History Main / CutAndPasteNote

* In ''Manga/MedakaBox'', episode/chapter 02, a moment similar to the ''Literature/SherlockHolmes'' example below, played up to eleven with Medaka remembering every single newspaper and their different editions.

* ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'' has a single example in the episode "Beat With a Schtick". Bloo [[PoorCommunicationKills misunderstands something the newest resident says]] and concludes that he wants to beat him up. Consequently, Bloo tries everything he can to leave the house and takes it UpToEleven by settling for expulsion. He confesses everything he'd ever done including putting hot sauce into everyone's food and framing "Jolly Buttons". Mr Herriman is shocked by this and explains that they had Jolly deported. Bloo says "I know. He still sends me postcards" He then holds up a note composed with letters cut from a magazine. It reads [[ImpliedDeathThreat "I Will Get You."]]

* The kids compose one of these in a ''Literature/LittleNicolas'' story. They were trying to intimidate the resident teacher's pet who had just tattled on one of them, and they get the idea for newspaper clipping cut-and-pasting from a movie. Of course, it doesn't quite go as planned...

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' has the Mayor sent one of these by [[TheVamp Sedusa]] in a ShoutOut to the ''Lebowski'' example above.

* In ''Manga/ShonanJunaiGumi'', Eikichi gets a sketchy part-time job cutting out letters from newspapers, which are implied to be used for ransom notes.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* In ''Film/TheBigLebowski'', the nihilists make a cut-and-paste ransom note about kidnapping Bunny Lebowski. Given the film's deliberate invocations of old {{film noir}} tropes, it's played fairly [[the message is sent as a fax]] straight, despite the film being set in the early 1990s.

* In ''Film/TheBigLebowski'', the nihilists make a cut-and-paste ransom note about kidnapping Bunny Lebowski. Given the film's deliberate invocations of old {{film noir}} tropes, it's played fairly straight, despite the film being set in the early 1990s.

The RealLife justification is, of course, that handwriting is identifiable. A largely DiscreditedTrope in modern fiction, given the prevalence of computers, telephones and other more convenient forms of covert communication. A modern criminal is more likely to simply type up a message and print it.[[note]]Although note that [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_Identification_Code some printers will leave a watermark]] on every piece of paper they print stating their serial number. It's also possible to use forensics to analyse the exact chemical composition of the ink used (which will vary based on who made it and when they made it) to narrow down the suspects, meaning a printed letter can be traced just as easily, perhaps even easier.[[/note]] The modern crook has little use for taking the time to create a note that can accumulate fingerprints and DNA evidence, not to mention result in a suspicious pile of hacked-up magazines.

[[caption-width-right:280:[[FridgeLogic Wouldn't it be easier to actually look for]] ''[[FridgeLogic words]]'' [[FridgeLogic rather than separate letters?]]]]

* The villain in ''[[Literature/LordPeterWimsey Gaudy Night]]'' by Creator/DorothyLSayers does this.

* Similar to the ''Series/PersonOfInterest'' example below, the bad guys in ''Film/LiveFreeOrDieHard'' cut together clips of various U.S. presidents speeches to present their message.

* ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes''. A different arc involves Hobbes sending Calvin anonymous coded insults using this; Calvin's mom eventually scolds Calvin for cutting up her magazines, and he figures it out. Similarly, he uses it to insult Susie, and in one storyline sends the page quote in a ransom note after kidnapping her doll.
* Parodied in a comic in the March 21, 2010 edition of ''Parade'' magazine. A man reads a Cut And paste note reading "I've got your magazine. Send $1 million or [[FingerInTheMail I'll cut out more letters]]."

[[caption-width-right:280:Wouldn't it be easier to actually look for ''words'' rather than separate letters?]]

The RealLife justification is, of course, that handwriting is identifiable. A largely DiscreditedTrope in modern fiction, given the prevalence of computers, telephones and other more convenient forms of covert communication. A modern criminal is more likely to simply type up a message and print it.[[note]]Although note that [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_Identification_Code some printers will leave a watermark]] on every piece of paper they print stating their serial number. It's also possible to use forensics to analyse the exact chemical composition of the ink used (which will vary based on who made it and when they made it) to narrow down the suspects, meaning a printed letter can be traced just as easily, perhaps even easier.[[/note]] The modern crook has little use for taking the time to create a note that can accumulate fingerprints, not to mention result in a suspicious pile of hacked-up magazines.

-->--''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes''

-->'''Franklin Roosevelt''': the minds of

-->'''Franklin Roosevelt''': rests

-->'''George W. Bush''': We will not tire. We will not falter. And we will not fail. Thank you.

-->'''Casper:''' That was creepy.\\
'''Trey:''' I tried to find more Nixon.
%%* Done by the criminals in ''Film/BabysDayOut''.
* The logos for ''Film/{{Clerks}}'' and ''Film/ClerksII'' look like this, the former using letters from magazine and product logos, the latter using letters from fast-food logos.
* In ''Film/MoneyMovers'', Mr. Darcy receives a cut-and-paste note warning him that someone is panning to rob the counting house.
* In ''Film/SomeGuyWhoKillsPeople'', after the killings start, the sheriff receives a cut-and-paste note reading "An [picture of an eye] 4 an [picture of an eye]". This is the first of a series of such notes from the killer.
* ''Film/LiveFreeOrDieHard'' has a video variant, where Thomas Gabriel announces his scheme by hijacking every TV network in America with a video where his message is delivered by spliced together clips of Presidential speeches.

* In a FreezeFrameBonus, one of the frames in the opening sequence of the ShowWithinAShow in episode 7 of ''Series/WandaVision'' shows a note reading "I know what u are doing Wanda"