MERLIN #10
JANUARY 1986
More hints to send you on your way …

Once again my postbag has been bulging with the wisdom gained by other adventure addicts.

Mystery Fun House seems to be creating quite a lot of problems for Richard Newton and Mark Constantin.

Mark writes that he cannot seem to get started at all, and is just wandering around the first few locations. To get started, have a look at the tree and the grating.

The heel of your shoe holds something useful, and a good chew will stick a coin in the bank if you have the right branch.

The valve turns the merry-go-round music off and a blue button answers another problem.

Climbing the pole that holds the horse upright will lead you partway to the catwalk.

J. Hughes, A. Lovell, G. Ross and Matthew Gaunt are stuck in Twin Kingdom Valley. There are two routes to the giant and the princess, from the clearing and down, in the castle.

For the first you will need the gold and bronze keys. From the clearing go D,N,N,W,W,D,D,N,N,N,N,N,N.

From the grand stairs in the castle go D,D,E,E,E,D,D,D,N.

To stop the princess fleeing you must be wearing the amulet. When you have done everything, have a second look at the treasures you have found.

Wheel of Fortune has also raised a lot of questions this month. D.A. Calvert, Alan Riddell and A. Lovell are all stuck in it.

To open the trapdoor you must unbolt it. You can't get past the farmer until after you have gone through the trap door.

You cross the canal from the other side. You will find something to go into the basket that the troll doesn't like.

To kill the fly and get the wheel you must lure the fly into the spider's cave. You can't keep the trapdoor open.

The beggar goes home for his tea after he has lowered you down the well. To get him to do this you must give him the penny and ask him nicely.

But make sure you get something with a penny in and beat him to the machine.

The well leads to the other locations in the game, not the trapdoor.

Keith Inman (that's two mentions Neil), Mark Rummings, Jason Owens and Andrew Stewart need help with Greedy Dwarf.

Jump over the trip wire or you will be stuck in the maze.

Map out the maze by dropping objects if the locations all look the same. Be fast on your feet to get past the shadow monsters. The hut is across the river.

Wave the wand to cross the chasm. You need the compass to get out of the muddy maze.

Alan Riddell wants to know the following about Hampstead: Where is Pippa? At the party near the bank. Is there anything in the industrial estate? Yes! How can you get the money for the cottage? Vote option 3 in the boardroom. Wear the tweed suit and have the object from the industrial estate to meet the man on the train.

Alan is also stuck in Adventure along with Peter Young. To get into the cavern at the start say Open Sesame.

lan Bevan has sent in a map for Sorcerer of Claymorgue Castle. He has found all 13 stars, but doesn't know where he has to store them. Can anyone help?

He has enclosed a solution to his travels so far and anyone who wants a copy should write in enclosing an SAE.

Mark Allen writes asking for more tips on Twin Kingdom Valley. See the July 1985 column for the special I did on it, Mark.

Iris Rose has sent in solutions to questions raised in previous months about Galadriel in Distress and Pettigrew's Diary.

Annie Gramm is in the hotel. Wait until the fans are outside then go in and ask for Barry Manilow (anagram of
Lim Ray Barnow).

Rhythma Tiq is in the house on the island. The combination lock code is 58. Help the Japanese tourists, they will give you a camera.

Take a picture of Annie and show it to Rhythma. The money is in Cleopatra's Needle. Say "kulfatyn" to the old man on the park bench.

In Galadriel, to cure the toad poisoning show the bottle and the goblet to the lore-master.

Neil Sedgwick has taken me to task for spelling his name wrong, twice. Sorry Neil! He also asks me to mention his friend Keith Inman. Your wish is my command!

Yes, Chris Gregson, the anagram in Sphinx is "kneel, wave wand".

C. Nixon wants to know why the rabbit is described as being "a giant" in Sphinx. This is supposed to be a hint to let you know that it is heavy.

Iris Rose thinks the sound in Sim is terrible and wants to know if it can be turned off. Try * FX 210,1 before you load the program.

John Tipper can't get the lumber and shovel through the crack, find the key to the locked door, or get the flotsam and jetsam in Pirate Adventure.

You will find a key under the rug but you are on the wrong side of the door - look for another route to it. You can't get the flotsam and jetsam.

A. Lovell would like some answers to his problems in Kingdom of Klein. You can't get unfrozen in the icicle room, get out of the rowing boat in the pool, or kill the squid.

