Category: Quiz

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7th Annual Treasure Hunt – Results

Dear all, thanks for your patience in waiting more than expected to get the results of the Hunt. Between some personal problems (I might hint that perhaps the machinations of a certain “M” are behind an unfortunate recent string of events) and the fact that many of you sumbmitted alternative answers that required a lot of time for checking and evaluation, I’m some days late: it took me twenty days when I though ten would be enough. I can only offer my humble apologies. Here are the results:

Individual Competition 

Michael Ellis (“Lobo”) has once again achieved the highest score, winning the High Honors with 56,5 points of the 60 available. Second place goes to Enrico Solito (“Devon”), who earns Honors in this category with 53 points.

Following the leaders, we have Carmen Savino with 51,5 points, Joanna Freeman (“Mia”) with 49 points, and Mark Doyle with 48 points. A mention for Alessandro Melillo, who only 24 hours before the end of the hunt realized that time was almost over and put in a valiant effort, scoring 9,5 points out of the only 10 answers he submitted.

Team Competition

Only two teams competed this year and it was a very close call. I had to examine carefully every single alternate answer and decide. The High Honors go to “The Quartered Flag” with 58,5 points; team members are Paul Thomas Miller (“Buck”) and Brad Keefauver (“Calder”).  Honors go to “The Sound of the Baskervilles” team with 57,5 points; team members are Sheila Holtgrieve (“Daisy”), Cameron Brandon, Sunny Even, Ron Lies (”Chips”) and Nancy Holder (“Diana”).

I have prepared a list of the alternative answers that have been accepted and some of those that, in spite of their sometimes wonderful and most entertaining mental effort, I had to reject. See below for the link to the file.

Let me thank all the participants for their contribution. If I were prone to exaggeration, I could say that it took me almost the same amount of time to check the many ingenious alternative answers than it took me to prepare the Hunt! But that forced me dive deep into the Canon again, and that’s always a good thing.
I must also say that I have gained some important hints from this year’s experience. Some questions were too broad and generic, others were good but could have been better worded. I hope that next time that I’ll act as Quiz Master I will remember to make use of what I’ve learned.

I hope you enjoyed the Hunt anyway and to see even more participants next time!

With my warm congratulations and regards,
Michele Lopez (“Reggie”)

Alternate_answers_acceptedDownload
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7th Annual Treasure Hunt – Answers

Hunters, dear fellow Watsonians, quiz fans,

The 7th Annual Treasure Hunt is now officially closed. I hope you had fun and you liked the questions that I have tried to put together.

We had a good number of participants; perhaps not many groups (only two answers received in that category) but we had six participants for the individual competition.

Hereunder you will find the answers enclosed. I will check the answers in the next days and the results will be posted here by the 12th of September.

The John H Watson Society 2019 Treasure Hunt – questions and answers
The John H Watson Society 2019 Treasure Hunt – questions and answers

With my best regards,
Michele a.k.a. “Reggie”
2019 Treasure Hunt Master



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The 7th Annual Treasure Hunt is open!

Hunters, dear fellow Watsonians, quiz fans,

The 7th Annual Treasure Hunt has officially opened at midnight, July 31st, PDT. I have chosen the hour as an homage to our other Treasure Hunt Master, Margie Deck a.k.a. “Mopsy” and to our Beth Gallego, a.k.a. “Selena Buttons”, who both live on the Pacific coast. You can submit your answers until midnight, August 31st, PDT. For further details, please check the Rules page.

A forum has been opened on the Quiz page for questions, clarifications, complaints, etc.  I will try to respond to any postings as quickly as possible. I will also answer to the email address treasurehunt@johnhwatsonsociety.com.
Clarifications and answers to requests will be posted to the forum.  Please check it for updates every now and then.

As I have already said, the hunt is scored on a very simple point system; 1 correct answer = 1 point, for a maximum of 60 points available. However, many questions are composed of multiple parts, so if you know part of a question (e.g. Who?), but not the other part (e.g. When? Where?), please add the part you do know to your document.  You will receive credit for each individual part of the question that is answered correctly, so 0.5 points will be awarded for partly answered questions.

