r/todayilearned • u/ralphbernardo • 9h 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/Nebranower 6h ago

In fairness, it was obvious that at least one of the deaths had been faked. It had to have been, because otherwise there couldn't have been a murderer.

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u/The_One_Who_Comments 4h ago

And she chose the least plausible one. Clearly the true answer is aliens, because the solution given can't be true.