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{{trope}}
[[File:
▲{{quote|'''Azula:''' So, I hear you've been to visit your Uncle Fatso in the prison tower.<br />
'''[[Magnificent Bastard|Azula]]:''' No. You did. Just now.
▲'''Zuko:''' That guard told you!<br />
Ben is undercover. Stan, typically a [[The Rival|rival or enemy]], knows or at least suspects as much; and tests his suspicion by blurting out Ben's real name. Inevitably, Ben will, quite unprofessionally, respond to the use of his name, confirming Stan's suspicions. Note that Ben's reaction is, in and of itself, sufficient to convict him, even if the two are alone and Stan could not possibly be addressing anyone else.
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Subtrope of [[Reflexive Response]]. See also [[Pull the Thread]], [[Something They Would Never Say]], [[Bluffing the Murderer]]. If Stan wasn't suspicious ''until'' Ben responded as Ben, it's [[Something Only They Would Say]]. If Stan says something that only an impostor ''wouldn't'' be suspicious of, it's [[Bluff the Impostor]].
{{examples
== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
* In an episode of ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!]]!'' series 0, a cop announces that a criminal has been tracked to the joint where Yugi and Jonouchi have gone for a burger, and their friends are working. The police sergeant says it might help that the crook is allergic to eggs; Anzu says (falsely) that he will be easy to catch, because the burger buns have lots of egg in them. At that, the crook freaks out and tries to bolt, despite having suffered no ill effects when he ate there the day before. In a subversion, this crook turned out to be a small-time shoplifter; the real perp did not fall for it.
** Lord only knows how [[Little Kuriboh]] will spoof that scene when he comes to it...
* In ''[[
** At the end of the series, Light does this again. {{spoiler|"Looks like I win, Near." You'd think he'd wait until they were actually dead to start gloating. Dying doesn't make someone ''deaf'', Light.}} Considering some of them were [[Taking You
* Even Lelouch, [[The Chessmaster]] of ''[[Code Geass]]'' is not immune to these.
{{quote|
'''Lelouch''': How do you know about that?
'''Rivalz''': Huh, you really do? }}
* ''[[Detective Conan]]'' used this early on, with Ran and Conan.
* The Novelization adds one of these to ''[[Gundam Seed]]''. In the original series, when watching Kira fight, Andy quickly deduces that the Strike Gundam's pilot is a Coordinator. He later figures out that Kira is the pilot, most likely by watching his actions during a Blue Cosmos terrorist attack both are caught in. Realizing Kira is a both a Coordinator and not a native, and puts two and two together. He then confronts Kira in a scene which is played like he flat out ''knows'' what he is saying is true. In the novel, he suspects it (bases on his observations), but isn't quite sure, and uses one of these to confirm it.
* This is how Videl figured out that Gohan was Saiyaman in the ''[[Dragonball Z]]'' manga.
{{quote|
'''Saiyaman:''' Uh, yeah. That's correct...
'''Videl:''' So, Gohan, how'd you get out of school?
'''Saiyaman:''' Simple! I just said I was going to the bathroom and got here as...''crap''. }}
* Used ''heroically'' in ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]''. The [[Wild Card]] Kurt just finished a [[Hannibal Lecture]], and made a sort of [[We Can Rule Together]] speech about saving "everyone," all 92 million of them- Negi then makes an educated, but still wild guess about what the disaster is, and Kurt, shocked, accidentally confirms it- and Negi points out that this confirmation has let loose the minor detail that Kurt's great plan for salvation is planning on abandoning 17/18ths of the planet.
* Not quite sure ''how'', but in ''[[Birdy the Mighty]]'', Birdy says the [http://www.mangafox.com/manga/birdy_the_mighty_ii/v02/c021/4.html trope] line.
* Riza pulls this on Envy in ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]''.
{{quote|
'''Riza:''' When we're alone, the Colonel always calls me 'Riza.'
'''Envy:''' ''Shit!'' You two are--
'''Riza:''' Just kidding. Thanks for blowing your cover. }}
** When Ling is unsure if he's talking to the real Ed, or Envy is disguise, he dismissively calls him a pipsqueak. [[Reflexive Response|Ed responds as]] [[Berserk Button|one would expect.]]
* In ''[[Otome wa Boku
* In ''[[Jojo's Bizarre Adventure]]: Stardust Crusaders'', Jotaro tricks Captain Tenille's impersonator into betraying his true nature by claiming that Stand users experience swelling blood vessels when they smell cigarette smoke and catching him touching his nose to check.
== [[Comic Books]] ==
Line 50 ⟶ 49:
* Subverted in ''[[Knights of the Dinner Table]]'': Brian's opponent in a naval wargame tries this, prompting Brian to "confirm" it by bursting out "How did you know that was my plan?." At the climax of the game, it is revealed that Brian had a different plan all along, and ''deliberately'' did this to mislead his opponent.
== [[Fan Works]] ==
* ''[[Things Involving Shipgirls That Are No Longer Allowed|More Things Involving Shipgirls That Are No Longer Allowed]]'', [https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12480048/249/More-Things-Involving-Shipgirls-That-Are-No-Longer-Allowed Rule 2814]
{{quote|Once she was sure Nagato was out of earshot, Kiyoshimo leaned in close to the ferret and whispered "I know you can speak."
