FINAL DEMAND by J. Clay Gilsoft Spectrum 48 This is a very challenging game written with humour and difficult puzzles. While some objects are needed to get to locations, the more difficult puzzles (six of them) require logic, and one brute force and luck. Although there is no introduction to the game, you are a tax collector and need to find six debtors and get them to pay their debts. There is no specific order in which to find the debtors, though certain objects are needed to get to some of them. First some hints: Give potion to hare. You need a mirror before you visit the gorgon. There are some red herring locations (but you can get out if you have the ball), and a fatal dead end (but you can avoid this if you follow the map). You can avoid this entire area. Say the map word at the stone west of the ledge after you've dealt with the dragon. When you say perform the action the ball tells you to do it seems to boot you back to the beginning of the game. Don't be fooled! Check your inventory. Make sure you've collected what you dropped. Puzzle hints (not necessarily in order): At the stones: NW = L, N = S, NE = P, HELP (not a stake), READ SIGN (you see three letters in five rows – and a hint - beefy treat sounds a vampire killer. Once you have figured out the word using the hints of "beefy" and "not stake", head in those directions. At the gate: Examine the cross – it has a star at its centre. Also notice that the first letter of the gems spells S-T-A-R. Drop the correct gem in the correct location. Short list puzzle: This puzzle is a magic 3 X 3 square. All rows, columns and diagonals must add up to 15. Hint: put # 5 in the centre. Then you need to find two numbers that add up to 10. These are 9 and 1, 8 and 2, 7 and 3, and 6 and 4). Try these in various rows, columns, or diagonals until they add up to 15. There are several possibilities, as you can interchange the top and bottom rows, or the left and right columns. Remember the order of the short list? Drop those items in the corresponding square. Drop the map in the room with the 1, and so on. You will know you are successful when you get the message "you hear a clang". Mirrored ball puzzle: READ SIGN (21, 12, 18, 23, 22___3, 2, 19, 19, 26), HELP (D = 6). While this would imply a simple, ordered, letter-number substitution, there seem to be some mistakes. So I will give an anagram hint: THIS POUPZY. Unscramble those letters to get the answer. Block puzzle: Enter the 3 X 3 room by going W, NW. EXAMINE SEAL. You see three rows: RYR, YRY, RYR. You need to create this pattern. All blocks are initially red when you drop them, and each room changes colour at a different rate as you keep getting and dropping blocks. So begin by placing the blocks in the outside squares marked Y (i.e. the middle of the top and bottom rows, and the middle of the left and right columns) and then any other order should be fine. You will know you are successful when you hear a grating sound. Return to the room with the seal. Rotating room puzzle: the objective is to get all four of the numbers to light up. I'm not sure it there is a logical approach to this. An even number of moves are needed. It can happen that you turn a dial and extinguish a number! I just blundered until I hit on the right combination. Once that happens, an object materializes in the centre of the room, so you have to get back in, take the object, and then back out to the room with the door on the south. Solution: INVENTORY (nothing), HELP (read everything that moves and read all signs; several puzzles will look better from a distance. Rope granny in!), READ SIGN (Vacancy – axe-throwing dwarf), S, DOWN, W, S, TAKE ROD, EXAMINE ROD, EXAMINE PLATE (Bridges Ltd: one wave-wonder), DOWN, EXAMINE PIPE, TAKE MAP, EXAMINE MAP (you see a route and the word "chuff"), UP, N, E, S (you see a hole a pad and a lever), EXAMINE HOLE (full of fizzing liquid), EXAMINE PAD (up and down arrows), EXAMINE LEVER, PULL LEVER (the liquid empties from the hole), PUSH PAD (room lowers), PUSH PAD (room rises), PUSH PAD, S (you see # 15 everywhere), TAKE LIST, EXAMINE LIST (you see a list of nine numbered objects: 1. map, 2. sapphire, 3. topaz, 4. amethyst, 5. ruby, 6. mirrored ball, 7. rod, 8. egg, 9. troll teeth). HELP (the diagram tells you that this is a magic square: all rows, columns, and diagonals must add up to 15). Since you do not have all the necessary objects, don't proceed), N, PUSH PAD (room rises), N, UP, N, SE (you call on Rapungent and a hare drops down), EXAMINE HARE (not in peak condition) E, EXAMINE PANEL, (# 1, 2, 3, 4). See hints above. My solution: TURN DIAL (# 1 lights up), HELP (use plenty of paper and patience), E, E, E, S TURN