THE ISLAND (Spectrum 128k) by K.N. Bond NOTES According to the location connections, there is a much shorter path through the desert than indicated by the compass, so you can save 58 turns by not picking up and using the compass (solution 2). The directions that you can go in the desert are only explicitly mentioned on the map if they deviate from the usual compass directions. SOLUTION 1 (using the compass to get through the desert) (you are standing on the main deck of a steamer) N, GET DINGHY, X DINGHY (a beam at the back is designed to hold an outboard motor), S, W, DROP DINGHY, E, D, W, W, W, W, LOOK UNDER PILE, MOVE PILE (you find an outboard motor with an empty tank), GET MOTOR, X MOTOR (it has a slot for inserting a rope to start it), E, E, E, E, U, W, DROP MOTOR, E, D, N, LOOK UNDER PILE (you find an old leather belt), GET BELT, S, E, X CAGE (there is a parrot in it), OPEN CAGE (the parrot settles on your shoulder), W, S, X PHOTO, SWING PHOTO (you find a brass key), GET KEY, N, W, S, GET CARD, N, W, S, GET CAN, N, E, E, U, X DOOR, UNLOCK DOOR WITH BRASS KEY, DROP KEY, S, OPEN DRAWER (you find a pocket watch), GET WATCH, X WATCH (the back seems a bit loose), OPEN BACK (you see it is a compass), N, W, U, X LANDROVER (petrol is leaking out the filler pipe), LOOK INTO LANDROVER (you find a pump), GET PUMP, LOOK UNDER LANDROVER (you see a length of plastic tube), GET TUBE, PUT END IN PIPE, SUCK END, PUT END IN CAN (you now have a full can of petrol), D, E, U, X DOOR, X LOCK (there is a small gap between the door and the jamb), PUT CARD IN GAP, DROP CARD, E, GET AXE, GET CHART, X CHART (there should be a small island to the NE), DROP CHART, W, D, W, X GANGWAY (suspended by a heavy rope), X ROPE (heavy twisted hemp rope tied with a sailors knot), CUT KNOT WITH AXE, DROP AXE, DROP CAN, GET DINGHY, D, INFLATE DINGHY WITH PUMP, DROP PUMP, DROP DINGHY, U, GET CAN, FILL TANK WITH PETROL, DROP ALL, GET MOTOR, D, PUT MOTOR ON DINGHY, U, GET COMPASS, GET PARROT, GET BELT, D, GET INTO DINGHY (the parrot flies off), START MOTOR WITH BELT. NE, N, N, DEFLATE DINGHY, GET DINGHY, N, X FENCE, PUT DINGHY ON FENCE, CLIMB FENCE (you are on a grassy plain and the parrot is back), N, LOOK UNDER CLUMP (you find a spade), GET SPADE, E, E, E, X MAN, SAY MAN "HELLO", SAY MAN "GIVE MATCHBOX", SAY MAN "SELL", GIVE SHIRT TO MAN (he hands over the matchbox), W, N, GET LAMP, S, W, W, N (Hillock), N, LOOK COMPASS, NE, LOOK COMPASS, SE, LOOK COMPASS, NW, LOOK COMPASS, E, LOOK COMPASS, NW, LOOK COMPASS, S, LOOK COMPASS, NE, LOOK COMPASS, N, LOOK COMPASS, E (the sand seems disturbed here), DIG SAND WITH SPADE (you find a small metal handle), GET HANDLE, X HANDLE (it has a square boss on the end), LOOK COMPASS, S, LOOK COMPASS, SE, LOOK COMPASS, NW (Grassy plain), W, LOOK COMPASS, SW, LOOK COMPASS, W, LOOK COMPASS, SW, LOOK COMPASS, SE, LOOK COMPASS, SW, S (Hillock), S, W, W, S, D, W, U, W, X MARKS (there are faint painted silhouettes of ships which appear to be three tankers, seven merchant ships, and five small vessels), X HATCH (there's a gap between the hatch and the deck), PUT SPADE IN GAP, LEVER HATCH WITH SPADE (it flies back but the spade broke), D, E (it's dark), LIGHT LAMP WITH MATCH, N, X SKELETON, LOOK UNDER SKELETON, MOVE SKELETON (you find a piece of bloodstained paper), READ PAPER, X SAFE, TURN DIAL 3, TURN DIAL 7, TURN DIAL 5 [remembering the number of the different ships you have seen on the conning tower], OPEN SAFE (you find a map and a small wooden box), GET MAP, GET BOX, X MAP (it shows a plan of the ground under a pyramid), DROP MAP, X BOX (there