The title refers to the sorites paradox, also known as "paradox of the heap". A typical formulation of this paradox involves a heap of sand, from which grains are individually removed. Under the assumption that removing a single grain does not turn a heap into a non-heap, the paradox is to consider what happens when the process is repeated enough times: is a single remaining grain still a heap? (Or are even no grains at all a heap?) If not, when did it change from a heap to a non-heap? This paradox is referenced by Bill Budge when questioning if the file room is still a file room if you keep removing files from it.
The black-and-white film Molly (Allison Tolman) watches in bed is Adventures of Kitty O'Day (1945), a comedy murder mystery starring Jean Parker as a secretary who tries to solve her boss's murder. Like Molly, who is also trying to solve her boss's murder, she is not taken seriously.
On the large bulletin board in the FBI file room is a small postcard-sized version of the fish poster that was in Lester's basement.
There is a version of 'Ode to Joy Symphony No 9' (Beethoven) played on a steel drum. The same music was whistled in Raising Arizona (1987).