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ArchiveJuly 6, 2026Mastermind
Case File · Audit · No. 012

Daily Casefile · Audit

The Tidewater Salvage Claim

9 min

Following the grounding of the barque SS Meridian Star on the Gunfleet Sand in April 1887, salvage contractor Cornelius Vane submitted a schedule of expenses to the underwriters at Lloyd's seeking reimbursement for labour, equipment, and hired vessels. The underwriters have engaged an auditor to verify each line against harbour records, charter agreements, and the statutory rate table before releasing payment. Your task is to determine whether any line in Vane's schedule is inconsistent with the supporting records, and if so, to identify which record reveals the inconsistency.

The scene

Port of Harwich, Essex, England, 1887

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This case first aired on July 6, 2026. A fresh audit runs every morning — same rules, five minutes, one solution.