“his strange headgear” [SPEC]   Sherlock Holmes is synonymous with a certain type of hat. We don't need to mention the kind. You know what it is. But he never wore one in the stories, which you probably also know. But what about some of...

“from their East Indian colonies” [RESI]   "Asian" isn't a term that pops up in the Sherlock Holmes canon. And yet we meet a handful of individuals who lived in or interacted with residents of the largest continent on the planet. We hear...

“Going for a swim, I see.” [LION]   How many swimmers do we encounter in the Sherlock Holmes stories? Given that only one story is centered around an ill-fated swim, you might think you know the answer. Then again, you might be mistaken....

“you had been out in vile weather” [SCAN]   Think about the number of times we come across inclement weather in the Sherlock Holmes stories. It's almost like the cliched "It was a dark and stormy night." How often do we find that harsh...

"It is always awkward doing business with an alias." [BLUE]   Back in Episode 96, we chatted about the many disguises and other identities of Sherlock Holmes. But what about other people in the Canon who played dress-up? Whether they were trying...

“this young stranger from Canada” [HOUN]   Canadians are so polite. Why, Sir Henry barely complained of being killed by his family's legendary spectral hound. Where do we find Canadians and Canadian influences in the Sherlock Holmes...

“a very different level to your Majesty” [SCAN]  "The Adventure of the Dancing Men" has a similar theme to that of "The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor": a British gentleman and his flighty American bride with her checkered past. Is there...

“excellent wild-duck shooting” [GLOR]  When we think of English country estates, it's only natural to think of outdoor activities. In many cases this included the pastimes of hunting and shooting. Where in the Sherlock Holmes stories do we...

“three times repeated” [FIVE]  There's a familiar plot device that runs throughout a number of Sherlock Holmes stories. That number is three, but do you know which stories make use of it? We discuss this recurring theme, where it's the most...

"he was bearded" [SIGN]   Well this is embarrassing. As we finished our editing and prepared to leave for a business trip, we realized one critical fact about this topic: we've already talked about it (in Episode 105). Nevertheless, we...