--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He'd no time for reports. He suspected…" description: "\"“He'd no time for reports. He suspected that about 95% of the written word was never read by anyone anyway.”\" — Colin Dexter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d1/colin-dexter-22150_morse_he-d-no-time-for-reports-he-suspected-th_7865.png" --- # He'd no time for reports. He suspected that about 95% of… ![“He'd no time for reports. He suspected that about 95% of the written word was never read by anyone anyway.” quote by Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d1/colin-dexter-22150_morse_he-d-no-time-for-reports-he-suspected-th_7865.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d1/colin-dexter-22150_morse_he-d-no-time-for-reports-he-suspected-th_7865.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d1/colin-dexter-22150_morse_he-d-no-time-for-reports-he-suspected-th_7865.png) > ““He'd no time for reports. He suspected that about 95% of the written word was never read by anyone anyway.”” [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker dismisses the value of documentation, believing most written content goes unread, highlighting a preference for action over record‑keeping. **In simple terms:** Skeptical of written reports Key Takeaway Prioritize impact over paperwork Themes productivity information overload efficiency communication prioritization Mood pragmatic cynical focused Type observation critique When to use this quote - busy executive reviewing reports - researcher deciding what to publish - team lead allocating time - author questioning manuscript relevance Key Concepts value of documentation reading habits time management Practical Applications - streamlining reporting processes - implementing summary dashboards Questions to Reflect On - Does every piece of writing need to be read? - How can we ensure essential information reaches its audience? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morse/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Written word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written-word/) ## Related quotes > [Morse stared morosely at the blotting paper. "It's just not my sort of case, Lewis. I know it's not a very nice thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/morse-stared-morosely-at-the-blotting-paper-it-s-just-not-my-sort-of/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“Walters looked quizzically at Morse, who sat reading one of the glossy 'porno' magazines he had brought from upstairs. "You still sex-mad, I see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/walters-looked-quizzically-at-morse-who-sat-reading-one-of-the-glossy/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [There's always time for one more pint. - Chief Inspector Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/there-s-always-time-for-one-more-pint-chief-inspector-morse/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“During the few minutes that Lewis was away, Morse was acutely conscious of the truth of the proposition that the wider the circle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/during-the-few-minutes-that-lewis-was-away-morse-was-acutely/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“Morse found it nerve-wracking to cross the St. Jude grounds just as school was being dismissed, because he felt that if he smiled at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/morse-found-it-nerve-wracking-to-cross-the-st-jude-grounds-just-as/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [I would imagine that if you could understand Morse code, a tap dancer would drive you crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-would-imagine-that-if-you-could-understand-morse-code-a-tap-dancer/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I think sadly that Morse thinks that he can exist on his own and he only realises at the end that he can't and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-thaw/i-think-sadly-that-morse-thinks-that-he-can-exist-on-his-own-and-he/) [John Thaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-thaw/) > [I feel very competitive with Robert Morse off-set. We often duke it out. He always wins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-staton/i-feel-very-competitive-with-robert-morse-off-set-we-often-duke-it/) [Aaron Staton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-staton/) > [The ethics laws do not let us tap out the truth in Morse code.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-wyden/the-ethics-laws-do-not-let-us-tap-out-the-truth-in-morse-code/) [Ron Wyden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-wyden/) > [You can't say to someone with a brain like Morse, This is the way you do it, regardless of the circumstances; this is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-thaw/you-can-t-say-to-someone-with-a-brain-like-morse-this-is-the-way-you/) [John Thaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-thaw/) > [I studied Morse code.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/i-studied-morse-code/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [Parts like Morse don't grow on trees. He's a great character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-thaw/parts-like-morse-don-t-grow-on-trees-he-s-a-great-character/) [John Thaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-thaw/) > [I think Morse's thing about being a poor policeman but a good detective is a very good description of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-thaw/i-think-morse-s-thing-about-being-a-poor-policeman-but-a-good/) [John Thaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-thaw/) > [“Mr. Charles Dickens was serializing his novel Oliver Twist; Mr. Draper had just taken the first photograph of the moon, freezing her pale face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/mr-charles-dickens-was-serializing-his-novel-oliver-twist-mr-draper/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [your morse code interferes with my heart beat. I had a steady heart before you, I replied upon it, it had seen active service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/your-morse-code-interferes-with-my-heart-beat-i-had-a-steady-heart/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) ## More by Colin Dexter > [“Morse poured himself a can of beer. "Champagne's a lovely drink, but it makes you thirsty, doesn't it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/morse-poured-himself-a-can-of-beer-champagne-s-a-lovely-drink-but-it/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“Walters looked quizzically at Morse, who sat reading one of the glossy 'porno' magazines he had brought from upstairs. "You still sex-mad, I see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/walters-looked-quizzically-at-morse-who-sat-reading-one-of-the-glossy/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“He sighed and knew that life was full of ‘if only’ for everyone”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/he-sighed-and-knew-that-life-was-full-of-if-only-for-everyone/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [I think that you've got to be prepared to write a load of nonsense to start with and then you can tart it up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/i-think-that-you-ve-got-to-be-prepared-to-write-a-load-of-nonsense-to/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [We read so much about incompetence