To get into the sandcastle after you have waved the wand you need a password. This is made up of the letters you find in the game.

In response to Paul Edman's pleas for help, here's a list of treasures in Classic Adventure - I know there are 16 in the list, and there should only be 15, so obviously one of them isn't a treasure: Emerald, platinum pyramid, vase, spices, gold chain, eggs, silver, jewellery, coins, pearl, pillow, rug, treasure from chest, gold nuggets, diamonds and the trident.

M. Frazer should drop the rod if he wants to get the bird in this adventure.

M. Rodger has asked for help with the black maze in Castle of Riddles. There is only one route through the maze. Find it and go back for the bomb.

A password will find you in the shooting gallery and the bomb will frighten off the giants.

M. Frazer wants to know how to get through the musical door in Fantasia Diamond. Give the baton to the conductor and the violin to the violinist. Drop a book and tell them to play the music in it.

Paul Edmans and Richard Newton have problems with Blue Dragon. You can't get past the slug.

Swap the gold with the smug dwarf to get a gem that you can use to open the door with the outline. After you have freed the princess you must go and kill the dragon.

Andrew Stewart and Iris Rose are stuck in Sadim Castle. Read the Bible twice to avoid getting your throat cut. Use the stake on the portcullis. Kill the cheetah with the knife.

Alex Bateman keeps losing the tent stake and can't open the coffin and Matthew Captain can't find the coffin in The Count.

"A century of dust" provides an answer to the stake.

The coffin is in the crypt - try smoking a cigarette. Try opening the coffin then go inside it.

Iris Rose wants to know how to kill the mad monk in Ring of Time.

Use the sword past the crocodiles.

Alan Riddell wants to know how to get the key-box and sword in Stolen Lamp without the roof collapsing. You only need one of these items.

He also wants some help with Spiderman. Use something to stop the fan from turning. Mix the chemicals in the lab to make some web fluid.

Finally, Iris Rose and Alice Morland are stuck in Crown Jewels. Turn on the torch in the chamber of horrors, but remember there are two of them.

Get the matches and set light to the highly inflammable waxwork.

HELP NEEDED

Peter Laughton wants to know where Xanadu ends. He has got into the castle and the adventure that's being made but doesn't know what's next. Can anyone help him?

Charles Forrest has scored 97% in Hampstead. If anybody has fully solved this can they help us both? If you want a copy of his solution so far send an SAE.

Alice Morland is having problems with one of Peter Gerrard's adventures, The Tunnel. She wants to know how to get past the panther.

Iris Rose wants to know which barber's shop she should enter in part 3 of Pettigrews Diary and why.

Now and again I get a really superb set of hints that deserve a section to themselves. R. Henderson earns this honour by providing some very useful hints for three popular and non-too-easy games. He must spend as much time on adventures as I do!

VOODOO CASTLE

CROWN JEWELS

STRANDED TIPS

SPHINX KEEPS SOME SECRETS

Another busy month, particularly when you're as committed as I am to solving adventures honestly, without help of hint sheet or devious strategems. And if you believe that ...

I must confess that I had to cheat in order to finish Sphinx Adventure without getting killed by that blasted dwarf.

I altered a message in line 194 and deleted the GOTO 449 so that the dwarf couldn't kill me.

I also changed the variable C from -3 to -100 in line 77, allowing me to have an almost unlimited inventory.

Anyway, thanks to all that cheating, I can finally bring you the Sphinx special that I have promised.

A total of 630 points is scored by collecting all the treasures and a further 170 points to make the total of 800, is given for dropping them at the Sphinx, kneeling and waving.

An interesting point is that I got 30 points for getting the boat, which I then lost when it was destroyed. I wonder if this was a result of altering the program? Anyway, here are a few pointers on general strategy:

Map everywhere and find the routes that avoid the pirate and the rabbit.

Go across the everglades, collect everything and return.

Go across the troll's bridge and, taking care to avoid the bear, collect the jack then rub the ring to get out.

Come back through the fiery passages, and collect the treasure in the safe.

Explore all the locations except the iron passages and coloured rooms maze.

Cross the glacier and get the stilton. Get as much treasure as possible and leave what is not needed at the Sphinx.

Go to the vampire's castle and get the mouse and boat.

Go back across the glacier and get the matches past the elephant.

Rub the ring then go up to the lake and cross it.

Get the crown and return to the sorcerer's lair.

Go back up to the Sphinx, making sure that you have collected any treasure left lying around.

