I know you haven't seen a lot of the "new" episodes, but Nancy Walker was actually in "Uneasy Lies the Crown" (as herself).

Other than that, I'm stumped too (unless you want to take the fact that Peter Falk played a detective.)

thanks quid...i didn't know that.

Correct! Nancy walker played the deaf mute maid in Murder By Death & she appeared as herself in Uneasy Lies The Crown. Now, I'm just waiting on the 2 harder answers! Hint: The 2 Columbo episodes involved are The Most Crucial Game & Etude in Black (Cassa!!).

It's been awhile since I have seen "Murder by Death," but isn't there a scene where they are all sitting around the dinner table waiting for the clock to strike midnight? That would connect to the clock in "The Most Crucial Game." ???

Not what I was thinking of, but a valid connection! Good one. Another hint: For the connection to Etude, think of actresses and the roles they are famous for.

ok...what about myrna loy(etude) who played nora charles in the thin man movies? she and her husband nick charles were parodied by david niven and maggie smith......

oh heck....am i even close???

i just got through frying my brain on E's quiz...

Awesome!! That's the one that I thought was the hardest! I knew if anyone could get it, it'd be you.

I originally said that I hoped I wouldn't screw it up & of course I did! The last connection that I was thinking of was actually NOT from Murder By Death, but from Peters other Neil Simon movie, The Cheap Detective. Sorry about that. So anyway, what do The Cheap Detective & The Most Crucial Game have in common?

hey look C.G.!! i changed my name just for this post!! we '57 people have to stick together!!

ok....the only thing i can get from the movie the cheap detective is that i know vic tayback had a small role in it, but he was in suitable for framing.........so i can't quite get the connection to the most crucial game...me confused.....

I get all my screen names confused! Take your time. No sense in rushin'

Sorry it took me so long to get back on line and give the answer. Anyway, the connection I was looking for is that both The Cheap Detective & The most Crucial Game have female characters that speak with a Russian accent and try to hide it from Peter. I knew it was a little esoteric. Sorry. I thought my "rushin'" clue might help.

that was a good clue...the 'rushin' thingy...

I can think of a very general (probably TOO general) one, and that's that it has a detective who (though he's a "tough-talking" one) never shoots or even (I think) hits anyone (even though he makes Paul Williams beat HIMSELF up!). But one thing that occured to me even before this question is that the Ann-Margret character accidentally gives away an East European accent, like Valerie Harper's character in "The Most Crucial Game." Could that possibly be one?