and corruption in all sorts of places. I'm not just thinking of the United Kingdom and the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/we-read-so-much-about-incompetence-and-corruption-in-all-sorts-of/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“It is strange to relate (for a man in his profession) that in addition to incurable acrophobia, arachnophobia, myophobia, and ornithophobia, Morse also suffered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/it-is-strange-to-relate-for-a-man-in-his-profession-that-in-addition/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“and Lewis felt excitement, and gratification. Somebody—some”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/and-lewis-felt-excitement-and-gratification-somebody-some/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [I've not much faith in the future of the planet and I'm not just thinking about Mr. Bush or global warming. I feel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/i-ve-not-much-faith-in-the-future-of-the-planet-and-i-m-not-just/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“Nothing quite like it in the whole history of music," announced Morse magisterially, after Brünnhilde had ridden into the flames and the waves of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/nothing-quite-like-it-in-the-whole-history-of-music-announced-morse/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“As he lay abed on Sunday, 21 September, Morse was beset by the nagging feeling that there was so much to be done if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/as-he-lay-abed-on-sunday-21-september-morse-was-beset-by-the-nagging/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“you’ve never seen any evidence of drugs—any packets of drugs? Crack? Speed? Ecstasy? Anything? Anything at all?” Had she? “No,” she said. Almost truthfully.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/you-ve-never-seen-any-evidence-of-drugs-any-packets-of-drugs-crack/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“A man is little use when his wife’s a widow. Scottish proverb”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/a-man-is-little-use-when-his-wife-s-a-widow-scottish-proverb/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“was virtually certain of that. As the coach drew into St. Giles’, the sky was an open blue, and the sunlight gleamed on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/was-virtually-certain-of-that-as-the-coach-drew-into-st-giles-the-sky/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“As he lay abed on Sunday, 21 September, Morse was beset by the nagging feeling that there was so much to be done if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/as-he-lay-abed-on-sunday-21-september-morse-was-beset-by-the-nagging-2/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“This was exactly why holidays were so valuable, he told himself: they allowed you to stand back a bit, and see where you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/this-was-exactly-why-holidays-were-so-valuable-he-told-himself-they/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) [Explore all 28 Colin Dexter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) ## More Morse quotes > [your morse code interferes with my heart beat. I had a steady heart before you, I replied upon it, it had seen active service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/your-morse-code-interferes-with-my-heart-beat-i-had-a-steady-heart/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Walters looked quizzically at Morse, who sat reading one of the glossy 'porno' magazines he had brought from upstairs. "You still sex-mad, I see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/walters-looked-quizzically-at-morse-who-sat-reading-one-of-the-glossy/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“Mr. Charles Dickens was serializing his novel Oliver Twist; Mr. Draper had just taken the first photograph of the moon, freezing her pale face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/mr-charles-dickens-was-serializing-his-novel-oliver-twist-mr-draper/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I think Morse's thing about being a poor policeman but a good detective is a very good description of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-thaw/i-think-morse-s-thing-about-being-a-poor-policeman-but-a-good/) [John Thaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-thaw/) > [Parts like Morse don't grow on trees. He's a great character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-thaw/parts-like-morse-don-t-grow-on-trees-he-s-a-great-character/) [John Thaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-thaw/) > [I studied Morse code.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/i-studied-morse-code/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [You can't say to someone with a brain like Morse, This is the way you do it, regardless of the circumstances; this is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-thaw/you-can-t-say-to-someone-with-a-brain-like-morse-this-is-the-way-you/) [John Thaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-thaw/) > [The ethics laws do not let us tap out the truth in Morse code.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-wyden/the-ethics-laws-do-not-let-us-tap-out-the-truth-in-morse-code/) [Ron Wyden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-wyden/) > [I feel very competitive with Robert Morse off-set. We often duke it out. He always wins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-staton/i-feel-very-competitive-with-robert-morse-off-set-we-often-duke-it/) [Aaron Staton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-staton/) > [I think sadly that Morse thinks that he can exist on his own and he only realises at the end that he can't and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-thaw/i-think-sadly-that-morse-thinks-that-he-can-exist-on-his-own-and-he/) [John Thaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-thaw/) > [I would imagine that if you could understand Morse code, a tap dancer would drive you crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-would-imagine-that-if-you-could-understand-morse-code-a-tap-dancer/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [“During the few minutes that Lewis was away, Morse was acutely conscious of the truth of the proposition that the wider the circle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/during-the-few-minutes-that-lewis-was-away-morse-was-acutely/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“Morse found it nerve-wracking to cross the St. Jude grounds just as school was being dismissed, because he felt that if he smiled at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/morse-found-it-nerve-wracking-to-cross-the-st-jude-grounds-just-as/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [From now on all of my guitar solos will be in morse code.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-hicks/from-now-on-all-of-my-guitar-solos-will-be-in-morse-code/) Jason Hicks > [There's always time for one more pint. - Chief Inspector Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/there-s-always-time-for-one-more-pint-chief-inspector-morse/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) [Browse all 23 Morse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He'd no time for reports. 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