Elementary My Dear Watson The solution to the mystery that follbws depends on your knowledge of chemical elements, symbols, and formulas, Dr. Watson. If a symbol is given, suhstitute the name of that element; if the name is "eiven.. suhstitute the svmhol. The names of comoounds mav also he svmholized hv* formulas. 1)o not tail me, good doctor. The sdution must tw in my hands by mrdni~hta week hrnrr, or the ronsequcnrrs r o ~ l dbe devastating for your grade! ~
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Twas the week before Christmas, when Inspector Lestrade came to me with a most distraught gentleman in tow. (Helium) explained that the gentleman had purchased several pieces of (Ag) and (Au) surmised), which had disappeared during a street (carbon arjewelry for his wife (or mistress, (iodine) doubt to see (hydrogen e r b i u m ) ! ) . The victim interrupted with ride ((nobelium) gon) "You must (Fe) ! I will not ( F e z O a ) until the jewels are this out before the 24th, Mr. (Ho) recovered and the culprit made to (S) as (iodine) have this day! (holmium t u n g s t e n ) dare someone (sulfur tellurium aluminum) from me! I'd gladly (Ba) with the fishes and watch him in the Thames!" His diatrihe did tend to (B) . (Zn) (Oxygen +nitrogen) questioning, I learned the (carbon argon) was number (Sn) , an trip. ( A r s e n i c ) to unusual events, express which did not stop during (hydrogen + iodine sulfur) evicting the occupants of the seat behind him and sitting there himself. (helium) remembered a (Cu) Enjoying the ride, (helium) was just thinking "these areas (As) ,"when a had jolt made the (calcium selenium) lithium phosphorus) between the seat and hack of the bench of jewelry (sulfur (helium) checking later, he occupied. The ( C u ) retrieved it for him. (Oxygen nitrogen) found the jewelry missing from the (calcium selenium) (Astatine)-their destination. (heliand the (Cu) searched everyone, and each other, ( a r s e n i c ) well as the (carbon um) a r g o n ) . (Nobelium) jewels were found. By this time, Lestrade seemed eager to (beryllium) our pompous victim, as rid (oxygen fluorine) a r s e n i c ) (iodine) (Indium) private, the Inspector explained that he wasn't (tungsten , but just wanted the theft cleared (uranium phosphorus) quickly (sulfur oxypersonally (Sh) he could get (oxygen n i t r o g e n ) to matters more important than petty theft. (Iodine) gen) he failed, agreed to help, not to save the Inspector time and embarrassment (tungsten helium nitrogen) neon tungsten) he would, hut hecause I had the (calcium seleni( a r s e n i c ) I (potassium oxygen) fast! (Hydrogen already solved. Informed of this, the Inspector cried, "(Sulfur um) oxygen tungsten) ??'My only reply (tungsten + arsenic) that he meet me after (I) d, armed, and carrying a (Ni) (Astatine) dusk, the Inspector and (iodine) rode the next to last streetcar of the day to the end fluorine) (oxygen . I used Lestrade's (Ni) to pay my fare. (Indithe line, the (C) the deserted ( C ) I found number ( S d a n d climbed inside. Reasoning that the culprit sat um) behind our victim (Ph) me ta examine that seat, and I found scratches on the ( F ) . Prying (uranium phosphorus) a loose piece of (F) , I found the missing (Ag) and (Au) jewelry in a (boron silver) I substituted worthless (SiOn) to simulate the heft of the (rhenium aluminum) articles, and replaced the (boron silver) . The Inspector and (iounder the (F) dine) then concealed ourselvesto await the thief. Nearly dozing (oxygen 2 fluorine) , I was startled by the sound of footsteps echoing (indium) the deserted ( C ) . A shadow entered number (Sn) and I heard the (F) !" The Inspector yelled heing lifted, a brief silence, then an expletive and "The jewels (Ar) "Police!" and I yelled "(Cs) ?'as we both jumped into different ends of the streetcar. After a brief struggle, the Inspector had his (Ne) the culprit, (tungsten h o l m i u m ) was subdued and handcuffed. I turned (oxygen nitrogen) the torch and beheld a uniform (oxygen fluorine) blue with (bromine arsenic sulfur) buttons. "(Ho) !"exelaimed the Inspector, "It's the (Cu) !""Of course," I replied, "it's elementary, Inspector. He's a (Si) who found his comedy routine impersonating a (Cu) in prison to (beryllium) infinitely (molybdenum rhenium) rewarding on the outside-almost." Terry L. Helser
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Chemistry Department S.U.N.Y at Oneonla NY
880
Journal of Chemical Education