DIAL (# 1 and 4 light up), N, E, E, S, E, E, TURN DIAL (# 1, 3, 4 are lit up), W, S, N, E, N, E, E, S, S, N, TURN DIAL (# 1, 2, 3, 4 are lit up). An object materializes in the centre of the room), S, W, S, N, TAKE POTION, EXAMINE POTION (hare restorer – not tested on animals), E, E, E, S, S, E, W, W (back at the room with the door to the south). Go W, GIVE POTION (the hare drops a key), TAKE KEY, E, UNLOCK DOOR, S, TAKE COIN, EXAMINE COIN (it has a chest on it), N, N, EXAMINE CHEST (it has a slot), INSERT COIN IN SLOT (you get one key), EXAMINE KEY (#1), S, S, UP, E, EXAMINE DOOR (a target), EXAMINE BOX (A lens points at the door. There's a pad on the box which is supported on four legs), EXAMINE LEGS (one is wonky), PUT KEY UNDER LEG, PUSH PAD (a beam hits the target and you meet Rapungent who pays her debt). The list tells you who remains: the troll, colin osal, the dragon, fairy godmother, oli bungo). You find yourself back in the tower. Go NW, N, W, EXAMINE TROLL (he's shouting), LISTEN, HELP (ask Rod for help), WAVE ROD (you create a bridge of illusion to the north which the troll takes and falls into the chasm), W, EXAMINE STONE, STAND STONE, E (you are not north of the bridge of illusion and take the diamond and cancel the troll's debt), READ TELEGRAM (congratulations to the troll and his wife, the gorgon, on their wedding), LISTEN (you hear movements in the cottage), HELP (beware the ugly mug within). Don't go north yet, or you'll die. Go W, STAND STONE, E, E, E (you see a sign and stones: NW = L, N = S, NE = P), HELP (not stake), READ SIGN (you see three letters in five rows – and a hint). See hint above. First, though, E, EXAMINE DOOR, KNOCK ON DOOR (the fairy godmother wants her wand which Osal has stolen, and left with the dragon), W, N (you see an S), NE (you see a T), NW (you see an E), NW (you see an A), NE (you see a K), N (you are on a ledge), N, READ SIGN (dragon lives here), E, EXAMINE DOOR (solid stone; you need a blowtorch), N, E, N, E (you see the dragon), W (the dragon pursues you), S, W, S, W (the dragon melts the stone door), E, S (you have paid the dragon's debt). READ SIGN (21, 12, 18, 23, 22___3, 2, 19, 19, 26), EXAMINE GAUNTLET (it's holding a mirrored ball), HELP (D = 6). See hint above. SHOUT ZIPPY (is what it should correspond to). The ball drops. TAKE BALL, EXAMINE BALL ("rub me"), N, W, S, W, CHUFF (a jewelled egg appears and you are on a clearing with more fog), INVENTORY (you now have the egg), EXAMINE EGG (has a clasp), HELP (initially gems may be of use), READ SIGN (use map and MINED your step), W, N (you see a gate and a cross), EXAMINE CROSS (the cross has a star in its centre; at each tip there is a single letter: at north is S, at east is A, at south is R, and at west is T), OPEN EGG (gems fall out). Notice that the first letter of the gems spells S-T-A-R. TAKE ALL, DROP SAPPHIRE, S, E, DROP AMETHYST, W, S, DROP RUBY, N, W, DREOP TOPAZ (the grate vanishes), E, N, N, TAKE WAND, S, TAKE SAPPHIRE, S, E, TAKE AMETHYST, W, S, TAKE RUBY, N, W, TAKE TOPAZ, RUB BALL (you are back at the starting location – the building). INVENTORY (you have everything with you), N, E, E, KNOCK ON DOOR (you've returned the fairy godmother's debt), W, W, W, W, STAND ON STONE, E, N (now that you have the mirrored ball you can go in), N, TAKE DENTURES, EXAMINE TEETH (precious). You now have all the items on the short list. Go S, W, STAND ON STONE, E, E, S, S, DOWN, S, PUSH PAD, S (you see #15 everywhere), HELP (the diagram tells you that this is a magic square: all rows and diagonals must add up to 15). See the hint above. My solution: DROP TOPAZ, W, DROP AMETHYST, S, DROP TEETH, S, DROP SAPPHIRE, E, DROP ROD, E, DROP BALL, NW, DROP RUBY, NE, DROP EGG, S, DROP MAP (you hear a clang), SW, S (Colin pays up and you are back in the building), SW, RING BELL, PUSH BUTTON (you get a block), EXAMINE BLOCK, READ INSTRUCTIONS (alter adjacently – red, green, blue, yellow, red), W, NW, EXAMINE SEAL (you see a 3 x 3 square with alternating colours. See hint above. My solution: DROP BLOCK (middle top row), SE, E, PUSH BUTTON, W, W, W, DROP BLOCK(middle left row), E, E, E (you can now type A instead of PUSH BUTTON), A, W, SW, DROP BLOCK (middle bottom row), NE, E, A, W, DROP BLOCK (middle right row), E, A, W, W, NW, DROP BLOCK (nw corner), SE, E, E, A, W, N, DROP BLOCK (ne corner), S, E, A, W, W, DROP BLOCK (middle), E, E, A, W, W, SW, DROP BLOCK (sw corner), NE, E, E, A, W, S (se corner). You hear a grating sound. Go NW, N, N, (Oli Bungo pays up). You are finished. Terri Sheehan 2005-05-25 ***************************************************** Displayed on the Classic Adventures Solution Archive: http://solutionarchive.com