You are a proud member of Hidden Creek’s most curious secret, the Lantern & Lens Society, a discreet group devoted to unraveling the town’s long-forgotten puzzles. With access to the Society’s private archive, the Lost & Kept, you can search through old keepsakes, family ledgers, and village memorabilia that rarely see the light of day.
This month, the investigation into the historic Meriwether–Whitlock feud continues. With your help, the Lantern & Lens Society is still piecing together what caused the rift between Hidden Creek’s two founding families. All signs point to what must have been a very turbulent Ice Cream Social in the summer of 1882.
If you missed the beginning, last month’s puzzle set, The Village with Two of Everything, uncovered early clues about the families’ once-close partnership and the extent of their ruptured relations. Iris Bellamy, age 92 and the last living descendant of both families, offered to fund repairs to the village’s twin bridges if someone could uncover the cause of the long-standing feud. Naturally the Lantern & Lens Society answered the challenge.
This new puzzle set begins with a handwritten invitation to the gathering itself. It promised an afternoon of ices, croquet, and cheerful company. What could have happened at such a festive occasion to leave a mark so lasting that signs of the divide are still visible in Hidden Creek 150 years later?
This cozy mystery features a variety of puzzles: a missing letter, a word search, a sentence scramble, a light logic puzzle, and fill-in-the-blanks. It is a delightfully tangled chapter of Victorian offenses, from etiquette breaches to rising indignation, and one very lost apology letter. Enjoy!
Ready to solve! Open Puzzle PDF Need a clue? View the Solutions
What’s Next for the Lantern & Lens Society?
I had a lot of fun digging into the nitty-gritty of Victorian croquet for this month’s cozy mystery. To my surprise, the game caused quite a stir in its day. Mark Twain once called croquet “ineffably insipid”. At the same time, critics worried the game encouraged flirtation and impropriety. There were even reports of women gently nudging the ball into a better position using the hems of their skirts. Scandalous!
Next month is Halloween, and I’ve been looking forward to creating a spooky puzzle set all year. But I haven’t settled on a theme yet—so I’m turning to you, my puzzle solvers.
Full List of Hidden Creek Cozy Mystery Puzzle Sets
Catch up on earlier Lantern & Lens Society puzzle sets.
Episode 1: The Lantern & Lens Society Episode 2: The Secret Meeting Episode 3: The Village with Two of Everything
You are welcome to print the monthly newsletter puzzles as often as you like and share them with friends, family, students, or anyone you think will enjoy them. Please remember not to sell the puzzles, distribute them electronically, or claim them as your own work. Thank you!