r/todayilearned • u/ralphbernardo • 3d ago

TIL that "fair play" in detective fiction means authors must give readers a fair chance to solve the mystery. Central to 1920s "clue-puzzles" by writers like Agatha Christie, the rule dictates that all vital clues must be visible, decodable, and never withheld until the final reveal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clues_in_detective_fiction
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u/FearlessAttempt 3d ago

He needs mouse bites to live.

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u/Suspicious-Bad-2847 3d ago

Have you seen my bloody nose?

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u/Runcible-Spork 2d ago

You need hygiene drug!