History Main / ClueEvidenceAndASmokingGun

* In the season 2 ''Series/{{Community}}'' episode "Paradigms of Human Memory" (the non-recycling clip show), Abed deduces that [[spoiler:Britta and Jeff]] are sleeping together from several subtle indications, and lastly: Abed saw them getting dressed together in a dormitory.

-->''"It's going to be a maze!"''

* Used in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Homer the Vigilante":
-->'''Abe:''' He was right under my nose the whole time. He lives in my retirement home. His name is Malloy.
-->'''Lisa:''' Wow! How'd you track him down, Grampa?
-->'''Abe:''' Good question! On one of my frequent trips to the ground, I noticed Malloy wore sneakers...for sneaking. My next clue came yesterday at the museum. We felt slighted by your age-bashing, and started home. Malloy said, "I'll catch up with you." ''[Malloy throws a grappling hook at the museum roof and starts climbing]'' I couldn't quite put my finger on it. [[ComicallyMissingThePoint There was something strange about the way he walked -- much more vertical than usual]]. And finally, Malloy, unlike most retired people, has the world's largest cubic zirconia on his coffee table.

* The ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Not Without My Anus" opens with Terrance on trial for the murder of a Dr O'Dwyer. The prosecutor, Scott, provides as evidence a piece of Terrance's shirt, the hammer used in the murder, and a haiku Terrance penned:

** Despite this evidence, Terrance walks, because of Phillip's statement that he "likes puppies and hates mean things".

* In ''Discworld/{{Thud}}'', the LemonyNarrator describes the architectural features that tell a visitor they've entered Ankh-Morpork's [[FantasticGhetto dwarf district]], before adding that all the [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame short people with beards and axes]] are a bit of a clue as well.

Compare SherlockCanRead. Has some similarity with ArsonMurderAndJaywalking (or BreadEggsMilkSquick) but with weak arguments leading up to one strong one (and used as a deduction).

*** This is one of the few examples not just played for laughs. It's easily inferred that Tarquin was using this time while talking, and feeding Nale's need to hear more about himself, to position himself to make a grab at Nale without Nale having an opportunity to run away. In other words he was intentionally stalling with the earlier comments while moving into position. And perhaps also giving Nale a bit of a lecture on his egotism -- it wouldn't be at all out of character for Tarquin to be doing two things at once.

* In ''VisualNovel/VirtuesLastReward'', [[spoiler:Luna]]'s innocence is proven this way during SummationGathering. Sigma first explains how he thinks everyone involved had died, while adding clues that support his theories, and when he's done, [[spoiler:Luna]] insists that it's just a theory and doesn't prove she is innocent. Sigma then drops the final piece of evidence: [[spoiler:Luna couldn't have killed anyone because as an android she's ThreeLawsCompliant]].

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick''
** Used in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0819.html this]] strip when Tarquin explains the reasons why he is sure Nale hasn't left the city after his latest scheme fell through: because Nale is a cautious planner and thus wouldn't leave the city without replacements for the men he lost, because Nale has a massive ego and thus wouldn't leave until he knew what Elan and Tarquin had to say about his stunt...and because Tarquin is wearing a ring of True Seeing and thus can see the invisible Nale standing right next to them. Cue massive OhCrap from the latter.
*** This is one of the few examples not just played for laughs. It's easily inferred that Tarquin was using this time while talking, and feeding Nale's need to hear more about himself, to position himself to make a grab at Nale without Nale having an opportunity to run away. In other words he was intentionally stalling with the earlier comments while moving into position. And perhaps also giving Nale a bit of a lecture on his egotism -- it wouldn't be at all out of character for Tarquin to be doing two things at once.
* An early ''Webcomic/LeftoverSoup'' page has Jamie [[http://leftoversoup.com/archive.php?num=7 deducing]] Ellen is a Tauren ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' player. Her fridge magnets spell "fuck the alliance," her oven mitts and shakers have a cow pattern, and she hadn't logged out.
* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', this is how Susan figures out that Elliot transformed into a girl. The way she does it is a bit BatDeduction (Elliot lampshades this).
--> [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=956 "How the hell did you figure that out?"]]
[[/folder]]

Has some similarity with ArsonMurderAndJaywalking (or BreadEggsMilkSquick) but with weak arguments leading up to one strong one (and used as a deduction).

* On ''Series/{{Gotham}}'' Ed and Lucius attempt to identify the rooftop where someone launched an RPG. When they arrive at one, Lucius announces they're at the right spot. Ed agrees, complimenting the two of them on figuring out that this rooftop is the only one that has the correct angle to have hit the target. Lucius then points out that the empty RPG case is still on the roof.

