Elementary, my dear Watson

Cultural  

1. A phrase often attributed to Sherlock Holmes, the English detective in the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Holmes supposedly says this to his amazed companion, Dr. Watson, as he explains his reasoning in solving a crime. Though these precise words are never used in the Holmes stories, something like them appears in the story “The Crooked Man”: “‘Excellent!’ I [Watson] cried. ‘Elementary,’ said he.”

---

Example Sentences

I refuse to invoke the phrase, "Elementary, my dear Watson," since it's one that's been famously misattributed to Holmes, though, in actuality, found nowhere in Doyle's pages.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2025

The most Holmesian phrase - "Elementary my dear Watson" - is never uttered in the books.

From BBC • Jan. 25, 2015

The line, "Elementary my dear Watson" probably became famous when the talkies came in - it was used in The Return of Sherlock Holmes in 1929, which starred Clive Brook.

From BBC • Jan. 25, 2015

As any fule kno, he never said "Elementary, my dear Watson".

From The Guardian • Oct. 11, 2014

Sherlock Holmes never said, "Elementary, my dear Watson."

From Time Magazine Archive