News

If you were at our last meeting, you know what we’re up to this month. A panel of specially selected Holmes movie buffs are going to fantasy draft their perfect film adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles. Who will be the stars? How will they make it special? And you get to pick the one you’d want to see!

To pre-register for this Zoom meeting on September 22nd at noon Central time, just click the link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtc-ugpzMoHtb-0ggSNf2Bf9mlESghCfio

The 12^th Annual John H. Watson Society Treasure Hunt has officially ended. Familiar names were among the leaders in four categories; US and International individual entries and US and International groups.

One team had a perfect score of 192 submitted by the Sound of the Baskervilles, whose members were Margie Deck, Naching Kassa, Cameron Brandon, and Steve Mason.

The international Team LaFayette from France, comprised of Anne du Ranquet, Aline Hinh, Sylvia Israel, Daniel Henocq, Thomas Leandre-Helbecque, and Thierry Saint-Joanis, BSI, scored 190 and missed one question which, arguably, may have been confused in translation.

International individual honors went to Mark Doyle (190), who finished ahead of Enrico Solito, BSI (184) and Allessandro Melillo (160).

The top scorer for US teams was Joanna Freeman (188), who edged out Erica Fair (180), Regina Stinson, BSI (179), and reigning Hunt champion Michael Ellis (177), who answered all of the questions correctly but was unable to solve “the easiest cipher in Hunt history.”* Kristen Mertz and Tom Campbell also gave their best efforts.

The correct translation of the cipher was “Come Watson. Come. The game is afoot.” Quizmaster Rich Krisciunas said, “The thing that always amazes me is how many times someone comes up with an answer I didn’t foresee that fits. I go back and read the story and have to admit that the person deserves credit for their answer and my list of correct answers grows.” 

The Hunt’s questions and answers will appear on our webpage by the end of the week.

*The Boy-in-Buttons continues to have her doubts.

It’s the last week for doing the annual August treasure hunt of Canonical details from Watson’s writings, and Watsonians around the world are scrambling to get their entries polished up and turned in by the time September 2nd is done. (Scroll down to find the full Treasure Hunt details!)

The “Final Team” Zoom had to be cancelled at the last minute, but you can still give it a go on your own!

Meanwhile, here’s the latest episode of the John H. Watson Society’s official podcast, which sadly, contains no audio from Sunday’s meeting:

https://watsonianweekly.libsyn.com/august-26-2024-when-one-watson-runs-short-the-answer-is-elementary

We know you’re all busy testing your wits on the annual John H. Watson Society Treausre Hunt (scroll down if you haven’t started yet), but we wanted to let you prep for our August meeting and the John H. Watson Storytelling Challenge on Zoom this August 25th. How does it work?

Our willing participants will be given the title of one of Watson’s sixty stories at random and be asked to tell the tale in 30 seconds (and only 30 seconds). Each story will have a list of ten items worth a point a piece, and our storyteller, in actually retelling the story, will get a point for every one of those items they mention. It could be a person, a place, an activity, a color — you just don’t know! — that our judge feels is key to that story (or worth bonus points!). Are you up to telling a story with the level of detail only Watson could? Come to our August meeting and find out!

The registration link is still: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZctcumprD4jHdMHHw1JWSYq4kJ_YCDqolE0

Mark your calendars now for 1 PM Eastern/Noon Central, etc. on Sunday, August 25th, as the John H. Watson Society and friends gather on Zoom to have a little fun and ease your mind into the last week of the John H. Watson Society Treasure Hunt. What are we going to be up to? A completely different test of your ability to Watson that should be most entertaining to those you aren’t under the bright exam room lights.

The registration link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZctcumprD4jHdMHHw1JWSYq4kJ_YCDqolE0

In the meantime, give that Treasure Hunt a go and we’ll also check in on your state of mind as we round that last turn.

Hello, Watsonians! It’s time for our annual Treasure Hunt! Actually, it’s a little past time, so let’s dig into the adjusted rules (which are also at the back of the Hunt itself, but this is for safety, sooo…):

The Annual John H Watson Canonical Treasure Hunt is being posted on the Society’s website on the Treasure Hunt page at exactly midnight (Pacific) on July 31^st on August 2^nd this year. A link is posted at that time to allow participants to download the Treasure Hunt as a .docx or .pdf document. All participants will have an equal opportunity relative to time and access. The Treasure Hunt will end at 12 a.m. (Pacific) on September 3^rd. All categories of competition will be required to meet the same deadline.

