Chapter One: -Why would Northrup intentionally choose a bookie, bomber, and burglar? -If there is no real person named Barney Northrup, then who is he really?
Chapter Two: -There is smoke in the chimney of the Westing house even though Sam Westing is rumored to be dead -Why were the kids muttering "purple"? -Earlier Chris saw someone with a limp coming out of the Westing mansion. Who? -Who dropped the binoculars on Chris' lap?
Chapter Three: -Why isn't Mrs. Wexler worried about smoke coming from a place where the tenant is supposedly dead? -Who is Crow? -Why is Mr. Hoo blaming Westing? -What is Mr. Hoo blaming Westing for? -Is Sydelle Pulaski making a threat?
Chapter Four: -If the whisper was saying "Turtle, Turtle" does that mean when the other two kids who also said "Purple" actually heard "Turtle?" -Who is whispering Turtle if the only thing in the house is the corpse? -Why would Mr. Westing have a letter for what happened to him? Maybe he suspected murder? Could Sydelle Pulaski's threat have anything to do with this? -Why would Westing leave the tenants of Sunset Towers money? He was missing before they moved in...
Chapter Five: -What is Chris trying to say when he says, "Itsss-oo-nn?" -Didn't the person who Chris saw going into the Westing house limping? Could Sydelle's injury be a coincidence? -Sydelle is wearing purple. Could that be the "Purple, purple" Turtle heard?
Chapter Six: -What is a coroner? -Was does Sandy say murder out loud? Everyone is already thinking about that... -What type of joke is that... Ashes and winds.....
Chapter Seven: -Pairs: 1. Madame Sun Lin Hoo Jake Wexler 2. Turtle Wexler Flora Baumbach 3. Cristos Theodorakis D. Denton Deere 4. Alexander McSouthers J.J Ford 5. Grace Windsor Wexler James Shin Hoo 6. Berthe Erica Crow Otis Amber 7. Theo Theodorakis Doug Hoo 8. Sydelle Pulaski Angela Wexler -Who is playing chess with Theo?
Chapter Eight: -May God thy gold refine.... isn't that from America the Beautiful? -Remember how Turtle said the hand she felt was waxy? And how would a corpse move? Maybe someone moved the corpse to scare Turtle away? Corpse be fake, and Westing hiding in Mansion... spying on turtle... playing chess with Theo? -How could the object of a game be: twin? That would be weird?
Chapter Nine: -None-
Chapter Ten: -Judge Ford is one person with a one bedroom apartment. What does Grace mean about a three bedroom apartment? -Why is George worried about Angela? Could he have had a similar experience? In newspaper it said Westing had a daughter... Did he know her? -What is coiffure? -Spend it wisely and May God thy gold refine. Why in the book is "May" be capitalized?
Chapter Eleven: -Why was learning about Rosalie Baumbach the last thing that Turtle wanted to hear? -How is Rosalie gone? -What is shorthand notes? How can English shorthand mean anything in Polish, or vice-versa? -Why is Grace lying about Turtle's name (or is she)? -Why did Turtle dell Flora a made up name? -Why didn't anyone answer Chris' question? What panic?
Chapter Twelve: -Who planted the bomb? -Why would Sydelle be woozy? -What does Turtle mean: Mom asked to see it and Angela does whatever she says? What did Angela do? -How is Turtle's 'crutch' her braid? -Violet Westing's escort for what? -Who did Judge Ford call for the private investigator? -How was she playing into Westing's hand? -Which voices were one and the same?
Chapter Thirteen: -Who is the bomber? -Other motive, because didn't try to hurt anyone. -Why does Grace think it is too hard for a women to get into medical school? -Why couldn't Angela answer that if she won the inheritance she would or wouldn't go back to school? -Violet Westing, as in daughter of Sam Westing? Interesting... Interesting... -Why wouldn't Grace sit with Dr. Wexler? -Why did Grace call Mr. Hoo Jimmy? -Why would Otis Amber laugh about the bomb? Could he be the bomber? No, he just got there. Then who? -Why does the bomber want to get the Wexler Apartment? -Could the bomber have a grudge against Pulaski, because she has been hurt both times? Suspect List for Bomber: 1. Take of anyone who is not a resident of Sunset Towers, they weren't there during the storm. 2. Take of the WEXLERS, because that is where the bomber is going next. Or do you put them back on. That could be to draw suspicion away. 3. Take of HOOS, their restaurant just got bombed. Or maybe not. It could be to draw suspicion away. 4. Take off SYDELLE PULASKI, she has been hurt by a bomb.
