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Quiz about Monty Egg and His Rhyming Couplets

Monty Egg and His Rhyming Couplets Quiz

Dorothy L Sayers, the creator of Lord Peter Wimsey, also created the detective Montague Egg, a travelling salesman fond of rhyming couplets. This quiz is about him - enjoy!

A multiple-choice quiz by Quiz_Beagle. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Quiz_Beagle

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
247,398

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
10 / 15

Plays
369

Awards
Top 10% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Who is Montague (Monty) Egg a travelling representative for? Hint

Grace Brothers' Stores

Plummet & Rose, Wines and Spirits

Marks & Spencers lingerie department

Swan & Edgar

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Question 2 of 15

2. Where do Monty Egg's famous rhyming couplets come from? Hint

The Little Book of Rhyming Couplets

The Salesman's Handbook

Palgrave's Golden Treasury

Rhyming Couplets for Fun and Profit

3. In the story 'The Poisoned Dow '08', Monty realises the butler is the murderer when calls Monty "sir", instead of telling him to go to the back door as he did on his last visit. What word or words finish this couplet that Monty quotes? 'Whether you're wrong or whether you're right, it's always better to be ______' Hint

polite

a knight

in sight

alight

NEXT>

Question 4 of 15

4. From the story 'Sleuths on the Scent', what word or words begins this rhyming couplet? '_____ to learn means ready to earn' Hint

Eager

Ready

Easy

Hard

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Question 5 of 15

5. In 'Murder in the Morning' Monty is warned by a fellow traveller that he'll be wasting his time. His reply? Hint

Don't let the grass grow under your feet; go and sell that whisky neat

I am such a good sales man; I'll always try where ever I can

If I try, I know I'll get by

Don't let the smallest chance slip by; you never know until you try

NEXT>

Question 6 of 15

6. What word is missing from this couplet, quoted in 'Death in the morning'? 'A ________ voice and ________ look put orders in the order book'.

Answer: (One Word - not sad!)

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Question 7 of 15

7. What word is missing from the following couplet, from 'Death in the Morning', when Monty has revealed his brainwave about the garage clock? 'The ________ who will use his brains will spare himself a world of pains' Hint

salesman

Monty

person

Montague

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Question 8 of 15

8. In the story 'One too Many' what, according to 'The Salesman's Handbook', 'may well give the buyer pause'? Hint

horseshoe nails and Santa Claus

bitten nails and muddy paws

bitten nails and grubby claws

too long nails and laquered claws

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Question 9 of 15

9. In 'Murder at Pentecost', Monty learns something that (of course) makes him make up a rhyming couplet. Rather than inflict another one on you, I'll ask you what he learned. Hint

Not to call an undergraduate an undergrad

Not to smoke before the Queen's toast

Not to pass the port the wrong way

Not to wear a made-up bow tie

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Question 10 of 15

10. For once, in 'Murder at Pentecost', neither 'The Salesman's Handbook' nor Monty are responsible for this couplet: "To call the university the 'varsity is out of date, if not precisely narsity". Who is? Hint

Flathers

Radcott

Dr Greeby

Mr Temple

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Question 11 of 15

11. What word is missing from this couplet, that Monty professes to admire very much, in 'Murder at Pentecost'? '__________ plays a major part in making up the salesman's art' Hint

Discretion

Lying

Cheating

Cosmetics

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Question 12 of 15

12. In 'Maher-Shalal-Hashbaz', what makes Monty recite this? 'It's hard to reassure, persuade or charm the customer who once has felt alarm' Hint

A stampeding rogue elephant

A cusomer frightened by Monty's couplets

A cheated customer

A cat up a tree

NEXT>

Question 13 of 15

13. What colour was Maher-shalal-hashbaz? Hint

Tabby

Black

Ginger

White

NEXT>

Question 14 of 15

14. After discovering what John Doe had done with the animals, but with no proof of murder, does Monty decide to do something?

