Mystery at DN Colleges: The Case of the Crushed Custard Cream

It’s the first week of term at Doncaster FE College. The students are buzzing, the vending machines are stocked, and the Wi-Fi is mostly working. But disaster strikes in the common room: Barry the BTEC Badger, the college’s beloved mascot (a taxidermy badger in a hoodie), has been found face-down in a puddle of custard, with a suspiciously squashed custard cream nearby. Someone—or something—has murdered the mascot.

Your job? Solve the mystery. But beware: the clues are hidden in the chaos of college life.

• Crack the case!

• Uncover the truth!

Barry was found in the common room, surrounded by empty Monster cans and a single, half-eaten Greggs sausage roll. The vending machine was out of order, flashing “ERROR 404: SNACK NOT FOUND.”

What time did the crime most likely happen?

• 8:00 AM

• 10:30 AM

• 1:00 PM

• 4:00 PM

Janine from Performing Arts says she saw someone “acting well dodgy” near the common room. “They were wearing a trench coat, sunglasses, and carrying a suspiciously large lunchbox.”

What subject does the suspect most likely study?

• Drama

• Catering

• IT

• Criminology

The custard Barry was found in wasn’t from the canteen—it was homemade. Thick, lumpy, and slightly lemony.

Who’s most likely to have made it?

• A science student

• A catering student

• A health & social care student

• A business student

Kyle from Construction says he couldn’t have done it—he was “busy welding a bench leg back on after someone tried to do parkour on it.”

What’s suspicious about Kyle’s alibi?

• Construction doesn’t teach welding

• The benches are plastic

• Kyle has never been seen in class

• Parkour is banned on campus

The vending machine was sabotaged with a USB stick labelled “DO NOT PLUG IN.”

Which student is most likely responsible for that?

• A media student

• An IT student

• A sports student

• A music tech student

Barry’s hoodie was missing. Later, it was found in the lost property box—stuffed with leaflets for the “Anime & Origami Society.”

What does this suggest about the suspect?

• They’re a member of the society

• They were trying to frame someone

• They needed a disguise

• They were cold

A fake custard pie and a rubber chicken were missing from the Drama prop box.

What does this imply?

• The crime was staged

• The custard was fake

• The chicken was the real weapon

• Drama students are always involved

A TikTok surfaced showing someone dancing in front of Barry’s body with the caption: “#RIPBadger #CustardChaos #NotMeTho”

What’s the most incriminating part of this?

• The hashtags

• The timing of the post

• The dance moves

• The username: @CustardQueen99

A note was found in Barry’s paw: “Next time, don’t forget the biscuits.”

What does this suggest was the motive?

• Revenge

• Hunger

• A prank gone wrong

• Biscuit-based betrayal