I have uploaded the Treasure Hunt both in Microsoft Word (.doc) and in .pdf.
Please see the rules page for instructions for submitting your answers.

The game, ladies and gentlemen, is afoot. Happy Hunting!

Michele a.k.a. “Reggie”
2019 Treasure Hunt Master

The John H Watson Society 2019 Treasure Hunt – questions

The John H Watson Society 2019 Treasure Hunt – questions

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TH7 Discussion Forum

“I should guess that to be the Something Hunt, the local hunt (…) which has made him a small presentation in return.”  (HOUN)

This post is now open for clarifications/questions/discussions concerning the 7th Annual JHWS Treasure Hunt.
The Treasure Hunt will start on July 31st at midnight (PST) and will close on August 31st at midnight (PST).

This forum will remain open for the duration of the Hunt to discuss anything related to the questions.
Please do not post specific answers to any of the questions, not even as working hypotheses.
Any questions posted here for the Treasure Hunt Master will be answered as quickly as possible.
You can also get in touch directly with the THM by e-mail: treasurehunt@johnhwatsonsociety.com.

Happy Hunting!
Michele Lopez
2019 Treasure Hunt Master

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TH7: Third Warm Up Quiz – Answer

Dear friends,

the last warm up quiz was well received and, as usual, the sharp brains of the Watsonians came up easily with the correct answer.
The quickest was Beth, our “Selena Buttons”. Correct answers were also sent by Paul Miller “Buck” and by the SOB team (who, in their typical fashion, sent a more elaborate and ingenious explanation than necessary). Ron Lies “Chips” explored another possibility, and he went close but not quite on the mark.

Here is the answer to the quiz:
“It could be rampant or couchant, and it was also the victim of a fish. What are we talking about?”

The answer is: a lion. There is a rampant lion in VALL, a crouching lion in SECO and Count Negretto Sylvius, that Holmes described as a fish, used to shoot lions in Africa.
«Just beyond were two ancient stone pillars, weatherstained and lichen-blotched bearing upon their summits a shapeless something which had once been the rampant lion of Capus of Birlstone.» (VALL)
«“There is a seal of red wax stamped with a crouching lion.”» (SECO)
«“And is this Count Sylvius one of your fish?”
“Yes, and he’s a shark. He bites.”» (MAZA)
«“Come now, Count. You used to shoot lions in Algeria.”» (MAZA)

Congratulations to all and see you in ten days for the start of the Hunt!

Michele Lopez
2019 Treasure Hunt Master

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TH7: Tips and Tricks

Dear friends,

The seventh Annual Treasure Hunt is due to begin in less than two weeks, so I think this is a good moment to give all participants some pointers about what to expect and how to get ready to face the challenge.

The rules of the hunt can be found, as usual, on the Rules page, and there is a page with the main resources that will be necessary.

This year’s hunt will be composed of 60 questions divided in ten sections. One of these sections is composed of chain questions, like those of last year’s hunt. For some questions in this section, you will be occasionally required to skip back and/or forth a certain number of pages; therefore, a 1930 Doubleday edition facsimile (or the equivalent Penguin edition with the same page numbering) is a necessary resource. You can alternatively use one of the free online versions of the Canon where the Doubleday page number is indicated in brackets (such as http://ignisart.com/camdenhouse/canon/).

Some questions (not many) will require the use of sources of extra-Canonical informations, such as a good annotated edition, a Canonical index, or a “mainstream” encyclopedia. Your favorite Internet search engine and Wikipedia will also be very useful.

The hunt is scored on a very simple point system: 1 correct answer = 1 point, for a maximum of 60 points available. However, many questions are composed of multiple parts, so if you know part of a question (e.g. Who?), but not the other part (e.g. When? Where?), please add the part you do know to your document.  You will receive credit for each individual part of the question that is answered correctly, so 0.5 points will be awarded for partly answered questions.

