Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Miss Jane Marble was sitting in her favourite armchair, enjoying her afternoon cup of tea and cucumber sandwich. The windows were wide open on that warm July afternoon. Her mind drifted slightly as she was very saddened to hear the news just given by her nephew, Inspector Spercy Spox. Lord Humpty Harley of St Molly's Mead Manor was dead! Murdered! "How did he die?" asked Miss Marble, still shocked that the most respected person in the small hamlet was dead. "He was poisoned, m'dear", replied Inspector Spox with a splutter, his false teeth rattling as they were rather loose and wobbly. "So, will you help me investigate this dastardly deed to help bring the culprit to justice?" "Good grief, of course I will my dear man" replied Miss Marble. "We will start interviewing the suspects at 6 o'clock sharp this evening."
At 6pm Doctor Horace Haddock (the old family friend):
"When did I last see Lord Humpty Harley? Well, I saw him briefly yesterday morning when I delivered the daily newspapers to the Manor and he seemed quite fine then. Spoke to that young scoundrel Jack Daniels while I was there. He seemed very interested in my work all of a sudden, harrumph. Lord Harley phoned me a little later, early afternoon I think, and he sounded very distressed, very distressed indeed. Said he had a personal problem he wanted to discuss with me, harrumph. I told him I couldn't meet up for the rest of that day as I had to attend the university campus and lecture a group of my second year biology students on the scientific study of Coprinopsis atramentaria. That is the common ink cap mushroom to you, my dear lady. Fascinating subject, harrumph!"
What is the study of mushrooms called?
2. 6.20pm Lady Clementine Clancy-Harley (the young wife)
"Where was I last night? Can you keep my very naughty secret? Well, I was with a Jack Daniels. I have always had a soft spot for him and he is such a fun guy, my darlings! Ever since my dear husband had his stroke two years ago, I have had to find male company elsewhere, if you catch my drift. We had a spiffing evening at the nightclub in the neighbouring town of Nether St Molly's, danced the night away to our favourite songs, "With or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". We, um, stayed at Jack's flat for the rest of the night. I arrived back home at 10am this morning only to hear the terrible news about dear Humpty."
Which group had a 1987 hit with the songs which Lady Clementine danced to?
3. 6.40pm Jack Daniels (the local businessman)
"I wish I had thought about killing him, har, har, har! Yes, yes, I know this is a very serious business. Sadly the friendship between the two of us went downhill after he turned down my offer to purchase some of his land. I had a small enterprise I wanted to set up but he put a kibosh on that idea. I last saw old Harley at around 5pm last night and we shared a quick drink. They said he drank two bottles of whisky a day, but it wasn't true. He had to scotch those rumours right away, har, har, har! His doctor told him not to drink any alcohol, but I was the only person he would have a secret tipple with. He was going through a few, er, personal problems, har, har, har! After I left the Manor, I spent the evening and night with a lady friend, har, har, har!"
Which area in Scotland is famous for its whisky?
4. 7.05pm Lottie Lace (the niece)
"Poor Uncle Humpty! I am completely gobsmacked about his death as he took me in when I was orphaned at nine years old along with my twin brother, Monty. He is out of the country right now visiting friends, Monty that is and not Uncle Humpty. Poor Uncle Humpty is dead! He was such a teddy bear and wouldn't hurt a fly, Uncle Humpty that is and not my brother Monty. Oh, dear! I do so easily get confused! The last time I saw him, Uncle Humpty that is, was last weekend for Sunday lunch. It is the only time I can get away from my dearies as they take up so much of my time. Dearies? Oh, sorry, I meant to say the old ladies I visit with their meals on wheels. I run the Fairy Circle, a women's voluntary group set up by Dr Haddock. We come to the aid of old people in St Molly's Mead, delivering meals, library books, and so on. I call them my dearies, my sweet little old ladies they are. I stayed with one of them last night as she was having dreadful problems with her inflamed liver."
What is the medical name for inflammation of the liver?
5. 7.20pm Monty Morel (the nephew)
Ring ring! Ring ring! "You have reached Monty Morel on St Molly's Mead 6528. I am out of the country until the end of November, visiting friends in Saudi Arabia. If you would like to leave an answer phone message then please do so after the tone." Beep!
