Tantalus wrote:

Have you ever heard of any normal foods? You know, like pizza, hamburgers, lasagna, fruit, vegetables... 

Hamburgers? How american!
I only eat beefburgers! 

Cheeseburgers?
What actually is a cheeseburger? Isn't it just like a burger with cheese on top...?

well here is mine.   I  did the best I could.   It was an exciting journey,  having to read some of the old tales again.   Thank you for a wonderful quiz!!   And I  hope you will explain the Bonus question fully.  Sorry to say,  but this kitty was clueless about that!!   


1. Every story has a beginning. What words did Dr. Watson first hear Holmes say?

A---In  Study in Scarlet,  Holmes greeted  Watson,  shook his hand,  and said,  “how are you? You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.��   


2. Ladies (especially), what colour are the eyes of our detective friend (bonus points if you tell the story in which this information is found)?

A---Holmes has grey eyes.  Don’t know what story,  sorry!!   


3. Each story (or nearly so) gives us a glimpse into Holmes' special deductive powers. What brilliant deduction is the very first one that, through Watson's eyes, we get to see?

A---  In Study of Scarlet, Watson is amazed by Holmes’s discovery of a new test for blood stains,  whether they are old or new.   A haemoglobin test,  or something. 


4. Most of the stories have Dr. Watson as narrarator. Four of them do not. Which are they, and, for those, who relates each drama?

A--The Adventure of the  Blanched Soldier  and The Adventure of the Lion’s Mane were both narrated by Holmes;   “The Mazarin Stone��   and “His Last Bow��   were narrated in the third person,  we don’t know by whom.   


5. Easily, the most popular image of Sherlock Holmes is with his deerstalker hat, Inverness cape, and calabash pipe. In which canon story do we first see Holmes portrayed in this manner?

  A---I think it was The Boscombe Valley Mystery.   


6. No one would call Dr. Watson an immoral man, but we do see hints of one particular vice in stories such as "The Dancing Men" and "Shoscombe Old Place". What weakness do these stories (and perhaps one or two others) suggest or show?

A---Dr. Watson is a gambling man…he likes to bet on horses sometimes…he sometimes spends his army pension unwisely. 


7. The best-known illustrator of the stories that appeared in The Strand magazine was a relatively unknown artist. Name the man who gave Holmes his handsome, scholarly, dignified aura.

A--- Sidney Paget 


8. All good things must come to an end. What is the last case (chronologically) that we see Holmes and Watson solving as one unit? 

  A--- His Last Bow  was the story.     


9. Related to Holmes retirement, Dr. Watson tells us that Holmes has removed to the Sussex Downs, and occupies himself primarily in two fields of study. What are these two fields?

A--- beekeeping and writing a book upon the subject.  He also  used his retirement to study philosophy and agriculture.   


10. Yikes! Almost done... Watson leaves the rooms at 221B Baker Street at one point, and then returns to live with Holmes again later. Why did he come back, and why did he originally go?

A---After they solved the mystery in The Sign of Four,  in 1887, Watson married Mary Morstan.  Then,  after she died  (1893)  He came back to live with Holmes when he found Holmes alive and well  in the Adventure of the Empty House  (1894)   


11. Moriarty, arch-nemesis of Holmes, never actually meets Dr. Watson. He gets all his information about the professor from Holmes. What is unusual about the way Holmes introduces Watson to Moriarty in the canon? I suspect this question might be hard to follow. I can't make my meaning more clear without giving away the answer. PM me if you wish, and I'll give any hints that I can.

A---In  “The Final Problem��   Holmes appears at Watson’s consulting rooms late at night, and asks Watson to draw the curtains closed.  He then tells Watson the tales of Moriarty,  and that Moriarty was after him, armed with something they called an ‘air-rifle’ back then.    


Bonus: Hidden within the questions themselves is a clue as to what Holmes himself might think of this quiz. Can you find it? Note: If you think you know, feel free to post your answer, but please give us a ***Spoiler*** alert so as not to ruin the fun for others.

A---Sorry,  I have no clue as to this one.      

Last edited by sherlockskitty (June 15, 2012 1:43 am)

Tantalus wrote:

Thanks, kitty! Do you want to know how many you have correct, or shall we wait 'til I post the answers?

I want to wait until you post the answers.    Then you may pour my master  a proper cup of tea  and tell me.

Molly--  yes cheeseburgers are hamburgers disguised  with cheese...thus the name cheeseburgers.

Last edited by sherlockskitty (June 15, 2012 4:41 am)

I am going to post now, though I cannot be sure of one of the answers.

1. 'I've found it! I've found it! '

2. Grey (Gray for American readers).

3. Study in Scarlet deduction about Doctor Watson himself, Afghanistan etc.

4. The Blanched Soldier and The Lion's Mane (Sherlock Holmes narrates), His Last Bow and The Mazarin Stone (third person).

5. The Boscombe Valley Mystery.

6. Guessing betting (on billiards).

7. Sidney Paget.

8. His Last Bow.

9. Beekeeping and writing a definitive work on investigation.

10. Watson leaves when he marries and returns when his wife dies.

11.(oops) Dr.Watson is introduced, as it were, to Moriarty by Sherlock Holmes suggesting they go on holiday out of the country.

Bonus: the initial letter of each question makes up the word 'ELEMENTARY'.

I really enjoyed researching this quiz. Brilliant job by the setter.

Last edited by Davina (June 15, 2012 1:18 pm)

Ooh, some good research (or, I suspect, just plain, good ol' knowledge) going on here. Look for the results in around 12 hours or so...

Right...here's my contribution:

1. "I've found it, I've found it" was what Watson first heard Holmes saying

2. Sherlock's eyes are grey, but I don't know what story it's from

3. The first deduction would probably be "You have been in Afghanistan I percieve" from A Study In Scarlet

4. The 4 stories that don't have JW as narrator are The Blanched Soldier, The Lion's Mane (both narrated by SH), the Mazarin Stone and His Last Bow (both in the 3rd person)

5. Silver Blaze features the deerstalker and cape as traditionally the deerstalker was a hat worn in the country. I'm pretty sure it's the ONLY Canon story that features it, the cape, deerstalker and pipe image was basically invented by William Gillette.

6. Watson enjoys playing billiards, investing in stocks and shares, and gambling on horse and dog racing

7. Sidney Paget is the illustrator of all those amazing drawings

8. When you said chronologically I was a little confused as to whether you meant, the last story in the canon, or the last case in the SH world...So the last story in the canon is Shoscombe Old Place but the last case would be His Last Bow. (I think... )

9. According to The Last Bow, Sherlock's retirement hobbies are "bees and books"

10. Watson leaves Baker Street when he gets married, and returns after his wife dies.

11. I don't know if this would be classed as particularly unusual or not...But Holmes arrives at Watson's practice, proceeds to close all the blinds because of snipers and then asks "You have probably never heard of Professor Moriarty?"

I know the secret code thingy as well...Is everyone else posting it or are we sending it through PMs?

OK then....

ELEMENTARY

Oh. Ohhh. *sudden SH realisation moment* That's clever. Is it clever? Why is it clever?

I know what it is. 

And yes, it's cheesy....

....and not canon.