MERLIN #5
JULY 1985
Route through Twin Kingdom Valley …

I've had literally dozens of letters asking for help with Twin Kingdom Valley, so this month I am going to explain the uses of most of the objects you come across and some of the problems you will therefore face in the adventure.

Firstly though, I have a copy of Peter Gerrard's book Exploring Adventures on the Electron to give away.

There are three problems I can't solve (well, three particular problems) and the first person to write in with all the solutions or the best combination of them will get the book.

So get writing in - the closing date is one month from publication of this issue.

The problems are:

While I'm flaunting my fallibility, I've had quite a few letters from people stuck in adventures that I haven't seen.

So, can anyone help with the following:

In Strange Odyssey how do you get the plastic out of the hexagonal room and how do you read the alien script on the boulder in the cave?

In Mystery Fun House how do you get out of the pit?

In Countdown to Doom how do you stop the computer spitting out the discs?

Finally in Five Stones of Anadon (yes, I got stuck here) how do you get past the ghost in the cellar?

Now back to the Twin Kingdom Valley and many thanks to Michael Dunlop and Mike Farmer, who both provided solutions I desperately needed.

Now be warned! Read no further unless you are well and truly stuck!

The Treasures:

Three bags of gold: Give one to the guard when put in prison.

Three bags of silver: The castle guards have two and the sandlurker one.

The crown: This is worn by the desert king.

Ball of gold: You will find this in the upper levels of the castle.

Treasure chest: This is very heavy and you cannot carry anything else. A friend can help here.

Staff of gold: The witch in the east turret has this.

Diamond: This is in the cave near Watersmeet.

Diamond ring: The dwarf has this. To get it from him you'll need to ensure that he can't get out!

The secret of life: This is at the river of gold, behind the rockfall.

Jug of gold: Try filling the jug.

Silver key: This will be given to you in exchange for rescuing the princess.

Gold key: This is in the kitchen behind a secret door.

Other objects:

Jug: Handy for carrying water and gold!

Flint: You have to have this to light the lamp.

Beer (available from the inn): Very refreshing? Watch what it does to your health, though.

Crystal ball: If you give this to the witch with the bronze key, she will reward you.

Amulet: The princess will recognise you with this on.

Short rod: You can wave it to get a short-cut to the desert king's castle.

Master key: Very handy. Opens any door.

The wooden staff: The ultimate weapon.

The treasure chest: Needed to get to the river of gold. Look in the castle.

The ill giant: Free him and go to Watersmeet. Try to make him feel better.

Holdall: Very handy for carrying things!

Uniform: This makes you look like a guard from a distance, though not close up.

Watersmeet: Swim here to regain strength. If you drink you will get the secret of closed doors.

And finally, 1,024 points? Really want to know? Well, look at the following code:

MVEIRELWISNEWCARSEETR!E

If you take every other letter starting with the second one, you'll find the answer.

You should now be able to solve TKV. Admittedly, you still have a lot of work to do, but you should find that you now have enough information to solve it.

This month we have received a plea for help from a BBC adventurer stuck in the jungle in Countdown to Doom. This is a maze of looks all the same locations.

Anything DROPped "disappears into the undergrowth".

This maze is NOT all the same. The descriptions differ slightly.

Make a map based on whether the descriptions change, or not.

The save game facility is a big help here. When you find a location whose description differs radically from the others, you'll be close to the exit.

A. Marsh says he has mapped all of Adventureland but cannot find the last treasure. How many times have you rubbed the lamp?

J. Lutley says she can't get the anchor in Pirate Adventure. Dig it out!

M. Burns and Barbara Wilkinson are having problems with Castle Frankenstein. To get up the slope, use your head. To get rid of the monster, cut the bridge while he's standing on it. The violin isn't used, but it does count towards your score.

Stephen Buxton is having trouble with the knights in Quest for the Holy Grail. Use a matching sword.

Scott Bowie also has problems. If you want to get the axe, hide it first. Carry the plank up the tree, you'll find the swamp when you come back down again.

Beryl Webber, Phillip Macdonald and Julie Powell all want help with Sphinx Adventure. The mithril ring is in the grotto across the swamp. Use the sword on the ogre. Yes, there are things worth having in the mazes and the catacombs. The sphinx is in the desert. Map it. Use the dragon's teeth to get past the goblins.

Neil Costigan can't get across the lake in Kingdom of Klein. Go to the chapel. Push the portrait and unlock the safe.

Sally Barber, Deryck Willoughby, Andrew Teece and Scott Bowie need some answers for Classic Adventure.

Get the pirate's treasure chest from the maze with the pit. Say "PLOVER" at Y2 to get the platinum pyramid.

Free the bear to scare the troll and you can get across the bridge. Where you see the green light you can drop the lamp to enter the cave.

From Witt's End keep going south.

You don't get any batteries at the machine as far as I can tell.

To get the nugget out, say "PLUGH" at Y2.

The person waving at you is you. You are seeing your own reflection in a mirror.

To get past the bear, FEED HIM, UNLOCK CHAIN, GET CHAIN, GET BEAR, then see above.

What were the mirrors used for? Nothing.

Is there any way to get through the waterfall? No.

Is there any way to get past the fissure with the molten lava? No.

As you can see, front the competition, I've not finished Classic Adventure. So it's possible that I've missed something in the answers I have given. If I have, I hope you'll let me know.

This article appeared in the July 1985 edition of the "Electron User", published by Database Publications.

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