Coming to a point that caused some discussions and misunderstandings in the past, there is usually a specific word or a group of words in each question that can be electronically searched, and that will lead you to the answer. This is what our other great Treasure Hunt Master, “Mopsy”, called a “hook”. However, if the “hook” was always explicit, it would take away from the fun of the game; the solution could always be found by simply putting words in a search engine and scanning the results. Therefore, the use of a synonym or a different turn of phrase will be often (not always!) used to mask the “hook”.

Let me give you a couple of example taken from last years’ Hunts:

(TH6, #40) «Many of the neighbors to [one of the houses in number 39] may have lived icily distant from it, but once Watson protested to Holmes that, as a matter of fact, it was there, and should not be tampered with. What it? [1pt] Where did Watson insist it was? [1pt]»

The answer is “Romance”, and the reference is to the passage in WIST, 882: «The other mansions belonged to prosaic and respectable people who live far aloof from romance.» In this case, “icily distant” is used as a hint to “far aloof”. Had the question included the words “far aloof”, a 10-second electronic search would have given the answer. No fun in that!

(TH5, #40) «The minister and the squire were equally able to control their rage. Name the men and the stories.»

The answer is “Lord Bellinger and Von Bork”, with reference to the passages in  SECO, 652  «“I am not accustomed, sir,” he began, but mastered his anger and resumed his seat» and LAST, 976 «Von Bork had mastered his anger» where “to control one’s rage” is used as a synonym of “to master one’s anger”.

Finally, I have tried to make a mix of easy and hard questions. On the whole, this should be an easier hunt than the one I did in 2017. So, if you find a question to which an answer seems too easy to be the correct one, the odds are that it probably is! At least five or six questions should be very transparent and straighforward to the experienced student of the Canon.

As usual, a forum shall be opened for the duration of the Hunt where you can submit requests for clarification of any doubtful point. I will also be available at the e-mail address treasurehunt@johnhwatsonsociety.com.

Happy Hunting!
Michele Lopez
2019 Treasure Hunt Master

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TH7: Third and Last Warm Up Quiz

Dear fellow members,

The game is (almost) afoot. The seventh Annual Treasure Hunt, composed of 60 Canonical questions, is almost ready. I hope that you will have fun.

The Hunt will open on midnight, July 31st, PST, corresponding to 9 a.m., August 1st, (CET) here in Italy. You can submit your answers until midnight, August 31st, PST.

As I already said two years ago, I must stress the fact that I am not a native English speaker, and so there may be obscurities and imperfactions regarding the form of the questions. I will of course be ready to help and clarify anything that might result in a misunderstanding on the meaning of certain expressions in the quiz.

In the meantime, please enjoy the third and last “appetizer” question for the Hunt:
“It could be rampant or couchant, and it was also the victim of a fish. What are we talking about?”

Since we are very near to the beginning of the Hunt, you have time to submit your answers to treasurehunt@johnhwatsonsociety.com until July 21st, 2019.

Happy Hunting!
Michele Lopez
2019 Treasure Hunt Master
JHWS “Reggie”, BSI “Attenta, Pericolo”

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TH7: Second warm up quiz – Answer

Dear fellow Watsonians,
we didn’t receive a great response to the second “Appetizer” quiz. In fact, we only had one. I suppose that the Easter holidays kept many people away.

“An excess of frankness could make it sink. What?”

Answer: Sherlock Holmes’s “poor little reputation”.

«“I begin to think, Watson,” said Holmes, “that I make a mistake in explaining. ‘Omne ignotum pro magnifico,’ you know, and my poor little reputation, such as it is, will suffer shipwreck if I am so candid.”» (REDH, 177)

Congratulations to Cameron Brandon on behalf of The Sound of the Baskervilles who sent the only and correct answer.

See you for the next preliminary quiz. Happy Hunting!
Michele Lopez
2019 Treasure Hunt Master
JHWS “Reggie”

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TH7: Second Warm Up Quiz

Dear fellow Watsonians,
here’s the second “Appetizer” quiz that will be published before the Hunt. I hope that it will be challenging and stimulating.

“An excess of frankness could make it sink. What?”

