polysemy
/pəˈlɪsɪmi,ˈpɒlɪˌsiːmi/
nounLinguistics
the coexistence of many possible meanings for a word or phrase.
Technically, a nut is just a single-seeded fruit!!!
On Night Three’s path where dark winds blew,
The Cop was hunting for a clue;
His notes were sharp, his mind was keen,
He studied every word’s deep meaning.
For language twists in subtle schemes—
A little trick called polysemy:
When one word wears more than one face,
And meanings shift from place to place.
He knew that “light” could mean “not heavy,”
Or “brightness” glowing soft and steady;
He knew “shot” meant one quick blast—
But also “chance,” or something passed.
And so he mused, “A ‘shot’ tonight
Could mean a clue… or end my light.”
He chuckled once—then fate struck hot:
The Mafia used the deadliest shot.
REED
Poem: "The Scum-Signal"
It flashed in chaos, sharp and brief—
A clue, a code, a kind belief.
The watchers saw it everywhere,
Though nothing physical was there.
One kind misled the town to hell—
One simply rang the warning bell.
=code word to FIND = a "TELL" (also a polysemy word)
multiple meanings: Why: In poker/mafia jargon a tell is a small cue — a “signal” the town watches. A tell can be genuine (warning bell) but also fake (a planted tell to mislead town).
RIDDLE 1 — “The Spark”
It hit at night though no fist flew,
Charged a man with something new.
It powers blades, it seals your fate,
It’s written down in courtroom slate.
1-word answer: ?
RIDDLE 2 — “The Rhythm of Death”
They called the killing the perfect one:
A strike, a slap, a roaring fun.
A record spins, a punch lands blunt—
Which word explains the scum’s night stunt?
1-word answer: ?
RIDDLE 3 — “Where Hannibal the Ledger Slept”
Beside the tide he hid the proof,
A vault, a shore, a tilted roof.
One keeps your savings safe and tight—
One banks the turn when planes take flight.
1-word answer: ?
RIDDLE 4 — “The Gambler’s Mark”
At crossroads burned a pointed sign,
A risk, a share, a rod of pine.
Wagers rise when tensions shake—
All meanings point to one… word: ?
RIDDLE 5 — “The Cop’s Undoing”
A tale was held in rigid lines,
A plot that traps, a frame that shines.
Art or trick or story spun—
Which single word links every one?
1-word answer: ?
RIDDLE 6 — “The Patrol”
The drums beat soft along the street,
The officers walked their nightly beat.
And when they caught him in retreat—
They beat him twice upon the beat.
1-word answer: ?
RIDDLE 7 — “The Prison That Rings”
He sat inside a tiny square,
A living unit hidden there.
A call escaped into the air—
Three meanings trapped within this lair.
1-word answer: ?
RIDDLE 8 — “The Bullet Clue”
The lead they carried weighed them down,
Lead guided witness through the town,
A lead detective wore the crown—
What metal word turns all around?
1-word answer: ?
SOLUTIONS
These match the earlier triple-meaning riddles.
CHARGE
HIT
BANK
STAKE
FRAME
BEAT
CELL
LEAD
IN-GAME CLUES UNLOCKED WHEN SOLVED
1 — CHARGE → Alignment Clue
Correct answer gives:
One of your suspects has been formally “charged.”
The player who received the most votes yesterday is NOT Mafia.
(Scum wouldn’t risk being top wagon.)
2 — HIT → Killer Clue
The kill last night was a “clean hit.”
The killer did NOT visit anyone else except the victim.
This mechanically eliminates players who perform multi-target roles (e.g., watchers, commuters, protective actions).
3 — BANK → Positioning / Voting Clue
“Banking on numbers” reveals:
The Mafia were NOT split during yesterday’s vote.
Meaning all scum voted the same wagon or all abstained together — great for wagon analysis.
4 — STAKE → Role Clue
One player has a “stake” in survival:
A protective role (Doc / Warden /...) is still alive.
This keeps town hopeful and narrows kill patterns.
5 — FRAME → Investigation Clue
Someone was “framed” last night.
The Cop’s N? result is unreliable.
This allows game chaos or clarifies confusion if a Cop saw “Guilty” on a townie.
6 — BEAT → Geography / Targeting Clue
The kill was on “the other beat.”
The killer targeted someone in the bottom half of the player list.
Useful in endgame paranoia conditions.
7 — CELL → Communication Clue
A “cell signal” leaked:
At least one Mafia member sent a message or coordinated last night.
In games with limited daytalk, this can hint at scum day behavior (pairings, unnatural coordination).
8 — LEAD → Final Suspect Clue
“Follow the lead”:
The Mafia include exactly one player from {A, B, C}.
You pick the three players based on your game structure.
This is the final knockout clue that points to a tiny suspect pool.
SOLUTIONS 
IN-GAME CLUES UNLOCKED WHEN SOLVED
and REED!