SHURDLE - Thank Holmes It's Friday Puzzle of the Week
Every week we'll be including one of Paul Elgood's fantastic puzzles in our weekly THIF - Thank Holmes It's Friday newsletter.
If you are not yet signed up to our newsletter simply scroll to the footer at the bottom of our website and enter your email address in the subscribe box.
If puzzles ignite your passion, then Paul Elgood's 'Shurdle', awaits you. Dive into its pages to discover exclusive puzzles and challenges designed to expand your thinking beyond our weekly newsletters.
SHURDLE PUZZLE OF THE WEEK - NOV 29th 2024
Question: Answer the questions and find the average between the numbers in the two answers. So if the answer is The Second Stain and The Sign of Four - the average is 3.
1. Number of short stories in The Return of Sherlock Holmes book & number of Granada TV Sherlock Holmes episodes/specials.
13 & 41 - 27
2. Number of Sherlock Holmes long stories & year of Basil Rathbone’s first Sherlock Holmes film.
4 & 1939 - 971.5
3. Number of marriages of Doctor Watson & number of Granada TV episodes with David Burke as Watson.
2 & 13 - 7.5
4. Year of Arthur Conan Doyle’s birth & year of William Gillette’s first performance of Sherlock Holmes.
1859 &1899 - 1878.5
5. Number of sisters in the Speckled Band & year of Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr film release.
2 & 1924 - 963
6. Age of Sherlock Holmes in the Mr Holmes film & year in which the film is set.
93 & 1947 - 1020
7. Number of District Messenger (SH Society of London newsletter) editions (as of Nov 2024) & year of first appearance of A Study in Scarlet.
448 & 1887 - 1167.5
8. Number of Garridebs & number of episodes of the BBC radio Sherlock Holmes series which started in 1989 and finished in 2010.
3 & 80 - 41.5
9. Number of Enola Holmes adaptations by Netflix & number of years CBS’s Elementary tv series ran.
2 & 7 - 4.5
10. Number of Jude law Sherlock Holmes-related film/tv credits & number of years between the publication of the Final Problem and the Empty House.
3 & 10 - 6.5
SHURDLE PUZZLE OF THE WEEK - NOV 22nd 2024
Question: This week we bring you Taskmaster. You probably know the TV show, so undertake the following tasks.
1. Decode the long story title: Gsv Ezoovb lu Uvzi. Clue - use the backwards alphabet code A is Z, B is Y and so on.
The Valley of Fear
2. Put the following Basil Rathbone films in release date order - Terror by Night, Woman in Green, Voice of Terror, Scarlet Claw.
Voice of Terror (1942), Scarlet Claw (1944) Woman in Green (1945), Terror by Night (1946)
3. Recite from memory the first seven words of the Musgrave Ritual legend (half points if you have to look it up first!)
Whose was it? His who is gone
4. Put the following Jeremy Brett Granada episodes in broadcast date order - Silver Blaze, The Illustrious Client, The Naval Treaty, The Priory School.
The Naval Treaty (1984), The Priory School (1986), Silver Blaze (1988), The Illustrious Client (1991)
5. Find the references in a Sherlock Holmes story to a Gladstone Bag.
The Man With The Twisted Lip
6. Name the members of the Worthingdon Bank Gang (Resident Patient), simply by surname.
Cartwright, Biddle, Hayward, Moffat, Sutton
7. Recite from memory the first eleven words of the Hound of the Baskervilles book (half points if you have to look it up first!).
Mr. Sherlock Holmes who was usually very late in the mornings
8. Name the 3 students from the story of the same name, again by surname.
Gilchrist, Ras, McLaren
9. Put the following Benedict Cumberbatch Sherlock episodes in broadcast date order - The Empty Hearse, The Blind Banker, The Lying Detective, A Scandal in Belgravia.
The Blind Banker (2010), A Scandal in Belgravia (2012), The Empty Hearse (2014), The Lying Detective (2017)
10. Decode the following long story title, using the same code as before: Z Hgfwb rm Hxziovg.
A Study in Scarlet
SHURDLE PUZZLE OF THE WEEK - NOV 15th 2025
Question: Below are the edited names of Sherlock Holmes characters with just the vowels remaining. Find the missing letters for each name, the number of characters of which are in brackets below.
