The term 'Spade and Others' refers to the characters in the novel The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. The two main characters are Sam Spade and Brigid O'Shaughnessy, who are both referred to as Kates and Sams in the crossword solutions. Sam Spade is a private detective who is hired by Brigid O'Shaughnessy to investigate the disappearance of her partner, Miles Archer. Brigid O'Shaughnessy is a mysterious woman who is involved in a complex plot involving the theft of a valuable jewel-encrusted falcon statue. The novel follows the investigation of Sam Spade and his interactions with the other characters, including the villainous Kasper Gutman.