Since it’s a busy period for many of us, what with Sherlockian conventions and other things (221B Con starts in Atlanta tomorrow) you have time until after the Easter holidays to submit your answers to: treasurehunt@johnhwatsonsociety.com.
Please send your email within April 23rd, Tuesday.

Happy Hunting!
Michele Lopez
2019 Treasure Hunt Master
JHWS “Reggie”, BSI “Attenta, Pericolo”

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Gregsonian Quiz Results

Inspector Gregson
(Olivier Maguire) in “The Greek Interpreter” (Granada, 1985)

The third Gregsonian Quiz received four responses, and it proved really difficult to stump this crowd.

Congratulations to Michael M. Ellis (JHWS “Lobo”), Shiela Holtgrieve (JHWS “Daisy”), Margie Deck, (JHWS “Mopsy”), Paul Hartnett (JHWS “Scout”), and Beth Gallego (JHWS “Selena Buttons”)!

  1. In the popular 2013 series Шерлок Холмс many of the classic Canonical stories are remixed.  For instance, whom does Watson marry in this show?  Mrs. Hudson.
  2. A Study in Scarlet first appeared in November of 1887 in what periodical?  Beeton’s Christmas Annual.
  3. What is the alternate title of William Gillette’s famous 1899 play Sherlock Holmes?  The Strange Case of Miss Faulkner
  4. What was Shinwell Johnson’s nickname?  Porky Shinwell.
  5. What was the occupation of Watson’s friend Lomax?  Lomax, was the sublibrarian.
  6. If we were never to leave the Canon, we would know very little about Mrs. Hudson, not even her first name.  In fact, the Mrs. Hudson we now know was largely created not by Conan Doyle but by this popular Sherlockian author in the 1933 essay “The Singular Adventures of Martha Hudson.”  Vincent Starrett.
  7. Sesame Street has its own “great” detective in the style of Sherlock Holmes.  What is his name?  Sherlock Hemlock.
  8. Robert Downey, Jr, disguised as a chair In the final scene of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows we see Holmes in a very unusual disguise (One that is echoed in BBC Sherlock).  What is the disguise? A chair (near where Watson types)– Holmes’s “urban camouflage” blends with the fabric, design, and color of the chair.
  9. What is the most remarkable component in Professor Presbury’s rejuvenation serum?  Serum of Black-faced langur.
  10. What real life criminal organization are the Scowrers of The Valley of Fear based upon?  The Molly Maguires.

May all of your carbuncles be blue this holiday season!  If you would like to see more Gregsonian quizzes in the future, please let us know at quizmaster@johnhwatsonsociety.com.

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The Gregsonian Quiz #3

Robert Perret (JHWS “Sampson”) returns with another…

Inspector Gregson
(Olivier Maguire) in “The Greek Interpreter” (Granada, 1985)

Gregsonian Quiz

For those who, while brave, are usually out of their depths

Please note that this is a different sort of challenge from the Annual Treasure Hunt – you won’t be searching wide range of reference materials to add up to a mysterious treasure. For this challenge, try to be like Holmes: sitting in your chair working out the answers from the information in your lumber-room. Give Google a rest and see what you can answer from your own specialized knowledge!

Send your answers by email to the JHWS Quizmaster by 2nd December. Answers will be posted in three weeks, on the 3rd of December.

  1. In the popular 2013 series Шерлок Холмс many of the classic Canonical stories are remixed.  For instance, whom does Watson marry in this show?
  2. A Study in Scarlet first appeared in November of 1887 in what periodical?
  3. What is the alternate title of William Gillette’s famous 1899 play Sherlock Holmes?
  4. What was Shinwell Johnson’s nickname?
  5. What was the occupation of Watson’s friend Lomax?
  6. If we were never to leave the Canon, we would know very little about Mrs Hudson, not even her first name.  In fact, the Mrs Hudson we now know was largely created not by Conan Doyle but by this popular Sherlockian author in the 1933 essay “The Singular Adventures of Martha Hudson.”
  7. Sesame Street has its own “great” detective in the style of Sherlock Holmes.  What is his name?
  8. In the final scene of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows we see Holmes in a very unusual disguise (One that is echoed in BBC Sherlock).  What is the disguise?
  9. What is the most remarkable component in Professor Presbury’s rejuvenation serum?
  10. What real life criminal organization are the Scowrers of The Valley of Fear based upon?
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Gregsonian Quiz Results

Congratulations to those who grappled with the sophomore Gregsonian Quiz!