1. eo oe (8,6) starts with S
Sherlock Holmes
2. ao (2,6) starts with D
Dr Watson
3. uo (3,6) starts with M
Mrs Hudson
4. oeo oia (9,8) starts with P
Professor Moriarty
5. Ieo eae (9,8) starts with I
Inspector Lestrade
6. i e aeie (3,5,11) starts with S
Sir Henry Baskerville
7. a oa (4,7) starts with M
Mary Morstan
8. ae Auuu ieo (7,8,9) starts with C
Charles Augustus Milverton
9. Iee Ae (5,5) starts with I
Irene Adler
10. i (5) starts with B
Billy
SHURDLE PUZZLE OF THE WEEK - NOV 8th 2025
Question: Identify and change the incorrect word in each of the following sentences. Click on each of the questions to reveal the answers.
1. Out of respect, Irene Adler was referred to as ‘the snake’ by Sherlock Holmes in A Scandal in Bohemia.
Change snake for woman.
2. In the same story, Adler was set to marry her soon to be husband, Carlton.
Change Carlton for Norton.
3. In The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual, the butler Burton was found dead in the cellar of the house.
Change Burton for Brunton.
4. In the same story, maid Rachel Hawells is thought by Holmes to be involved in the plot.
Change Hawells for Howells.
5. At their first meeting in A Study in Scarlet, Holmes perceived that Watson had recently been in Basingstoke.
Change Basingstoke for Afghanistan.
6. In the same story, the word Rach was found on a wall at a murder scene.
Change Rach for Rache.
7. The Adventure of the Redheaded League centred around a plot to rob the City and Country Bank.
Change Country for Suburban.
8. In the same story, the Bank’s chairman, Mr Merrydown, revealed to Holmes that the bank’s vault was holding a large shipment of gold coins borrowed from a bank in France.
Change Merrydown for Merryweather.
9. In The Adventure of the Priory School, the son of the Duke of Huddersness has gone missing.
Change Hudderness for Holdernesse.
10. In the same story, the Duke’s secretary Jake Wilder is found by Holmes to be behind the disappearance.
Change Jake for James.
SHURDLE PUZZLE OF THE WEEK - NOV 1st 2025
The Puzzle of the Murdered Skeleton
The Halloween Fancy Dress Ball was in full swing at the Cliff Top Hotel when a guest dressed as a skeleton was found murdered in the ballroom, stabbed to death with a kitchen knife. Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson were immediately called to solve the mystery. Four suspects were identified, each with a motive. One piece of evidence will crack the case, can you help Sherlock Holmes find it?
Suspects
Mr Tibbs: The hotel manager, discovered the body, so having raised the alarm, surely it couldn’t be him.
Mrs Burton-Granger: A wealthy widow, who pleaded that she was in her bedroom at the time, or at least she claimed to be. Although the only witness to this was now dead.
Tim: The bellboy who said he was upstairs carrying suitcases at the time, but no guests had recently checked-in.
Sēnor Tache: The ballroom dancer from Barcelona, who claimed to be on the dance floor all night but was seen on the top landing at 10pm, just before the body itself was discovered in the ballroom he’d just left.
Motives
Theft: The murdered skeleton was a wealthy businessman, with a considerable amount of money secured in the hotel safe.
Anger: An indiscreet liaison had taken place earlier in the evening between the skeleton and another guest dressed as a witch. Perhaps a spell had been cast between them.
Revenge: The guest dressed as a skeleton had fallen out with a number of other guests, including Count Dracula, whom he had had business transactions with. It was at least something to get their teeth into.
Jealousy: The guest dressed as the skeleton had won the best costume prize, upsetting Frankenstein, a couple of pumpkins and the Grim Reaper.
Deductions
Suitcase: No suitcases were found unaccounted for at the scene, so it couldn’t have been the bellboy, unless he was delivering room service upstairs at the same time.
Ballroom: The band were on a break at 10pm, so Sēnor Tache could have been upstairs at the time of the murder, perhaps feeling hungry after all of the dancing.
Room Service: Reception confirmed that at 9.45pm Mrs Burton-Granger had ordered room service for two, she must have been waiting for it – or a Spanish dancer - to arrive.
Safe: The hotel safe had been left open and the contents stolen. Hundreds of pounds were taken from the victim. The manager was last seen in the kitchen looking flush.
What Three Words Crack the Case? Looking for one suspect, motive and deduction.
CLUE: I am looking for a clue to help solve the puzzle. Click here.
Remember that the murder weapon came from the kitchen.
Ready to have the three word answer revealed along with the resolution?
SUSPECT:Click here.
Mr Tibbs
MOTIVE: Click here.
Theft
DEDUCTION: Click here.
Safe
RESOLUTION: Click here.
