# Which fictional mystery would you like to be solved? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 18, 2017, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498 "2017-01-18T22:50:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/41 "2017-01-19T16:06:16Z")
“Wasn’t John Saxon in this film?”-MST3K version of ‘Mitchell’ ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/42 "2017-01-19T16:29:28Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > Who killed Adena Watson. I’d like to know the answer to this one too. ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_X2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90db22/32.png) [@Karen\_X2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_X2)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/43 "2017-01-19T17:20:50Z")
What WAS the frequency, Kenneth? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/44 "2017-01-19T18:24:28Z")
What happened between Picard and Guinan before TNG began? Who is the Doctor? Why do fools fall in love? Where’s the beef? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/45 "2017-01-19T18:40:32Z")
How do the 3 seashells work? ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/46 "2017-01-19T18:47:40Z")
[Is Annie okay?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smooth_Criminal) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/47 "2017-01-19T18:48:22Z")
“Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl.” Who were the two riders? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/48 "2017-01-19T18:49:28Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Joan Baez? She dated Dylan. He sang for the _ **king** _ and queen. So who was the king then? I can’t see the king and queen as Elvis and Joannie. Doesn’t really work. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/49 "2017-01-19T18:50:31Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I want to know what happened in Sherlock Holmes’ _Adventure of the Lighthouse, the Politician, and the Trained Cormorant_. > > It’s one of the many “unrelated” cases that Doyle has Watson refer to. This one is mentioned in _the Adventure of the Veiled Lodger_, but never explained or referred to again. > No doubt there have ben pastiches of it over the years (I’m not familiar with any). I’ve composed some in my head. I doubt if Doyle ever really had anything in mind, and if he ever did try to write it later he might botch it. (The _Adventure of the Second Stain_ was originally one of those only-referred-to cases. When Doyle actually wrote one of that title, it was a good story on its own, but inconsistent with what he had originally written). > It’s the interesting possibilities conjured up by that trio that make me curious. And what might come of it. I’m convinced that Frederick Forysyth conceived of parts of _Day of the Jackal_ after ruminating on the untold Sherlock Holmes story of _The Affair of the Aluminum Crutch_. I’ve been pondering the “Giant Rat of Sumatra” since I was 11 years old. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/50 "2017-01-19T19:29:57Z")
So, which was it? The lady, or the tiger? ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/51 "2017-01-19T20:10:41Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > He sang for the _ **king** _ and queen. So who was the king then? I can’t see the king and queen as Elvis and Joannie. Doesn’t really work. Ah, yes, my mistake. Well, sometimes the [jester does shtup the queen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wYR7QLZ3D4). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/52 "2017-01-19T20:36:03Z")
Who really killed K’mpec in _Star Trek: The Next Generation_? We’re led to believe that it was Duras, but all we _really_ know is that one of his men was a suicide bomber during the Son’chi ceremony. I wouldn’t put it past either Duras _or_ Gowron to have poisoned K’mpec. ---
**Author:** ![DrForrester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@DrForrester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrForrester)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/53 "2017-01-19T21:14:41Z")
What was in the trunk of the 1964 Chevrolet Malibu in [Repo Man](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repo_Man_(film))? Alien tech? What’s the backstory of how it got into the trunk? Is the hokey-pokey _really_ what it’s all about? Sounds good… but, upon contemplation, I am starting to have my doubts. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/54 "2017-01-19T23:28:29Z")
> [@Meurglys](#): > > What did Aunt Ada Doom see in the woodshed? And what was the “great wrong” that Judith’s man once did Flora’s father? ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/55 "2017-01-19T23:36:05Z")
Who DID shoot the deputy? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/56 "2017-01-20T00:10:42Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Who assaulted Ronette Pulaski? Yes, I know it was Killer Bob, but who did he possess when he did it? He possessed [SPOILER ALERT] Leland Palmer when he killed Laura Palmer, but is that who he possessed when he assaulted Ronette Pulaski, or was it someone else. > > Also, did Ronette ever come out of her coma? Maybe you’ll find out in the forthcoming revival. Of all the stuff on Lost, the only thing that really left me feeling unsatisfied in the end is they never told us what the deal was with Libby. And they were going to tell that until the stupid writers strike ruined it. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/57 "2017-01-20T00:21:02Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Maybe you’ll find out in the forthcoming revival. Is that NOT in FWWM? _ **/** _\*\*\* is assaulting both of them and while it’s distracted with Laura, Ronette is released. ---
**Author:** ![DrForrester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@DrForrester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrForrester)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/58 "2017-01-20T01:45:05Z")
In the movie [Fargo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fargo_(film)), we start with the knowledge that the main character needs money. He tries various schemes to get it. The schemes go wrong and a wood chipper is eventually called upon to get things straightened out. Every time I watch the film, I always wonder why the guy needed the money so badly. He’d fiddled with the inventory of his car lot. That needed to get sorted. But, that wouldn’t have been the original problem. That was just another of his half-way-thought-through methods of delaying financial doom due to his original problem. If it was an addiction, such as gambling or alcohol, he never showed any subsequent signs. So, we’re left without our central motivation. It’s weird. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/59 "2017-01-20T02:01:49Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > So, which was it? The lady, or the tiger? Look up the Frank Stockton short story “His Wife’s Deceased Sister.” New perspective on the author, and you’ll stop caring about this question. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498/60 "2017-01-20T02:03:44Z")
> [@DrForrester](#): > > In the movie [Fargo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fargo_(film)), we start with the knowledge that the main character needs money. He tries various schemes to get it. The schemes go wrong and a wood chipper is eventually called upon to get things straightened out. > > Every time I watch the film, I always wonder why the guy needed the money so badly. He’d fiddled with the inventory of his car lot. That needed to get sorted. But, that wouldn’t have been the original problem. That was just another of his half-way-thought-through methods of delaying financial doom due to his original problem. > > If it was an addiction, such as gambling or alcohol, he never showed any subsequent signs. So, we’re left without our central motivation. It’s weird. It’s a sort of MacGuffin. A plot device. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-mystery-would-you-like-to-be-solved/777498.md?page=4)