Under her, the ferret visibly flinched, and then said, "I have no idea what you're talking about." Following that, there was a long moment of silence, the ferret having clamped its paws over his mouth.}}
* An example appears in chapter 13 of ''[[Drunkard's Walk|Drunkard's Walk II]]'', when Daley confirms that he's correctly identified at least one of [[Bubblegum Crisis|Knight Sabers]] thanks to a careless comment by Leon:
{{quote|Leon began to chuckle, but it died in his throat. "Ah... um..." He coughed. "How long have you known?"
Daley gave a sniff of noiseless laughter. "About half an hour. You really should learn to control that mouth of yours, partner."}}
* In the ''[[Harry Potter]]/[[Sailor Moon]]/[[Ranma ½]]'' crossover ''[[The Girl Who Loved]]'', Mary Riddle deduces Cuteness' true identity, addresses her as "my Princess", and when Cuteness demands to know who told her, Mary replies, "Why, you did. Just now."
== [[Film]] ==
* Famously used in ''[[The Great Escape]]'' when a couple of prisoners stop at the border. Eerything is going good well until one of the guards wishing them "good luck
* Gene Simmons attempts this tactic against John Stamos in the movie ''[[Never Too Young To Die]]''. In a subversion, Stamos manages to bluff his way out of the situation, though not convincingly:
{{quote|
'''Lance:''' Is that name supposed to mean something?
'''Ragnar:''' My mistake. }}
* In ''[[James Bond|Die Another Day]]'', Bond uses this method to reveal the identity of Gustav Graves/Colonel Moon. The trope as played out here is somewhat less than effective, since the audience has already been alerted to this plot point.
* In the Bond-wannabe film ''[[Agent for
* In ''[[Superman
* Straightforward example in ''[[Who Is Cletis Tout]]'' Sloppy work on Finch's part to respond to his name, considering he was a fugitive in the middle of a room of cops.
* In the 1993 adaptation of ''[[The Fugitive (
** Subverted in the original script, in which Kimble does ''not'' look up when Gerard calls to him, even though other people in the stairway do. He does, however, freeze in place for a moment (no doubt stopping himself from [[Reflexive Response|reacting]] to the sound of his name), before continuing down the stairs at a visibly faster pace than before. The deliberate lack of response tips Gerard off just the same.
* Exaggerated in ''[[Spies Like Us]]'' when Agent Millbarge suspects that a pair of agents supposedly sent to help him and his partner are actually KGB agents. He tells them a joke in Russian, causing them both to explode in laughter, saying "Da! Da!"
* ''[[Austin Powers]]: International Man of Mystery''
{{quote|
'''Alotta Fagina''': How did you know?
'''Austin Powers''': I didn't, baby. You just told me. }}
** In this case Austin was aware of the fact ahead of time and was invoking this trope purely to look classy.
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** When he attempts to reestablish cover by claiming that he was confused by the rapid-fire way in which the questions were asked, and didn't realize he was being asked about a romantic boyfriend and that he's actually straight, his ''gay lover'' re-blows the cover by thinking he's telling the truth (since he is under oath, after all), and taking it badly.
*** [[No Bisexuals|And no one seems to consider he's bisexual.]]
**** Since being bisexual ([[Anything That Moves|supposedly]]
* In ''[[Mr. and Mrs. Smith]]'', John, already suspicious about his wife, "accidentally" drops an open bottle of wine that she catches perfectly; then she realizes his ruse and lets it spill.
* As with the above example, [[Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon]] also used this tactic. When Shu Lien suspected Jen was the thief, she purposely dropped a cup of tea on Jen, who instinctively caught it without spilling a drop.
* In ''[[Billy Jack]]'', Billy uses this ruse to trick Jean Roberts into revealing that she was raped by Bernard Posner. Don't ask what tipped him off, I don't know.
* ''[[Fatal Instinct]]''. Ned Ravine's secretary Laura Lincolnberry tells him that he has lipstick on his collar. He looks at his collar and says he doesn't. She says "You just told me" (if he hadn't been fooling around, he wouldn't have had to look at his collar).
* Used in ''[[Men in Black (
** Well of course he's an [[Incredibly Lame Pun|alien]], all immigrants are!
* In ''[[All the
** The two discuss the plan before they go and do it. Rarely, they discuss what happens if they're wrong. After a beat, they admit if that's the case, "We're screwed."
* In ''[[
* In ''[[Where Eagles Dare]]'', Nazi General Kramer is eventually convinced Schmidt is an ally and hands over a list of names of spies working in Britain, as well as confirming the identity of [[The Mole]]. Smith immediately reveals he had no evidence for this and the purpose of his mission was to extract the information from the Germans.
== [[Literature]] ==
* ''[[Discworld]]'':
** Done subtly in ''[[
** Played with a bit in ''[[
*** Although in that case Coates didn't even need the confirmation, as he ''did'' actually know for a fact that Vimes wasn't the real Keel {{spoiler|because Keel had been Coates' own mentor in the past}}.