1. The Treasure Hunt will have four categories: Open Individual (U.S.), Open Individual (international), Open Team (U.S.), and Open Team (international). Two individuals and two teams will be accorded High Honors with runners-up given Honors. As the competition is Open, participants do not have to be members of the John H Watson Society to compete. No registration is necessary. To be considered for Honors, simply submit answers as per below.
2. Participants may enter as individuals or as teams of two to five. Participants may not compete as both an individual contestant and a team member, and individual participants and team participants may not confer on their answers.
3. All requests for clarification of questions shall be either posted to this post or sent via email to the Treasure Hunt Master by email at rkrisciu@yahoo.com.
4. The winners will be determined by two criteria: (1) Number of correct answers, and (2) Time of receipt of the answers by email at rkrisciu@yahoo.com. Answers may be submitted in a numbered list in the body of the email or in a document attached to the email. Attachment formats should be either .pdf, .doc or .docx; handwritten documents are acceptable when scanned as a .pdf. If submitting a handwritten document, please print clearly. Each submission must include the name(s) of the participant(s), contact email for each participant, and one contact telephone number.
5. The announcement of the Honors will be posted no later than September 14. A fully documented answer guide to the Treasure Hunt will be posted at the time the winners are announced.
6. All matters concerning the Treasure Hunt, the contest, the answers, and the determination of the Honors will be the sole decision of the John H Watson Society Directors. The only purpose of the Annual John H. Watson Society Canonical Treasure Hunt is to encourage fun, collegiality, scholarship, and a deeper understanding of the writings of John H Watson, MD.

Here’s the .docx (Microsoft Word) version, and here’s the .pdf! Ready, set, GO! And good luck!

At noon central time on Sunday, July 21st, the John H. Watson Society will Zoom again, with a bit of Watson fun for the middle of your Sunday. Into team sports? It might be something like that . . . you just never know! Here’s the registration link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUscuqgpz4jHdOoAjlVyFGUjr9-8Z6B49zw

And after that, take a listen to the latest Watsonian Weekly. Sure, we just talk about another podcast (“Sherlock & Co.”) most of the time these days, but if John H. Watson has his own weekly podcast, what else do you expect the John H. Watson Society’s official podcast to do? Here’s that link:

https://five.libsyn.com/show/episodes/view/32133542

It’s that time again! Our next meeting is June 23rd, at 1pm Eastern/noon Central. Our topic… might be anybody’s guess at this point, so show up and find out!

Please register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMuc-yorD8tH9GThUUKSxsDdsWu6dHtm02X

The greatest Watson?

For the May meeting of the John H. Watson Society at high noon (CST) on Sunday, May 26th, The Great Memorial Day Weekend Watson Debate will be our main event. And when we say “main event,” we mean Main Event!

As most of you know, our humble meeting host has a great and honest affection for a particular portrayal of John H. Watson (pictured above) and is challenging all comers to try to take the crown of World’s Greatest Watson Portrayal from that Watson. Debaters will have three minutes (and ONLY three minutes, after which time a horn will sound, ending their time) to present a case for their candidate of choice. Only positive cases for a chosen Watson will be allowed, and any negative statements about any other Watson will result in immediate disqualification. What makes a great Watson? Can those qualities be put into words? Can you convince a jury of your peers that your favorite Watson is, indeed, better than the actor known as the best John Watson in any theatrical film from 2018?

IMPORTANT NOTE: Only three minutes per Watson will be allowed to keep this competition fair. Multiple debaters choosing the same Watson will be forced to share the same three minutes.

Somebody better show up to make a case for their Watson, or the one candidate already entered will walk away for with the title as easily as he dealt with “Brawn” in his famous Fumbles Gymnasium match. So BRING IT ON!

To register for the meeting go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcuc-GsrzsqHd3ahReFZwkkA7gwiOAAxcIw

We are so excited to announce that the Spring 2024 edition of The Watsonian is finally available! Members can log in and download a PDF version for free, or, for the first time, members and non-members alike can order the print edition on Amazon! Please go to https://a.co/d/1A7nN06.

We also have our monthly meeting coming up this Sunday, April 28th, at 1pm Eastern/noon Central. Meetings are open to all Sherlockians. Please register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtdO2oqDIjGdDkQXhJW4Y-bUmvBSdfBxDF, and we’ll see you there!