MELTDOWN
by Laurence Creighton
Zenobi Software
Spectrum 128
A flight carrying used plutonium rods has crashed. You must find the rods
and render them inactive, placing them in a lead box. Like all of
Laurence's games, this is excellent. Descriptions sometimes provide good
hints. You also are told, if you die, what you should have done.
Hints:
Some hints (encrypted) are available by typing HELP.
Grating: Monster's in the way
Tree: Steal from office
Turnstile: Examine the mud
Permission: On tracks
Radiation: Examine doctor's door
Burn hands: Examine crevice
Tunnel: Child holds key
Hedge: Where it's rosy
Some clues are embedded in the game when you examine objects:
The freshly dug earth – could there be something there?
The briefcase - could it carry something you cannot that maybe its owner
did?
The bandage – so you can't take it all; how can you only get some?
The key in the tar has a hole in it - what could fit in the hole to get it
out?
The wooden box – you could stand on it, but where?
The tongs – they could GRIP objects.
Crossing the chasm – you need something that will span the chasm and that
is wide enough to fit into. Beware – once you cross there is not going
back that way so do what you need before you go there. Extra hint: you
will need to wear protective clothing, and have with you four other
objects. You also need a password. The geiger counter is not really needed
but it helps to know where you can go without protection.
Remember to LOOK IN SOMETHING (LIN/LINS), LOOK BEHIND, LOOK UNDER, MOVE
<object>.
The tar – presumably it should be cooler to cross it. Can't get the key
out of the cold tar? Tsk, tsk, should have tried to fish it out before the
tar hardened.
The dirty window – try to clean it.
Don't abandon your identification signed by Mr. Wilson. If someone takes
it absent-mindedly, ask for it back.
Can't get the paper off the thorns? You'll need an implement of sorts.
EXAMINE and SEARCH are not synonymous. Make sure there is light in the
cellar.
So you figured out that the tongs are needed to get the rods, but then you
throw the tongs away after you used them. Don't panic. SEARCH locations
beyond the chimney.
If you do not want to break something, don't DROP it; use PUT.
Don't delay when you here the telephone ringing.
There are three digging implements found in the game. All are needed but
at different locations. You can determine logically which is needed where.
Solution:
INVENTORY (nothing), SW, EXAMINE BODY (there is a knife in the chest; you
also see recently turned earth), MOVE BODY (you see a briefcase), TAKE
BRIEFCASE, EXAMINE BRIEFCASE (A. Butcher's), NE, W (you see a bandage),
LOOK BEHIND, TAKE APRON, EXAMINE APRON (radiation shield), READ SIGN (gone
fishing), TAKE BANDAGE (leave some for others), E, E, EXAMINE PLANT
(Monstera), MOVE POT (you see steps to the cellar), DOWN (you see a fan),
TAKE FAN, EXAMINE FAN (it has a button and will work only once), EXAMINE
WALLS (you see a switch), THROW SWITCH, EXAMINE CELLAR (you see a piece of
iron), TAKE IRON, EXAMINE IRON (if you could bend it slightly it would
make a good crowbar), UP, E (you see a freezer), EXAMINE FREEZER (you'll
get frostbite after five moves), OPEN FREEZER (locked),DROP BRIEFCASE, W.
DROP APRON, N (in the office; you see a safe, a geiger counter, chairs,
and a desk), EXAMINE DESK (you see an automatic pencil sharpener), EXAMINE
SHARPENER (out of order), LIFT PAPER (you see a pencil), TAKE PENCIL,
EXAMINE PENCIL (sharp), EXAMINE SAFE (it has a dial), TAKE CHAIR (you drop
everything), TAKE IRON, TAKE PENCIL, TAKE GEIGER, TAKE FAN, S, DROP
GEIGER, W, N, N, W, EXAMINE TREE (you can't climb it), DROP CHAIR, CLIMB
CHAIR, JUMP (you cross the log; and see a grating), EXAMINE GRATING
(stuck), NW (you see a toolshed), SEARCH BENCH (you see an aerosol can),
TAKE CAN (a workman says if you give him a ticket for a ride on the
funicular, he'll let you have the can), EXAMINE BENCH (you see a vice),
INSERT IRON (you create a crowbar), IN, SEARCH SHED (you see a potting
trowel).
TAKE SPADE (it's stuck in a rusty-spring clip), TAKE TROWEL, EXAMINE
WINDOW (there's some writing on it but the window is grimy), OUT, N (you
see molten tar), EXAMINE TAR (there's a key in it), EXAMINE KEY (there's a
hole in it), S, SE, PRY GRATING (you open the grating but Barbara Gibb
takes the crowbar), IN (you see scissors and mud), TAKE SCISSORS, EXAMINE
MUD (something is there), OUT, NW, N, INSERT PENCIL (you get the key),
PUSH BUTTON (the tar solidifies), DROP FAN, S, SE, CLIMB CHAIR, JUMP (back
at the wooded area), E, S, S, E, DIG (you see a ticket), DROP TROWEL, TAKE
TICKET, EXAMINE TICKET (for funicular), W, W, CUT BANDAGE (Sue Medley
takes the scissors), E, N, N, W, CLIMB CHAIR, JUMP, NW, GIVE TICKET (you
get the can), EXAMINE CAN (rust remover), IN, SPRAY CLIP (a spade falls to
the floor).