**** Also done at the end of the book, when Vetinari calls Commander Samuel Vimes {{spoiler|Sergeant, and Vimes replies instantly. Vimes accuses Vetinari of having known all along, and is told "Not until, oh, one second ago."}}
* In [[Isaac Asimov
** In one of Asimov's short mystery stories, the culprit is a Québécois person using a false identity of an American. The detective tricks him into revealing his true identity by asking him to write the word "Montréal," and he writes it with an ''accent aigu'' on the e, whereas someone who only spoke English wouldn't spell it that way.
*** [[Conviction by Counterfactual Clue|Alas, plenty of people who only speak English and who live near Montréal spell the name with the accent.]]
** Another story involves the classic thrown object, with the twist that the perp is the ''thrower''. He gives himself away as having spent a long time on the moon when he throws it ''far'' too short in normal gravity.
** In a third Asimov story, "I'm In Marsport Without Hilda," a detective is trying to figure out which of several people in a room is a drug smuggler. All of the innocent suspects are currently [[Mushroom Samba|loopy]] and speaking stream-of-consciousness gibberish, because they were given a drug to prevent space sickness, and the guilty party is faking it. Unable to figure out who is guilty, the detective, out of frustration, starts telling them about the hot date he would have had, if he wasn't stuck interviewing them. The guilty party's, um, "reaction", gives him away.
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** And then in the fourth, Kahlan appears to have learned the method - at least where girl talk is concerned.
* In [[Stephen Fry|Stephen Fry's]] The Liar, the main character tries to hide his identity from the police, only to respond to his own name, which they got from the inside cover of a book he had with him. This is based on His Fryness's own experience.
* Happens in ''[[
* This is the ''modus operandi'' of Vlad and Kiera in the ''[[Dragaera]]'' novel ''Orca''. They basically spend the whole book going around in various disguises talking to the conspirators, pretending to know more than they do (which is nothing
** In ''Iorich'', the Empress thanks Vlad for his help in exposing a conspiracy in the East (detailed in the previous novel, ''Jhegaala''). Vlad asks her how she knew he was the one who sent those anonymous letters, and the Empress replies that she didn't, until now.
* [[Sherlock Holmes]] has used it at least once (in ''The Three Gables'').
* In ''[[Wicked (
* Egwene uses this in the latest{{when}} [[Wheel of Time]] book. Black Ajah are the only Aes Sedai who can lie. She knows that a certain Aes Sedai is Black Ajah and needs to prove it to the rest. She asks her a rapid-fire series of questions, to which any Aes Sedai would give vehement denials. ("Do you consort with the Forsaken?" "Do you serve the Dark One?") Then she asks a question about her target's hair color. Her target denies her own hair color, which proves to the assembled audience that she is Black.
** All Aes Sedai are required to swear a magically binding oath [[Can Not Tell a Lie|to not speak any word that is not true]]. They literally choke up any time they are about to actually lie. (Though they are masters of [[From a Certain Point of View|distorting and twisting meanings]]).
** Also used by Lady Dyelin to Birgitte. It's implied that this has happened multiple times offscreen as well as the onscreen times. In the onscreen times, Birgitte handles herself well.
* [[Mark Twain]]'s ''The [[Adventures of Huckleberry Finn]]''. While Huck is wearing a dress and pretending to be a girl, a woman determines he's actually a boy by tossing a lump of lead into his lap. He clasps his legs together to catch it, the way a boy wearing pants would do, instead of spreading his legs apart, the way a girl wearing a dress would do it.
* [[Broken Ace|Kaladin]] proves his suspicions that [[The Lancer|Teft]] was once a [[Sergeant Rock|squadleader]] using this method in ''[[The Way of Kings]]''.
* In ''[[St.
* 19th-century amateur detective [[Julian Kestrel]] uses this in his first novel ''Cut to the Quick''
{{quote|
"I haven't spoken to Bliss," said Julian. "Felton couldn't find him. All he found was this." He indicated the patchwork sack.
"You mean- that's all you have?" {{spoiler|Guy}} gaped at the sack. Laughter convulsed {{spoiler|him}} again. 'You mean, if I'd only held my tongue- No, really, this is funny! It's an absolute screamer, don't you see? On the strength of a worm-eated pedlar's sack, I've put a rope around my neck."] }}
* In the last book of the ''[[Codex Alera]]'', Tavi and several members of his high command are on a ship under attack by [[Horde of Alien Locusts|Vord]] scouts. Magnus has been suspicious of {{spoiler|Valiar Marcus}} for several books, since he seems to know a little too much about espionage for a decorated soldier, {{spoiler|and particularly Cursor methods of going about it}}. So, at the very end of the fight, he shouts, "{{spoiler|Fidelias}}! Behind you!," {{spoiler|having narrowed down the list of high-level Cursors he could be to one specific traitor.}} Tavi, who had agreed to the plan thinking it would ''exonerate'' his loyal subordinate, is very, very angry when {{spoiler|Marcus}} immediately whirls around.
