Hints & Tips

Need a little help? Even the best detectives work with a team for a reason! We've got you covered.

The 2026 Christmas Clue

Irene Adler's letter to Sherlock Holmes

Hint 1

First things first: start with the underlined words
Hint 2

Having trouble seeing anything in your fan fold? Read each bullet point one at a time. The first tip might be all you need!

  • Look for the arrows to guide you through the fold

  • Try reversing the peaks and valleys of your fan fold, and re-fold in the opposite direction

  • Your message will be in red
Hint 2 Spoiler

Drum roll please for the big reveal: A=Q
Hint 3

Need help with the cipher?

• Adler is using a simple Caesar cipher, where one letter substitutes for another, while still maintaining the order of the alphabet
Hint 3 Spoiler

Adler has left a warning for Holmes about one of his greatest adversaries:

MY ASSOCIATE IS FOLLOWING YOUR WORK. I AM YOUR MATCH BUT M IS YOUR BETTER. BE CAREFUL.