is a brass handle on top and an inlaid brass plate), X PLATE ("Pull handle and retire immediately"), S, W, U, BLOW LAMP, E, D, E, U, N, E, E. N (Hillock), X STATUE, X BASE (a hole was drilled through it), PUT SPADE IN HOLE, TURN STATUE (you find a gold key), GET KEY, N [now you don't need the compass anymore because you go the same route to the grassy plain as before], NE, SE, NW, E, NW, S, NE, N, E, S, SE, NW (Grassy plain), NE, LOOK INTO SEA (you can see something glittering on the bottom), DIVE SEA, GET CYLINDER, U, W, X PYRAMID, X PLAQUE (in the centre is a small square hole), PUT HANDLE IN HOLE, TURN HANDLE (it's too stiff to move), PUT CYLINDER ON HANDLE, TURN HANDLE, N, N (it's dark), LIGHT LAMP WITH MATCH, X DOOR (the keyhole has a gold surround), UNLOCK DOOR WITH GOLD KEY, N, D, N, W, N, NW, DROP PARROT, DROP COMPASS, DROP BOX, JUMP N, GET ROPE, JUMP S, TIE ROPE TO RUNG, GET PARROT, GET COMPASS, GET BOX, SE, S, W, N, GET ROCK, S, E, N, NE, DROP PARROT (the snake flees), N, X ALTAR, PULL HANDLE ON BOX, DROP BOX, S, WAIT, WAIT (you hear an explosion), N, X PLATFORM (it wobbles slightly), PUT ROCK ON PLATFORM, GET CHEST, OPEN CHEST (it is locked, the keyhole has a silver surround), S, SW, NW, D, D, GET KEY, UNLOCK CHEST WITH SILVER KEY, OPEN CHEST, LOOK IN CHEST, GET DIAMONDS (there are so many that you couldn't hold them), CLOSE CHEST, W, BLOW LAMP, S, S (the bridge collapses, you find yourself struggling in the river, the chest floats away and the current drives you to a small sandy beach). S (you are back at the lagoon), LOOK INTO SEA (you see a large object on the bottom), DIVE SEA, GET CHEST, U, W, N, N, LIGHT LAMP WITH MATCH, N, D, N, W, N, NW, UNTIE ROPE, SE, S, E, S, U, S, S, S, S (Grassy plain), W [you don't need the compass here either, because you've walked the same way to the Hillock before], SW, W, SW, SE, SW, S (Hillock), S, W, W, S, LOOK HORIZON, LOOK THROUGH TELESCOPE (you can see a rescue ship some distance away), X GUN (a piece of cord hangs down from the breech), TIE ROPE TO CORD, PULL ROPE (You pull the end of the rope while keeping a safe distance from the gun. The gun explodes with a tremendous fury and a brilliant flash that attracts the attention of the search ship. Soon you are aboard her on the way home at last and rich beyond the dreams of avarice. You have taken 346 turns.) SOLUTION 2 (taking the shortest way through the desert without the compass) (you are standing on the main deck of a steamer) N, GET DINGHY, X DINGHY (a beam at the back is designed to hold an outboard motor), S, W, DROP DINGHY, E, D, W, W, W, W, LOOK UNDER PILE, MOVE PILE (you find an outboard motor with an empty tank), GET MOTOR, X MOTOR (it has a slot for inserting a rope to start it), E, E, E, E, U, W, DROP MOTOR, E, D, N, LOOK UNDER PILE (you find an old leather belt), GET BELT, S, E, X CAGE (there is a parrot in it), OPEN CAGE (the parrot settles on your shoulder), W, W, S, GET CARD, N, W, S, GET CAN, N, E, E, U, W, U, X LANDROVER (petrol is leaking out the filler pipe), LOOK INTO LANDROVER (you find a pump), GET PUMP, LOOK UNDER LANDROVER (you see a length of plastic tube), GET TUBE, PUT END IN PIPE, SUCK END, PUT END IN CAN (you now have a full can of petrol), D, E, U, X DOOR, X LOCK (there is a small gap between the door and the jamb), PUT CARD IN GAP, DROP CARD, E, GET AXE, GET CHART, X CHART (there should be a small island to the NE), DROP CHART, W, D, W, X GANGWAY (suspended by a heavy rope), X ROPE (heavy twisted hemp rope tied with a sailors knot), CUT KNOT WITH AXE, DROP AXE, DROP CAN, GET DINGHY, D, INFLATE DINGHY