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* In ''[[The Thrawn Trilogy|Dark Force Rising]]'', when Mara Jade, a former assassin for Emperor Palpatine, meets with Grand Admiral Thrawn, he says "Come closer, Mara Jade." (The two had met several years before and she was under an assumed name). She begins instinctively walking forward, catches herself and comments that Thrawn shouldn't have to rely on such cheap tricks to verify who she was. He agrees, and then asks her questions that only she would know the answer to.
** Used again in the same book. No one in the New Republic knows the name of the new Grand Admiral on the scene. Han Solo meets with a ship thief who does know, and is offering to show Han the location of a lost fleet before the Empire finds it.
{{quote|
'''Ferrier''': "With Grand Admiral Thrawn in charge over there? He's involved in everything."
'''Han''': "Thrawn, huh? Thanks, Ferrier." }}
* In Zahn's ''[[Outbound Flight]]'', Thrawn is able to get an awful lot of information out of a Corellian guest/prisoner who really doesn't want to tell him these things by working this method into conversation, though he makes it look effortless and never actually says the trope name.
* In Sir [[Walter Scott]]'s ''The Monastery'', the courtier Sir Piercie Shafton, who speaks in high-flown Euphuist terms, is disguised as a milk-maid; questioned as to who he is, he replies, "I am she, O most bucolical juvenal, under whose charge are placed the milky mothers of the herd." His disguise is unsuccessful.
* In Christie Golden's ''World of Warcraft: The Shattering'', Anduin Wrynn deduces that Jaina Proudmoore has been meeting with Thrall in this manner.
{{quote|
'''Jaina''': How did--
'''Anduin''': Yes! I was right! You were out meeting Thrall! }}
* In the ''[[Doctor Who Expanded Universe]]'' short story "Walkin' City Blues", the Doctor bursts into the [[Big Bad]]'s office and announces he's seeking justice for Boko Berikuka. When the man launches into a rehearsed speil about "Boko Berikuka" being a meaningless phrase used by the citizenry, the Doctor points out an innocent man would have called the police, not tried to dodge a question that hadn't actually been asked.
* In Belorussian writer Olga Gromyko's ''Witch'' cycle, the titular witch Volha once uses this trick to find the shapeshifting monster natsyga. It becomes known that the natsyga hides among the castle servants. Volha tells one of the maids: "Why don't you assume your real shape?"
{{quote|
'''Volha''': I didn't. You are the sixth one I told this. Others just thought me crazy. }}
* In M. K. Wren's ''Phoenix Legacy'' trilogy, Val Severin finds new Phoenix member Alex Ransom looking up some information relating to the fallen Peladeen Republic ... and the fact that the missing and presumed dead heir of the Peladeen Lord had the same name as one of the Phoenix Councilors. Shocked, Val asks how much Alex has been told about "the Peladeen Alternative"; it's top secret. Alex smiles and admits that all he knows is that the Councilor in question is key to the Peladeen Alternative. He never gets around to telling Val that he hadn't even heard that term until she blurted it out.
* In the third book of ''[[
{{quote|
* In [[The Elric Saga]], this is how Elric finds out that {{spoiler|his cousin Yyrkoon is trying to obtain the [[Soul Cutting Blade|magic Black Swords]], Stormbringer and Mournblade}}.
* [[One Flew Over the
== [[Live Action TV]] ==
* Shows up in ''[[Law and Order SVU]]'':
{{quote|
'''Psychiatrist:''' I am not at liberty to say.
'''Eliot:''' You just did. Confidentiality only applies to patients. }}
** Which is completely ridiculous, because that's the answer any psychiatrist with half a brain would give regardless of whether or not they even recognized the person. They cannot confirm ''or'' deny. A neutral answer is the only thing that a
** ''[[Law and Order UK]]'': The detectives have arrived at a junkyard to look for a murder suspect. The supervisor denies that he's there. Suspecting otherwise, DS Devlin very casually calls out, "Oi, Freddy!" Sure enough, the "Freddy" in question looks up, then further confirms his identity by bolting when he sees the cops.
* The series ''[[Knight Rider]]'' did this numerous times. On one occasion, a woman impersonated her recently murdered mother to flush out the killer; on another, a blind woman pretended to drive, suggesting to the criminals that she might have witnessed their deeds.
* Michael Westen on ''[[Burn Notice]]'' pulls a scheme called a "reverse interrogation," in which he lets the criminal interrogate ''him'', and hopes the bad guy will give away important information in his questions. (He does.)
* Elaine pulls this trick on George in "The Red Dot" episode of ''[[Seinfeld]]''.
{{quote|
'''George:''' ''(Turning to Jerry)'' You told her?! How could you tell her? What kind of friend are you?
'''Jerry:''' I didn't tell her, you stupid idiot! She tricked you! }}
** She tries it again on Jerry in that same episode, but he sees through it.
{{quote|
'''Jerry:''' Absolutely not.
'''Elaine:''' ''(bluffing)'' Really? Because George said that you did.
'''Jerry:''' Nice try. }}
** A nice subversion in this case, as Jerry is telling the truth.
* ''[[
** Of course, she actually ''is'' completely blind, and he knows it... the point is how the court full of people react to this.
