- The guy who persuades Mrs Daley to resign from having Ward on the series is the same guy who was at the office meeting on Lady in Waiting, the only one who actually spoke with Beth Chadwick, trying to explian to her what will be best for company but she refused
- What is silver certificate which Claire Daley wants? what does it mean?
- I will ask this question again because I've never got answer: why is it said that Fowler's shoes were important clue? Columbo sees him everyday now, so he knows very good how tall he is, even without checking his shoes. So what kind of clue is that?
- I am not a big fan of alibi here. If Mark was unconscious and fell asleep at 8:33 and when he wakes up and thinks (according to what Fowler wants) that it is 8:50 then he is not Ward's alibi at all! because according to Mark testimony Ward can have alibi only from 8:33 to 8:50, so only for 17 minutes. But later on I see that Columbo indeed says the murder happened at 8:50. But then again we have another question: was 17 minutes really enough time to prepare, change, drive, make a murder itself? I guess deli was not so close to his house. For example when I drive to my closest grocery shop (which is close to my place), no matter how fast I am,the whole trip takes me at least 15 minutes, going to car, driving, waiting on red light etc. But I guess that this is one of the things that just happen in many Columbo episodes and we shouldn't just care that much about it :)
- I considered it quite risky: Ward hears when Claire talks on the phone and says that she will go to deli and pick up some sandwich. For me it sounded like typical answer to somebody who is telling you what to do and you don't want this, then you answer "yeah, yeah, ok! I will go there and do this or that", while actually don't meaning that at all. So if I were Fowler I would have thought that there is a small chance that she will go to that deli
- again risky: Ward was quite lucky that nobody entered the deli or see the action from outside through the window while he was performing his murder plan
- although the scene is funny, I always wonder why it takes them so long to cut the filming when Columbo unintentionally appears as a movie "background" behind the window, they let him do that for some time
- I find first meeting of Columbo and Fowler kind of strange. First of all what a stupid reaction from Ward, one of his first question was "exactly what time did it happen Lieutenant?". I think that's the worst he could say. If you are innocent you never ask about exact time I guess, because what difference does it make? It was only to provide himself alibi in front of Columbo. But it was so obvious that I am sure that Columbo started to suspect him right from this moment. Then he pretends
he doesn't remember watching a ballgame at that time. I guess everybody would remember what they were doing last night (if sober of course :P). Then he has problems with understanding the easiest questions from Columbo, I don't know what was the target of that.
- is there a big difference between the words "killing" and "murder"? I thought it is almost literally the same. But Ward asks "do you think she was murdered?". And Columbo is surprised how did Ward know? Wasn't this obvious that it was a murder if somebody shot her? or is it a matter of english meaning of this words?
- probably that was Ward's plan to "accidently" hooked on Sid's sweater, but again - I think it was hard to make in such a short time without possible to repeat
- the Shark from Jaws it one of best secondary characters in this episode :D (Columbo shouldn't have had white circle on his coat on this scene, because it was before the scene Ward drew it, although... he has). I also noticed this for the first time now, that in the background, behind the shark, you have a billboard from Jaws, with this shark finn on it, just like it was in the movie. Boy... Everytime something new! :D
- I don't quite follow Ward's monologue about murderer being a marksman or not. First he says that probably "he missed his target because he wanted to hit shoulder", and then he says something about ex cops and soldiers training on moving targets and they are marksmen. I am not exactly getting what is his point here
- but in spite of all this things I wrote above, one thing makes this episode quite cringeworthy more than all the others. It is sudden change of Fowler, starting to speak to Columbo "as detective Lucerne". It is so irrational, so unlogical... everytime I watch it I can't believe it. As a Lucerne he accuses Ward Fowler. I know there is something like double bluff, but that doesn't work here. Very strange
- some funny moments too: Columbo struggling with door lock, Columbo telling constantly about Tony: "you know Tony, he is the owner of deli", good stuff :D
- what does "IOU" exactly means? like a debt? is it called like this because it sounds as "I owe you"? or what's the meaning?

Ward's shoes were an important clue because the killer was very short, possibly a woman, while Ward Fowler was average height for a man. However, Ward wore special shoes with heel lifts that made him appear a few inches taller. When Columbo noticed these shoes, he realized that Ward was the same height as the killer. I know that Columbo saw Ward every day, but Ward presumably had heel lifts and pants to cover the shoes. Only an observant person would notice (like Columbo). Or Tony, the guy from the deli.

Regarding silver certificates, they are a form of investment. when you purchase gold or silver, you have to store the metals. They are heavy, you need space for them, you have to secure that space, etc. However, you can bypass the inconvenience of keeping precious metals by allowing the issuing bank to keep them in their vault. That way, the metals are protected and insured.
Any time you want access, you show your certificate and redeem the value of the silver.

An IOU is exactly what you assumed. It sounds like "I Owe You".

Regarding the chances that Claire would be at Tony's (He's the guy who owns the Deli), she apparently went there quite often.

I thought two things were bizarre with the "expert marksman" scene. First, Columbo asks for help and, I paraphrase:

Columbo: What do you think?
Ward: I think I'd better try and help you. Because you're going to ask me to, aren't you?
C: Oh Boy, you did it again Sir, you read my mind, would you?

And later, Ward says "IF the killer was an expert marksman", and he explains that part of being an expert is to hit moving targets. Like a woman running. Like Claire (unlike Tony, the guy from the deli). So what was his point?

Ward's initial reaction was ridiculous. He kicks out his "gofor" for "trying to give me an alibi" and then says: "Well, if he says I was, then I guess I was watching the game with him". So why get angry before? And like Matti says, how could he have forgotten so fast? "Poor Claire murdered and God knows what I was doing or where I was". A true ham of the first order.

There is a difference between kill and murder. Murder is illegal. However, the way the words were used in this context was if the robbery was a cover to eliminate Claire, she was murdered. Of course either way she was murdered (and killed), but it's first degree murder if it was planned in advance.

I wanted to clarify my paraphrasing above when Columbo is amazed that Ward read his mind:

Columbo: What do you think, Mr. Fowler? Could you help me with this?
Ward: I think I'd better try and help you. Because you're going to ask me to, aren't you?
Columbo: Oh Boy, you did it again Sir, you read my mind, would you? Imagine the great Lt. Lucerne, etc.

Fowler didn't read Columbo's mind, Columbo asked him for help. If anybody else had a different interpretation of that and the "Expert Marksman" theory, I'd love to hear your thoughts. An expert marksman has to hit a moving target. Proving....what exactly?

One for me would be Doris Buckner. Not because she "bent over backwards to spoil Rodger" and this is where it got her, but just for general reasons.

I've mentioned it before, but one clever things about Lady In Waiting is how Mrs. Chadwick and Peter Hamilton both end up disillusioned about Beth. Even though Columbo already spells things out to Peter before he confronts Beth, it would be interesting to see their reactions.

I'm sorry, I put that in the wrong thread. It was meant for the "Reactions" thread, of course.