D.W.'s Snow Mystery

Summary
D.W.'s special snowball is missing from the freezer, and nobody can agree on what happened yesterday.

Plot
D.W. likes to keep and collect things. The previous fall, she had collected every acorn she could find, and when Kate opened the acorn cupboard, D.W.'s biggest concern was the integrity of the acorns. The "silliest" thing she's ever collected is a snowball from last year.

Title Card

One day, however, the snowball is gone! D.W. is not dreaming! Where is it? Mom comes down to find D.W. frozen in shock at the loss. Mom can't find it, but is convinced it was only a snowball - D.W. says otherwise and remembers all that happened in the snow last year and the memories it holds. She brings a snowball in, and Mom is unsure until Arthur nods silently in the background. D.W. always checked on it, even in Summer and now it's gone. Mom doesn't know who took it, but D.W. is accusing Arthur.

She enters Arthur's room, in which Arthur, Buster and Francine are working on a toothpick model of Big Ben. D.W. comes in and wrecks the room, looking for the snowball. When asked what's wrong, she yells "YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S MISSING?" and the tower falls down. Francine and Buster seem a little confused at the answer of a snowball Arthur explains that the snowball was kept from last year. Buster goes into detective mode.

Downstairs, Buster deciphers that it was last seen the previous lunchtime, so he asks what happened that day. Several ideas are given;

D.W.: Grandma came with Mrs McGrady and D.W. remembers being told that she is the perfect child and the favorite grandchild. Arthur comes across as being dopey and snorts. Grandma asks how the snowball is...

Arthur: ...Grandma never understood of the snowball and the events went like this - Grandma came over and Arthur  was a lot more manly and tall, whilst D.W. was annoying grandma. (Thora; get me an aspirin, she's giving me a splitting headache - whilst this is not was exactly said, Arthur can tell Grandma thought it)

Then Grandma arrives again and D.W. goes into sweet child mode to annoy Arthur. Arthur then asks Grandma what happened yesterday. Mom and Grandma both give their views;

Mom: She answers the door, but D.W. and Arthur are acting crazy - cartwheeling, yelling, swinging on door frames and laughing manically. Mom is humilliated.

Grandma: That didn't happen! The kids were being perfect and then Jane asked if Grandma and McGrady wanted ice cream.

D.W. then remembers that bit of the day and that Mom went for ice cream, but she didn't notice the snowball. D.W. then gives a second idea: Pal opened the freezer door by using the chair (like D.W. does to reach the door) and with the aid of an umbrella as a crowbar-type utensil to open the door. He then jumped in and swallowed the snowball whole.

Francine says that was impossible and remembers that she and Buster were there also. They are next to give stories:

Francine: acting as perfect and making Thora wish that she was her grandchild. Buster is shown to be pigging out on the ice cream and eats the entire box. He asks for more, and goes to the freezer, eating many foods as well as the snowball.

Buster doesn't write this down as he knows it to be false and gives his version of events: he made the table (except Francine) laugh at his range of comedy and McGrady wants to have him put up a grade. Francine is shown to be arrogant and sarcastic, demanding ice for her warm soda. She can't find any, and mashes the snowball into the glass.

D.W. gives another hypothesis: she was playing piano for grandma, when Arthur, Buster and Francine melted the snowball with a magnifying glass in the sun.

Back in the kitchen, Francine replies with "we weren't there when Arthur did it". Arthur growls and denies all knowledge. D.W. demands a confession and Buster gives the 'true' version of events from his notes; It was an alien! One came down when the characters were busy and the alien was to take samples of earth food, but only got away with the snowball before Dad came in confused and sleepy. Everyone else doesn't believe this and D.W. accuses everyone, which leads to an argument between Arthur's friends demanding that each other confess. No one realizes who did it and D.W. thinks they are all in on it. Grandma Thora comments that someone's feelings will be hurt.

The arguments are disrupted with the arrival of the first snow of the season and Arthur reassures D.W. that it will be as fun as before. D.W. concedes, but is still confused as to the whereabouts of the snowball. The episode finishes with Buster being proved correct. The aliens are eating and enjoying the snowball and wonder what the recipe is.

Characters

 * D.W. Read
 * Arthur Read
 * Jane Read
 * Buster Baxter
 * Francine Frensky
 * Thora Read
 * David Read
 * Kate Read
 * Pal
 * Aliens
 * Francis Haney (mentioned)
 * Leah MacGrady (flashback)

Trivia

 * In Spanish, this episode is titled, "El misterio de la bola de nieve," which translates to "The mystery of the snowball."
 * This is the first episode that focuses on D.W.'s snowball. This started one of the longest running gags throughout the series' run.
 * Moral: Don't jump to conclusions and accuse everyone around you of petty theft for your own benefits.
 * Timeline:
 * D.W. has been offered some lemonade by Arthur, then she asks if there's any ice left in the freezer in the The Blackout, which is similar to her snowball disappearing in this episode.
 * D.W. once again mentions her snowball from this episode as well as her Crazy Bus CD from Play it Again, D.W. missing in Revenge of the Chip.
 * D.W. once again mentions her snowball from this episode in Clarissa is Cracked.
 * D.W. once again brings her snowball up in D.W.'s Backpack Mishap, still thinking Arthur took it.
 * D.W. once again mentions her snowball from this episode in Waiting for Snow.
 * D.W. mentions her snowball again in D.W. Swims with the Fishes, she says that Uni was almost going to show her where her it is, until Arthur wakes her up.
 * Francine mentions this episode in the later episode "Francine Goes to War."
 * This was brought up again, by D.W., in "Play It Again, D.W.."
 * The events of this episode take place after "The Blizzard," which was aired in Season 4.
 * A sequel to this episode, titled "Return of the Snowball," focuses on the snowball's reappearance and D.W. trying to prevent it from melting again.
 * Running Gag:
 * D.W. mentioning her snowball.
 * D.W. blaming Arthur and his friends.

Episode connections

 * D.W. losing her snowball from this episode can be seen as clip Arthur mentions in Buster's Growing Grudge.
 * D.W. losing her snowball in this episode can be seen as a clip in D.W.'s Perfect Wish.

Errors

 * When Arthur started talking at the very beginning of the episode, his mouth hardly even moved.
 * When D.W. starts reminiscing about the fun in the snow, all the ice on her hair disappeared.
 * Buster's teeth disappeared when he, Arthur and Francine were disappointed that their toothpick model was ruined.
 * During the investigation, Mom and Grandma come in to the kitchen but when Mom gives her version of events they are at the front door.

Cultural references

 * The numerous stories told in this episode is a likely reference to the Japanese film , in which different people told her/his version of the same tale. Like in the episode they make her/himself look good while making the others look bad.
 * In Arthur's imagination, he speaks in a gruff voice greatly reminiscent of famous Action-Western star.

Home Video
VHS: DVD:
 * Arthur Cracks the Case
 * ABC For Kids - Playbox
 * Arthur Cracks the Case