Sherlock Holmes called the suspects together and announced his findings. The murder had been undertaken by Mr Tibbs for the money stashed in the safe. The murdered skeleton had left a large amount of money in the safe, under his care. Only he had access to it. Meanwhile, he was the only hotel worker to have accessed the kitchen and the murder weapon was identified as a kitchen knife. In the nick of time, as Tibbs attempted to escape, Inspector Lestrade arrived and the arrest was made, with a full confession duly obtained. With that, another mystery was solved by the great detective Sherlock Holmes and the skeleton could finally rest in peace.
SHURDLE PUZZLE OF THE WEEK - October 25th 2025
We have an American themed puzzle for you this week.
1. Hartford, Connecticut was the birthplace of which notable Sherlock Holmes actor?
William Gillette
2. CBS’s Elementary series is set in which US city?
New York
3. Sherlock Holmes in Washington starred which Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson actors?
Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce
4. Vermissa Valley appears in which Sherlock Holmes story?
The Valley of Fear
5. Who founded the Baker Street Irregulars?
Christopher Morley
6. Who stars as Dr Watson in CBS’s new Watson series?
Morris Chestnut
7. Which author wrote the original Enola Holmes books?
Nancy Springer
8. Which silent era slapstick comic played Sherlock Jr?
Buster Keaton
9. Sherlock Holmes actor Robert Downey Jr once played which other star of the silent era?
Charlie Chaplin
10. Which Canadian library houses the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection?
Toronto
SHURDLE PUZZLE OF THE WEEK - October 18th 2025
Question. Can you combine two answers to make one phrase? We’re just looking for the main words/part of a title (ie ‘The Adventures of’ etc have been taken out). Then combine both answers to make a Sherlock Holmes phrase or name.
1. Sherlock Holmes - Telegram delivery boy
Sherlock Holmessenger
2. Sherlock Holmes actor - location of 221B
Tom Baker Street
3. Peter Cushing’s Watson - story from the Memoirs
Nigel Stockbroker’s Clerk
4. First of the Return - Basil Rathbone film
Empty House of Fear
5. Rathbone’s Watson - Story from His Last Bow
Nigel Bruce-Partington Plans
6. Ronald Howard episode - story from the Adventures
Shoeless Engineer’s Thumb
7. John Neville film - Basil Rathbone film
Study in Terror by Night
8. Cumberbatch’s Watson - story from the Adventures
Martin Freeman with the Twisted Lip
9. Sherlock’s sister - Will Ferrell film
Enola Holmes and Watson
10. Which Canadian library houses the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection?
Toronto
SHURDLE PUZZLE OF THE WEEK - October 11th 2025
Question. Try this quick cryptic style puzzle. Simply work out the Sherlockian references. We’re looking for the main words in a story title - so an answer would be Musgrave Ritual not the full title - and the number of letters are shown in brackets. No crossword grid, just looking for the answers.
1. End puzzle solved in waterfall (5,7)
Final Problem
2. Holmes returns to investigate vacant dwelling (5,5)
Empty House
3. Fierce creature’s hair featured in case (5,4)
Lion’s Mane
4. Hellenic involved in unravelling mystery (5,11)
Greek Interpreter
5. Sailor involved in dark Holmes case (5,5)
Black Peter
6. Another mark uncovered in investigation (6,5)
Second Stain
7. Cheating scholar involved in Holmes mystery (5,8)
Three Students
8. Truth behind identity theft (4,2,8)
Case of Identity
9. Moving figures in ciphered message (7,3)
Dancing Men
10. Fading sleuth solves critical case (5,8)
Dying Detective
SHURDLE PUZZLE OF THE WEEK - October 4th 2025
Question. Workout the Sherlock Holmes or Dr Watson actor from the four clues given.
1. New York, Saint, Octopus, 1976
Roger Moore - Holmes in Sherlock Holmes in New York, 1976 and was both the Saint and James Bond
2. Tudors, Witcher, Superman, Brother
Henry Carvill - Enola Holmes’s brother as well as in Superman, The Witchers and The Tudors
3. 1970, Lear, Ness, Toby
Robert Stephens - Holmes in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes,1970 which included Loch Ness, played King Lear and was the father of actor Toby
4. New York, 2012, McBeal, Angels
Lucy Liu, Watson in CBS’s 2012 series Elementary set in New York also appeared in Ally McBeal and Charlie’s Angels
5. Cushing, Young, Escape, 1964
Nigel Stock - Watson to Peter Cushing from 1964 to 1968, also appeared in Young Sherlock Holmes and The Great Escape
6. Higgins, Lady, Clapham, Secret
Jeremy Brett - Surname at birth Huggins, appeared in My Fair Lady, has a memorial bench on Clapham Common and starred in the stage play The Secret of Sherlock Holmes
7. Co, Abba, 2023, Waggott
Harry Attwell - Holmes in the current Sherlock & Co podcast with Paul Waggott as Watson and he’s an Abba fan!
