MERLIN #8
NOVEMBER 1985
Wanted, a quick tour of the catacombs

I've been somewhat overwhelmed with letters this month, mainly about Sphinx Adventure, so I have decided to do a special on it sometime within the next few months.

While we are on the subject of letters, can I ask you to do me a few favours? Please could you put your Christian names or at least whether you are a Miss, Mr or Mrs.

Also try to limit your questions - I don't have time to tell people who write in asking how to solve a complete adventure ... and quite a few people do just that.

It's confession time again. I have had a letter saying that you go up in the catacombs in Sphinx Adventure but my map of them only shows the normal compass points, so I might have been giving readers the wrong advice.

Can anyone send me a map of the catacombs only? It seems I have also been talking about a ming vase in Sphinx. I don't think there is one.

I must have got confused with Classic, so please accept my apologies, Nice one Shaun, for spotting it! Also, much to my shame, I can't remember
how to get out of the castle in Eye of Zolton. Can anybody help?

James Howdle has written in asking for a help sheet for adventures in general. I don't have one, but perhaps a compilation of my columns plus some maps and solutions would make a good book.

We have had an excellent response to the Adventure Top Ten so I'll print another one shortly.

Colin Harris asks for Softek's address so that he can buy Eye of Zolton. Try: 12/13 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8LH, phone 01-240 1422/7877.

He also asks me to state whether an adventure has graphics or not when I review it. In future I will mention graphics only if the program has them and so if there is no mention, it's text only.

David Sturgess says that to exorcise the ghost in Five Stones of Anadon you must get the book and silver cross.

The bugs in Pyramid of Doom and TKV (Twin Kingdom Valley) have reared their heads again. TKV will not allow you to load a saved game in some versions, so make make sure yours will before you buy it.

And in some versions of Pod you can't get into the pyramid. In this case send your copy back to Adventure International who will be delighted to exchange it.

Phillip of Bognor Regis is having problems with Savage Island Part I. He is stuck on the atoll, getting a light and also wants to know what the significance of the cannon fire is. Can anybody help him?

Julian Holden can't get through the stone door behind the wall in the plain room in Sorcerer of Claymorgue Castle. Matthew Hall has eight of the stars but can't find the others. He wants to know how to get the can from the battlements, and is also stuck with that stone door.

K. and D. Harper need some help with Gremlins. What do you do with the electric drill and saw, what do you do in the pub, what's the mail box for and of what use is the film in the cinema? Does anyone know?

Giles Harris wants to know how to attach the pipe from the bar to the pipe from the gas bottle and thus enter it into the hole drilled into the metal plate.

Robert CarIton has completed TKV but doesn't believe that he has completed it when he types in the code I gave in the special on TKV.

You have, Robert. Mark Seaman says he has rescued the princess but hasn't received the silver key. Are you sure you have rescued her? Were you wearing the amulet?

Simon Bellamy wants to know what the scratches on the wall with the eggs mean in Hulk. I don't know, do you?

Nick Butler, who's working his way through Pettigrew's Diary, wants to know which barber you should choose in the European trek and why. Grant Rencourt wants to know how to get to the arcade, the natural history museum and where are the gunmen, Eddy the crook and Scarface.

He can't get to the island in the Serpentine lake now that he has the boat. He says he has tried to row it.

Sean McDougal has written in with a good tip for Sphinx. He says that the program doesn't flush the function keys when it loads and so you can program them. He puts the first 15 moves into one key and other useful commands into the others. Sounds like a good idea.

Geoff Poole wants to know why some purchasers of Sphinx got a help booklet with it and some did not. The reason is that originally you got a form that you should send to Acornsoft for a free clue. However they were inundated with requests for help and brought out the booklet and enclosed it with the program.

Neill Milton says the ending in many adventures is rather anti-climatical. He also thinks that a certificate to show that you have finished would be nice. I agree. Software houses, are you listening?

Matthew France is stuck in Galadriel in Distress. I still have not seen this, so can't help. He wants to know how to get the toad out of the middle of the pond.

Peter Barry writes to ask if I have ever been on MUD - Multi User Dungeon. As soon as I have my modem I'll be in there.

He has written out a question and answer sheet for Sphinx. It doesn't cover everything as he hasn't yet crossed the lake, but it does cover a lot of problems I am asked about. It's free to anyone who sends in an SAE.

The Greedy Dwarf, which I still haven't seen, is causing Tony Banks, among many others, a lot of problems. Namely, how do you get the sword to kill the spider and how do you get past the rats. Will some kind person put them out of their misery?

H. Reynolds wants to know how to get past the iron statue in Pyramid of Doom. Is there one, and if so how do you get past it?

Carl Ellis and John Trotter are two more adventurers, or is it arc-venturers, that are having problems with SIM.

S. Flook has written in to say that the answer to Phillip Dawson's problem in Castle Frankenstein is to hammer the metal rod into the ground and then tie the rope to it.

The rope must be tied to the metal ring and then Phillip will be home and wet.

Paul Taylor asks how to get the ants to free ant man and whether you can deflect the beams(?) with the mirror in the Incredible Hulk.

David Anderson can't find the petrol or get into the wagon in Circus Adventure. I haven't seen any of the Brian Howarth adventures yet, but would very much like to. Meanwhile can anybody help David?

Stuart Nicholls wants to know how to get down the volcano in Countdown to Doom. Can you get down there? M.J. Plumb wants to know what the metal cube is for - so would l!

Finally, lots of readers have asked how to plant the bean on the island in Eye of Zolton. One of my old maps says, DROP BEAN, DROP WATER. I think this works.

