I always enjoyed the word-association game scene too. Yes it is very much a "Columbo" scene, a battle of wits you could say, Columbo all but telling the murderer "I have you!!"

One of my favourite episodes.

One thing that has always puzzled me is why have the Kim Cattral character?

She seems to serve no purpose to the plot apart from making Mason look a bit dodgy. I've always wondered if her role was cut down or that she was simply a bit of eye candy for viewers to enjoy.

She reminds me a bit of 'whatshisname' who is staying with Joe Devlin in The Conspirators. The point of the character is vague - are they implying Devlin is a homosexual, or was part of his role cut rendering him an unexplained presence.