Which of these cities is Monty Morel likely to visit?
6. 7.30pm Reverend Brent Bundle (the local vicar)
"It was such a shame to hear this sad news. Known him for over 30 years, you know. He was a remarkable chap, always willing to help an old friend in need. What time did I find the body? Well, let me think. Ah, yes I remember now. It was between 8am and 8.30am this morning. His skin was still slightly warm when I checked his pulse so I knew he had only been dead a short while, an hour at most. He asked me to pop in to visit as he wanted to discuss a very sensitive subject. He was changing his will after he found his wife 'in flagrante delicto' with that bounder, Jack Daniels. Where was I last night? Well I spent a quiet evening with my wife celebrating our wedding anniversary. We had some delicious home made tapenade, crusty French bread and then shared a box of chocolate truffles. My dear lady wife gave me a lift here this morning and she is in the kitchen now trying to console poor Mavis and Tuppence."
Which of the following is the main ingredient in tapenade?
7. 7.55pm Mavis Dinglebat (the cook)
"Poisoned? I hope you don't think my cooking poisoned his lordship? Tuppence helped me cook his favourite bubble and squeak with toast for breakfast yesterday morning. I also gave him a small portion of grilled ink cap mushrooms which young Jack found in the woods that morning. I even ate a portion of mushrooms myself and they haven't poisoned me, have they? Have they, sob! His lordship went out after that and I never saw him again, sob! I retired to my private rooms at about 7.30pm to read my favourite book and I remember Tuppence returning home just before 10pm. We both had a nice cup of tea and admired her new engagement ring before we settled down for the night. I never drink alcohol because it gives me chronic wind, lordy no! I dreamt all night of dirty grimy workhouses and poor young pickpockets. I was glad to wake up when I heard the Reverend start banging on the front door at 8am this morning."
Which of these books did Mavis Dinglebat read?
8. 8.15pm Rafe Raffles (the inn keeper)
"I was always so jealous of Lord Humpty Harley because I have loved Lady Clementine since I was 18 years old and she was just sweet 16. Neither of them knew of my feelings. I even went as far as making her a unique pearl necklace from several oysters I caught in the South Seas during a fishing trip in the 1970s. I last saw Lord Harley at lunchtime yesterday when he came to the inn to discuss an offer he had received for his land. Dreadful business that was, I can promise you. He walked in the front door and the first person he saw was dear Lady Clementine talking very animatedly with Jack Daniels. They were not discussing anything platonic by the look of their body language. Harley stumbled back outside the door and then I heard the screeching of car wheels as he sped out of the drive. That was the last I saw of him."
By which of these measurements is a pearl weighed?
9. 8.30pm Tuppence Trimbledore (the maid)
"I helped Mrs Dinglebat with the breakfast and dishes yesterday morning and then I went to London as it was my afternoon and evening off work. I met my boyfriend at Portobello Road and we had lunch in a small café by the old antique shop. I was so excited as I knew he was going to propose to me! He even got down on one knee and I don't know which of us was crying the most. He then took me to the cinema and we watched that thriller with Angelina Jolie, the one where she played a spy on the run from the CIA. I must have got back to the Manor at around 10pm. I couldn't sleep all night as I was that excited and even Mrs Dinglebat snoring couldn't spoil my fun. I heard nothing all night."
Which film did Tuppence Trimbledore watch at the cinema?
10. 9pm Who killed Lord Humpty Harley?
"Well", said Inspector Spox, looking rather perplexed. "We have interviewed as many people as we can and I still don't know who our culprit is and how they poisoned Lord Humpty Harley."
"Just look at the clues by reading through all the statements again", replied Miss Marble excitedly, "and you will see exactly who killed his Lordship."
Have you come to the same conclusion as Jane Marble? Was it Horace Haddock, Jack Daniels, Clementine Clancy-Harley, Brent Bundle, Lottie Lace, Monty Morel, Mavis Dinglebat, Rafe Raffles or Tuppence Trimbledore?
Just answer by putting their first name into the box below (Horace, Jack, Clementine, Brent, Lottie, Monty, Mavis, Rafe or Tuppence).
Source: Author
Plodd
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor
Pagiedamon before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.