* In an episode of ''[[
* In one episode of ''[[Monk]]'', the identity of a mail bomber is confirmed when he panics at the sight of someone opening one of his custom-made packages. He shouldn't have known about the bombings because he had been in a coma when they took place. (If you're curious about how he managed to set off the bombings while ''in a coma'', watch the episode in full). In another episode, he cleared Willie Nelson's name by proving that the other suspect wasn't blind (or at least, not completely blind)--he had a streaker run past her, and she reacted.
** In yet another episode, the murderer had to make sure that his wife's corpse was found without revealing that he had killed her, so he {{spoiler|staged it to look like a psychic had found the body.}} Monk trapped him by {{spoiler|getting the psychic to accuse him of murder, thus forcing him to discredit her--and he helpfully though inadvertently confessed in the process.}}
* From ''[[Dexter]]'':
{{quote|
'''[[Pointy
'''[[Scary Black Man|Doakes]]''': I didn't for sure until just now. }}
* In the ''[[
** An earlier episode had a rash of thefts occur in the 4077th, with the stolen articles found in Hawkeye's footlocker. To catch the real thief, Hawkeye gathers all the "suspects" (everyone who had something stolen, or simply held a grudge against Hawkeye) to the mess hall, where he says he coated his footlocker in a time release chemical that would turn the thief's fingernails blue. The culprit turns out to be {{spoiler|Ho-jon, who was going to sell the stolen goods on the black market to get money to smuggle his family out of Korea. He gives himself away by hiding his hands under the table when Hawkeye makes the "reveal".}}
* ''[[The Mentalist]]'' - Patrick Jane and the team encounter a hooker who seems to know only Chinese, but when Jane comments on an imaginary hideous thing on her shoulder, she nearly jumps out of her skin. Busted.
* ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'': This trope is used and parodied in the episode "1969." The team is stranded in a top-secret Air Force facility in 1969, and [[Time Travelers Are Spies|are suspected of being spies]]. An Air Force interrogator comes in:
{{quote|
'''Daniel:''' Nyet!
'''O'Neill:''' Daniel?
'''Daniel:''' He just asked if we were Soviet spies, I...
'''O'Neill:''' ''[glares]''
'''Daniel:''' Um. }}
** In another episode, when preparing to give the Aschen some stargate codes, Samantha Carter then asks one of the Aschen what a particular word means. The Aschen, not realizing the repercussions of what would happen, simply answered "sterility," in essence admitting that the drug they were giving the Tau'ri would actually give them sterility, making quite clear of the Aschen's ill-intentions towards Earth.
* Used in ''[[Just Good Friends]]'' where Vince has been unfaithful to Penny. Again.
{{quote|
'''Vince:''' (sigh) Who told you?
'''Penny:''' (sadly) You just did. }}
* In the ''[[
* On ''[[House (TV series)|House]]'', Foreman finds out about Thirteen's [[Bi the Way|bisexuality]] this way.
** Earlier in the series, House is talking to an 18-year old kid who is taking care of his mother. He later puts an X-ray on the lightboard, and says he can tell the person is about 15. The kid confesses to lying about his age. After a brief conversation, House reveals that it wasn't even the kid's X-ray.
* [[Subverted Trope|Subverted]] in an episode of ''[[Quantum Leap]]'' where Sam leaps into the body of a blind musician, and maintains his sight. A woman becomes suspicious, thinking that the man had never been blind, but when she tries to out him by flicking a lighter in front of his face, he can't see it because he had just been temporarily blinded by a camera flash.
** A similar, more painful, subversion occurs on an episode of ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]''. Michael tries to prove a blind woman is only faking her condition by [[Throw the Book At Them|throwing a book]] at her. Unfortunately, she's been temporarily blinded for real and the book hits her in the face.
* In ''[[Rome]]'', this happens in a manhunt for Cleopatra's son.
{{quote|
'''"Greek slave"''': [Egyptian] Granted, mortal.
''(beat)''
''(fight scene)'' }}
** In this same series, Atia uses this tactic to expose Octavia's relationship with Agrippa.
* In one episode of the sketch show ''[[Smack the Pony]]'', two women and one man are being held hostage alone in a room somewhere. One of the women tells the others that her name is some male one. This puzzles the second woman and she keeps asking for explanations for it, but the other just maintains it just is that way. Eventually we see the second woman whispering the other various female names while she sleeps, until she reacts to one and has to admit that was her real name all along; she was just fooling the others as a joke.
* The bad guys tried this quite frequently on ''[[Mission: Impossible]]'', but one notable case had a gangster see Rollin (playing a deaf waiter) react slightly when a large amount of money was mentioned. In order to test the him, the gangster fires off a revolver next to his ear. Rollin fakes not hearing it, passes the test, and reacts in agony at the pain when he gets out of sight.
** Another episode had the team infiltrating a camp where foreign agents were being trained to pass as Americans. Rollin intentionally blows one such test to prove he's a "genuine" newbie who wouldn't know how Americans would act.
** And in yet another, he catches a glass vase abruptly tossed at him by a foreign spy, who knows the spy Rollin is impersonating is left handed.
