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Tecumseh Fox by Rex Stout Trivia Quiz

Rex Stout, famous for Nero Wolfe mystery novels, also wrote several mystery novels starring Tecumseh Fox, a very unusual man. This quiz is about "The Broken Vase" and "The Sound of Murder" - circa 1941.

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

Author
aladdinjuno

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
146,016

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
161

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. In "The Broken Vase", an aspiring concert violinist commits suicide after his debut at Carnegie Hall. He was technically perfect, but the tone from his violin was mediocre. What was the reason? Hint

Varnish had been poured inside the violin, deadening the sound

His pianist was incompetent

His Oksmann Stradivarius had been stolen

The jealous stage manager ruined the stage acoustics

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Question 2 of 10

2. After Jan Tusar, the violinist, shot himself in his dressing room, the police investigation at Carnegie Hall discovered what about the violin? Hint

It was missing

It was mis-tuned

It was a fake Stradivarius

A radio transmitter was inside

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Question 3 of 10

3. A note sent to the sister of Jan Tusar suggested that a plot by Nazi supporters was involved. Fox discounted this for what reason? Hint

It was signed by Rudolf Hess

It was signed by Abe Goldstein

The paper was unavailable in Germany

A swastika on the letter was counter-clockwise

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Question 4 of 10

4. Tecumseh Fox in both novels had his home base where? Hint

An office in the Empire State building

Upstate New York - a house and land called the zoo

An estate on Long Island

An old mansion in New Jersey called the castle

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Question 5 of 10

5. Tecumseh Fox carried an assortment of business cards. They named various companies that he supposedly worked for.

True

False

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Question 6 of 10

6. The A. in A. Hicks stood for? Hint

Andrew

Achilles

Agnostic

Alphabet

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Question 7 of 10

7. In "The Broken Vase", the murderer loved rare Chinese vases but broke one [secretly] himself to give a reason to his rich wife to switch to collecting what? Hint

old coins

stamps

rare musical instruments

paintings

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Question 8 of 10

8. In "The Sound of Murder", the story revolves around a brand new industry in 1941 USA. It is everywhere today. It is... Hint

atomic research

radar

jet airplanes

plastics

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Question 9 of 10

9. In all of the stories Tecumseh Fox loves to eat oysters and..... Hint

chocolate candy

peanuts

steak

fried chicken

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Question 10 of 10

10. In "The Sound of Murder", what is Tecumseh Fox doing at the beginning of the story? Hint

busboy

taxi driver

office clerk

airplane pilot

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Varnish had been poured inside the violin, deadening the sound

The author makes the point that a concert violinist must be a strong man with muscles of steel to perform. My own thoughts give credit to the many women who have mastered this instrument - they may not look like athletes, but they certainly are.

2. After Jan Tusar, the violinist, shot himself in his dressing room, the police investigation at Carnegie Hall discovered what about the violin?

Answer: It was missing

A group of people, Tecumseh Fox included, had contributed the money to purchase the violin for the young artist. It had been purchsed for $36,000, quite a sum in pre-World War II USA.

3. A note sent to the sister of Jan Tusar suggested that a plot by Nazi supporters was involved. Fox discounted this for what reason?

Answer: A swastika on the letter was counter-clockwise

The United States was not yet at war when these novels were writtan, but in New York City tensions were high.

4. Tecumseh Fox in both novels had his home base where?

Answer: Upstate New York - a house and land called the zoo

He allowed a number of people to live "in the zoo" for free.

5. Tecumseh Fox carried an assortment of business cards. They named various companies that he supposedly worked for.

Answer: False

They had his name as A. HICKS and long acronyms such as M.S.O.T.P.B.O.M., which meant "Melancholy Spectator of the Psychic Bellyache of Mankind".

6. The A. in A. Hicks stood for?

Answer: Alphabet

Tecumseh Fox became a lawyer after college but was disbarred.

7. In "The Broken Vase", the murderer loved rare Chinese vases but broke one [secretly] himself to give a reason to his rich wife to switch to collecting what?

Answer: old coins

His wife paid for his collections; he could say he paid more for coins then their true value without suspicion and have money left over to finance his mistress.

8. In "The Sound of Murder", the story revolves around a brand new industry in 1941 USA. It is everywhere today. It is...

Answer: plastics

The scientist involved is German.

9. In all of the stories Tecumseh Fox loves to eat oysters and.....

Answer: chocolate candy

His sleeping spot in New York City is above an Italian restaurant.

10. In "The Sound of Murder", what is Tecumseh Fox doing at the beginning of the story?

Answer: taxi driver

He is hired by a woman riding in his cab after a person crossing the street at a traffic light recognizes him and shakes his hand.

Source: Author aladdinjuno

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bullymom before going online.
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