"Humbug" step-by-step solution by pjg This is not the "official" solution. This solution augments the game's built-in hint system, and shows how to earn all 2000 points. Apologies for the length of this walkthrough. Feel free to write and upload a better solution if you want to. Otherwise, corrective modifications to this solution are welcomed and encouraged. For game version 5.0 (public domain, May 1997) Other game releases may be slightly different This game is fairly linear and several of the puzzles are intricately locked together. Virtually every "takeable" object in the game has a point earning purpose. It is very easy to get into a no-win situation. If you get stuck then consult the relevant section of the solution for help. There are about 122 things that you can do to earn points. Comments and earned/total points are in () ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (your purpose in this game is to find 6 gemstones, save Grandad, and defeat Jasper) (multiple commands are given on each line even though the game only understands one command per line) The beginning ------------- Who I. X satchel Open satchel W. In X Horace Hug Horace (10/10) Get shovel (you will use the shovel 5 times) Look in dustbin Get banana X can Drink petrol (10/20) Ask Horace about petrol (Get can) (you will come back for the petrol later) Get plane. Drop it (you will come back for the plane later) Out. E. N Push button X letterbox (10/30) Get envelope. Read it Open door (10/40) N. N Pull cord (10/50) D X crate (the robot cleans up one item at a time, the chimp blocks the east passage) Get torch (E) Hit chimp (were did the raspberry go?) X chute (the main disposal chute) Give banana to chimp (10/60) (you can now enter the passage) U. S save "s60" (you will use the entry hallway as your central base of operations) U. U. W (20/80) Get coin (10/90) (you may as well get the coin from the cat now. the cat moves randomly and can be hard to find later) X hair (your hair must be white for the bus ride) Open wardrobe Get scarf Get gloves Wear gloves E. D. D Drop all but torch Get shovel save "s90" S. S. E Dig (wumpus hiding place) Open trapdoor (10/100) N X well (what do you do at a wishing well?) Wish (10/110) Turn on torch D Dig (10/120) Get carrot Hit wall (10/130) E Turn off torch Get crowbar (10/140) (you must be wearing the gloves) S X statue Push button (10/150) (this is a prison cell, you will come back later) N. W. U S. W. N N. N. D Open crate with crowbar (20/170) Drop crowbar U. S Remove gloves Drop all save "s170" The Time Chair -------------- N. D (you can't carry anything with you) Sit in chair (you have gone back in time to the year 1844) E. E X miner Kick miner (10/180) Get lamp Get ladder X arch Read sign (to read the anagram take the words from left to right and stack them top to bottom. Make sure that the left column always has a letter in it. Shift the bottom row to the right one position. Read the words formed vertically from right to left) E. E (you will return to this room by the stairs later) E (you are under the hen house) N Lean ladder on wall (10/190) X table (there are 3 items on the table) Get amphora X racquet Wear racquet (10/200) save "s200" X slate (you must figure out and remember the 4 digit decimal value of the roman numeral on the slate. M = 1000, D = 500, C = 100, L = 50, X = 10, V = 5, I = 1 When a smaller number(s) comes before a larger number, subtract the smaller number(s) from the larger. Otherwise, just add up the numbers) save "s201" (the game is saved before and after you read the slate in case you want a different number or want to look at it again) S X table Put amphora on table E X table Get watch Get goggles Get musket Get doll W Put watch on table Put goggles on table S X door (remember that door by the crowbar?) X table Get claw Get cap Get key N Put claw on table Put cap on table (the spider won't let us put the key on the table) save "s202" The Gravedigger --------------- N. U. E. S Read sign X cart In Give doll to barman Give beer to digger (10/210) Give musket to barman Give beer to digger (10/220) Out Open coffin (10/230) (X body) Put key in coffin Close coffin In Wake digger (you may want to follow the digger to see where he puts the coffin) Out N (wait) W. D. S. W save "s230" W. W. W. W (U. X knothole. D) Drop lamp Sit in chair (back to the present) The Time Case ------------- U. S. E. N X desk Get nailfile Open door with nailfile (10/240) Drop nailfile E. D (the 4 dials form a sort of combination lock for the cases. Remember the 4 digit decimal slate number?) save "s240" X dial (should be 1) Turn dial to E. E X dial (should be 2) Turn dial to W. S X dial (should be 3) Turn dial to Get mattress N. N X dial (should be 4) Turn dial to Drop mattress S X case Push button (30/270) (the display case will open if you did your numbers right) X case Get all from case (you will get 5 items) Wear cap (the cap will protect your white hair) Wear goggles (the goggles will protect your eyes) W. U. W Get monocle S. W Drop all but amphora (be very careful with the amphora!) Get torch Get monocle Get watch save "s270" The Octopus ----------- N. D Turn on torch E Get sweet E. E X chute (the S chute) W. S Wear monocle Read runes (10/280) (each gemstone goes to a different location) save "s280" Drop monocle E (you need to be carrying a "goodie" you can use the watch for this) Y (10/290) (this is a modulus arithmatic problem. If you always leave your opponent 4n+1 (13, 9, 5, or 1) sweets then you will win. To do that always take 4-(Number of sweets your opponent just took) The octopus moves first and will always win unless you...) Turn off torch Read sign X octopus (you must be wearing the goggles) Drop amphora (20/310) Put sweet on plinth (cheat) Drop watch Wait (wait about 6 turns for the fog to clear) Get 1 sweet (you leave 13) (the octopus normally takes 1 sweet) Get 3 sweets (you leave 9) (the octopus normally takes 1 sweet) Get 3 sweets (you leave 5) (the octopus normally takes 1 sweet) Get 3 sweets (you leave 1) (the octopus is forced to take the last sweet) (the octopus will give you the jigsaw piece) Read sign (20/330) Say moccasin beehive (10/340) (the octopus will give you the dweezil) Drop dweezil Drop goggles Turn on torch save "s340" W. S (notice the fire alarm) (do not enter the misty archway) E (notice the aardvark) S Turn off torch X door (you need to feed the aardvark) Read sign (you need Grandad to help here) E X chute (the R chute) (you will put out the fire later) E The Hacker ---------- X pedestal (you will use the pedestal and button later) Get hammer (remember the fire alarm?) X computer Type 1 on computer (any number will work) Read display Hit computer (10/350) (stroke computer) Ask hacker about computer Get humbug Ask hacker about humbug (10/360) Play humbug on computer (10/370) Drop humbug Turn on torch N Get parchment Sit on stool (you will come back later) W. W Drop hammer (you will break the alarm later) N. N. W. W Turn off torch U. S Drop all save "s370" The Maze and Rabbit ------------------- Get parchment Get shovel Get carrot S. S. W. W Read sign Read parchment Drop parchment (this game is public domain now) W (actually, there are only 2 locations in the maze. namely, the "inside" location and the "center" location. Reaching the center of the maze is like opening a combination lock, the last 12 directions must be correct to reach the center) S. E. W. W N. E. S. N W. N. S. E (10/380) (you can eventually figure this out on your own if you use RESTORE, LOOK and have a LOT of patience) X statue Read sign (a subtle clue) Dig (100/480) Get emerald W (keep going east until you leave the maze. If you can't go east then waste a turn going N, S, or W and then try going east again) E. E. E (outside) N (you will feed the bear later) X tree Get termites D Give carrot to rabbit (10/490) N (we are too big to fit through) Kneel (10/500) save "s500" Eat orange