* In ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'', Dr Bashir is up for a major medical award. He insists that there is no chance of victory for him, and so he does not wish to discuss it.
{{quote|
'''Bashir:''' (Hides pad) How did you know?
'''Odo:''' (smugly) Just a guess. }}
* One ''[[
* In an early episode of ''[[Merlin (TV series)|Merlin]]'', Gaius is certain Merlin is a wizard, but wants to see it for himself. He "accidentally" knocks a pitcher of water off the table, causing Merlin to react by using magic to freeze the pitcher in mid-air. When Merlin realizes what he's done (as he was explicitly warned not to use magic in Camelot, where it is banned), he releases the pitcher, but not before Gaius points out that stunts like that would blow his cover very quickly.
* Used by Elaina in ''[[The Vampire Diaries]]''
{{quote|
'''{{spoiler|John}}''':That doesn't mean anything to me.
'''Elaina''': It should, {{spoiler|you're my father.}}
''' {{spoiler|John}}''': How did you know?
'''Elaina''': I wasn't sure, now I know }}
* Ricky does this to Ben in ''[[The Secret Life of the American Teenager]]'' when asking Ben if he had been to see Adrian.
* In an episode of ''[[
* Used by <s> Sheriff</s> Deputy Andy the robot in ''[[Eureka]]'' to confirm that Sheriff Carter and the others had, in fact, {{spoiler|travelled through time and changed the timeline.}}
* ''[[Hogan's Heroes]]'': The gang's always careful about their captors setting up a plant in their barracks. In one episode they decide to test a new American "guest." In the middle of the night, they all start making noise and shouting "FIRE!" - Kinch yells at him, in German, "Quick! Out the window!" Newbie heads straight for the window.
* Used once on ''[[
* The second season of ''[[Oz]]'' begins in the aftermath of a prison riot, with an investigator trying to find out how a prisoner was shot by a weapon that was reported missing and then later was returned to the prison armory without explanation. Near the end of the episode, the investigator confronts a suspect and lays out an explanation of how it could have happened, and hwy that suspect covered for someone else caught in the riot. Eventually the suspect grudgingly asks "Who told you all that?" Three guesses what the response is.
* This priceless exchange from ''[[Will and Grace]]'':
{{quote|
'''Grace:''' (to Will) You told him I slept with Rob?!
'''Will:''' Uh, no.
'''Jack:''' Works every time. }}
* On an episode of ''[[A Different World]]'', Whitley's new boyfriend Byron has noticed the tension between Dwayne and Whitley and asks him about it. Unfortunately, in doing so, he learns more than ever expected
{{quote|
'''Dwayne:''' [[Oh Crap|You didn't know.]]
'''Byron:''' No, I didn't.
* Subverted in the "Who are you" episode of ''[[
* ''[[NCIS: Los Angeles]]'': Deeks does this to Kensi by commenting he didn't see a phobia she'd just mentioned on her online dating profile.
{{quote|
'''Deeks''': I do now! }}
* In the pilot of the American version of ''[[The Killing]]'', Detective Linden pulls one of these on Councilman Richmond:
{{quote|
'''Richmond''': And how did you know about him?
'''Linden''': I was guessing.
'''Richmond''': And I just confirmed it. }}
* ''[[The Nanny]]'': Fran does one of these to C.C. in "Where's the Pearls?" when she guesses that she and Maxwell are trying to keep her away from a celebrity. She's right: it's [[Elizabeth Taylor]]!
* From ''[[
{{quote|
'''[[The Ditz|Brittany]]''': Coach Sylvester says I'm not at liberty to say. }}
* In ''[[
* ''[[Boy Meets World]]'': When Mr. Feeny asks Frankie Stechino whose idea it was to force Cory and Shawn to dress as cheerleaders, Frankie responds: "I cannot say. I must protect my friend Joey the Rat." Oh, and by the way, {{spoiler|this is the answer to one of the quiz questions on the season 3 box set}}.
* In the ''[[Green Wing]]'' episode "Rumours", while trying to persuade Guy Secretan to deny the rumours that they slept together, Caroline Todd tells him that she knows something embarrassing about him. He [[Suspiciously Specific Denial|hurriedly denies the rumor that Sue White has penetrated him anally]], which Caroline had not in fact heard.
* In the ''[[
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* In ''Uncharted 3'', [[Big Bad|Marlowe]] tells Nate Drake that she knows where Ubar is because 'you told us, Nathan.' while he was under the influence of a [[Truth Serum]].
* In ''[[Sonic Adventure Series|Sonic Adventure 2]]'', Dr. Eggman uses this ploy to confirm that he correctly guessed which of the two identical-looking Emeralds is the real one.
{{quote|
'''Tails:''' So... how did you know it wasn't the real one?
'''Sonic:''' ''(cutting him off)'' ''TAILS!''