Inspector Gregson
(Olivier Maguire) in “The Greek Interpreter” (Granada, 1985)

In all three responses were received, from Michael Ellis (JHWS “Lobo”), Paul Hartnett (JHWS “Scout”), and Sheila Holtgrieve (JHWS “Daisy”).

There were two perfect scores and one 9 out of 10.

The players somehow knew that the name of the third Holmes brother in the Asylum film was Thorpe. I was just looking for the much pithier “Spring-Heeled Jack.”  Everyone also went above and beyond in naming all three types of Canonical pipes.

  1. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly aren’t the only comedians to take on the roles of Holmes and Watson. What is the name of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother, played by Gene Wilder?  Sigerson Holmes
  2. 221B Baker Street was NOT Sherlock Holmes’ actual address. How can we be sure of this?  “At the time the Holmes stories were published, addresses in Baker Street did not go as high as 221.”
  3. Holmes is a master of baritsu, likely the real-world bartitsu, an eccentric martial art form invented by Londoner E.W. Barton-Wright. In what story do we first hear of baritsu? The Adventure of the Empty House
  4. The shortest Sherlock Holmes story written by Arthur Conan Doyle is a mere 503 words long. What is the title? How Watson Learned the Trick
  5. One of the inspectors Holmes worked with had a rather eccentric appearance, with a peaked cap, “frogged” (braided) coat and a large bushy beard. Who was that inspector?  Bradstreet
  6. Black Peter’s cabin had one of these devices named after a figure from Greek mythology. Contrary to popular belief, this is never specifically mentioned as existing at Baker Street. Tantalus
  7. Marshall Stoddart, editor of Lippencott’s magazine, commissioned two famous novels at the same dinner. Sign of Four was one. What was the other? The Picture of Dorian Gray
  8. Watson’s eyes sparkle when he thinks of this American war, and Holmes waxes poetic about the gallantry shown on both sides. Which American war holds a romantic fascination for them? The (American) Civil War
  9. The 2010 Asylum film Sherlock Holmes is notorious for its dinosaurs. However, the true villain is just as improbable. What is his moniker and relationship to Sherlock Holmes? Spring-Heeled Jack aka Sherlock Holmes’ brother, Thorpe
  10. Sherlock Holmes is associated with the Meerschaum pipe (or perhaps vice versa) but that style of pipe is never mentioned in the original stories. Three other pipes are. Name at least one of them. Black clay pipe, a long cherrywood pipe, and an old brier pipe.

-Robert Perret (JHWS “Sampson”)

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The Gregsonian Quiz

Robert Perret (JHWS “Sampson”) returns with another…

Inspector Gregson
(Olivier Maguire) in “The Greek Interpreter” (Granada, 1985)

Gregsonian Quiz

For those who, while brave, are usually out of their depths

Please note that this is a different sort of challenge from the Annual Treasure Hunt – you won’t be searching wide range of reference materials to add up to a mysterious treasure. For this challenge, try to be like Holmes: sitting in your chair working out the answers from the information in your lumber-room. Give Google a rest and see what you can answer from your own specialized knowledge!

Send your answers by email to the JHWS Quizmaster by 31st October. Answers will be posted in two weeks, on the 1st of November.

