On Sat, 24 May 2014 08:59:06 -0700 (PDT), Frank Thompson
wrote:

On Saturday, May 24, 2014 10:41:47 AM UTC-4, trader_4 wrote:

Most likely it's not behind a wall. There shouldn't be any wiring connections there if it was done to code. Far more likely the problem is a wire coming loose in one of the outlets, switches, etc that it's daisy chained through that then feed the ones that are out.
Find the other outlets/switches etc that are on that circuit, then find
the ones closest to the problem ones.

No other outlets or switches are on that circuit. This is in a 16 yo structure. My guess is that pressure of one of staples attaching wiring to stud finally touched hot wire, caused heating & hot wire finally broke.
Unless a total idiot did the wiring. that possibility is about 1 in
a million.