The Blue Carbuncle
1. What was Holmes doing when Dr. Watson visited him after Christmas?
He was examining a battered old hat brought to him by Peterson, trying to
deduce information about its owner.
2. How did Peterson come to be in possession of a hat and a goose?
Peterson saw a man being attacked; the man dropped his hat and goose
while escaping. Peterson picked them up and brought them to Holmes.
3. What did Holmes deduce about the hat’s owner? How did he arrive at his
conclusions?
Holmes deduced that the man was intellectual (large hat size), had once
been wealthy but had fallen on hard times (worn-out hat, cracked lining), and
had recently cut his hair (hair ends in hat). He used careful observation and
logical reasoning.
4. What had been found in the goose’s crop? What did Holmes know about
it?
A valuable gem—the blue carbuncle—was found inside the goose. Holmes
recognized it as a recently stolen gem from the Countess of Morcar.
5. What was Holmes’ first step towards solving the case?
Holmes traced the origin of the goose by looking for the vendor who had sold
it, starting with the name Henry Baker.
6. Why did Holmes ask Peterson to buy a goose? Who came for it and how
did he behave?
Holmes wanted to see who would claim the goose. Henry Baker came to
collect it. He was calm, polite, and seemed unaware of the gem inside,
proving his innocence.
7. What did Holmes and Watson see and hear at Breckenridge’s shop?
They saw a busy market stall full of geese. Breckenridge was annoyed and
argued when asked about a goose. Holmes tricked him into revealing it came
from Mrs. Oakshott.
8. Who actually stole the diamond and what did he confess to Holmes?
James Ryder stole the diamond. He confessed to hiding it inside a goose from
his sister’s farm, but the goose got mixed up and he lost it.
Reference To Context
1. "When Peterson had left, I asked Holmes, 'Do you think that this Henry Baker had
anything to do with the theft?'"
a. Which 'theft' is being referred here?
The theft of the blue carbuncle from the Countess of Morcar.
b. Who is Henry Baker? Why did he come to meet Holmes?
Henry Baker is the man who lost the goose and hat. He came to claim them after seeing an
advertisement Holmes placed.
c. What did Holmes deduce from his behaviour?
Holmes deduced that Baker was innocent because he showed no signs of anxiety or
knowledge about the gem.
2. "I have had enough of this. Get out of here." The inquirer hurried away. Holmes strode
forward quickly, overtook the little man, and touched him upon the shoulder.
a. Where are Holmes and ‘the inquirer’?
They are at the poultry shop of Breckinridge, the vendor.
b. Why was ‘the inquirer’ here?
He was trying to trace the goose to recover the stolen gem.
c. Who speaks the quoted lines and why?
Breckinridge says it out of frustration with the constant questioning.
d. How did Holmes get to know the man’s actual name?
Holmes followed the man and questioned him, discovering his name was James Ryder.
