'Conspiracy' plot hole

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Mithadan

Welcome to the Barrow-Downs, Bingo.

You provide a rational explanation for William's plot hole. If Sam passed on what information he had and simply stopped snooping, this might explain the inconsistency. Of course, by that time there was nothing left to snoop about. The Ring had been explained and the decision to take it from the Shire had been reached.

Thank you! It might be true that there wasn't much left to learn from spying, but the conspirators couldn't know that, and Gandalf did hang around for two months before he left. One thing they could have learned if Sam had still been spying was the exact timing of Frodo's planned departure. When it happens, they are prepared, but by then it wouldn't be so hard to guess what was going on given the timing and the fact of Frodo selling Bag End. If he had left sooner they might have been surprised.