'''Eggman:''' Because you just TOLD me, fox-boy! }}
* In the third case of ''[[Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney]]: Trials and Tribulations'', {{spoiler|Phoenix uses a variation on this to trap a murderer: he claims that a vial of medicine that had the suspect's fingerprints on it contained the poison that was used to kill the victim. Having no idea of its true contents, the suspect angrily refutes Phoenix's claim by giving the description of the ''real'' poison bottle - something he could only have known if he was the murderer.}}
** Or if {{spoiler|he really had impersonated Phoenix in the first trial, and would therefore know the description of all the evidence gathered at that point. However, if he'd confessed to impersonating a defense attorney in a case for which he was a suspect, it's basically still confessing to the murder anyway.}}
*** Unlikely, as {{spoiler|the poison bottle was never entered into evidence in the ''second'' case because of concerns regarding it. It's even less likely it would have been entered into the first one, where the fake Phoenix was ''trying'' to lose.}}
* Used in ''[[Fire Emblem]]'' Radiant Dawn. Heather, a small time thief, confronts Yeardley, a general working on Duke Ludveck's orders, about his attempts to get the townspeople of Crimea to revolt against Elincia.
{{quote|
'''Yeardley:''' What?! How did you know?!
'''Heather:''' I see things here and there. But half of it was just a guess! ...Judging by your reaction, though, it seems I was right. }}
** Later on, when Marcia confronts her useless brother Malakov as he tries to avoid fighting Imperial Army troops:
{{quote|
'''Makalov:''' W-when did you learn to read minds like the herons!?
'''Marcia:''' I can't, you spineless sea cucumber! It's just so typical of you that I guessed! }}
* A variant where "Stan" doesn't let "Ben" know when he figures it out. In ''[[Kingdom Hearts]]: Chain of Memories'', Axel is sent to Castle Oblivion because Marluxia and Larxene are suspected of plotting against the Organization. About halfway through the game, Axel chats with Larxene about the plan they have for [[The Hero|Sora]] as Larxene heads down to meet Sora.
{{quote|
'''Larxene:''' I know that you're in on it too, but keep it under your hood. At least until the time is right.
'''Axel:''' ''*after Larxene leaves the room*'' You would have been wise to do the same, Larxene. }}
* In ''[[Suikoden]]'' Viktor uses this on Tesla in order to recruit him since Tesla just wants to live a quite and simple life and pretends to be Albert Onyx. The party already learned that he will pretend to be Albert from Kimberly before visiting him.
{{quote|
'''Albert:''' Goodness, no. My name is Albert Onyx. My people have lived here for generations.
'''Viktor:''' Really? Then what is your mother's name?
'''Albert:''' Ummm, her name is Marianne Onyx.
'''Viktor:''' And your father?
'''Albert:''' I believe it was... Ah... Allen Onyx.
'''Viktor:''' Grandmother!
'''Albert:''' Uhh... let's see... Leah Onyx.
'''Viktor:''' Hey Tesla.
'''Albert:''' Yes?
'''Albert:''' .............!
'''Albert:''' I mean... that's not my name, Tesla.
'''Viktor:''' Do you give up?
'''Tesla:''' All right. Mathiu wants me, right? I prefer to lead a quiet life.
'''Viktor:''' Stop yapping and get ready to leave
'''Tesla:''' O-OK. My god, how unlucky I am.
'''Tesla:''' Led back into a life of crime. *Tesla joins* }}
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* A creative application of the trope occurred in ''[[Rip and Teri]]''. Agent XI knows Rip has infiltrated a TV studio in disguise. A few days earlier, Rip had encountered XI in a janitor uniform, so XI stations himself inside the studio in the same uniform. Rip's startled reaction to seeing the same "janitor" he fought earlier gives him away.
* From ''[[Narbonic]]'', [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/narbonic/series.php?view=archive&chapter=9924 during the D-Con] [[Story Arc]]:
{{quote|
'''Dr. Narbon''': I'm '''such''' a great mother. }}
* Cleverly done in [[Dan and
{{quote|
'''Dan:''' Huh? How would you know that I--
Pow! }}
* Used in ''[[
* In [http://www.krakowstudios.com/krakow/archive.php?date=20021227 this] ''Krakow'' comic, Canadian rap sensation Snow tricks one of the characters into admitting that he altered the lyrics while singing one of Snow's songs.
{{quote|
Snow: I only had suspicions, but you just confirmed them! }}
* In ''[[Two Evil Scientists]]'', Eggman Nega invokes it [https://web.archive.org/web/20161219214937/http://twoevilscientists.smackjeeves.com/comics/564463/fox-hunt-pt-14/ here] when he's confronting his ancestor
* In [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/eddurd/everydayheroes/series.php?view=single&ID=187158 this] ''[[Everyday Heroes]]'' episode, Mr. Mighty finds out about a planned crime. It works so well, he tries it again on the [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/eddurd/everydayheroes/series.php?view=single&ID=187635 next page.]
* A priest in ''[[Nukees]]'' confirms Gav is a lapsed Catholic by saying "peace be with you" as he leaves, getting an automatic "and also with you."
* In ''[[Exterminatus Now]]'' Steve effortlessly got Virus to confirm that the group visiting Cesspool is from Inquisition. Of course the old skunk ruled a bar/employment agency for unruly mercenaries/
* ''[[Schlock Mercenary]]''
** Tagon pulled this on an AI, by [//www.schlockmercenary.com/2013-08-11 guessing] about Ventura's [[Earpiece Conversation|earpiece]].