  1. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly aren’t the only comedians to take on the roles of Holmes and Watson. What is the name of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother, played by Gene Wilder?
  2. 221B Baker Street was NOT Sherlock Holmes’ actual address. How can we be sure of this?
  3. Holmes is a master of baritsu, likely the real-world bartitsu, an eccentric martial art form invented by Londoner E.W. Barton-Wright. In what story do we first hear of baritsu?
  4. The shortest Sherlock Holmes story written by Arthur Conan Doyle is a mere 503 words long. What is the title?
  5. One of the inspectors Holmes worked with had a rather eccentric appearance, with a peaked cap, “frogged” (braided) coat and a large bushy beard. Who was that inspector?
  6. Black Peter’s cabin had one of these devices named after a figure from Greek mythology. Contrary to popular belief, this is never specifically mentioned as existing at Baker Street.
  7. Marshall Stoddart, editor of Lippencott’s magazine, commissioned two famous novels at the same dinner. Sign of Four was one. What was the other?
  8. Watson’s eyes sparkle when he thinks of this American war, and Holmes waxes poetic about the gallantry shown on both sides. Which American war holds a romantic fascination for them?
  9. The 2010 Asylum film Sherlock Holmes is notorious for its dinosaurs. However, the true villain is just as improbable. What is his moniker and relationship to Sherlock Holmes?
  10. Sherlock Holmes is associated with the Meerschaum pipe (or perhaps vice versa) but that style of pipe is never mentioned in the original stories. Three other pipes are. Name at least one of them.
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Gregsonian Quiz Results

Inspector Gregson
(Olivier Maguire) in “The Greek Interpreter” (Granada, 1985)

Congratulations to those who endured the inaugural Gregsonian Quiz!  In all six responses were received, from Elinor Gray (JHWS “Misty”), Bill Mason (JHWS “Billy”), Michael Ellis (JHWS “Lobo”), Ron Lies (JHWS “Chips”), Paul Hartnett (JHWS “Scout”), and Sheila Holtgrieve (JHWS “Daisy”).   There were three perfect scores, two 9 out of 10s, and one valiant effort.  There was only one minor item of controversy (a couple of people correctly noted that Lord Saltire ultimately rode away on a horse, not a bicycle.  The quiz apprentice had intended the answer to be Dunlop.  Either Dunlop or horse were marked as correct.).  Expect another quiz in honor of our man Gregson soon.

  1. Sherlock Holmes is not the only great detective to reside at 221 Baker Street at the end of the 19th Century. Another simultaneously called 221 ½ Baker Street home. What was his name?  Basil, the Great Mouse Detective
  2. In “The Adventure of the Red-Headed League”, Mr. Merryweather complains that he misses his rubber. What is it that he misses?  Whist, a card game, an early version of bridge
  3. Irene Adler had been prima donna of the Imperial Opera of Warsaw, where she became involved with the King of Bohemia, but from where did this adventuress originate?  New Jersey
  4. What are two good reasons to believe that there was never a blue carbuncle in the crop of Mr. Henry Baker’s goose?  “A goose does not have a crop” and carbuncles aka garnets are not blue, at least no blue garnet has yet been found.
  5. In “The Adventure of the Priory School”, Holmes claims to be familiar with the impressions of forty-two types of bicycle tyres, and even to be able to tell the direction in which the bicycle was travelling. What brand of tyre did Lord Saltire ride away upon?  Heidegger’s tyres were Palmers, James Wilder had a Dunlop tyre with a patch, but Lord Saltire did not ride away upon a tyre, he rode a led pony with special shoes to look like a cow’s hoof.
  6. In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Elementary, my dear Data” a rogue hologram of Moriarty is accidentally created after Data frustrates his crewmates by instantly solving a Canonical story. Which story did Data recognize?  A Scandal in Bohemia
  7. What is the improbable first name of Professor Moriarty’s brother?  James
  8. In the original Canon, who is the only character to refer to Holmes as “Sherlock”?  Mycroft Holmes
  9. The UCLA Film Archive restored many of the Rathbone/Bruce films, but much of this work was funded by a private individual. In particular, the majority of the funding for The Scarlet Claw came from this one person. What was their name? Hugh Hefner
  10. Only three detectives have chapters named after them in the Canon: Sherlock Holmes, Birdy Edwards, and this Scotland Yard Inspector. Who? Tobias Gregson

-Robert Perret (JHWS “Sampson”)

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Introducing: The Gregsonian Quiz

Ready for a new Canonical Challenge? Robert Perret (JHWS “Sampson”) gives us:

Inspector Gregson
(Olivier Maguire) in “The Greek Interpreter” (Granada, 1985)

The Gregsonian Quiz

For those who, while brave, are usually out of their depths

Please note that this is a different sort of challenge from the Annual Treasure Hunt – you won’t be searching wide range of reference materials to add up to a mysterious treasure. For this challenge, try to be like Holmes: sitting in your chair working out the answers from the information in your lumber-room. Give Google a rest and see what you can answer from your own specialized knowledge!

