THE GREEK INTERPRETERS

  Fall Meeting: February 28th, 2013, Country Club of Lansing

The Bascombe Valley Mystery



An Acrostic prepared by The Chemist
(Hyphenated words will be counted as two.)

The first letter of each correct answer, read vertically, will form a phrase.

1. Where Holmes and Watson lunched on their way to the crime scene: _______   (1 wrd, 7 ltrs)

2. The kind of cigar smoked by John Turner: _______   (1 wrd, 6 ltrs)

3. Holmes's seemed to dilate when on a scent: ______   (1 wrd, 8 ltrs)

4. The convoy cargo robbed by the Ballerat Gang: ______   (1 wrd, 4 ltrs)

5. James saw that his father's passion was becoming: ______   (1 wrd, 12 ltrs)

6. Lestrade was wearing a dustcoat and: ______ (2 wrd, 7, 8 ltrs)

7. The doctor who assumed Watson's work load: ______   (1 wrd, 10 ltrs).

8. Holmes read, took notes and meditated until the train passed: _______   (1 wrd, 7 ltrs)
  (Oscar Wilde spent a few years here.)

9. An uncharitable term Holmes applied to Lestrade: ______   (1 wrd, 8 ltrs)

10. At Paddington Holmes was wearing a long grey: ______   (2 wrd, 9 (or 10), 5 ltrs)

11. While waiting, Watson tried to interest himself in a: ______  (3 wrd, 6, 6, 5 ltrs)

12. Lestrade to Holmes, "We have got to the deductions and ______ ."  (1 wrd, 10 ltrs)

13. Holmes description of Watson's shaving of his left jaw: ______   (1 wrd, 8 ltrs)

14. Where Watson learned to be a prompt and ready traveler. ______  (1 wrd, 11 ltrs)

15. Patience Moran was the daughter of the: ______  (2 wrd, 5, 6 ltrs)

16. The murder victim was Charles: ______  (1 wrd, 8 ltrs)
  (Where was Edgar Bergen at the time?)

17. Holmes to Watson, "There is nothing more deceptive than an ______ fact."   (1 wrd, 7 ltrs)

18. After lunch, the train passed through this beautiful valley: ______   (1 wrd, 6 ltrs)

19. Some of the footprints observed by Holmes were walking on: ______  (1 wrd, 7 ltrs)
  (possibly Tiny Tim?)

20. Lestrade's left footprint showed an: ______  (2 wrd, 6, 5 ltrs)

21. Holmes' response to Lestrade's skepticism: ______   (2 wrd, 4, 7 ltrs)

22. The Queenly State in which John Turner made his fortune: ______   (1 wrd, 8 ltrs)

23. The case was referred to the: ______  (1 wrd, 7 ltrs)

24. Where in London did John Turner first encounter his blackmailer: ______   (2 wrd, 6, 6 ltrs)

25. Holmes to Watson, "I only quote this as a trivial example of observation and ______ ":  (1 wrd, 9 ltrs)

26. John Turner's daughter: ______  (1 wrd, 5 ltrs)

27. Where James spent three days before his father's death: ______   (1 wrd, 7 ltrs)
  (is it in fashion?)

28. Lestrade did not wish to become a Scotland Yard : ______   (2 wrd, 8, 5 ltrs)

29. According to James, the grey cloak lay about a dozen ______ from the body.  (1 wrd, 5 ltrs)

30. Where "Cooee" is a distinct cry: ______   (1 wrd, 9 ltrs).

31. The groom was John: ______  (1 wrd, 4 ltrs)

32. Holmes regarded this kind of aid as either worthless or biased: ______  (1 wrd, 5 ltrs)

33. Holmes states he will employ means that Lestrade is incapable of: ______  (1 wrd, 13 ltrs)

34. The train left Paddington at a quarter past: ______  (1 wrd, 6 ltrs)


View Answers


1. Swindon
2. Indian
3. nostrils
4. gold
5. ungovernable
6. leather-leggings
7. Anstruther
8. Reading
9. imbecile
10. traveling cloak
11. yellow-backed novel
12. inferences
13. slovenly
14. Afghanistan
15. lodge-keeper
16. McCarthy
17. obvious
18. Stroud
19. tiptoes
20. inward twist
21. nous verrons
22. Victoria
23. assizes
24. Regent Street
25. inference
26. Alice
27. Bristol
28. laughing-stock
29. yards
30. Australia
31. Cobb
32. local
33. understanding
34. eleven

singularity is almost invariably a clue