** Haley Sorlie, an UNS shipbuilding specialist / customs expert temporarily used as a "cultural attache" (overt and sort-of-invited spy) and field-promoted to captain in an emergency, [//www.schlockmercenary.com/2015-02-15 figures out] that Toughs are lugging around a variant of the weapon as much as ''possibility'' of which is unknown to pretty much everyone except the old owners of an experimental piece (UNS military), its new owner (rogue AI), the new owner of the ancient one (Oafa), [[Deus Est Machina|Fleetmind]] and Toughs who have seen it while working for all of the above (which could badly affect their expected lifespan, but they stumbled upon nastier secrets anyway). While her mental processes were overclocked to "frantic" via being in a city about to get either vaporized or flattened. A moment of awkward silence ensues. Two pages later -
{{quote|'''Murtaugh''': Your engineering skills are way above your pay grade.
'''Sorlie''': Actually I only put it together a minute ago. Then I guessed, and you confirmed it.
'''Flinders''':<ref>formerly Captain in UNS military intelligence</ref> Your intel skills are way above your pay grade. }}
* [https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1293.html This] instalment of ''[[The Order of the Stick]]'' combines You Just Told Me and [[Suspiciously Specific Denial]]:
{{quote|'''Serini''': Definitely ''not'' 'cause I spent this room's whole budget on the walkway, I don't even know who told you that.}}
== [[Web Original]] ==
* In ''[[Shadow of the Templar|High Fidelity]]'', after Simon tells Sandra that {{spoiler|he's going to Europe to find [[Dating Catwoman|Jeremy]]}}:
{{quote|
'''Simon:''' ...What?
'''Sandra:''' You heard me!
'''Simon:''' Christ, does ''everyone'' know about it by now? How long have you known?
'''Sandra:''' Known for sure? For about-- ''(checks watch)'' --ten seconds.
'''Simon:''' Oh Jesus, I walked right into that, didn't I? }}
* In the new season of [[The Guild]], this is how Codex admits to {{spoiler|sleeping with Fawkes}}.
== [[Western Animation]] ==
* In Disney's ''[[Aladdin (Disney film)|Aladdin]]'', Jasmine, suspecting "Prince Ali" to be Aladdin, idly mentions Aladdin's friend/pet Abu (whom "Ali" would not know about); Aladdin responds without thinking.
* ''[[The Iron Giant]]'': Annie Hughes is talking to junkyard owner Dean McCoppin. She mentions Hogarth (her son) sneaking out to the junkyard, and he asks if she knew about it, and she says "I do now."
* In [[Iron Man: Armored Adventures]], Pepper has a hunch that Tony Stark is Iron Man, so she confronts him about it and he casually asks how she figured it out.
* As the page quote shows, Azula in ''[[
* In ''[[Daria]]'', a [[Dream Sequence]] that parodies ''[[Murder, She Wrote]]'' has Daria investigating the murder of Kevin, that she's been framed for. She says that she coated her locker (where the murder weapon was planted) with a clear paint that changes color over time, and the hands of whoever was in her locker would be turning pink any minute. Three suspects check their hands, then she says she made the whole thing up since only the guilty party would look.
* Parodied in [[Invader Zim]] episode "Mortos the Soul Stealer"
{{quote|
'''Zim:''' I am infecting this city with genetically enhanced vermin, but you'll never know!
'''Dib:''' You just told me.
'''Zim:''' (after a brief pause) "You're LYING! }}
* ''[[Doug]]'': A [[Jerkass|douchebag]] student named Willy claims his teacher is incompetent and tries to get her fired. In front of an assembly, Doug asks Willy questions about classic novels, [[Obfuscating Stupidity|mangling the details along the way]]. Willy smugly corrects Doug at every turn...but Doug points out that he and Willy learned all of that stuff in the teacher's class, so she has to be decent at her job. Willy has no choice but to drop his suit.
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgagjEz35oM This clip] from ''[[
== [[Real Life]] ==
* Shouting "Attention!" is one method of revealing if someone has military training (an FBI agent did this while interrogating a suspect in the 1998 Nairobi bombing). Shouting "Achtung!" unexpectedly was used among Allied prisoners of war to uncover German infiltrators.
* To tell if someone speaks a language or not, police often ask them to say what color different words are (like the word "{{color|green|red}}" written in green ink). People who speak the language will [
* A Russian proverbial story tells about a guy who spots a pickpocket in the market. Nobody else seems to do, so the quickwitted fellow shouts: "The thief has his hat on fire!." [[Crowning Moment of Funny|The crook instinctively grabs his headgear]].
* Very similarly, in a Serbian folk tale, St. Sava (the man that established the Serbian Orthodox Church) was asked to use his wisdom to find a thief in a crowd. He replied with "Oh, that's easy. It's the guy with the bee on his hat!" pointing out into the crowd's general direction. Of course, the guy waves his hand to chase off the (nonexistant) bee, and gets caught.
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:The Oldest Tricks in The Book]]
[[Category:The Plan]]
▲[[Category:Trope]]
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