The brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes was renowned for his exceptional problem-solving skills and his ability to crack seemingly impossible cases. However, there were a few instances where even his sharp intellect couldn’t unravel the entire mystery. We have listed the notable unsolved cases of Sherlock Holmes.
How Many Cases Did Sherlock Holmes Fail to Solve: Unsolved, Failures, and Mistakes
The canon of Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle doesn’t explicitly mention any cases that went entirely unsolved. But there are a few instances where the culprit remains unidentified or the case is left with some unanswered questions.
1. The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
The story opens with Dr. Watson finding a strange scene at 221B Baker Street. A wax figure of Holmes sits by the window, creating the illusion of the detective himself.
Watson learns that the famous Mazarin Stone, a priceless yellow diamond, has been stolen from a museum. Holmes, exhausted from working on the case, has set a trap for the thief.
The culprit, Count Negretto Sylvius, arrives at Baker Street, believing Holmes to be absent. Holmes, disguised as the wax figure, springs the trap and confronts the Count.
However, Holmes doesn’t know where the diamond is hidden. He offers the Count and his accomplice, a boxer named Sam Merton, a deal: freedom in exchange for the gem.
While pretending to play the violin in another room, Holmes uses his keen observation skills. He notices the Count retrieve the diamond from a hidden pocket to show Merton in the window light.
In a surprising move, Holmes reveals himself, not from the violin room, but from a hidden passage behind the window! He seizes the opportunity to snatch the Mazarin Stone.
The story concludes with Holmes successfully recovering the jewel, but the true identity of the person who stole the stone from the museum in the first place remains a mystery.
2. The Adventure of the Norwood Builder
John Douglas is found murdered in his own home. Inspector Lestrade calls upon Holmes, who observes peculiar details – a muddy footprint, a torn piece of cloth, and a strange calling card with the initials “V.V. 341.”
Holmes investigates Douglas’ wife, the enigmatic Mrs. Douglas, and the seemingly uptight butler, Cecil Barker.
Through clever deductions and hidden clues, Holmes uncovers a past connection between Mrs. Douglas and Barker. They were once part of a criminal organization in America.
The murderer is revealed to be a vengeful former associate, Ted Baldwin, hiding in the house. The initials “V.V. 341” were a prison reference understood only by the insiders.
While Holmes identifies Baldwin, the exact motive for killing Douglas remains unclear. Was it simply revenge, or was there something more – a hidden debt, a blackmail scheme, or a secret Baldwin wanted to be buried with Douglas?
The true meaning of “V.V. 341” is never fully explained. Was it just a prison reference, or did it hold a deeper significance within the criminal organization? Could it be a clue to a larger conspiracy? So, The Adventures of the Norwood Builder became one of the unsolved cases of Sherlock Holmes.
3. The Adventure of the Creeping Man
A young man named Jack Bennett, secretary to Professor Presbury, seeks Holmes’ help. The professor, soon to be Bennett’s father-in-law, has exhibited bizarre behavior. He’s become withdrawn, secretive, and prone to crawling on all fours at night. Edith, the professor’s daughter and Bennett’s fiancee, even witnessed a shadowy figure crawling outside her second-story window.
Holmes finds the situation intriguing. He examines the house and surroundings, finding no signs of an intruder reaching the high window. He delves into Professor Presbury’s background and discovers a recent trip to Prague.
Through investigation and deduction, Holmes uncovers a secret society focused on rejuvenation. Professor Presbury has been using an experimental serum derived from apes, causing the crawling behavior as a side effect. This explains both the physical changes and the secrecy.
Holmes confronts the professor, who reveals the society and his hope for a longer life. However, the serum’s side effects are deemed too dangerous. The professor abandons the experiment and prepares for a normal life with his fiancee.
The story doesn’t explicitly identify the source of the strange footprints Holmes observes near the window. This adds an element of mystery and leaves the reader pondering a potential unanswered question. Also, the true cause of his strange behavior needs to be clarified.
4. The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb
Victor Hatherley, a hydraulic engineer, arrives at Dr. Watson’s office with a freshly severed thumb. The bizarre circumstances surrounding the injury led Watson to bring Hatherley to Sherlock Holmes.
Hatherley reveals he was hired by a secretive Colonel Lysander Stark to repair a hydraulic press in a remote location. Upon arrival, he uncovers suspicious activity and overhears whispers about counterfeiting.
During the repair, Hatherley gets entangled in the machine, losing his thumb in the process. He escapes with his life but remains clueless about the true purpose of the press.
Holmes, with his keen deductions, recognizes the connection between the press, Hatherley’s injury, and a news clipping about a missing engineer. He suspects the press is being used for counterfeiting coins, and the missing engineer met a similar fate for discovering too much.
Holmes and Watson rush to the Colonel’s mansion, only to find it ablaze. The fire, possibly set by the criminals to destroy evidence, throws the investigation into disarray.