Drop everything, kneel and wave the wand.

THE TREASURES

Bottle found on the road north of the starting point.
Carrot in the gardener's store. Don't give it to the rabbit!
Bar of silver in the smelting room past the fiery passages.
Rug in the oriental room.
Library books in the library.
Set of coins in the treasury over the swamp.
Bar of gold at the end of the yellow brick road.
Cluster of opals in the dead end, west of the music room.
Mithril ring in the fairy grotto.
Bar of platinum in the safe.
Emerald in the green room.
Pearls inside the clam.
Cushion in the soft room.
Jar of spices in the spice room.
Diamond in the diamond mine.
Bracelet in the rainbow room past the goblins.
Sceptre in the pirate's hideout.
Rubies in the pirate's chest.
Cluster of sapphires in the blue room.
Amethyst in the north tower of the vampire's castle.
Crown in the west ante-chamber across the lake.

MAGIC

The wand: This is found in the sorceror's lair. Wave it at the chasm and the glacier to create a bridge. In the fairy grotto wave it to get the mithril ring. When you have collected all the treasure and taken it to the sphinx you must kneel and wave it again.
The mithril ring: You'll find this in the fairy grotto. When rubbed it will transport you to the sorcerer's lair. Use it at the rockfall to return across the swamp and the lake. It's also useful for shortcuts.
Diaxos: This is whispered to you in the cavern near the furniture room. Use it to open the safe and to get to the west antechamber from the spell chamber.
The lamp: Found in the smithy. This has a habbit of running out. When it starts to get dim, rub it, although this does not work if the lamp actually goes out.

THE CHARACTERS

Elephant in the palace near the catacombs. Drop the mouse.
Goblins in the hall of the mountain king. Throw the dragon's teeth.
Pirate at the crossroads. He will steal things, usually the bottle, so map round him.
Rabbit in the straw room. Map round him and don't give him the carrot. If he follows you across the troll's bridge it will collapse.
Crocodile at the edge of the everglades. He's hungry, so feed him.
Troll at his bridge - where else? Pay him and you'll get rid of him for good.
Bear in his cave. He's so friendly that he will follow you around. His weight will collapse the troll's bridge.
Ogre in the furniture room. Use the sword.
Dwarves crop up everywhere. Use the axe to kill them, but make sure you get it back. Their movements are all randomised so they can kill you before you can even throw the axe. You'll have to keep trying, anyway.
Dragon in his lair. Use your bare hands then look around.
Orc in the passage after the soft room. If the bear is following you he will chase it away.
Mouse in the dungeon in the vampire's castle. Feed him.
Vampire in his castle. Open the casket in the courtyard and use the stake.

ADDITIONAL OBJECTS

Food in the banqueting hall.
Keys in the smithy. Use them to open the pirate's chest.
Sword in the sword chamber. Use it to kill the ogre.
Water at the lake. Fill the bottle and throw the water to get past the fiery passages.
Stake in the canyon north of the yellow brick road (handy for killing vampires).
Jack at the bottom of the rockfall.
Dragon's teeth appear after you have killed the dragon.
Clam in the oyster room. Use the jack to open it.
Casket in the vampire's castle.
Boat just outside the castle.
Matches in the laboratory.
Stilton in the dairy past the goblins.
Chest in the pirate's hideout.
Sphinx somewhere in the desert.
Axe thrown by the first dwarf to appear. Make sure you get it then or you've no protection when the sword melts.

OTHER PROBLEMS

Fiery passages: Fill the bottle at the lake, go to the passages and throw the water.
Catacombs: There are only four locations here, and there are three external exits to the palace, the plateau and the hall of the mountain king. Drop objects to make a map.
Glacier: You must have the ring when you try to cross the bridge.
Sphinx: Met in the desert. Go N,E,N,S,E,W,E,S,N,S,E,W,E,S,N,S,E,W,E,S,N†
Serpent: To get out you must light the matches.
Lake: How to go across in the boat? Try CROSS LAKE.
Castle: To get to the vampire's castle go S,S,N,E,W,S,D,D,U from the bear's cave.
Storage: If you can't carry any more leave things at the Sphinx for safe keeping.
Capital letters: These are an anagram, KNEEL and WAVE WAND.

I have tried to incorporate the questions I get asked the most. You still have a lot to do though. For instance you don't just reverse the directions to get back from the sphinx and castle.

This article appeared in the January 1986 edition of the "Electron User", published by Database Publications.

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