The Art of Observation and Deduction

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. In "The Blue Carbuncle", how is Holmes able to tell from Henry Baker's hat that his wife does not love him anymore? The hat is stained with tallow The hat is very dusty The hat-securer is broken There are ink-stains on the hat

2. In "The Yellow Face", Holmes examines a pipe. How can he tell that its owner values that particular pipe? He has kept it on a special pipe-rack The pipe has been meticulously cleaned after every use The pipe has been broken twice, and repaired with silver bands He has replaced the stem with one of genuine amber

3. After studying a golden pince-nez left at a murder scene, how was Holmes able to tell that its owner had made two visits to the optician? The cork on the clips had been replaced separately Both of the glasses had been replaced, within a month of each other The pince-nez had been broken and mended on two occasions The first time to get the glasses, then to replace them after they were lost

4. It was very clear to Holmes that Mr. Trevor, who had been involved with the "Gloria Scott", had been fearing for his life for the last year or so. Why? He had gotten a habit of patting his pocket where he kept his revolver His boot had a bulge, revealing where he carried a hidden dagger He had installed bullet-proof windows in his house The head of his cane had been filled with lead

5. In "The Disappearance Of Lady Frances Carfax", Holmes can be certain that Watson shared a cab with someone earlier that morning. What gave Watson away? The distinct tobacco smell surrounding him He had not bought a paper that morning The mudstains on the side of his coat The mud on his shoes

6. When Watson bought his practice in Paddington, just before "The Adventure of the Stockbroker's Clerk" he had a neighbour who also was a doctor. Holmes could see that Watson had gotten the best practice by what feature of the building? The front steps were more worn A new doorbell on an old door indicated that the old bell had been worn out The pavement in front was worn from cab wheels The new, expensive furniture spoke of a doctor who could afford luxuries

7. Holmes knew right from the start the initials of Black Peter's murderer. Where did he find them? In the notebook that was lying in Peter's blood On the harpoon stand the murderer snatched his weapon from On the letterhead of the letter Inspector Stanley summoned Holmes with On a sealskin tobacco pouch on Black Peter's table

8. The unhappy John Hector MacFarlane from "The Norwood Builder" was someone Holmes claimed to know nothing about, except that he was a bachelor, a Freemason, a solicitor and an asthmatic. What gave away the Freemasonry? An arc-and-compass breastpin A small charm on his watch-chain The scar that was burned into his forearm The paper sticking out of his pocket

9. Miss Mary Sutherland gave away her business ("A Case of Identity") as a delicate love matter before she had even opened her mouth. How? Her boots were mismatched, and half-buttoned She practically ripped the bell wire off when she rang the door She had an ink-stain covering a tear in her glove She was pacing back and forth on the pavement before entering 221 B

10. Watson decided at an early stage (just prior to the events described in "The Sign of Four") to challenge Holmes' skills in observation and logical deduction by handing him a gold watch and asking what he could deduce from it. Who was the original owner of this watch? Watson's brother Watson's father The victim in the Camberwell poisoning case Victor Hatterley, the engineer with a severed thumb