flower (10/510) (now you can fit) N Get ruby S Eat blue flower (normal again) Get all Wear trousers Wear shirt Wear cap U. S. E E. N. N Drop all E. E (you have to get a few things from Grandad...) X Grandad Get Document Read it (10/520) Drop it Get hat X hat Get feather W. W Drop hat Get torch Get termites save "s520" The Aardvark and Combination Door --------------------------------- N. D Turn on torch E. E. S S. E Wake aardvark (10/530) Give termites to aardvark (10/540) Give feather to aardvark (10/550) Read wall (random door combination) S Turn off torch X buttons Read display save "s550" (the door is opened by entering the digits that the aardvark wrote on the wall (random each time). To enter a digit you must turn on only the segments in that digit. Push the segment button to turn it on (or off). When all of the correct segments are lit, then push button 7. Read the display to make sure its right) Push button # (to turn the segment on or off) (push the other segment buttons) Push button 7 (20/570) Read display (enter all 4 numbers this way) Turn on torch W X chute (E chute) X machine X buttons Push button 3 (10/580) (you will get a turkey leg) Get leg E. N. W N. N. W W Turn off torch U. S save "s580" The Fish in the Wine Barrel --------------------------- W X table Get mousse (x mousse) (eat mousse) N Open door (10/590) E X barrel X wine Put leg in barrel (30/620) X wine Get casket (10/630) Get fish Get bone Open casket W X kennel X dog Give bone to dog (10/640) (the dog will not bother the cat now) X table Get pot Get kettle S. E Drop all Get jigsaw Get fish Get coin save "s640" The Viking Ship, Sealion, and Ticket ------------------------------------ S. S. E S. S X hair (your hair will still be white, the cap protected it) X mug X tea Get lump X table Get bag X viking Give jigsaw to viking (10/650) Get filofax S. D X sealion Give fish to sealion (10/660) Get tuck Open Tuck Get sandwich X sandwich Drop tuck X dispenser Put coin in slot X buttons Push button 5 Hit machine (20/680) Get ticket N. N. W N. N Remove cap Drop all Get sandwich save "s680" The Caddy --------- (you need to go and find the cat. The cat moves randomly within the house and cellar. If you are holding the tuna sandwich then the cat will follow you. After you have found the cat, return to the entrance hallway) save "s681" W (the cat will follow you because you are holding the sandwich) N (the dog will leave the cat alone) W (notice the caddy) (10/690) Look (wait for the cat to kill the mouse) Look Get mouse (20/710) Stroke cat (10/720) Get caddy (the shark won't let you get the caddy until you wash your hands, wash your hair, comb your hair, and say please) E. S. E Drop sandwich (the cat will no longer follow you) Get kettle Get gloves Wear gloves U. U. U. W Get hedgehog (you must be wearing the gloves) (10/730) X boiler (20/750) save "s750" The Owl, Skylight, and Slug --------------------------- X kettle Plug in kettle (10/760) (the kettle will boil for about 6 turns) Wait (1 wait is about 3 turns) E (you will unplug the kettle and take it with you) E Give mouse to owl (10/770) Open skylight (the steam has melted the latch ice) (10/780) U. E Get balloon Jump (10/790) W. D. W. W Drop kettle Plug in kettle Wait Wait (the kettle will stop boiling) X kettle Get salt E. D. D D. E. S Throw salt at slug (10/800) Open chest Get clippers Get zircon N. W Remove gloves Drop all Get clippers Get shovel save "s800" S. S. E. N Cut fence with clippers (10/810) Drop clippers N In X door (the door contains a hint about what to do with the goose) Open door (10/820) N X door N X line Get peg Get chain X bath (the last move of the game takes place here) S Drop chain Dig (10/830) (you will return here when you have the key) S (back in the hen-house) Say boo (10/840) Look Get battery (a new torch battery) Out S. S. W N. N. U. E Get trombone X bed Get sheets Wear peg Get longjohns (30/870) Drop peg Get pass X chute (the A chute) W. N Open cabinet Get