He never actually says that exact phrase in the books. It’s a cultural misquote, like “beam me up, Scotty,” that somehow caught on in popular culture but wasn’t in the original source.
It also caught on because, while he never said it in the original books and short stories, it’s something he absolutely could have said. He described things as “elementary” and used the phrase “my dear Watson” more than once, just never in quite that order.
For instance, here’s a bit from The Crooked Man:
“I have the advantage of knowing your habits, my dear Watson,” said he. “When your round is a short one you walk, and when it is a long one you use a hansom. As I perceive that your boots, although used, are by no means dirty, I cannot doubt that you are at present busy enough to justify the hansom.”
“Excellent!” I cried.
“Elementary,” said he.
It’s just a coincidence that he never used the two phrases in one sentence.
I was thinking it might be something like that, but i dont remember hearing him say that, but idk maybe i didnt watch the right show.
He never actually says that exact phrase in the books. It’s a cultural misquote, like “beam me up, Scotty,” that somehow caught on in popular culture but wasn’t in the original source.
I think it caught on because few people have read the books. Once they used it in media and continued to that is what folks know of sherlock holmes.
It also caught on because, while he never said it in the original books and short stories, it’s something he absolutely could have said. He described things as “elementary” and used the phrase “my dear Watson” more than once, just never in quite that order.
For instance, here’s a bit from The Crooked Man:
It’s just a coincidence that he never used the two phrases in one sentence.