Five Minute Mysteries is a radio show featuring extremely short mystery plots designed to engage listeners as they try to solve the case alongside the sleuth. The episodes were produced and syndicated to local radio stations as a "barter/trade" program, meaning they were primarily used to sell advertising to local merchants or trade advertising announcements for goods, services, or premiums. To accommodate variations in local advertising and station announcements, musical interludes were strategically placed within the shows. The structure and concept of Five Minute Mysteries is similar to other short radio programs like Ellery Queen Mysteries and Strange Adventure.

The specific years and network details of Five Minute Mysteries are not clear, but it can be contextualized alongside other contemporaneous short radio programs like Incredible But True, Ripley's One Minute Shorts, Word Detective with Basil Rathbone, and Ellery Queen Minute Mysteries. The barter/trade nature of the program and the ability for each individual station to insert their own content into it has led to a rich tapestry of local variations and unique customization.

Sources: otrcat.com