plaster X basin X trombone (the lard is not used) S. D Drop all save "s870" Grandad and the Nightclub ------------------------- (you are now ready to wake Grandad) Get envelope Read it Open it Get card Read it Drop envelope Get scarf Get claw Get trombone Get pass Get torch Get shovel Get lump Get ticket Get hat Wear hat E. E save "s871" Blow trombone (10/880) Give card to Grandad (10/890) Give scarf to Grandad (10/900) Ask Grandad about Jasper Ask Grandad about Horace (grandad will drop the trombone) Get trombone W. W Drop trombone N. D Turn on torch E. E. S S. E. S (you need to arrive at the club before Grandad does) Turn off torch save "s900" Read sign Look (keep looking until Grandad shows up, when he enters the club, follow him) S (10/910) X table Get token save "s910" (this is your best chance to ask Grandad things) (Ask Grandad about bath) (Ask Grandad about shark) Look (you must wait about 5 turns) (you will win a prize) Open package (you need help with the package) Look (Grandad will win a prize and then get up and leave, you may as well follow him) The Mist Robot -------------- N (don't worry about the darkness) N. W. S Y (10/920) (you will deal with the Viking later) save "s920" S X robot Push button (you must have white hair, wear the hat, and have the ticket and pass) X coach (too bad we can't go with Grandad) Enter coach (20/940) The Coffin ---------- X tombstone Dig. Dig. Dig (20/960) (dig until you reach the coffin) Open coffin Give claw to zombie (10/970) Get key Give lump to horse (10/980) Ride horse (10/990) (you had white hair most of the game and did all that work just to get a key) Look (you are by the trapdoor) N. N In N Get chain (hope you put the mattress in place!) D (10/1000) S. S Open door with key (10/1010) Drop key S Drop chain E X tube X wumpus save "s1010" The Wumpus ---------- Push button (10/1020) (you have about 75 moves before the wumpus shows up) W. W. U S. W. N. N Remove hat Drop all U. N Turn on tap Wash hands (10/1030) Wash hair (10/1040) (finally, you get rid of that white hair!) Turn off tap S. D Get gloves Wear it Get hedgehog Comb hair with hedgehog (30/1070) X hair Remove gloves Drop all W. N. W Say please (10/1080) Get caddy (10/1090) Open caddy Get toffee Drop caddy E. S. E Get mousse save "s1090" S. S. E (you must have the toffee and mousse with you) Wait (wait takes 3 moves) (you must wait until you hear the hunting horn this may be another 35 moves or so) Look (the wumpus will leap over the hedge in another 2 moves or so) Give mousse to wumpus (30/1120) Get wumpus D Drop wumpus (10/1130) (you don't get points if he jumps out) U Close trapdoor save "s1130" Wait (you must wait for Jasper to appear in another 7 moves or so) X Jasper X teeth Give toffee to Jasper (10/1140) Ask Jasper about wumpus (you can ask Jasper questions if you want to) Wait (wait for Jasper to loose a tooth in another 7 moves or so) Get tooth Wait (wait for Jasper to leave in another 13 moves or so) Look (20/1160) Get polaroid (10/1170) Open trapdoor D Get wumpus (poor little guy...) U. W. N. N Drop all Get balloon Get package Get filofax Get plaster Get tooth Get wumpus Get bag Get torch save "s1170" The Rucksack ------------ N. D Turn on torch E. E. S S. S Turn off torch X Olaf Ask Olaf about story Pop balloon (20/1190) Ask Olaf about story (remember the insurance number) N (you can't leave the mist room if you still have white hair) E. S. E. E X hacker Give package to hacker (10/1200) X computer Read filofax Type on computer (20/1220) X computer Type on computer (10/1230) X computer (remember the telephone number> Drop filofax Type Log Off on computer (10/1240) W. W. N W. S Say (30/1270) (Olaf will drop the rucksack and run away) Open rucksack The Powder and the Fairy ------------------------ Get powder (you can't leave carrying the powder) Put powder in chute X chute (the D chute) Pull lever N. E. S E. E Sit on pedestal save "s1270" (you need the plaster and the tooth) Push