Really Really Dumb Criminals is this week’s Mystery Question.
This was supposed to publish yesterday, but my scheduler didn’t work–I thought I had it fixed, but evidently I didn’t!
First, I’m glad to be back, and Happy New Year to you all! I am so excited about 2026. It seems I approach every new year with anticipation and wonder. I don’t make resolutions, although I do set goals, and this year’s goal is to finish the first draft of Deadly Connections by Valentine’s Day.
Sometimes, I also choose a word to focus on if one presents itself, and this year one did. Anticipation. What about you? Do you make New Year’s Resolutions, set goals or choose a word to focus on?
Now for the photo and verse. I took the photo from 2500 feet in the air. Last year I discovered one thing I loved was flying. Maybe I’ll get good enough this year to solo…And that’s where the verse comes in. I will definitely need God to be with me if I solo.
Now for the first Mystery Question of 2026, Really Really Dumb Criminals. As usual, four choices, three of which are true. I made up one–can you guess which one?
- One guy believed lemon juice made him invisible. He rubbed lemon juice on his face and robbed two banks without a mask. He seemed really surprised when the teller picked him out of a lineup.
- A man tried to steal a frozen turkey by stuffing it down his pants, leading to awkward moments and a quick arrest.
- Thieves dressed as cops and wore high-quality Hollywood masks á la the pro wrestler Goldberg. Their undoing? Thanking the mask company for doing such a great job on their Goldberg mask.
- One would think that if a driver had 4 kilos of cocaine in the trunk of his car, he wouldn’t smoke marijuana and run a red light. Unfortunately, that was the case of one driver, and when he lowered his window, the officer had probable cause to search the car, where he found the cocaine.
Okay, Super Sleuths, which one did I make up? Leave your answers in the comments or tell me if you make New Year’s resolutions, and I’ll enter you in a January drawing for a book from my library!
And here’s a great song for the New Year!
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Comments 59
They are all wonky events & interesting to picture, but I’ll guess you made up #1.
Author
Hi Delores! We’ll see…but they really wonky, aren’t they. lol
Hi Patricia!
I love the picture you took and the Bible verse. I don’t make new years resolutions but I do look forward to what the new year will bring. These criminals all did really dumb things but I think #1 is the one you made up.
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They really are crazy, aren’t they. lol We’ll see next week…
Happy New Year. I think it’s #2.
msredk@aol.com
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Hi MsRedK…we’ll see and a Happy New Year to you!
#2 is made up
I focus on word Hope and make goals for the year so I can have little wins
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Hope. I like that word, Crystal. We’ll see if #2 is the right wrong answer next week.
Happy New Year, Pat, and welcome back!!. Anticipation…It’s driving me crazy. Brings back memories of the Carly Simon hit.
Crazy Crimes under the magnifying glass:
#1. Guess if it makes invisible ink it ought to work on faces, huh?
#2. The extra legs did him in.
#3. Hey, credit where it’s due.
#4. Where would we be without dumb criminals?
They are all so dumb… I’m going with #4 as the one you made up this time.
Thank you for the John Denver song. One of my favorites of his, and he is one of my favorite singers.
Hope you all have a Snappy New Year!!
Author
Snappy New Year–I like that, Tim. And I love your logic on these…we’ll see next week it’s #4.
Hi Pat, I don’t make resolutions and don’t choose a word. I am guessing that you made up #4. Happy New Year!
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Hi Gloria! I usually don’t choose a word, but this one came to me…We’ll see next week if it’s #4…
Welcome back you have been missed!!!
Oh my, the clouds are phenomenal! I do see a huge dinosaur with a butterfly tat on his side. Or, you could look at the mass of clouds and see a huge bagel. lol Then there is also a warrior in full armor and the top right. Check out the muscles on his arm. God is so creative with His clouds!!!
The verse! Yes! Always! My phrase for this year is “Jesus, you are my joy.”
These are all totally crazy. I cannot believe three of them are true. I’m guessing #3
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Thank you, Barbara! I’ve missed y’all! And I love your phrase. We’ll see if it’s crazy criminal #3 next week.
Happy New Year! Beautiful picture – my word this year is Hope. The last several years have been really tough and I am trusting that 2026 will be better.
They really are all quite unbelievable, but I will go with #4.
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I love your word, Betti. And I totally understand tough years. Mine are starting to look better…we’ll see if it’s #4 next week…
They are all really stupid criminals. But I’m going to guess you made up #2. No resolution for me…just set realistic goals to meet through out the year.
Happy New Year to you as well.
I love all of your books that I have read; just having a hard time finding some of them.
Please keep writing, I absolutely love your books and can’t put them down very easily when I start reading. Reading is a stress reliever and escape for me.
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Hi Arlene~ Reading has always been a stress reliever and escape for me, too. We’ll see next week if it’s #2.
Happy New Year!
#4
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Thanks, Natalya! We’ll see about #4…
#3 makes me a little suspicious. I’m going with that one.