* In ''Discworld/{{Thud}}'', the LemonyNarrator describes the architectural features that tell a visitor they've entered Ankh-Morpork's [[FantasticGhetto dwarf district]], before adding that all the [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame short people with beards and axes]] is a bit of a clue as well.
* In "Literature/TomorrowTown", after a man is bludgeoned to death detective Richard suspects that the master computer Big Thinks was responsible. His partner points out that "[Big Thinks] hasn’t got sentience, a personality, a motive, or, most importantly, arms."

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''{{Series/Dollhouse}}'' had a light, comical version. When Caroline first meets Bennett in college, she guessed Bennett is a neuroscience major. Bennett is shocked she guessed that so easily and asks how she figured it out. Caroline says it's because Bennett is eating a tuna sandwich, and fish is brain food.... and also because Bennett is carrying a large stack of neuroscience textbooks.

* ''Film/TheNakedGun 2 1/2'' has the lab break down the fibres, prints, DNA and dirt particles of the footprint and start to take a geological breakdown of the city. When the detective says they don't have that much time, they mention that the criminal also dropped his wallet by the curb and they may be able to use that as well. They have a habit of this, in the third movie they break down the origin and composition of the paper in a letter to find out who sent it and when that fails they mention that the letterhead says "Statesville Prison" on it.

* During the 4th Shinobi War in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', Haku deduces that a bird flying above him is a fake as he knows that this particular species only flies in pairs but only during the winter. That makes their behavior suspicious. Also, he points out, it is releasing bright red signal smoke.

* The final sketch in ''Manga/MissKobayashisDragonMaid'''s sixth DVD special has Tohru do this while playing the part of Sherlock Holmes, pointing out that Lucoa just came out of the bath because of her wet hair, sweaty body, [[ShamelessFanserviceGirl and complete lack of clothing]].

-->'''Robin:''' Her name's "Empress".\\
'''Superboy:''' Wha...? How'd you figure that one out?\\

* In "Literature/TomorrowTown", after a man is bludgeoned to death GenreSavvy detective Richard suspects that the master computer Big Thinks was responsible. His partner points out that "[Big Thinks] hasn’t got sentience, a personality, a motive, or, most importantly, arms."

* In ''FanFic/ASpartanInWesteros'', Master Chief investigates Brandon Stark's fall from the Broken Tower. The next day, when Tyrion swings by to discuss the topic, he instantly fingers Cersei and Jaime as the culprits. An initially-flippant Tyrion challenges him to prove it, so the Spartan shows him the foot, hand and fingerprints they left behind, a hair from Cersei, and drops of mixed sexual fluids, finishing by telling Tyrion he has Brandon's direct statemnt.

[[folder:Fan-fiction]]

-->'''First Reporter:''' Numbuh One, your team is in dead last. You've been spanked by Spankulot, yelled at by Numbuh 362, and embarrassed by her little brother.
-->'''Numbuh One''' ''(annoyed)'': Is there a question in there?
-->'''First Reporter:''' Indeed there is. The world is dying to know, [[DidntSeeThatComing will you go to Numbuh 363's funeral?]]
-->'''Numbuh One:''' [[FlatWhat Wha, what do you mean?]]
-->'''Second Reporter:''' Oh, haven't you heard? Numbuh 363 is going after the item [[GoldenSnitch worth the most points ever]]!
-->'''Both Reporters:''' '''[[BigBad Fath]][[TheDreaded er's]] [[RobbingTheMobBank pip]][[TooDumbToLive e!!]]'''

* Parodied in the sort-of-comedy ''Smoke Signals'':

* During the 4th Shinobi War in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' Haku deduces that a bird flying above him is a fake as he knows that this particular species only flies in pairs but only during the winter. That makes their behavior suspicious. Also, he points out, it is releasing bright red signal smoke.

* ''Fanfic/RainbowDoubleDashesLunaverse:'' In the non-cannon side-story, ''Dinky & the Blanks'', the BigBad tries performing a SherlockScan on the Element Bearers, only for Trixie to quickly shut him down by pointing out ''anyone'' can see that Ditzy has strabismus, or that Lyra's a musician, or that Carrot Top is a farmer.

* During the 4th Shinobi War in {{Naruto}} Haku deduces that a bird flying above him is a fake as he knows that this particular species only flies in pairs but only during the winter. That makes their behavior suspicious. Also, he points out, it is releasing bright red signal smoke.

Sometimes deduction takes leaps of logic to come to a simple conclusion based on very minor details. Sometimes it's obvious. Sometimes however, the deductor uses his BatDeduction skills to explain his conclusion, and then adds a SmokingGun for good measure, making the previous deductions quite redundant.