"Frustration" step-by-step solution by pjg This is not the "official" solution. 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 1.01 Release 960114 Other game versions may be slightly different If you get stuck then consult the relevant section of the solution for help. There are a lot of "red herrings" in this game. Remember that "EXAMINE", "SEARCH", and "LOOK IN ..." all do different things. Takes about 530 moves. Comments and earned/total points are in () ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (your purpose in this game is to find the items on the shopping list. along the way you will collect geometric shapes and 4 heavy objects) The Beginning ------------- Get sword, lamp Turn on lamp (the lamp lasts forever) N, N, N W, W, N (ignore the bird, for now) E, SE Push button (the green button locks and unlocks 2 objects) NW, NW Open door N (the tunnels at the beginning of the game are actually under this mansion) Read list then drop it (you have to get the six items on the list) (we will drop the list items and heavy objects here) D save "s0" The Cellar (first visit) ------------------------ SW, E, NW, W NE, NE, E Get talisman then wear it (10/10) E Drop sword Read sign (the sign should be translated as "Weights here, please") (you need 4 heavy objects to open the door) W, W, N NW, NE, U U, N, U, E Open door N (the aperture is a sort of destination selector for the north wall) save "s10" The Village (first visit) ------------------------- N (you will appear in a shop in the village) Open door N, E X table Get hammer Look under table Drop wire (you can "use" the wire on the ship if you want to) W, NE Open door E Get bottle Open trapdoor (you must be wearing the talisman) D Get knapsack then wear it Drop talisman U, W, NW Open door (you will come back for the wand later) NW, SW Finebone's Office (first visit) ------------------------------- Get glowing key (10/20) Pull lever (the green button unlocked the recess) X recess Get gloves Put all in knapsack X knapsack Get note (20/40) Read it then drop it (the note should be translated as: "Fourth, First, Second, Sixth, then Fifth") X desk Push Purple, Blue, Yellow, Black, Orange (the drawer will unlock and open) X drawer (you will use the rope twice) Get rope (20/60) Open door save "s60" Red Button #1 (The Hut) ----------------------- (all of the buttons except red were pushed, so ...) Push red (the red button and cupboard form a teleportation device...) S (i'm gonna be lazy and use "all") Close all. Move all. Open all N (you will be in a hut) (a riddle!) Say "24" N Put ticket in knapsack N (you will always return via this shrubbery location) The Bird -------- Get apple (10/70) (first item on the list) W, W, W W, W, N (wear gloves. cultivate garden) Drop gloves (the bird will carry the gloves to the roof) N, N Drop apple The Iron key ------------ U Unlock door with glowing key Open door E Tie rope to hook I (you should be carrying nothing but you are wearing the knapsack) D Get iron key (20/90) Put it in knapsack U Untie rope from hook Put rope in knapsack save "s90" The Roof -------- W, N, U E, E, S Open door E Drop knapsack U Open skylight U Get potion Get gloves then wear it (thanks bird) U X nest Get yarmulke (10/100) (a yarmulke is a Jewish skullcap) D Drop all (over the edge they go...) D, D Get knapsack then wear it (i never did find a use for the pumpkin) W, N, W W, D, S D, S (you will find the three roof items here) Put potion, yarmulke in knapsack SE, SE Push button (this will unlock the green door that you will find later in the game) NW, NW N, U, N U, E, N save "s100" (back to the village) N The Wand -------- N, NE, NW, NE (you already opened the door) X cauldron Get wand (actually, "Put wand in knapsack" is faster) X potion then drink it (let's try again) Get wand (10/110) X wand (the wand is another teleportation device) SW, NW, SW save "s110" Red Button #2 (The Mirrors) --------------------------- Push red, red S Close all. Move all. Open all N (you will be in a dark chamber) D Get hammer Hit mirror with hammer Drop hammer (X mirror) Look Get plaque (10/120) Put it in knapsack E, W (you must be holding the wand) Wave wand (you will be back in the mansion) (the wand only works in certain locations) N, N (back to the village) N, NE, NW NW, SW save "s120" Red Button #3 (The Ship) ----------------------- Push red, red, red S Close all. Move all. Open all N Put statuette in knapsack (the first heavy object) D Ask steward about plaque Give ticket to steward S Open all W Get plaque Read it then drop it (the plaque is translated as R=9, L=4, and M=13) Turn right to 9 Turn left to 4 Turn middle to 13 (the safe will click) Open safe X safe Get cube (20/140) (the geometric shapes are teleport destination