Doctor Who meets Agatha Christie Part One Multiple Choice Quiz | Television

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The first clue that this was going to be a different sort of episode was when a character said "Why didn't they ask..", then noticed someone had come into the room and exclaimed "Heavens!" Which character thus subtly mentioned Agatha Christie's 'Why Didn't They Ask Evans?'?

Answer: Professor Peach

Hearing this made me really sit up and take notice, which is why I researched and wrote this quiz on my favourite episode so far, combining as it did the delicious David Tennant playing Doctor Who and the great books of Agatha Christie. Professor Peach (played by Ian Barritt) became the Wasp's first murder victim, struck down by a piece of lead pipe. 'Why Didn't They Ask Evans?', the title taken from the intriguing last words of a dying man, was first published in 1934 and was known as 'The Boomerang Clue' in the US. I'm afraid the US title gives away the interesting twist in the end.

2. Lady Clemency Eddison mentioned to Agatha Christie that she had read all six of her books. What book could Lady Eddison not have read?

Answer: The Labours of Hercules

'The Labours of Hercules' was first published in 1947, and as "The Unicorn and the Wasp" was set in 1926, Lady Eddison could not have read it. Lady Eddison would have read 'The Mysterious Affair at Styles', 'The Secret Adversary', 'The Murder on the Links', 'The Man in the Brown Suit', 'Poirot Investigates' and 'The Secret of Chimneys'. Lady Clemency Eddison was played by the lovely actress Felicity Kendall.

3. When Donna and the Doctor see where the first victim was murdered, what title of an Agatha Christie book did Donna exclaim?

Answer: The Body in the Library

In 'The Body in the Library' (published 1942), Miss Marple's friends, Colonel Arthur and Dolly Bantry, wake up to find a strange young lady dead in their library. Luckily, Miss Marple is on hand to sort it out.

4. Donna goes on to speak about the first murder with the character's name, the location and the weapon. What board game was this a reference to?

Answer: Cluedo

"Professor Peach, in the library, with the lead pipe?" This is where they realise that murder is following Miss Christie around. Donna Noble (who the Doctor later refers to as 'the plucky little girl who helps me out') is played by Catherine Tate, who is better known in the UK as a comedienne. Waddingtons' popular board game 'Cluedo' did not appear in the UK as a board game until 1949.

It is known as 'Clue' in the US.

5. Donna, still marvelling at how much this day is resembling an Agatha Christie book, then says that they'd be saying next that it was an Agatha Christie title "and they all did it". What Agatha Christie book did this refer to?

Answer: Murder on the Orient Express

In 'Murder on the Orient Express', twelve people (to represent a jury) are involved in the murder of a child-killing kidnapper that the law could not touch. Hercule Poirot actually lets them all off, so heinous was the character of the murder victim. Astute readers will notice similarities to the Lindbergh case.

In "The Unicorn and the Wasp", Agatha Christie (played by Fenella Woolgar, who was fabulous) thought it sounded like a good idea when Donna mentioned it! Donna offered it as her copyright idea.

6. The next reference to an Agatha Christie title comes from Agatha herself. On commenting that nobody has an alibi for the first murder, she says that who "remains hidden"?

Answer: The Secret Adversary

'The Secret Adversary' was published in 1922, so Agatha may have been thinking of her own book. Tommy Beresford and Tuppence Cowley, 'the young adventurers', are the detectives in this tale about a girl torpedoed whilst carrying secret papers on the Lusitania.

Although everyone thinks of Poirot and Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppence, Ariadne Oliver and Mr Quin can also be thought of as Christie detectives.

7. The Doctor saw Agatha find a piece of paper. When they examine it together, it turns out to be charred, with just a single word remaining. The Doctor asks what the first letter is and gives which two choices?

Answer: N or M

'N or M' is the only Agatha Christie book among the choices. Tommy and Tuppence are married and the book is set in World War II. It was published in 1941, and I am indebted to the Official Agatha Christie website for the information that it was written alternately with 'The Body in the Library'. Thanks to tnrees for spotting this in the episode.

8. Still musing on their lack of knowledge about the murderer, who does Agatha say remains at large? "Our _______"

Answer: Nemesis

'Nemesis' was the unlikely description of Miss Marple in this mystery where she is set a task from beyond the grave. This was the last Miss Marple book written, though not the last one published. Agatha, however, could not have 'remembered' this one in "The Unicorn and the Wasp", as it was not published until 1971.

