| Clue | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Creator of Nick and Nora Charles | ||
| Amateur actor encountered tense writer Dashiell (7) | ||
| 1982 neo-noir mystery film produced by Francis Ford Coppola | ||
| Sam Spade creator | Newsday | 03 Sep 2017 |
| Spade creator | LA Times Daily | 23 Feb 2017 |
| "The Maltese Falcon" novelist | LA Times Daily | 28 Apr 2015 |
| "The Maltese Falcon" novelist | ||
| "The Thin Man" author | ||
| Spade inventor | ||
| Creator of 65 Down | ||
| Sam Spade's creator | ||
| Sam Spade's creator | ||
| Creator of Nick Charles |