P _ R _ .
T H _
L _ C _ L
H _ B _ T _ T
_ R _ _ N D
_
R _ _ L W _ Y
T R _ C K
C _ N
B _
V _ R Y
_ N T _ R _ S T _ N G .
F _ R
_ X _ M P L _ ,
S _ P P _ R T _ N G
T H _
T R _ C K
_ S
_
S L _ _ P _ R ,
_ N D _ R
W H _ C H
Y _ _
C _ N
F _ N D
T H _
L _ S S _ R
S P _ T T _ D
G R _ _ T
W _ _ V _ L Clue
PERU. THE LOCAL HABITAT AROUND A RAILWAY TRACK CAN BE VERY INTERESTING. FOR EXAMPLE, SUPPORTING THE TRACK IS A SLEEPER, UNDER WHICH YOU CAN FIND THE LESSER SPOTTED GREAT WEEVIL THE FIRST BIT IS EASY, AS THE FIRST LETTER OF EACH PLATE SPELLS WHODUNNIT IX (A CHALLENGE TO OUR DETECTIVE.) IF YOU READ THE LAST THREE LETTERS IN EACH PLATE FROM THE BOTTOM UP AND RIGHT TO LEFT YOU GET "ADVANCE EACH LETTER BY THE NUMBER SHOWN", SO ADVANCE W BY 5 TO GET B, H BY 13 TO GET U AND SO ON UNTIL YOU SPELL BUTLER DID IT THE BUTLER DID IT. MR. ELLIS KNEW THE BUTLER WAS LYING BECAUSE PAGES 35 AND 36 IN A BOOK ARE ALWAYS PRINTED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SAME PIECE OF PAPER IN 24 HOURS THE WATCH GAINED 1/2-1/3= 1/6 MINUTE. IT WOULD SEEM IT WOULD BE 5 MINUTES FAST IN 5 X 6= 30 DAYS; THAT IS,THE MORNING OF MAY 31. BUT ALREADY ON THE MORNING OF MAY 28 THE WAS 27/6= 4 1/2 MINUTES FAST. AT THE CLOSE OF THE DAY THE WATCH GAINED 1/2 MINUTE MORE, SO IT WAS 5 MINUTES FAST ON MAY 28