I wish you all the best with your Valentine’s deadline!
Yes, I set goals and choose a word. Last year’s word was “mature,” both the adj and the verb, and it served me well. This year’s word is “rejoice.” My goals are to read through the Bible in the NLT, read a huge classic that intimidates me (I chose East of Eden), write a novella set in Alaska, and get through my mother’s probate with a happy heart (I’m the executor and rather overwhelmed at the moment, but I’m trying to keep a positive attitude!).
Author
Oh, my goodness…my heart goes out to you in the loss of your Mom. And I understand how being executor of her estate could be overwhelming. Just remember how you eat and elephant…
Up until last year I for 18 years I read through the Bible, usually chronologically. In 2025 I decided to read much slower and study as I read. I’ve made it to 2nd Samuel. 🙂 My goal is to get to the New Testament this year.
We’ll see if suspicious #3 is the right wrong answer next week…
They are really dumb, right!?
I’m guessing #1
Praying you had a wonderful holiday season Pat!
Author
I truly did Gail. Last year was the beginning of a new adventure for me and I look forward to seeing where this year takes me. And those were some really dumb criminals…we’ll see if it’s #1 next week.
Well, I am going with #1.
I set goals too, no resolutions. My goals are to read more and to craft more. Country Roads was one of my Dad’s favorites. My sister sang it at his memorial but substituted Pennsylvania for West Virginia.
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I’ve heard a lot of people substitute their home states, Paula! We’ll see next week if it’s #1…as for crafting, I hope to do some knitting this year.
#4
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We’ll see, Mary…
My word this year is The Most High. Wishing you a blessed New Year. I am going with number 1 they are all unbelievable.
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I love your word, Sharon! We’ll see next week if it’s the popular #1.
I’m not good at these but I’ll say #1.
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It’s quite popular, Beverly…we’ll see…
I always just try to be a better person every new year.
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I love that, Judy!
Happy New Year! I’m going with #2.
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We’ll see, Diana!
I think you made up #1.
I don’t make resolutions anymore but did choose a word last year. So far, I have not chosen a word for this year.
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I don’t usually choose a word, Carolyn, but this year, Anticipation chose me. 🙂 We’ll see next week if it’s #1.
Happy New Year, Pat!
#3
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Thanks, Caryl! We’ll see…
all are really funny but I will go with #1
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I thought they were funny, too, Shelia. 🙂 We’ll see if it’s the popular #1 next week…
Happy New Year, Pat! It’s great to see you back here. Love the picture and verse.
I think the only reason John Denver didn’t use Virginia in that song is because adding West fit the melody better than Virginia by itself. LOL! I enjoyed hearing it again.
I’m choosing #4 because it sounds like it could be true. The first two are over the edge beyond dumb. The third one is somewhere in between.
Author
Thanks! And I love your logic, Ed, both on Country Roads and the crazy criminals. We’ll see next week.
#1….?
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Connie…maybe…? 🙂
Happy NEW YEAR! I’m guessing #2 (but you did warn your readers that there are really, really dumb criminals!)
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I did, didn’t I, Barbie! lol We’ll see…
2
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We’ll see, BN!
Sorry to be so late responding, but I wanted to welcome you back, Pat and to wish you a blessed New Year!
Love the photo and the verse! This verse really spoke to me this morning as I am dealing with a couple of health issues. God is with me, He will not leave me and I am blessed!
#2 is hilarious, and it’s hard to choose between 1 and 4 but I’ll guess #1
Author
Thank you, Mary G. I’m glad to be back. We’ll see Tuesday if it’s #1.
Welcome back Patricia and Happy New Year!! First, I love your photo and verse, it makes me want to fly somewhere on vacation. Hope you get to solo this year, you can do it!
I had “planned” on cutting out sugar the first of the year, until my husband bought me a bag of Lindt/Lindor chocolate during Christmas, so now it’s “cutting back”. You can’t waste good chocolate! I’m also off to a good start with my Reading the Bible through in 2026. I’m reading a chapter, or more, in both Old and New Testaments, so I’m seeing progress, and I’m doing Audio as I follow along. It helps!
You’re off to a good start with the dumb criminals, these made me laugh! I’m torn between #1 and #2. It would take some mighty stretchy pants to get a turkey down them, and actually being invisible with lemon juice?? Sounds like he was riding in the car on #4! lol! I’ll go with #1 this time.
Good luck with the deadlines!
Dottie.
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Hi Dottie! I understand about the ‘cutting back’ thingy. I must get back on my low-carb diet! But not just yet…maybe tomorrow, as Scarlett would say. lol We’ll see if it’s #1 Tuesday.
Happy New Year! I’ll guess #1. I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions.
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Hi, Kelly! I quit making resolutions about 30 years ago after I broke all of them by the middle of January. lol We’ll see Tuesday if it’s #1…
Happy New Year!
My word is PRAY. And my guess is #1.
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Sally Jo, what a perfect word for this year! We’ll see if it’s #1 next week…