9. The action then shifts to the kitchen, where the cook, Mrs Hart, says that murder will put the which Agatha Christie mystery title "and no mistake"?

Answer: Cat Among the Pigeons

'Cat Among the Pigeons' tells the strange story of fabulous jewels hidden in the incongruous setting of a posh girls' school. This episode made the titles part of the dialogue perfectly. It became a pleasure to listen for them!

10. The butler, Davenport, was musing on the death of the first character and wanted to know why he'd always been asking questions for his book. What Agatha Christie title did Miss Chandrakala, Lady Eddison's maid, dismiss the book as and nothing more?

Answer: Dead Man's Folly

At which point Miss Chandrakala realises something and goes outside, only to become the Wasp's second victim when it pushes a stone dragon off a balcony on to her, leaving her to gasp her final words "the poor little child". 'Dead Man's Folly' concerns a murder mystery, scripted by Ariadne Oliver, that goes wrong.

Some people think that Ariadne Oliver is Agatha Christie's alter-ego, and if they televise this story, I hope they choose Fenella Woolgar to play Miss Oliver.

11. Chasing after the giant Wasp, Donna is pleased that this time, they're chasing the monster. Agatha Christie disagrees with the 'monster' tag, saying that "It's a trick" - followed by which book title?

Answer: They Do it with Mirrors

Agatha refuses to believe such things as giant wasps exist. I am sure small children were cowering behind sofas and completely believing in the CGI wasp in this episode. 'They Do it with Mirrors' was another triumph for Miss Marple. Published in 1952, it involves an old friend of Miss Marple.

12. Lady Eddison is sobbing over the death of Miss Chandrakala, when she finds out that Miss Chandrakala had been looking for her. She explains that she hadn't found her and that Miss Chandrakala had a/an what instead?

Answer: Appointment with Death

That's one way of looking at being flattened by a stone dragon by a giant Wasp! 'Appointment with Death' (published 1938) contained a murder victim Hercule Poirot described as 'the most detestable woman he had ever met'.

13. By this time Lady Eddison's husband, Colonel Hugh Curbishley, is getting impatient with Agatha Christie and barks at her "For Heaven's sake!" Followed by what expression?

Answer: Cards on the Table

In 'Cards on the Table', the sinister host, Mr Shaitana, is found dead in a classic closed-door mystery. Colonel Hugh, who went on to say that Agatha Christie should be telling them, was played by Christopher Benjamin.

14. Suddenly, the Doctor is poisoned by his fizzy drink! (Probably a lime soda, as that's what he asked for when he arrived.) Agatha Christie smells bitter almonds in the drink, which enables her to describe the poison as...?

Answer: Sparkling Cyanide

Cyanide has a distinctive bitter almond smell, and 'Sparkling Cyanide' is the only real Agatha Christie book, I made the others up. The following scene where the Doctor 'detoxes' himself with the help of anchovies and a smacking kiss from Donna, is very funny. 'Sparkling Cyanide' was published in the US as 'Remembered Death'.

15. So, to the classic Christie-style denouement. Conducted by the Doctor in traditional, leaning on the fireplace, way, he starts by explaining that he has called them all there on this what night?

Answer: Endless

'Endless Night' is the only Christie title. 'Gaudy Night' was a book by Dorothy L Sayers, another great English mystery writer and 'It was a dark and stormy night' is how my hero, Snoopy, always starts his stories. I am also indebted to Dizzley and orlandodaddy for pointing out that this beginning was originally used by Victorian novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1st Baron Lytton) for his novel 'Paul Clifford', which was written in 1830 and which led to an annual 'Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest', sponsored by San Jose State University English Department. Agatha Christie disappeared on December 3, 1926 (not December 8, as this episode claims), which was a Friday. 'Endless Night', written in the first person, takes its title from the William Blake poem 'Auguries of Innocence', from the line 'Some are born to Endless Night'.

This is Part One of the episode - if you want to find out whodunnit, please take the Part Two quiz, and let me know if you enjoyed it!

Source: Author Quiz_Beagle

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ladymacb29 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Doctor Who meets Agatha Christie Part One Quiz

In episode 7 of the 2008 series, "The Unicorn and the Wasp!", the writer, Gareth Roberts, had a lot of fun getting Agatha Christie book titles into the script. How many did you spot?

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