HINTS DEPARTMENT

Scott Mancrieff can't find the will, map the maze to the solicitor's office or get out of the room north of the danger room in Philosophers Quest. Reunite pet and mistress.

From the smooth corridor there are eight locations to map including the office. Try emulating Long John Silver without the crutch.

Alan Riddell is having problems with Pirate Adventure. To get to Treasure Island, build a boat.

Don't try and get the shovel through the crack in the wall, try finding a way of getting round to the other side of the crack through a different entrance. Yes, there are keys to be found, but keep it under wraps.

Derek Willoughby and Simon Bellamy would like some answers to their problems with the Incredible Hulk. To stop the natter egg from exploding and get the bio gem you'll need to have a healthy appetite.

I don't think you have to kill the ants and I don't think the scratches mean anything. To pull the ring, remember what Strange said.

M.J. Plumb and Stuart Nicholls have some questions about Countdown to Doom. The glacier is UP from the landing area and you will be able to use the phaser somewhere there.

You should be able to get out of the artefact if you do everything correctly. Don't forget that the shapes appear in a random order and that they might not be the same the next time you visit.

To catch the blob, use the net. This will answer your problems with the monster, spacesuit and should make the platform easier to handle.

Larry Horsefield wants to know whether anything can be done at the patch of wet (quick?) sand and at the nearby dead end in Sphinx and whether anything can be done in the shrine. Not as far as I know.

Timothy Moore wants to know how to get past the pirate. Make a map, and you'll see that you can avoid him completely.

Chris Dymock can't get past the fiery walls. Don't drop your bottle to fill it!

Stephen Adler can't find the bear. Explore the locations nearest to the south side of the troll's bridge.

Jonathan Ornstein and Shirley Ann Haddy among many others, can't find the sphinx in the desert, so I will give you the route I use from the pirate's hideout:

N-E-N-S-E-W-E-S-N-S-E-W-E-S-N-S-E-W-E-S-N

Sarah and Simon Barber want to know how to get out of the serpent and why they can't get further than the canyon and glacier. Strike a light. You can't go any further. You need two magic items to cross the glacier.

Stephen Snell wants to know where the stake is. Beyond the goblins near the pirate's hideout.

M.A. Messam should leave things at the Sphinx when he has his hands full. Graeme Daniels, Louise Dunmore, Alan Riddell want directions to the vampire's castle. Somebody recently brought my route there into doubt however, I go:

S-S-N-E-W-S-D-D-U

Please let me know if anyone finds this doesn't work.

Adrian Turner and Stephen Parkinson want to know how to kill the dwarves. Keep throwing the axe at them.

Ernest Howard and Larry Horsefield want to know if you can explore the locations by the crocodile without either feeding or getting killed by it.

Good question! I don't think so, but to be honest I have never tried.

Brian Murphy is having trouble getting the time crystal into its slot in Stranded. If I remember rightly, you simply INSERT CRYSTAL.

Adam Gladstone has shot the robot but cannot now find the way into the ship. Stranded has a very limited vocabulary, try GO AIRLOCK and PICK LOCK.

Fantasia Diamond has reared its head again, and I still don't know if this is available on the Electron. Heather Owen and Nick Butler want to know how to get past the river and what to do in the dingy cellar. You can't get across. Polish the window.

Andrew Cunningham has some questions also. How does he open the musical and brown door, how does he unlock the chest behind the secret door and how does he open the trap door?

Give the conductor the tools of his trade. With no difficulty as far as I know. Keep examining it. By lifting it, I think.

Rui Teirnao keeps getting arrested for indecent exposure when he tries to change into the tweed suit in Hampstead. Sorry Rui, I didn't realise that there were two suits when I asked if that was the business suit.

However, the privacy of your own home is still the best place.

Tony Banks, Derek Willoughby and many others have written in with problems with Greedy Dwarf. Drink the liquid to get through the gate, use the handle and head to make the axe and since I'm giving away routes through the mazes this month, try:

W-W-S-DROP SAUSAGE-N-NE-S-JUMP E

to get from the cavern of shadows to the silver room.

Incidentally, I am very grateful to Eve Thompson for her maps of Greedy Dwarf.

S. Flook wants to know whether there is a way past the giant squid in Kingdom of Klein. No, it's a red squid. Ray Bray wants to know what the bucket and spade are for, when to break the egg and what to use the cube for. Building a sandcastle. Break the egg in the long corridor. It's one of the solids!

They are both also having problems with Quest for the Holy Grail. To get across to the island build a raft. To move the huge stone, put the monk's present in the niche. The sapphire sword will kill the blue knight, you'll find it on the island. As for the black knight, there is no sword for him.

They, along with Simon Bellamy and Simon Webb, are having trouble with Wheel of Fortune.

To get across the pit after scaring off the dragon, have you still got the ladder? To get the farmer to leave the field tell him about the bull. No, the watch cannot be repaired and should be ignored.

To get into the building go round the back and open the door. The idea is not to let the beggar get the matches. Once he does you can't get them back.

What to type in to get the bucket? GET BUCKET. I think you haven't EXTENDED the ladder.

What to type in to go down the well? CLIMB INTO BUCKET, and SAY TO BEGGAR LOWER ME.

Ray Bray and Derek Willoughby want to know how to get the last treasure and how to catch the owl in Adventure. Go into the scrubland past the dragon, drop one of your treasures and steal it back. You can't catch the owl.

It will come if you hoot, though.

COMPETITION CORNER

YOU might remember the competition we ran in July. The winner was Ray Bray, of Cheadle Hulme and the answers were:

Nobody seemed to know how to get out of the repository, so if anyone can send me a map and solution to show how to get out I will reward them with a copy of Pettigrew's Diary, a superb semi-graphical adventure from Shards.

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

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