Last week, the lead criminal investigator acknowledged that there was movement away from the strong initial hunch of terrorism.

Data are used to fill in the initial hunches, to change them, to elaborate on them.

The best evidence of their initial hunch had essentially been lost.

British scientists' initial hunch was that the attributes were a hoax.

So his initial hunch must be true.

Ultimately, he said, the investigation disproved his initial hunches.

Perhaps her initial hunch was correct, that they were advance men for the conspiracy.

"Our initial hunch is they gave false names when they were on camera," Lieutenant Garcia said.

"What he's done so far proved my initial hunch - he didn't get political," Mr. Haidar said.

The historians who relied on their initial hunches were right.