Best one ever is in Now You See Him when Santini gets challenged to open the handcuffs on stage and then Columbo says "I knew you could do it" and gives a little wink. That was brilliant!!
I was wracking my brain for one, and boom...nice one Irene.
Probably the perfect example of being tricked and realizing it, and knowing he had no choice but to break out of the handcuffs...