button (20/1290) Get powder X fairy X wand Ask fairy about wand Give plaster to fairy (10/1300) Sit on pedestal Push button Get raspberry Blow raspberry at fairy (10/1310) Drop raspberry Kiss fairy (20/1330) (the fairy will give you a diamond) Give tooth to fairy (10/1340) Turn on torch N Put bag on stool (10/1350) E Get amethyst W. W X machine Open door Put powder in machine Put wumpus in machine Close door Push button (10/1360) Open door (50/1410) (the wumpus will give you a sapphire) W. N. N W. W Turn off torch U. S Drop all (you now have all 6 gems) Get torch Get mug Get sheet save "s1410" The Fire Alarm -------------- N. D Turn on torch E. E. S. S (you left the hammer here back at score 370) Get hammer X alarm Break glass with hammer (10/1420) Drop hammer E. S. E Turn off torch Wait (wait for Dennis the fireman to show up, he will give you a form to sign) X Dennis (ask Dennis about pelican) Give mug to Dennis (10/1430) Hit Dennis (10/1440) Get helmet Get uniform Tie Dennis with sheets (10/1450) X Dennis X underwear Smell underwear (10/1460) Sign form (10/1470) Wear uniform Wear helmet Drop all X uniform S (10/1480) Turn off wheel (10/1490) X chute (the Z chute) N (the uniform and helmet have burned) Get torch Turn on torch W. N. W N. N. W. W Turn off torch U. S Get battery X torch (the torch battery is almost used up) Open torch (10/1500) Put battery in torch Close torch The Gems and the Chutes ----------------------- Get zircon Get ruby Get emerald Get sapphire Get amethyst Get diamond (you need a couple of pieces of "trash") Get gloves Wear it Get hedgehog (you are ready for the endgame) save "s1500" U. E (the chute letter must match the gemstone) X chute Put amethyst in chute Pull lever (10/1510) W. D. N. D Turn on torch E. E. E X chute Put sapphire in chute Pull lever (10/1520) W. S. S. S X chute Put diamond in chute Pull lever (10/1530) N, E, S, W X chute Put emerald in chute Pull lever (10/1540) E. E X chute Put ruby in chute Pull lever (10/1550) S X chute Put zircon in chute Pull lever (10/1560) N. W. N W. N save "s1560" Get monocle Wear it Read runes Drop monocle N. W. W Turn off torch Drop gloves (this will drop 2 "trash" items) Say (50/1610) (the chute will spit out the treasure map. you must keep the cleaning robot busy with other trash so it won't get the map) Get map (Jasper will show up with Grandad) X map U. S Drop troch Get casket X casket (you opened the casket earlier) Get pepper Drop casket Get trombone Get pot Get polaroid save "s1610" The Bear Cub ------------ (almost done now) E. N (Jasper must have Grandad down below. do you have another way in?) S. W. S. S W. W. N X trombone X pot Open pot Pour honey in trombone Drop trombone (20/1630) (the bear cub will eat the honey and free the sock) Get trombone Get sock X sock Wear sock (10/1640) S. W (you must "bother" Horace) Drop pot (any item will do) save "s1640" The Petrol Can -------------- Drop sock (10/1650) (Horace will take us to his hut. he won't take out his snuff tin until you drop 2 things in the maze) Look (you dropped the plane here back at score 20) Get plane (Horace will, eventually, take out his snuff tin. you may have to "LOOK" awhile though. as soon as he takes out his snuff tin, then...) Throw plane (throw the plane before he puts the tin back in his pocket. Horace will leap after the plane) Get tin Open it Put pepper in tin Close tin Put tin on bench (Horace will catch the plane and then get the tin) Wait (you may have to wait 25 moves or so for Horace to take his tin out again) Look (Horace will sneeze after snorting the pepper-snuff) Get can (30/1680) Out E. E. N D. E Grandad and the Bath -------------------- (Grandad is sleeping again) Blow trombone (20/1700) Drop trombone Get chain Tie chain to bars (10/1710) W. U. N In. N. N X bath X can Pour petrol in funnel (10/1720) Drop can save "alldone" (you must be carrying the polaroid) Push button (280/2000) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------