was absolutely nothing inside the box. It was then I reported the theft to the authorities."
"But why does it bear Mr Hammond's address?" Luke asked.
"Ah, yes," said Maples. "This was the package used to send the Shining Stone to Jake. The same box was sent here, to the museum. That's why it bears the same address."
Just then, the sounds of a phone rang in his office. "Ah, excuse me," he said, rather sheepishly. He picked up the phone. "Maple's office."
The voice of the secretary who showed Layton, Luke and Flora Maple's office spoke. "Olive is here to see you, sir."
"Olive? Alright, tell her to wait by the door. I'll be with her shortly."
"Yes sir."
Maples hung up, and turned to Layton. "I do apologise, but some important business matters have arisen. I need to be going."
"That's no problem, sir," Layton said graciously. "Then, we shall excuse ourselves."
"I'm sorry that I couldn't be of any more help…" But then Maples' face lit up. "Actually, I suppose I could give you one more puzzle for the road."
"Excellent," Layton smiled. "Let's hear it."
"This is actually one of Jake's old favourites. It's a riddle he used to tell to the museum staff."
He handed Layton a piece of paper, with the following sentence.
"I love to mimic the right eye of my dad, which works like a radar, which is again similar to a rotator".
"There's something remarkable about that sentence," Maples explained. "Can you work out why? I think it should keep those two occupied," he said, turning to Luke and Flora, with his eyes twinkling. And with that, he opened his office door, and walked out, with the three following behind.
As Layton, Luke and Flora left the museum, they noticed Maples was now talking to a woman with very untidy hair and wild looking clothes by the exhibit entrance. Layton gave the paper a few quick glances, and then he handed the piece of paper to Luke and Flora.
"Well," he said, as they got back in the car. "Do you know exactly what is unusual about that sentence?"
"Don't tell me you've already got the answer, Professor…" Luke groaned.
"I couldn't resist," chuckled Layton. "Besides, you need something to occupy yourselves on the journey. It will take a while."
"Where are we going, Professor?"
"Not now, my boy. I'll tell you once you've solved the puzzle."
"Professoooooooor…"
"Oh, cheer up, Luke," giggled Flora. "I'll help out. How does that sound?"
Post note:So, how was it?
Do YOU know how to get the answer? If it were a game, I'd say this puzzle's worth about 30 Picarats. Here are the key facts:
"I love to mimic the right eye of my dad, which works like a radar, which is again similar to a rotator" is the sentence.
There's something unusual about it.
TASK: Find out what is so strange about that sentence.
Check the next chapter for the solution!
