History Literature / TwoMinuteMysteries

** A downplayed example in "The Case of the Poisoned Mice": Haledjian realizes that a mouse breeder's assistant is accidentally killing the prize mice by feeding them cheese, which "overheats their blood". Bizarre euphemism for dehydration / illness aside, cheese also isn't healthy for mice as a meal or treat because it's mostly empty calories to them; Freddie's mice would've been getting extremely overweight and unfit for mouse shows or stud breeding, and Reeves' incompetence would've been easily spotted before Haledjian investigated.

** In one of the Two-Minute Mysteries, the suspect was caught after Haledjian said the (diamond?) was hidden in the cupola because the murderer was the only one who ran up towards the attic instead of to the kitchen. Because only a murderer could know that a cupola (usually "KOOP-ul'uh", but the pronunciation varies by person enough that "kupp-ola" wouldn't be suspicious) was a term for the little domed thing on top of the house and not just an annoying term for a cappuccino maker, that only someone who had killed the house's occupant would assume that the stairs going up lead to the roof level, and that it's impossible to see a cupola from outside the house.

* GrandeDame: Mrs. Sydney is variously described as the wealthiest woman in New York, reputed to own over 8% of the city and "more of Manhattan Island than anyone save the Indians", and a dowager at the top of society circles who throws lavish and illustrious parties. Her motivations for presenting false mysteries aren't just mischief and intellectual curiosity, but also because tricking the great Dr. Haledjian is something money can't buy, and she can't resist matching wits with him.[[note]]While her age is never brought up, her status, her behavior, and the scenario she lays out in "The Case of the False Brother" -- having a 'childhood playmate' who died some time ago at 65 -- all suggest she's pretty old.[[/note]]

* SnakeOilSalesman: "The Case of the Indian Trader" has a tour guide recount the story of Doc Henry, who sold his wares "only to them Injuns", supposedly confessed on his deathbed that his elixir was nothing but sugar water, and bartered his wares in exchange for a young woman's life after she was kidnapped by a drunk war party. Based on how Doc's bottles didn't break after "five days of sub-freezin' weather", Haledjian notes that he was probably selling them hard alcohol and [[TheNativesAreRestlessTonight was the reason they were getting drunk in the first place]].