Send your answers by email to the JHWS Quizmaster by 30th September. Answers will be posted in two weeks, on the 1st of October.

  1. Sherlock Holmes is not the only great detective to reside at 221 Baker Street at the end of the 19th Century. Another simultaneously called 221 ½ Baker Street home. What was his name?
  2. In “The Adventure of the Red-Headed League”, Mr. Merryweather complains that he misses his rubber. What is it that he misses?
  3. Irene Adler had been prima donna of the Imperial Opera of Warsaw, where she became involved with the King of Bohemia, but from where did this adventuress originate?
  4. What are two good reasons to believe that there was never a blue carbuncle in the crop of Mr. Henry Baker’s goose?
  5. In “The Adventure of the Priory School”, Holmes claims to be familiar with the impressions of forty-two types of bicycle tires, and even to be able to tell the direction in which the bicycle was travelling. What brand of tire did Lord Saltire ride away upon?
  6. In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Elementary, my dear Data” a rogue hologram of Moriarty is accidentally created after Data frustrates his crewmates by instantly solving a Canonical story. Which story did Data recognize?
  7. What is the improbable first name of Professor Moriarty’s brother?
  8. In the original Canon, who is the only character to refer to Holmes as “Sherlock”?
  9. The UCLA Film Archive restored many of the Rathbone/Bruce films, but much of this work was funded by a private individual. In particular, the majority of the funding for The Scarlet Claw came from this one person. What was their name?
  10. Only three detectives have chapters named after them in the Canon: Sherlock Holmes, Birdy Edwards, and this Scotland Yard Inspector. Who?
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2018 Treasure Hunt Question Forum

Hello 2018 Treasure Hunters!

This post is now open for clarifications/questions/discussion concerning the 6th Annual JHWS Treasure Hunt. This forum will remain open through August 31. Please feel free to discuss anything related to the hunt with the exception of posting specific answers to any of the questions. Any questions posted here for the Treasure Hunt Master will be answered as quickly as possible.

Happy Hunting!

Margie

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Diogenes Club Quick Quote Quiz

‘It is for the convenience of these that the Diogenes Club was started, and it now contains the most unsociable and unclubbable men in town. No member is permitted to take the least notice of any other one.’

Hello Watsonians!

We invite you to participate in this edition of The Diogenes Club Quick Quote Quiz. As always, this little game requires no submission of answers to anyone—you are playing against yourself and the clock; it is not necessary for anyone else to take the least notice of what you do.

To play along:

–Read the quote from the Canon provided below.

–As quickly as you can, identify the speaker and the adventure featuring the quote.

–Scroll down a few inches to see if you have the correct answer.

–Leave a note in the comments, if you wish, about your answer and your time.

Ron Lies/ JHWS ‘Chips’

Margie Deck/ JHWS ‘Mopsy’

Quick quote quiz 7/30/2018: ‘Say, rather, into the region where we balance probabilities and choose the most likely.’

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Answer: Sherlock Holmes, HOUN

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Diogenes Club Quick Quote Quiz

‘It is for the convenience of these that the Diogenes Club was started, and it now contains the most unsociable and unclubbable men in town. No member is permitted to take the least notice of any other one.’

Hello Watsonians!

We invite you to participate in this edition of The Diogenes Club Quick Quote Quiz. As always, this little game requires no submission of answers to anyone—you are playing against yourself and the clock; it is not necessary for anyone else to take the least notice of what you do.

To play along:

–Read the quote from the Canon provided below.

–As quickly as you can, identify the speaker and the adventure featuring the quote.

–Scroll down a few inches to see if you have the correct answer.

–Leave a note in the comments, if you wish, about your answer and your time.

