sleuthing
Playing the investigator
Sleuthing is detective work—investigating, gathering clues, following leads.
The term comes from sleuth, itself shortened from sleuthhound, a tracking dog.
Most sleuthing today is amateur or figurative: After some sleuthing, I found out who had been taking my lunch from the office fridge.
Conclusion from premises
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- gumshoeInformal term for detective
- SherlockIconic Victorian-era investigator
- PoirotFictional Belgian detective
noir · whodunit · shadowing · stakeout · tail · inquiry · interrogation · profiling
Something hard to fathom
- puzzleChallenge testing ingenuity
- riddlePuzzling question to solve
- whodunitCrime fiction identifying perpetrator
- conundrumPerplexing problem or question
secrets · cipher · cryptogram · unknown · anomaly · perplexity · twist · suspense
Facts supporting truth
- footprintsMarks left by walking
- fingerprintsRidge patterns identifying individuals
- forensicsScientific crime-scene analysis
- DNAHereditary code molecule
bloodstains · ballistics · testimony · eyewitness · trace · fiber · weapon · autopsy
Methods of secret agents
- covertIntentionally concealed
- undercoverSecretly engaged in espionage
- infiltrationCovert entry into organization
- counterintelligenceDefense against enemy espionage
mole · surveillance · wiretap · bugging · eavesdropping · dead-drop · handler · tradecraft
deduction
Conclusion from premises
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- gumshoeInformal term for detective
- SherlockIconic Victorian-era investigator
Poirot · noir · whodunit · shadowing · stakeout · tail · inquiry · interrogation · profiling · case
enigma
Something hard to fathom
- puzzleChallenge testing ingenuity
- riddlePuzzling question to solve
- whodunitCrime fiction identifying perpetrator
conundrum · secrets · cipher · cryptogram · unknown · anomaly · perplexity · twist · suspense · thriller
evidence
Facts supporting truth
- footprintsMarks left by walking
- fingerprintsRidge patterns identifying individuals
- forensicsScientific crime-scene analysis
DNA · bloodstains · ballistics · testimony · eyewitness · trace · fiber · weapon · autopsy · coroner
spycraft
Methods of secret agents
- covertIntentionally concealed
- undercoverSecretly engaged in espionage
- infiltrationCovert entry into organization
counterintelligence · mole · surveillance · wiretap · bugging · eavesdropping · dead-drop · handler · tradecraft · cover
investigate
Seek facts systematically
- examineStudy with attention
- scrutinizeInspect with close attention
- analyzeStudy by breaking down
probe · delve · sift · dissect · uncover · dig · trace · verify · cross-reference · document
- crime fictiondetective fiction, murder mystery, detective novels, detective novel, detective
- crime investigationdetective, whodunit, investigation, detectives, investigator
- mysteryclue, detective, suspect, clues, whodunit
- investigationinvestigation, detective, evidence, clue, case
- searchingsearching, rummaging, digging, looking through, finding
- pursuitchase, chasing, pursuit, chase down, pursue
sleuthingconjecture
Guess from limited facts
guesswork · assuming · jumping to conclusions · winging it · speculation
sleuthingcovering up
Hiding wrongdoing from others
concealing · hiding · obfuscating · destroying evidence · cover-up
sleuthingignoring
Deliberately not noticing
turning a blind eye · willful ignorance · overlooking · disregarding · incuriosity