devices) E, S Open all E X bed X flute (a magic flute!) Put flute in knapsack W, S, W, D Get dull key (10/150) W (back to the mansion) W (you can always use the wand in this spot if you want) W, W W, W, N N, N Get statuette then drop it The Morning room ---------------- N Unlock door with dull key Open door N, N (that was rather strange) I (so now you have a ring, think of it as a key) Put dull key, ring in knapsack S, S, U N, U, E N save "s150" The Cube - Desert Palace ------------------------ Put cube in aperture Get yarmulke then wear it N (the yarmulke will show you the way to go, the path is usually...) NE, NE, E N, NW, N (you should reach the oasis) X tree U Get honeypot (10/160) (another item from the list) D, W Put waterwings in knapsack E (drink water) N, N (you should reach the palace) Open door N, N Get rope, flute from knapsack Play flute (notice what the rope does...) Drop rope Play flute (the rope will uncoil upwards) Drop flute U (you don't need the flute or rope anymore) N Open door W. Get sphere (10/170) (another aperture "key") E, E. Get barbel (the second heavy object) W, N, W X bath Put spider in knapsack E, N Open door E, NE (back to the mansion) W, W, W W, W, N N, N Drop honeypot, barbel U, N, U E, N save "s170" Red Button #4 (The Innkeeper) ----------------------------- (you must go back to the village one last time) Get yarmulke (you must change the destination of the North wall back to the village) Put it in aperture (actually, any non-geometric shape will do) N (you will be back in the village) N, NE, NW NW, SW Push red, red, red, red S Close all. Move all. Open all N (you will meet the innkeeper) Get spider then drop it (the innkeeper will run away) E Read all (only crazy people are admitted to this kind of hospital, hmmm...) Eat knapsack Again Again (after the 3rd insane act you will be admitted to the hospital) Get coin (10/180) Put it in knapsack W, N, NE NE, SE, S Get doorstop (the third heavy item) N, NW, SW SW, NW, N (nice view) S, W (crampons are used to climb ice covered mountains) Get crampons then wear it NW (back to the mansion) W, W, W W, W, N N, N Drop doorstop U, N, U E, N save "s180" The Small Cell -------------- Put sphere in aperture N (you will be in a small cell) Open door NE, N, N X door (this door is unlocked by the green button in the garden shed) Open door E, E Get carton (20/200) (another item on the list) W, N, NW, W Get cone (10/210) (another aperture "key") E, SE, NE (are you wearing the crampons?) N Drop crampons NW Get brick (the final heavy object) Open door W, W (back to the mansion) W, W, W W, W, N N, N Drop carton, brick U, N, U E, N save "s210" The Stage --------- Put cone in aperture N (you are on a stage) W, S Unlock door with iron Drop iron then open door S. Get bread (20/230) N, E Unlock door with dull Drop dull then open door S. Get tetrahedron (20/250) N, E Unlock door with glowing Drop glowing then open door S. Get potato (20/270) N, N, W NE, NW N, N Put coin in slot N, E N (back to the mansion) W, W, W W, W, N N, N Drop bread, potato, tetrahedron Get statuette, doorstop, barbell, brick E save "s270" The Platform Door ----------------- Put barbell, brick in receptacle X indicator (together, they weigh 43) Put barbell, brick in knapsack Put statuette, doorstop in receptacle X indicator (they also weigh 43) Put statuette, doorstop in knapsack W, D, SW Wave wand (you will appear by the platform door) Put barbell, brick on left Put statuette, doorstop on right (the door will click) Open door N The Vampire ----------- N (oops, how are you going to get past the Vampire?) S Get sword, bottle Cut me with sword Fill bottle with blood Drop sword N Give bottle to vampire N, N save "s270" The Causeway ------------ NE, W SW, NW (the point of no return) N, E, NE SE, NE, N (you will reach the northern shingle) N, N (don't push the bell-push) Get ring Put ring in opening (the door will click) Open door N Get tomato (20/290) S, S, S, S Get waterwings then wear it S (you will cross the water and land on the east shingle) Get all but waterwings W, S ,S W, W Wave wand (you will be back by the stairs) U Get all Put list, wand in knapsack U, N, U E, N Put tetrahedron in aperture N (you will appear on a country path) S (this is the hole that you fell into at the beginning of the game) N, N save "s290" I (you should have all of the items on the list and your knapsack) E (60/350) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- For fun, have you... -- found out where the aperture shapes went? -- found the 5 items that weigh 0? -- found the 6 items that weigh 1? -- put the wire in the socket? -- figured out how many mirrors you broke? -- found the 3 places that the wand will teleport you? -- looked in the small puddle?