⏳ Minute Mysteries
Welcome to Minute Mysteries. The place where riddles and solving crime live. First book, Minute Mysteries (Detectograms) written by H. A. Ripley where he wrote 71 of these kinds of mysteries back in 1932.
The below are my attempt at writing my own minute mysteries, by studying the 71 that were first created. I’m sure my early attempts won’t be great but practice makes perfect.
I’ll be sharing my attempts on Substack Notes and here as well, so you might want to bookmark this page. I’m not 100% sure yet if these will be sent as emails as I’m not sure how much time I’ll be able to commit to writing these.
It would be well for the reader interested in successfully solving these problems to endeavor to think, not as a detective, but as the criminal in the case would think, in order to arrive at a correct solution.
PAYPHONE
Retelling
Solution
Ashton Quinn, P.I. deduced there was no murderer because it was suicide. Nigel phoned in the murder before it happened because only he would know he was about to die.
THE PERFECT CRIME
Retelling
Solution
James forgot to remove his mask when he left the house.
Original, #69 by H.A. Ripley
Solution
Alas! Peter Johannes had forgotten to remove his mask on leaving the house!
Whoever thinks a perfect work to see,
Thinks what ne’er was, nor is, nor e’er shall be.
— Pope.
THE POISON MURDER CASE
Retelling
Solution
Clearly, Terry was pretending to be drunk. An alibi, no doubt, and yet, unless he was there, how else would be have known Aunt Martha’s bedroom door was locked?
Original, #4 by H.A. Ripley
Solution
Unless Bob Kewley had returned home after telling the Professor he was going to the theater, he could not have known the library door was locked. The fact that he did, coupled with the strong motive, naturally directed suspicion to him. He inadvertently gave himself away.
Error will slip through a crack, while truth will stick in a doorway.
— Shaw.
A CRACK SHOT
Retelling
Solution
Neither animal nor a man’s eyes shine under any circumstances. Therefore, she couldn’t possibly have seen any eyes shining at her in the night. It was clearly murder.
Original, #1 by H.A. Ripley
Solution
It was a dark, starless, moonless night. The nearest habitation was five miles. The eyes of no animal ever shine in the dark unless there is a light by which they can be reflected, and a man’s eyes never shine under any circumstances.
Therefore, Butler could not possibly have seen any eyes shining at him in the dark. It was clearly murder.
And thy deep eyes, amid the gloom,
Shine like jewels in a shroud.
— Longfellow.