Ron Lies/ JHWS ‘Chips’

Margie Deck/JHWS ‘Mopsy’

Quick Quote Quiz 7/23/2018:

‘”At least,” said I, “it gives us another mystery, and one which is even more interesting than the first.'”

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Answer: Sherlock Holmes, MUSG

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Diogenes Club Quick Quote Quiz

‘It is for the convenience of these that the Diogenes Club was started, and it now contains the most unsociable and unclubbable men in town. No member is permitted to take the least notice of any other one.’

Hello Watsonians!

We invite you to participate in this edition of The Diogenes Club Quick Quote Quiz. As always, this little game requires no submission of answers to anyone—you are playing against yourself and the clock; it is not necessary for anyone else to take the least notice of what you do.

To play along:

–Read the quote from the Canon provided below.

–As quickly as you can, identify the speaker and the adventure featuring the quote.

–Scroll down a few inches to see if you have the correct answer.

–Leave a note in the comments, if you wish, about your answer and your time.

Ron Lies/ JHWS ‘Chips’

Margie Deck/JHWS ‘Mopsy’

Quick Quote Quiz 7/16/2018:

“I soon found out which was the window of his bed-room, and early next morning I took advantage of some ladders which were lying in the lane behind the hotel, and so made my way into his room in the grey of the dawn.”

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Answer: Jefferson Hope, STUD

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TH6: Every Link Rings True warm up game results

Hello Watsonians–

As Friday the 13th is upon us, the time for submitting responses to the TH6: Every Link Rings True warm-up game has passed.  Correct answers for this quiz — brilliantly re-named by Paul Hartnett as ‘The Singular Warm Up of the Three Canonical Percys’– were submitted by two individuals, and one team practicing for the real thing.

Congratulations to:

Paul Hartnett/ JHWS ‘Scout’

Michele Lopez/ JHWS ‘Reggie’

Sound of the Baskervilles 2018 Treasure Hunt Team– Lauren Messenger, David Haugen, Sondra Even

The answers are found below.

Many thanks for your time and attention,

Margie/ JHWS ‘Mopsy’

1–Find the exciting professional expert who generated considerable interest in his work. Who?

Answer: Percy Trevelyan

After I had graduated I continued to devote myself to research, occupying a minor position in King’s College Hospital, and I was fortunate enough to excite considerable interest by my research into the pathology of catalepsy, and finally to win the Bruce Pinkerton prize and medal by the monograph on nervous lesions to which your friend has just alluded… ‘You are the same Percy Trevelyan who has had so distinguished a career and won a great prize lately?’ said he.  (RESI)

2–With Holmes’s questioning description of [ the answer to number one] in mind, find the ahead-of-Watson smart boy who went to college. Who?

Answer: Percy Phelps

During my school-days I had been intimately associated with a lad named Percy Phelps, who was of much the same age as myself, though he was two classes ahead of me. He was a very brilliant boy, and carried away every prize which the school had to offer, finishing his exploits by winning a scholarship, which sent him on to continue his triumphant career at Cambridge.  He was, I remember, extremely well connected and even when we were all little boys together, we knew that his mother’s brother was Lord Holdhurst, the great Conservative politician.  This gaudy relationship did him little good at school; on the contrary, it seemed rather a piquant thing to us to chevy him about the playground and hit him over the shins with a wicket.  (NAVA)

3–Consider [the answers to numbers one and two], and then find the friend who fails to make eye contact, and, therefore, fails his fiancee. Who?

Answer: Percy Armitage

The very horror of my situation lies in the fact that my fears are so vague, and my suspicions depend so entirely upon small points, which might seem trivial to another, that even he to whom of all others I have a right to look for help and advice looks upon all that I tell him about it as the fancies of a nervous woman.  He does not say so, but I can read it from his soothing answers and averted eyes… A month ago, however, a dear friend, whom I have known for many years, has done me the honour to ask my hand in marriage. His name is Armitage – Percy Armitage – the second son of Mr. Armitage, of Crane Water, near Reading.  My stepfather has offered no opposition to the match, and we are to be married in the course of the spring. (SPEC)