Chapter Fourteen: -Why doesn't Sandy have a phone? If he is that poor, he should have a better paying job than an un-payed doorman. -Why does Judge say that they're looking for one name? The will says it is what you don't have is what matters. -Why does Sandy completely shoot down the idea? -If May God thy gold refine is from 'America the Beautiful,' could all the other clues also be? Westing was known as Uncle Sam. -Why does Sandy's chipped tooth have anything to do with anything? -Why doesn't Angela want to get married? -How isn't Angela their Perfect Angela? -Why did Angela lie to Sydelle about what the doctor said about her wasting disease? -Who wrote that note in Sydelle's makeup bag?
Chapter Fifteen: -Why doesn't Flora share about the clue plain? -Turtle had a crush on Doug? -What is spareribs? -Jake smokes? How does grace not like the smell, she smokes herself? -Why does James get so upset? -How does 'shooter' have anything to do with Hearts? -Does Judge think that Westing is trying to replay scenes from his past?
Chapter Sixteen: -Why is Angela so worried and jittery? -Did Angela know there was going to be a bomb? If so, how? -What is an ulcer? -Could Angela do it to draw away suspicion? -Incriminating evidence? -Angela is the bomber? Suspect List for Bomber: ANGELA WEXLER is the bomber!
Chapter Seventeen: -How could Grace and Mr. Hoo think that Ed Plum was the murderer. The will says that his life was taken from him by one of the heirs, and Plum isn't a heir.
SANDY AND JUDGE JJ'S LIST OF HEIRS: HOO: JAMES SHIN HOO Born: James Hoo in Chicago. Age: 50. Added Shin to his name when he went into the restaurant business because it sounded more Chinese. First wife died of cancer five years ago. Married again last year. Has one son: Douglas. SUN LIN HOO Age: 28. Born in China. Immigrated from Hong Kong two years ago. Gossip: James Hoo married her for her 100- year-old sauce. DOUGLAS HOO (called Doug). Age: 18. High-school track star. Is competing in Saturday’s track meet against college milers. Westing connection: Hoo sued Sam Westing over the invention of the disposable paper diaper. Case never came to court (Westing disappeared). Settled with the company last year for $25,000. Thinks he was cheated. Latest invention: paper innersoles.
-Crow lives on the 4th floor? -Why would Theo be dreaming?
Chapter Eighteen: SANDY AND JUDGE JJ'S LIST OF HEIRS: BAUMBACH: FLORA BAUMBACH Maiden name: Flora Miller. Age: 60. Dressmaker. Husband left her years ago, sends no money. She had a retarded daughter, Rosalie, a Mongoloid child. Sold bridal shop last year after Rosalie died of pneumonia, age 19. Spends most of her time at the stockbrokers. Westing connection: Made wedding gown for Violet Westing, which she never got to wear.
AMBER OTIS JOSEPH AMBER Age: 62. Delivery boy. Fourth-grade dropout. IQ: 50. Lives in the basement of Green’s Grocery. A bachelor. No living relatives. Westing connection: Delivered letters from E. J. Plum, Attorney, both times.
DEERE D. DENTON DEERE Age: 25. Graduate of UW Medical School. First-year intern, plastic surgery. Parents live in Racine (not heirs). Westing connection: Engaged to Angela Wexler (see Wexlers), who looks like Sam Westing’s daughter, Violet, who was also engaged to be married, but to a politician not an intern.
PULASKI SYDELLE PULASKI Age: 50. Education: high school, one year secretarial school. Secretary to the president of Schultz Sausages. Is taking her first vacation in 25 years (six months’ saved-up time). Lived with widowed mother and two aunts until she moved to Sunset Towers. Walked with a crutch even before she broke her ankle in the second bombing. Now needs two crutches (she paints them!). Westing connection: ?
