Whodunit April Fools - Hints and Solution

Now that I have solved the much more important case I was working on, I can now direct my attentions toward this case again. It took me mere moments to discover what was wrong, but I would not expect anyone else to possess my level of deductive reasoning.

If you wish to look at it again before reading my solution, here are some clues for you:

1. Look in the details. Why would they explain something seemingly unnecessary, and did they explain it correctly?

2. You are not expected to determine if the alibis are acceptable (this would require outside verification), only if they were obviously lying in the first place.

3. There may be more than one false alibi.

(possible spoilers)
4. Look at the money spent and the seating arrangements.

And now for my solution:




Moran and Irene lied.

Moran could not have spent $100 on tickets for himself, his wife, and his mother-in-law without getting any change back. 100 is not divisible by three.

Irene could not be sitting next to the child and two parents because on that side of her there were only two seats, numbers 1 and 2, and on the other side of her group were the three elderly ladies.

Clearly, they were up to something. But it would also be wise to investigate Moriarty on the strength of his name alone.

Case closed.
-Sherlock Holmes

credit to Great Book of Whodunit Puzzles by Falcon Travis for the original case