Cryptic Detectives Trivia Quiz

Answer: Maigret

The word 'start' indicates that we need the first letters of the following seven words 'moving around in Germany, Russia, even Thailand', which leads to the answer 'Maigret'.

The Parisian policeman, Jules Maigret, was created by Georges Simenon, a Belgian author, who lived from 1903 to 1989. Simenon wrote seventy-five novels about Maigret starting with "Pietr-le-Letton" in 1931, and finishing with "Maigret et Monsieur Charles" in 1972. There have been many adaptations of the novels for film and television. However, the BBC series produced in the 1960s starring Rupert Davies as Maigret must be deemed one of the best since it was dubbed into French and broadcast in France; also Georges Simenon, himself, gave Rupert Davies a novel with an inscription which described him as the perfect Maigret.

Answer: Dalgliesh

The word 'over' indicates an anagram; the nine letters to be rearranged can be found in 'Gill heads' leading to the answer 'Dalgliesh'.

Adam Dalgliesh made his first appearance in P. D. James' first novel "Cover Her Face" published in 1962; the last book in the series "The Private Patient" was published in 2008. ITV adapted some of the novels for television in the 1980s and 1990s; Roy Marsden played the role of Adam Dalgliesh, but P. D. James said that he wasn't her idea of Dalgliesh.

Answer: Morse

This is commonly known as a double definition clue; the word 'Morse' is used to refer to a code of dots and dashes as well as being the name of a detective.

Inspector Morse was created by Colin Dexter and made his first appearance in "Last Bus to Woodstock" in 1975. The thirteenth, and last, book "The Remorseful Day" was published in 1999. ITV produced a television series between 1987 and 2000 starring John Thaw as Inspector Morse; Colin Dexter has stipulated that no other actor should ever play the role.

Answer: Poirot

This is an anagram of the words 'tip roo' leading to the answer 'Poirot'.

Hercule Poirot is probably Agatha Christie's best known character. He is a Belgian who escaped to the UK during the First World War. The first novel in which he appears is "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" which was written in 1916 and published four years later. Writing about Hercule Poirot in her autobiography Agatha Christie said that she "could see him as a tidy little man, always arranging things, liking things in pairs, liking things square instead of round. And he should be brainy - he should have little grey cells of the mind". The last of the thirty-three novels to feature Hercule Poirot was "Curtain: Poirot's Last Case" which was written in the 1940s but not published until 1974, two years before Agatha Christie died. There have been many adaptations for stage, film and television featuring Hercule Poirot, but David Suchet's portrayal in the ITV series from 1989 to 2013, which covered all the novels and short stories, is one of the most well-known.

Answer: Holmes

Alternate letters from the words 'hood limped so' give the answer 'Holmes'.

"A Study in Scarlet" published in 1887 was the first story about Sherlock Holmes written by the Scottish physician and author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He went on to write a total of four novels and fifty-six short stories featuring one of the world's most famous detectives; most of these are narrated by his friend Dr. Watson. There have been many adaptations for film and television. These include William Gillette's portrayal in the 1916 film "Sherlock Holmes", Basil Rathbone's appearances in a series of films from 1939 to 1946, and Benedict Cumberbatch's version of a twenty-first century Sherlock.

Answer: Wexford

An anagram of 'Fox drew' leads to the answer 'Wexford'.

Ruth Rendell created the character of Inspector Wexford when he appeared in "From Doon With Death", the first of twenty-four novels published between 1964 and 2013. The first eighteen books were all adapted for the ITV series "The Ruth Rendell Mysteries" which was broadcast between 1987 and 2000 and starred George Baker as Inspector Wexford.

Answer: Alleyn

The answer 'Alleyn' can be found in the words 'valley nearby'.

Ngaio Marsh wrote thirty-two novels (published between 1934 and 1982) about Roderick Alleyn which follow his career with Scotland Yard. In the first he is a Detective Chief-Inspector; by the last he has been promoted to Chief Superintendent. Although enough information is given to identify Alleyn's date of birth as being in the early to mid 1890s, the novels are set around the time of writing, and Alleyn does not age as rapidly as he should. Some of the stories have been adapted for television. In 1977 George Baker played the role of Alleyn in a series made in New Zealand (Ngaio Marsh's home country). The BBC made a series which was broadcast in the 1990s with first Simon Williams, and then Patrick Malahide starring as Alleyn.

Answer: Fen

Starting with the second letter, every other letter in 'If we ink' gives the answer 'Fen'.

Gervase Fen appeared in nine novels written by Edmund Crispin and published between 1944 and 1977; there are also two books of short stories. Fen is a Professor of English Language and Literature at the fictional college of St. Christopher's in Oxford. Most of the first novel "The Case of the Gilded Fly" is set there, as are parts of "The Moving Toyshop" and "Swan Song". At the time of writing this quiz there have been no adaptations of any of the novels for television, but James Wilby read "Frequent Hearses" for BBC radio in 2011.

Answer: Campion

An anagram of 'Icon map' leads to the answer 'Campion'.

Margery Allingham wrote eighteen novels about Albert Campion which were published between 1929 and 1965. After her death, and at her request, her husband and collaborator, Philip Youngman Carter, completed three more novels. In 2014 Mike Ripley published "Mr Campion's Farewell" from notes left by the original authors; "Mr Campion's Fox" appeared in 2015. There have been several television adaptations. A short series in 1959 and 1960 starred Bernard Horsfall as Campion; in 1989 and 1990 there was another series with Peter Davison as Campion. Brian Smith played the part of Campion in a series featuring various different detectives in 1968. All were produced by the BBC.

Answer: Wimsey

'In the end' indicates that the last letters of the following six words 'how I scream "That's the guy!"' should be used to find the answer 'Wimsey'.

Lord Peter Wimsey appeared in eleven novels published by Dorothy L. Sayers between 1923 and 1937. Wimsey is assisted with his investigations by his valet, Bunter, whom he met while serving in the army during the Great War. There have been several adaptations for stage, film and television including two by the BBC. In the first of those, in the early 1970s, Ian Carmichael played the part of Lord Peter; in 1987 the role was taken by Edward Petherbridge. Ian Carmichael also appeared in the BBC radio series.