There was a strange man called an earl
Who gave his good friend a white pearl
The friend passed away
In a mysterious way
And the treasure contained a weird whorl
Limerick by Cristina Matta, written one early morning when the brain shouldn’t have been as sharp as it was – or was it? 😂
Ned here. I’m a detective, not a poet, so no sarcastic comments. Actually, bring on the sarcastic comments. There’s space below. Or try your own limerick. Go ahead. I dare you!
A promise is a promise (eventually)
Remember when I promised to talk about accidental whorls next week? That was back in Ned’s Notes #3.
Well, weeks go by quickly when you’re fighting crime. Cases pile up. Monkeys get involved. Jewelry goes missing. You know how it is.
So, in the interest of keeping my promises (eventually), let’s revisit an old case involving fingerprints, a suspicious jewel, and a possible monkey thief.
My first case in Florida involved a monkey who may or may not have been a jewelry robber. One of the recovered jewels had a fingerprint with an accidental whorl pattern.
Did you know monkeys have fingerprints, too? Just another reason not to trust anyone with opposable thumbs. Or, apparently, without them.
What Exactly Is an Accidental Whorl? 👆 🌀
Fingerprints are classified into several basic pattern types, including loops, arches, and whorls. But some prints don’t fit neatly into one category.
An accidental whorl is a fingerprint pattern that combines features of different pattern types or otherwise doesn’t fit the other standard categories. These patterns generally have at least two deltas.
What’s a delta? It’s a roughly triangular area where fingerprint ridges come together or diverge. Think of it as a little landmark that helps fingerprint examiners classify a print.
Here’s another interesting detail: accidental whorls are relatively uncommon. Some fingerprint classification references estimate that they account for about 3% of fingerprint patterns.
In fingerprint classification, the symbol used for an accidental whorl is X.
X marks the spot! ❌ 💎 🐒
As in the spot where our jewelry thief left a fingerprint on a pearl. The monkey thief.
Why am I always assigned cases involving eccentric people and animal criminals?
Never mind. As long as you’re entertained, I suppose I’ll keep doing my job.
Your turn:
Write your own limerick in the comments below.
Bonus points if it involves a crime, a suspicious character, or a questionable alibi. ✍️ 😂
And if you’re wondering what on earth I’m talking about with that monkey and the jewelry, read Pairs, the first book in the Crack the Case Books series. Also make sure you Like + Subscribe + Share ❤️
🔍🧪 Crime Scene Tech Tip:
A fingerprint’s general pattern: loop, arch, or whorl is just one part of the picture. Investigators examine the ridge details and the quality of the impression when comparing fingerprints.
Ned wants to know… What do you think? Leave your evidence below. 🕵️♂️