Detective Glossary
Welcome to the OnlinePuzzle Detective Glossary—a comprehensive encyclopedia of noir terminology, crime investigation concepts, and detective vocabulary. This collection covers 100+ terms that appear throughout our puzzles and define the noir detective universe.
How to Use This Glossary
Each entry explains:
- Definition - What the term means
- In Noir Fiction - How it appears in detective stories
- In OnlinePuzzle - Where you'll encounter it in puzzles
- Related Terms - Connected concepts to explore
Browse by Category
Crime & Investigation
Core concepts of detective work and criminal investigation.
Crime · Evidence · Forensics · Crime Scene · Investigation · Interrogation · Motive · Alibi · Timeline · Confession
People & Roles
Characters and professions in the detective world.
Detective · Private Eye · Suspect · Witness · Femme Fatale · Mob Boss · Informant · Coroner
Evidence & Forensics
Scientific analysis and physical clues.
Fingerprint · Bloodstain · Ballistics · Autopsy · Toxicology · Trace Evidence · Crime Lab
Documents & Records
Paperwork and official records.
Case File · Statement · Warrant · Affidavit · Dossier · Transcript
Locations & Atmosphere
Places where noir stories unfold.
Alleyway · Diner Booth · Warehouse · Rooftop · Train Station · Motel Room
Noir Style Elements
Atmospheric and stylistic components.
Cigarette Smoke · Neon Glow · Venetian Blinds · Shadow Silhouette · Hardboiled Tone
Crime Types
Different categories of criminal activity.
Heist · Blackmail · Extortion · Kidnapping · Cover-up
Alphabetical Index
A-C
Accomplice · Affidavit · Alibi · Alleyway · Attorney · Autopsy · Back Room · Ballistics · Bartender · Beat Cop · Blackmail · Bloodstain · Case Closed · Case File · Case Report · Chain of Custody · Chief of Police · Cigarette Smoke · City Nightscape · Cold Case · Confession · Coroner · Cover-up · Crime · Crime Lab · Crime Scene · Crime Scene Photograph · Cross-Examination
D-H
Detective · Detective Sergeant · Diner Booth · Dossier · Double Cross · Escape Route · Evidence · Extortion · Femme Fatale · Fiber Analysis · Fingerprint · Forensics · Getaway Car · Gunshot Residue · Hardboiled Tone · Heist · Hitman · Holding Cell
I-M
Incident Report · Informant · Inside Job · Inspector · Interrogation · Interrogation Room · Investigation · Jury · Kidnapping · Lead · Lineup · Mastermind · Medical Examiner · Mistrial · Mob Boss · Money Laundering · Moral Ambiguity · Motel Room · Motive
N-R
Neon Glow · Opportunity · Patrol Car · Pier · Plea Bargain · Police Log · Private Eye · Prosecutor · Public Defender · Rain-soaked Pavement · Rap Sheet · Reasonable Doubt · Red Herring · Rooftop
S-Z
Safe House · Shadow Silhouette · Smuggling · Snitch · Statement · Streetlamp · Surveillance Report · Suspect · Timeline · Toxicology · Trace Evidence · Train Station · Transcript · Undercover Agent · Underworld · Venetian Blinds · Voice-over Narration · Warehouse · Warrant · Witness · Witness Protection
Related Resources
- Daily 5 Strategy - Word deduction techniques
- Noir Style Guide - Understanding the aesthetic
- How Deduction Works - Detective thinking