-Why are the heirs supposed to be there? -How did Plum know to call them back if Westing is already dead?
Chapter Nineteen:
-Who sent the note with the two clues? Crow? SANDY AND JUDGE JJ'S LIST OF HEIRS: CROW BERTHE ERICA CROW Age: 57. Mother died at childbirth, raised by father (deceased). Education: 1 year of high school. Married at 16, divorced at 40. Ex- husband's name: Windy Windkloppel. Hospital records: problems related to chronic alcoholism. Police record: 3 arrests for vagrancy. Gave up drinking when she took up religion. Started the Good Salvation Soup Kitchen on Skid Row. Works as cleaning woman in Sunset Towers, lives in maid’s apartment on fourth floor. Westing connection: ?
WEXLER JAKE WEXLER Age: 45. Podiatrist. Graduated from Marquette. Married 22 years, has two daughters (see below). GRACE WINDSOR WEXLER Born Gracie Windkloppel. Age: 42. Married to above. Claims to be an interior decorator. Spends most of her time in the Chinese restaurant or the beauty parlor. She and Jake (see above) have two daughters (see below). ANGELA WEXLER Age: 20. Engaged to marry D. Denton Deere (also an heir). One year college (high grades). Victim of third bombing. Embroiders a lot. TURTLE WEXLER Real name: Tabitha-Ruth Wexler. Age: 13. Junior-High-School student. Plays the stock market. Smart kid, but kicks people. Flora Baumbach calls her Alice. Westing connection: Grace Windsor Wexler claims that Sam Westing is her real uncle. Angela looks like Violet Westing, so does Grace in a way, except she’s older.
-Why would JJ want a bookie over a fine, upstanding man? -Windkloppel? Crow is related to Wexlers? -So Sybil Pulaski is the mistake?
Chapter Twenty: -How did Turtle know to sell at that point? -Why did Turtle buy WPP in the first place? -What lesson had Theo already learned?
SANDY AND JUDGE JJ'S LIST OF HEIRS:
THEODORAKIS THEO THEODORAKIS Age: 17. High-school senior. Works in family coffee shop. Wants to be a writer. Seems lonely; can't find anyone to play chess with. CHRISTOS THEODORAKIS Age: 15. Younger brother of above. Confined to wheelchair; disease struck about four years ago. Knows a lot about birds. Westing Connection: Father was childhood sweetheart of Sam Westing’s daughter (who looked like Angela Wexler). Mrs. Westing broke up the affair. She wanted daughter to marry somebody else, but Violet Westing killed herself before the wedding. Neither parents of above are heirs.
-Why does Sandy disagree so strongly with the possibility that Mrs. Westing is one of the heirs? Does he really think that Sam Westing would make it so obvious that someone is related to him? Is he hiding something?
Chapter Twenty-one: -Why is Theo so hesitant to tell Turtle why he wants the bike? -How did Theo find out about Angela? -Did Theo find out about Angela, or was he trying to call Turtle's bluff?
SANDY AND JUDGE JJ'S LIST OF HEIRS: MCSOUTHERS ALEXANDER MCSOUTHERS Called Sandy. Age: 65. Born: Edinburgh, Scotland. Immigrated to Wisconsin, age 3. Education: eighth grade. Jobs: mill worker, union organizer, prizefighter, doorman. Married, six children, two grandchildren. Westing connection: Worked in Westing Paper plant 20 years. Fired by Sam Westing himself for trying to organize the workers. No pension.
FORD JOSIE-JO FORD Age: 42. Education: Columbia; law degree, Harvard. Jobs: Assistant district attorney. Judge: family court, state supreme court, appellate division. Never married, no children. Westing Connection: Mother was a servant in the Westing household, father worked for the railroad and was the gardener on his days off. Education financed by Sam Westing. Debt never repaid.
-She played chess with Westing, and Theo is trying to find out about chess, because he was playing chess in the Mansion. That is a coincidence, and there aren't really coincidences in the Westing Game, are there?