Inside No. 9 (TV Series) The Riddle of the Sphinx (2017) User Reviews

Beautifully crafted, cryptic episode.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 14 October 2018]

The Riddle of the Sphinx is a tantalisingly clever, hugely entertaining and hugely satisfying episode.

If anyone was in doubt as to the genius of Shearsmith and Pemberton's writing skills I would urge them to watch this, it is so incredibly well crafted, it highlights the genius of their writing. In just thirty minutes they manage to pack in mystery, intrigue and laughs, so impressive.

Ammanford's finest, Alexandra Roach does such a great job, I loved her performance in it, she delivered some very funny lines very skilfully.

So insanely clever. 9/10

The Riddle of the Sphinx

[Prismark10 · 8/10 · 28 September 2017]

A very cryptic episode as the clues reveal themselves thick and fast as the show goes on. If you ever found crosswords difficult to do then this is the programme for you as it unravels the thinking behind the cryptic crosswords.

A University of Cambridge professor's rooms are broken in by a young lady who works in a bakery, all she wants to do is to prove how smart she is to her boyfriend.

The professor plays along and the lady proves rather adept in cracking the puzzles but there is something rather fishy going on.

An enjoyable fiendish instalment, there is even a Chekhov gun quip. Pemberton and Shearsmith have to be admired by the way they have constructed the episode.

A lesson in solving cryptic crosswords - and in life

[rufusotis · 10/10 · 27 December 2022]

I've tried to solve the cryptic crosswords in The Atlantic and Harpers for years -- this is actually the best lesson I've seen yet. (I haven't yet solved one, by the way.)

It's hard to write a review for an episode for this show -- every episode that I've watched so far has been clever, original, funny, and surprising. Very smart!!! Every one a strong 10... but some are even better, so in the Spinal Tappian way, this one should go to at least eleven!!!

For me, this show, in general, and this episode specifically, checks all the boxes. The comedy is dark enough for the most warped sense of humor; the horror is significant; and the skewering of the rich and powerful is constant and intense.

This is near perfection

[eppingdrwho · 1 February 2020]

I love everything about this episode, it relies principally on the two writers to perform the lead roles, it is witty with a twisting plot-line and it takes place in a University setting much like the University I was at. Great production.

Hannibal would be proud

[safenoe · 8/10 · 18 December 2020]

This riveting crossword episode of Inside No. 9 isn't to be watched during a meal that's for sure. I squirmed in my sofa big time at the end, and really wondered, would Pemberton and Shearsmith really pen the gruesome ending to the crossword tale? I'm hopeless at cryptic crosswords, so it was a privilege to have the Guardian crossword by Sphinx on the laptop while watching this.

Another serving of delicious dark story telling.

[lancer165 · 8/10 · 16 March 2017]

Note the other reviewer took away half the points over a grammatical error. Should be an exam marker and then we would see less passes by relatively poor English language students. No comment about the quickly over serving. Mind you when I put brackets in a review it is not acceptable yet I saw a few in the other offering.

The twists that came through within this story reminded me maybe of short stories by respected authors from over 100 years ago. And tales of the unexpected. I have enjoyed the League of Gentlemen for some years and while there are tales that are of lesser drama or comedy it has not put me off just enjoying the very 'twisted' imaginative minds at work.

Not having the gift of a perfect understanding of the wonderful English language I just enjoyed the the sad and sorry tale.

Perhaps our Sphinx could have been allowed to carry out the sexual threat of giving her one to add to his misery. He did nearly grope her.

Many a cross word.

[southdavid · 7/10 · 28 July 2021]

Next up is one of the most beloved episodes of the series.

In the private rooms of a University professor (Steve Pemberton), a woman Nina (Alexandra Roach) sneaks in to get a look at the crossword that he has written for publication, so she can impress her boyfriend. When he catches her, once the initial shock is over, he tries to teach her the way to solve a cryptic crossword. However, Nina has not been honest about her motivations.

Again, there's much to admire in the performances. Alexandra Roach has great comic timing, and her ruder lines made me chuckle. There was a meta aspect at the time, in that the actual crossword from the show appeared in the Guardian as their cryptic crossword, on the day the show aired - which must have given some viewers a weird experience.

I really enjoyed the first two thirds of the episode, with the explanation of the way cryptic crosswords work and the interplay between the pair. Personally, I'm not sure that this episode comes together quite as well as it might have done though. For the crossword to include words that all three participants use as big reveals of what they know, is pretty co-incidental, given that only one of the characters actually wrote it.

That said I liked the darkness of what took place and the references to Chekov's writing is another nice level of wit.

Good, But It Got Too Far Off Track

[bobcobb301 · 7/10 · 20 March 2017]

"The Riddle of the Sphinx" started off very strong. Two people engaged in a game of oneupsmanship over each other.

Then we had one reveal, and another reveal, and once the third character was introduced it was too far off the rails. They should have just had the battle of solving the crossword, instead we had the big payoff revolve around someone who wasn't on screen for over 2/3 the episode.

Eating the bit of "rump" was tough to watch too.

Oh, dear

[favman · 5/10 · 4 March 2017]

"The Riddle of the Sphinx" contains a glaring embarrassment. Prof Squires patronises Nina unmercifully: when she says her boy friend "hung" himself, he points out pedantically that it should be "hanged" . But earlier on, he tells her to "deduct" something (!), when he means "deduce". As always with the misuse of the English language, it's the half-educated (who don't know they are) who are guilty of the most egregious howlers.