A Miserable Quiz on "The Miserable Mill"

Answer: Lucky Smells

In Chapter One, "Finite Forest" is added to the increasingly lengthy list of alliterative place names in the series; "finite" means "limited in supply". It is also mentioned that the lumbermill is in the town of Paltryville: "paltry" means "a small amount".

Answer: Why she could not marry him

The book, brought to him by a flock of carrier pigeons, is another small insight into Lemony and Beatrice's relationship. It is very briefly mentioned again in "The Beatrice Letters", a supplementary work to the series.

Meanwhile, the Baudelaires meet Phil and get a bad first impression of their new home, after learning they will be forced to work in the mill.

Answer: Flacutono

Foreman Flacutono's name isn't just alliterative; it's also an anagram of "Count Olaf". While some clever readers may have worked this out, the Baudelaires don't realize this and are forced to endure a long day working for this man.

(The other answers, for anyone interested, were anagrams of "Beatrice", "Lemony" and "Fernald", the last being the real name of the hook-handed man.)

Answer: A cloud of smoke around his head

Their guardian is male, short and constantly smoking a cigar; it has been suggested by fans that the cloud of smoke around his head is a disguise. As no-one can pronounce his name, he is called "Sir".

In conversation with the Baudelaires, he refuses to compromise and tells the children they must continue working in the mill, under such harsh conditions, in return for food and shelter. His business partner Charles protests, but the most helpful thing he manages to do is to offer the Baudelaires a peach.

Answer: Klaus's glasses to break

Phil's left leg is broken in a later chapter, while the other two Baudelaires remain unharmed. Klaus, whose eyewear now resembles a sculpture called "Twisted, Cracked and Hopelessly Broken", is forced to go to an optometrist.

Snicket briefly mentions breaking a Gypsy fortune-teller's crystal ball after being tripped by a police officer; avid fans may notice this could be a reference to Madame Lulu, who later appears in "The Carnivorous Carnival".

Answer: He snores loudly, despite not snoring normally

Violet and Sunny find Klaus' behaviour disconcerting, a word which here means "concerning". They will soon learn that he has been hypnotized. While many fans thought this was unrealistic, hypnosis genuinely does work, although scientists are conflicted over why it works.

Answer: Dr. Orwell

The doctor's first name is later revealed to be Georgina; her name is a reference to George Orwell, the author of a novel called "Nineteen Eighty-Four". (Careful readers may have noticed the incorrect answers to this question were character names from Orwell's book.)

The two supposed accidents were Phil's left leg being broken by a stamping machine, and Foreman Flacutono causing Klaus to break his glasses again.

Answer: Perform chicken imitations

The king, according to Klaus, responded to the command "Ramses". The information that victims of hypnotism will respond to a command word becomes very useful to Violet and Sunny later.

Other examples of hypnosis given by Klaus allowed people to play the violin without having being taught, and to write despite not being able to read.

Answer: To place the Baudelaires under Olaf's care

Foreman Flacutono told Sir that the Baudelaires caused an accident in the mill, which destroyed a valuable string machine and injured an employee. Sir says that if the Baudelaires cause another accident, they will be placed under the care of "Shirley", who has told Sir she would be happy to adopt children.

Meanwhile, Klaus was hypnotized again by Dr. Orwell, who is working with Olaf to try and steal the Baudelaire fortune.

Answer: Give them raisins

Sir refuses to let the Baudelaires call Mr. Poe, worried about the cost of the telephone call, and does not believe that Shirley is Count Olaf. Charles fails to offer anything useful, but the library he set up in the lumbermill offers something very useful in the next chapter.

Answer: Violet

"Advanced Ocular Science" contains thirteen chapters - a recurring theme within the series. According to the book's contents page, it contains 133 pages on "Winking Problems" and 103 pages on "Itchy Eyelashes", but only 32 pages discussing "Nearsightedness and Farsightedness". More useful to Violet is the twelfth chapter on "Hypnosis and Mind Control".

Answer: She steps in the path of the sawing machine

Klaus, under the control of Foreman Flacutono, is forced to operate the sawing machine and use it to kill Charles. Violet and Sunny arrive in time to work out that the word "lucky" will make Klaus do whatever they say, and "inordinate" de-hypnotises him. When Sir arrives, Dr. Orwell takes a step back in surprise and is killed by the sawing machine.

Meanwhile, another fascinating insight into Snicket's life is offered when he talks briefly about having a swordfight with a television repairman.

Answer: The bald man with a long nose

The bald man had been using a ridiculous white wig and surgical mask to disguise himself. He escaped along with Olaf by jumping out of the window in the library.

The Baudelaires are left victim to another unfortunate cycle of events, but with Phil's help are still able to look on the bright side and be grateful that Olaf's plan failed.

Answer: A school bus

Throughout the series, the image at the end of the book drawn by Brett Helquist contains an item from the next book. The school bus in this book is a reference to the boarding school which the Baudelaires enrol in during the following book, "The Austere Academy".

Answer: The edges of it are torn

The edges of the paper have supposedly been ripped by crabs. Other clues for the next book, "The Austere Academy", include handmade staples, a picture of two triplets and a jewel from a turban.