Though the fire disrupts their plans, Holmes manages to piece together the crime. The counterfeiting operation is exposed. But the perpetrators escape, leaving Hatherley missing a thumb and the mystery of the mastermind behind the scheme unsolved.
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5. The Adventure of the Five Orange Pips
John Openshaw visits Sherlock Holmes with a troubling story. His uncle, Elias, a former Confederate soldier, received a strange letter with five orange pips and the initials “K.K.K.” Shortly after, Elias died unexpectedly.
John reveals his father also received a similar letter with five orange pips before his own demise. This pattern chills them both.
John himself receives a letter with five orange pips and a cryptic message demanding he deliver some documents. Fearing for his life, he seeks Holmes’ help.
Holmes recognizes the K.K.K. as a potential threat but not the Ku Klux Klan. He investigates shipping records and discovers a connection between the letters and a specific ship.
Despite Holmes’ warnings, John feels obligated to follow the instructions. Sadly, John is found dead on his way home, the orange pips clutched in his hand.
Determined to avenge John, Holmes devises a plan. He sends an envelope with five orange pips addressed to the ship’s captain, hoping to lure out the culprits. However, the story takes a turn – the ship sinks at sea, leaving the mystery seemingly unsolved.
The true identity of the killers and their motive are shrouded in mystery. While Holmes exposes a potential connection and attempts to bring them to justice, fate intervenes, making this one of the unsolved cases of Sherlock Holmes.
6. The Adventure of a Scandal in Bohemia
A nervous and disguised King of Bohemia seeks Holmes’ help. He fears a scandal involving a photograph that could ruin his reputation and upcoming marriage. The woman in the picture is Irene Adler, a former opera singer with whom the King had a passionate affair.
Holmes, intrigued by the challenge of Adler, devises a plan. He and Watson pose as a potential buyer of Adler’s horse, allowing them to observe her closely. Through keen observation and deduction, Holmes unravels Adler’s daily routine and discovers a secret meeting with a lawyer.
The climax unfolds at Adler’s residence. Holmes, with Watson in tow, confronts her about the photograph. But Adler, a woman of exceptional intelligence and resourcefulness, outwits them. She reveals she has already made copies of the photo and hidden them in various locations, ensuring its retrieval would be impossible.
Faced with her brilliance and the impossibility of retrieving the photo, Holmes concedes defeat. The King, relieved, offers him a hefty reward, which Holmes politely declines. Instead, he requests Adler’s photograph as a token of respect for a worthy adversary.
While the case is resolved, Irene Adler remains an enigma. She is the only person to ever outsmart Holmes, earning his grudging respect and a place as the woman he could never forget. The story departs from the usual Holmesian formula, leaving a sense of admiration for a woman who outsmarted the great detective.
7. The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet
A frantic gentleman, Mr. Alexander Holder, arrives at 221B Baker Street. He’s entrusted with the Beryl Coronet, a priceless jewel belonging to the Duke of Holdernesse. The night before, the coronet was inexplicably missing from its locked showcase, only to reappear hours later under bizarre circumstances.
Intrigued by the seemingly impossible heist, Holmes delves into his investigation. He meticulously examines the crime scene, analyzes the clues, and interviews Mr. Holder and Arthur.
Through his keen observations, Holmes uncovers seemingly trivial details that paint a clearer picture. He notices Mr. Holder’s nervous demeanor – a slight twitch in his hand and a forced smile. He observes dust on the window ledge, undisturbed by the supposed “forced entry.”
With his deductions in place, Holmes confronts Mr. Holder. The seemingly simple case takes a dramatic turn. Mr. Holder, desperate for money, had staged the entire theft himself. He created the broken window, donned a disguise, and “stole” the coronet, intending to pawn it and repay his debts later. He then “returned” the jewel, hoping no one would notice the elaborate charade.
However, there’s a final twist. The muddy footprint doesn’t belong to Mr. Holder. It seems there truly was an intruder who stole the coronet – someone who meticulously planned the heist used a clever disguise, and returned the jewel before anyone realized it was missing.
The true culprit’s identity and motive remain a perplexing mystery. Did the intruder simply return the coronet upon realizing its immense value? Or was there a different motive at play, an elaborate scheme still shrouded in secrecy? Sherlock Holmes, despite solving the immediate case, is left with an unsolved puzzle.
8. The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual
Reginald Musgrave, a nervous gentleman from an illustrious family, seeks Sherlock Holmes’ help. He possesses a cryptic family document known as the “Musgrave Ritual,” a nonsensical rhyme seemingly detailing a hidden treasure.
The document describes a series of strange actions to be performed at Musgrave Manor, the family residence. It involves lighting candles, reciting the rhyme, and touching specific flagstones. Holmes, intrigued by the potential for a hidden treasure, agrees to investigate.
At Musgrave Manor, Holmes meticulously observes the servants. He flashes a copy of the ritual, searching for any sign of recognition. A single, startled look from Rachel, the head maid, reveals her knowledge of the document.