8. Midsomer, Mr Holmes,1985, Waxflatter
Nicholas Rowe - Appeared in the 1985 Young Sherlock Holmes, where Waxflatter was his mentor and Mr Holmes as well as Midsomer Murders
9. Shoscombe, Ripley, 2009, Oscar
Jude Law - Appeared in the Granada episode of Shoscombe Old Place, The Talented Mr Ripley, Watson in the Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes films and appeared in Wilde
10. 1954, Leslie, Cunningham, Crawford
Ronald Howard - Sherlock Holmes in the 1954 tv series with H Marion-Crawford. First case in the series was called the Case of the Cunningham Heritage. Son of actor Leslie Howard
SHURDLE PUZZLE OF THE WEEK - September 20th 2024
Sherlock Who? Find the Sherlockian link to Dr Who. Click on each question button to reveal the answer.
1. Was both a Sherlock Holmes and Dr Who. Easy start, Tom who?
Tom Baker
2. Same question, but it's Peter who and where?
Peter Capaldi on the Alexei Sayle Show
3. And a third, Matt who and how?
Matt Smith donned a deerstalker
4. Three writers on both Dr Who and the BBC’s Sherlock?
Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss and Stephen Thompson
5. Which Lestrade actor in the BBC’s Sherlock also appeared in Dr Who?
Rupert Graves
6. Which famous Sherlock Holmes actor appeared in Dr Who and the Daleks in 1965?
Peter Cushing
7. And more recently, which other former Dr Who did a stint in the UK stage production of The Hound of the Baskervilles in 2024?
Colin Baker
8. Toby Jones was in both the BBC’s Sherlock and Dr Who, but what are the notable Sherlock Holmes tv and film links to his actor father Freddie Jones?
Appeared in the film Young Sherlock Holmes and two episodes of the Granada series
9. Both Dr Who and Sherlock Holmes were famous for faking what?
Their own deaths
10. Which is better, Sherlock Holmes or Dr Who?
You decide that!
SHURDLE PUZZLE OF THE WEEK - September 13th 2024
Try this quick cryptic style puzzle. Simply work out the Sherlockian references. No crossword grid, we’re just looking for the answers. Click on each question button to reveal the answer.
1.Dreadful ravine hides secret - four words of 3,6,2 and 4 letters
The Valley of Fear
2.Where detective can find bread - two words of 5 and 6 letters
Baker Street
3.Pursue a dog - one word, 5 letters
Hound
4.Actor, possibly including jetty or beer, right? two words of 6 and 5 letters
Jeremy Brett
5.Conclusion of last case, for now - three words of 3,5 and 7 letters
The Final Problem
6.Place for ancient Greek philosopher’s society - two words of 8 and 4 letters
Diogenes Club
7.Cyclist’s name in Scarlet and Four, one word, 7 letters
Wiggins
8.Final stage for retiring hero - three words of 3,4 and 3 letters
His Last Bow
9.Resident Doctor - three words of 2,5 and 9 letters
Dr Percy Trevelyan
10.Arrow heath - one word, 8 letters
Dartmoor’
SHURDLE PUZZLE OF THE WEEK - September 6th 2024
Try this quick connections puzzle. Simply work out what connects each of the four words listed. Click on each question button to reveal the answer.
1. Valley, Hound, Four, Study
Words from the titles of the long stories
2. Moore, Cushing, Baker, Cavill
Sherlock Holmes actors
3. Scandal, Dancing, Naval, Solitary
Words from the titles of the first four 1984 Granada TV episodes
4. House, Lodge, Place, Grange
Places from the titles of the short stories
5. Marion-Crawford, Freeman, Stock, Law
Dr Watson actors
6. Baker, Wigmore, Montague, Godophin
London street names associated with Sherlock Holmes
7. Handl, Stephens, Blakely, Lee
Actors in the 1970 Billy Wilder film ‘The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes’
8. Lip, Thumb, Foot, Face
Body parts from the titles of the short stories
9. London, New York, Toronto, Welshpool
Places associated with Sherlock Holmes societies
10. Miller, Liu, Quinn, Hill
Actors in the 2012-20 US TV series ‘Elementary’