Yes

NEXT>

Question 15 of 15

15. What is the first and last aphorism in 'The Salesman's Handbook', which can really apply to Monty's life? Hint

To Serve the Public is the aim Of every salesman worth the name

To do a good deed every day Is the happy salesman's way

To screw the customer is the aim Of every salesman worth the game

A salesman is a joy to find Especially one with a detective mind

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who is Montague (Monty) Egg a travelling representative for?

Answer: Plummet & Rose, Wines and Spirits

Monty travels the country selling fine wines and spirits (and getting involved in mysteries which he invariably helps to solve). The incorrect answers are or were real or fictional British stores.

2. Where do Monty Egg's famous rhyming couplets come from?

Answer: The Salesman's Handbook

"Palgrave's Golden Treasury" is a fine book of poetry - somehow I can't see the doggerel Monty spouts getting in! I wonder if modern salesmen have this sort of thing?

Answer: polite

The last time Monty had called the butler had addressed him as "young fellow". As Monty says, "a bad policy".

4. From the story 'Sleuths on the Scent', what word or words begins this rhyming couplet? '_____ to learn means ready to earn'

Answer: Ready

I know, dreadful. But this story does contain an interesting way of opening a perfume bottle to try scent - hitching the stopper out with your little finger, pouring a drop of perfume into your other palm and replacing the stopper in one movement. Try it yourself - you'll look like a professional!

5. In 'Murder in the Morning' Monty is warned by a fellow traveller that he'll be wasting his time. His reply?

Answer: Don't let the smallest chance slip by; you never know until you try

I'm afraid the other three examples of hideous cheerfulness come from my own (warped) mind.

6. What word is missing from this couplet, quoted in 'Death in the morning'? 'A ________ voice and ________ look put orders in the order book'.

Answer: Cheerful

He is so relentlessly upbeat! Personally, a constantly grinning salesman would put me right off..

Answer: salesman

What else would you expect from 'The Salesman's Handbook'?

8. In the story 'One too Many' what, according to 'The Salesman's Handbook', 'may well give the buyer pause'?

Answer: bitten nails and grubby claws

The other side of this is, of course (!) 'Well-kept hands that please the sight seize the trade and hold it tight'. Monty, naturally, has well-kept hands.

9. In 'Murder at Pentecost', Monty learns something that (of course) makes him make up a rhyming couplet. Rather than inflict another one on you, I'll ask you what he learned.

Answer: Not to call an undergraduate an undergrad

Apparently to do this makes one sound like a commercial traveller - obviously a sensitive point with Monty! The three wrong answers are also heinous crimes in Society's eyes. The couplet Monty made up (you didn't think you'd escape it?): 'To call an Oxford man an undergrad proclaims you an outsider and a cad'.

Answer: Radcott

At least he apologised for the rhyme! Of the wrong answers, Flathers is a character in the story and the other two are murderer and victim. You'll have to read the story to find out which is which.

11. What word is missing from this couplet, that Monty professes to admire very much, in 'Murder at Pentecost'? '__________ plays a major part in making up the salesman's art'

Answer: Discretion

It finishes up 'for truths that no one can believe are calculated to deceive'. Monty thinks that's rather subtle - I think it's nearly incomprehensible!

12. In 'Maher-Shalal-Hashbaz', what makes Monty recite this? 'It's hard to reassure, persuade or charm the customer who once has felt alarm'

Answer: A cat up a tree

Monty rescues the cat and it goes on to save itself from death in this tale, which is actually quite chilling.

13. What colour was Maher-shalal-hashbaz?

Answer: Ginger

The evil Mr. Doe tries to offer less because of the colour but our hero Monty is having none of it!

14. After discovering what John Doe had done with the animals, but with no proof of murder, does Monty decide to do something?

Answer: Yes

He doesn't know if the crime was murder, but he is determined to find out and get John Doe tried, if possible.

15. What is the first and last aphorism in 'The Salesman's Handbook', which can really apply to Monty's life?

Answer: To Serve the Public is the aim Of every salesman worth the name

I hope I haven't put anyone off the stories. Although the couplets sound dreadful out of place (and hasn't writing this made me realise how dreadful!), Monty Egg is an engaging detective, and some of the crimes ingenious.

Source: Author Quiz_Beagle

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