Through interrogation, Holmes learns that Rachel’s ancestor, a loyal servant to the Musgraves, was once falsely accused of theft. The ritual was a clever plan to expose the real culprit and retrieve the stolen treasure – a chest of pearls.
Holmes and Watson follow the ritual’s instructions. As Rachel touches the designated flagstone, a hidden compartment opens beneath it, revealing a skeleton clutching a single, valuable pearl necklace. The stolen treasure is recovered, and Rachel’s ancestor is exonerated.
However, a chilling discovery casts a shadow of doubt. The skeleton’s attire suggests it belonged to a man, not Rachel’s female ancestor. This discrepancy throws the narrative into question.
Did Rachel lie? Perhaps Rachel’s ancestor was a man involved in the theft, and the story was fabricated to protect his legacy.
Was there another theft? Could the skeleton be the real thief, hiding with the stolen pearls, and the necklace simply a decoy left behind?
The story concludes with the recovery of a treasure, but the truth behind the skeleton and the complete picture of the historical theft remain shrouded in mystery.
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9. The Adventure of the Yellow Face
Munro seeks Holmes to find out his wife Effie’s strange behavior – late-night disappearances, a sudden need for large sums of money, and a chilling fear in her eyes.
Intrigued, Holmes agreed to take the case. His investigation led him to a dilapidated cottage bordering the Munro estate. A single, horrifying sight sent a shiver down Munro’s spine – a grotesque, yellow face leering from the upstairs window.
However, upon closer inspection, the “yellow face” turned out to be a mere mask, worn by a young Black child entrusted to a local family. Through discreet inquiries and meticulous observation, Holmes discovered a shocking truth. The child was Effie’s son, born from a prior marriage she had kept meticulously concealed. His father, a renowned explorer who had perished years ago, was not white, as Effie had led everyone to believe.
The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. Effie, fearing societal ostracism and the potential loss of her new life with Munro, had resorted to hiding her past. The child, entrusted to the care of a local family, had fallen ill, forcing Effie to secretly visit and provide for him.
Yet, a crucial piece remained missing. Why the elaborate charade? Why hide the child’s true origin even from her husband, who seemed genuinely caring? A nagging suspicion pricked at Holmes’ mind.
Days turned into weeks as Holmes meticulously observed Effie. A fleeting nervousness when a ship docked in the nearby harbor, a crumpled newspaper clipping with news of a missing explorer – these seemingly minor details fueled his suspicions.
Finally, with a glint in his eyes, Holmes presented his deduction. Effie’s past husband, the explorer, wasn’t dead. He had been shipwrecked and presumed lost, but recent reports suggested he might be alive. Fearful of his return and the potential claim on her life and son, Effie had resorted to hiding the truth.
Confronted with this revelation, Effie crumbled. Shame and desperation poured out of her like a torrent. The elaborate charade, the secret visits – all to protect her newfound life and her son’s future.
Munro, initially heartbroken by the deception, surprised everyone. He saw Effie’s actions not as malice but as a misguided act of love. With newfound understanding and a touch of compassion, he decided to stand by his wife.
Together, they contacted the explorer. The reunion, filled with tears and joy, brought closure to a long-lost love story. The child, finally acknowledged by both parents, was no longer a hidden secret but a bridge between two worlds.
However, a shadow of doubt lingered. The crumpled newspaper clipping hinted at a darker secret – a possible motive for the explorer’s disappearance. Did he stumble upon something sinister on his last voyage? Did his reappearance threaten powerful forces?
This, however, remained a mystery beyond the grasp of this case. It served as a reminder that even the most seemingly straightforward cases can harbor hidden depths. This left the brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes to ponder the complexities of the human heart and the enduring power of secrets, making it one of the unsolved cases.
10. The Adventure of the Hound of the Baskervilles
Dr. James Mortimer, a concerned friend of Sir Charles, visits Holmes with a tale of a Baskerville family curse involving a monstrous hound. Sir Charles is found dead on the moors near Baskerville Hall with his face contorted in terror.
While the local authorities attribute the death to a heart attack, suspicious details like footprints of a giant hound and Sir Charles’ fear of the curse intrigue Holmes.
He sends his trusty companion, Dr. Watson, to Baskerville Hall to investigate while he gathers information in London. Through Watson’s observations and Holmes’ deductions from afar, they uncover a plot by a cunning neighbor, Jack Stapleton (an alias for the true heir, Rodger Baskerville).
Stapleton uses a luminous hound trained to frighten the Baskervilles to their deaths, hoping to inherit the estate. Holmes arrives at the climax, confronting Stapleton and exposing his treachery. In the ensuing struggle, Stapleton meets his demise in the Grimpen Mire.
However, the true nature of the luminous hound – a supernatural beast or a cleverly trained dog – is never definitively explained.
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The exact number of unsolved cases of Sherlock Holmes depends on how you define “failure.” While there’s no definitive answer, it’s safe to say Sherlock Holmes had a very high success rate. Even with the possibility of unrecorded failures, the stories portray him as a brilliant detective with a remarkable track record.
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