Melvin takes a major shortcut

Melvin notices that Mark is handcuffed, so he assumes that the task is to free him from the cuffs.

He immediately heads out to the shed to fetch some tools to help him, but stumbles across the party popper, which is supposed to be the second-to-last clue in the trail.

Melvin brings a toolbox and the popper back into the study with him, and opens the popper, finding the message which directs him to check the taxidermy rooster, where he finds the photo of the key under Mark’s shoe.

Melvin retrieves the key and frees Mark after just 1 minute and 43 seconds, winning the task.

(Written by Jenny R and proofread by Karl Craven)

(Illustrations collected and adjusted by: David Fuller)