WITH PUMP, DROP PUMP, DROP DINGHY, U, GET CAN, FILL TANK WITH PETROL, DROP ALL, GET MOTOR, D, PUT MOTOR ON DINGHY, U, GET PARROT, GET BELT, D, GET INTO DINGHY (the parrot flies off), START MOTOR WITH BELT. NE, N, N, DEFLATE DINGHY, GET DINGHY, N, X FENCE, PUT DINGHY ON FENCE, CLIMB FENCE (you are on a grassy plain and the parrot is back), N, LOOK UNDER CLUMP (you find a spade), GET SPADE, E, E, E, X MAN, SAY MAN "HELLO", SAY MAN "GIVE MATCHBOX", SAY MAN "SELL", GIVE SHIRT TO MAN (he hands over the matchbox), W, N, GET LAMP, S, W, W, N (Hillock), N, NE, W (the sand seems disturbed here), DIG SAND WITH SPADE (you find a small metal handle), GET HANDLE, X HANDLE (it has a square boss on the end), SW, SE, SW, S (Hillock), S, W, W, S, D, W, U, W, X MARKS (there are faint painted silhouettes of ships which appear to be three tankers, seven merchant ships, and five small vessels), X HATCH (there's a gap between the hatch and the deck), PUT SPADE IN GAP, LEVER HATCH WITH SPADE (it flies back but the spade broke), D, E (it's dark), LIGHT LAMP WITH MATCH, N, X SKELETON, LOOK UNDER SKELETON, MOVE SKELETON (you find a piece of bloodstained paper), READ PAPER, X SAFE, TURN DIAL 3, TURN DIAL 7, TURN DIAL 5 [remembering the number of the different ships you have seen on the marks at the conning tower], OPEN SAFE (you find a map and a small wooden box), GET MAP, GET BOX, X MAP (it shows a plan of the ground under a pyramid), DROP MAP, X BOX (there is a brass handle on top and an inlaid brass plate), X PLATE ("Pull handle and retire immediately"), S, W, U, BLOW LAMP, E, D, E, U, N, E, E. N (Hillock), X STATUE, X BASE (a hole was drilled through it), PUT SPADE IN HOLE, TURN STATUE (you find a gold key), GET KEY, N, NE, NW, NE, NW (Grassy plain), NE, LOOK INTO SEA (you can see something glittering on the bottom), DIVE SEA, GET CYLINDER, U, W, X PYRAMID, X PLAQUE (in the centre is a small square hole), PUT HANDLE IN HOLE, TURN HANDLE (it's too stiff to move), PUT CYLINDER ON HANDLE, TURN HANDLE, N, N (it's dark), LIGHT LAMP WITH MATCH, X DOOR (the keyhole has a gold surround), UNLOCK DOOR WITH GOLD KEY, N, D, N, W, N, NW, DROP PARROT, DROP BOX, JUMP N, GET ROPE, JUMP S, TIE ROPE TO RUNG, GET PARROT, GET BOX, SE, S, W, N, GET ROCK, S, E, N, NE, DROP PARROT (the snake flees), N, X ALTAR, PULL HANDLE ON BOX, DROP BOX, S, WAIT, WAIT (you hear an explosion), N (you see a heavy chest), X PLATFORM (it wobbles slightly), PUT ROCK ON PLATFORM, GET CHEST, OPEN CHEST (it is locked, the keyhole has a silver surround), S, SW, NW, D, D, GET KEY, UNLOCK CHEST WITH SILVER KEY, OPEN CHEST, LOOK IN CHEST, GET DIAMONDS (there are so many that you couldn't hold them), CLOSE CHEST, W, BLOW LAMP, S, S (the bridge collapses, you find yourself struggling in the river, the chest floats away and the current drives you to a small sandy beach). S (you are back at the lagoon), LOOK INTO SEA (you see a large object on the bottom), DIVE SEA, GET CHEST, U, W, N, N, LIGHT LAMP WITH MATCH, N, D, N, W, N, NW, UNTIE ROPE, SE, S, E, S, U, S, S, S, S (Grassy plain), W, SE, SW, S (Hillock), S, W, W, S, LOOK HORIZON, LOOK THROUGH TELESCOPE (you can see a rescue ship some distance away), X GUN (a piece of cord hangs down from the breech), TIE ROPE TO CORD, PULL ROPE (You pull the end of the rope while keeping a safe distance from the gun. The gun explodes with a tremendous fury and a brilliant flash that attracts the attention of the search ship. Soon you are aboard her on the way home at last and rich beyond the dreams of avarice. You have taken 288 turns.) Solution by boldir, December 2022