DROP CAN, CLEAN WINDOW (need something wet), TAKE SPADE, OUT, SE, CLIMB
CHAIR, JUMP, E, S, S, E, E, UNLOCK FREEZER, LIN FREEZER (you see frozen
rump steak), TAKE RUMP (you can only carry it for five moves), TAKE
BRIEFCASE, PUT RUMP IN BRIEFCASE, W, W, SW, DIG (you unearth a knob and
the spade disappears), TAKE KNOB, LIN HOLE (you see water), WET BANDAGE,
NE, N, N, W, CLIMB CHAIR, JUMP, NW, IN, WIPE WINDOW (the bandage dries
out), READ WRITING (22R, 18L), DROP BANDAGE, OUT. The guard returns your
ticket saying it is only good for Zenobi adventurers. EXAMINE KNOB (for a
microwave). TAKE TICKET, N, N (you see a guard), EXAMINE CAR (you see a
track), LOOK UNDER, TAKE CARD, EXAMINE CARD (permission signed by Wilson),
GIVE TICKET (you see a funicular car and can now go back and forth).
BOARD CAR (you reach the top), NE, E, E (you see a dog at the cave), E,
SHOW CARD (the policeman keeps it), ASK CARD (you get it back), TAKE CARD,
E, E, IN (you see a microwave, and a nook), EXAMINE MICROWAVE (has a knob
missing), ATTACH KNOB, TAKE RUMP, DEFROST RUMP, SEARCH NOOK (you see a
colander), TAKE COLANDER, EXAMINE CABIN, EXAMINE STOVE (you see a
chimney), EXAMINE CHIMNEY (it's wide), REMOVE CHIMNEY, TAKE CHIMNEY (you
drop everything), OUT, SE, PLACE CHIMNEY, NW, IN, TAKE RUMP, TAKE CARD,
TAKE COLANDER, OUT, SE, E SEARCH GARDEN (you see shears), TAKE SHEARS,
EXAMINE BUSHES (you see a paper on thorns), TAKE PAPER (you can't),
EXAMINE PAPER (safe combination), W, NW, W, W, W, THROW RUMP (the dog goes
off).
IN, EXAMINE FLOOR (rocks are loose), LIFT ROCKS (you see tongs), TAKE
TONGS, EXAMINE TONGS (used to grip items and release them), OUT, E, E, E,
SE, E, GRIP PAPER (you throw away the tongs), READ PAPER (47R), W, NW, W,
W, W, W, W, SW, BOARD CAR, S, S, SE, IN, STRAIN MUD (a coin falls out),
DROP COLANDER, TAKE COIN, OUT, CLIMB CHAIR, JUMP, E, S, S, E, TAKE APRON,
WEAR APRON, TAKE GEIGER, WEAR GEIGER, N, DROP PAPER , 22R, 18L, 47R (the
safe opens and the telephone rings), ANSWER TELEPHONE (a voice tells you
to remember the Latin phrase – tempus fugit), LIN SAFE (you see a rope),
TAKE ROPE, S, W, N, N, W, CLIMB CHAIR, JUMP, NW, N, N, BOARD CAR, NE, E,
E, E, E, E, SE, IN CHIMNEY (it falls down the chasm), S, E, EXAMINE
TURNSTILE (you see a slot), INSERT COIN, E, S, SE (you see the cargo bay),
READ LED (slight radiation).
IN CARGO (the policeman says you need permission), SHOW CARD (he takes it
and tells you not to take anything out), IN CARGO (you are not tall
enough), E, EXAMINE CLEARING (you find the tongs), TAKE TONGS, NE, IN (you
see an iron bar blocking the tunnel), OUT, SW, S, E, EXAMINE PATH (you see
a protuberance), TIE ROPE, DOWN ROPE (you are on a beach and see a child
playing), EXAMINE CHILD (at any moment he will leave), WAIT (you see a
bucket), LIN BUCKET (you find a spade), TAKE SPADE, DIG, TAKE HACKSAW,
EXAMINE HACKSAW (serviceable), DROP SPADE, E (it's dark – you need a light
source), W, CLIMB ROPE, W, N, NE, IN, SAW BAR, DROP HACKSAW, N, E (you see
a wooden box), EXAMINE BOX (you could stand on it), LIN BOX (you see a
glowstick), TAKE GLOWSTICK, EXAMINE GLOWSTICK (when snapped in half it
will glow).
Go W, IN, OUT, SW, S, E, DOWN ROPE, E, BREAK GLOWSTICK, N, EXAMINE CREVICE
(something is there), LIN CREVICE (you see gloves), GRIP GLOVES, TAKE
TONGS, S, W, EXAMINE GLOVES (protection against radiation), WEAR GLOVES,
CLIMB ROPE, W, N, NE, IN, N, E, TAKE BOX (you drop everything), W, IN,
OUT, SW, W, DROP BOX, IN CARGO(you see a lead box), EXAMINE BOX (has a
hinged lid), OUT, E, NE, IN, N, E, TAKE GEIGER, WEAR GEIGER, TAKE GLOVES,
WEAR GLOVES, TAKE APRON, WEAR APRON, TAKE TONGS, TAKE SHEARS, W, IN, OUT,
SW, W, S (you see a hedge), CUT HEDGE (you make a hole), DROP SHEARS, READ
LED (high), IN HOLE (you see rods), GRIP RODS (you hold them in the tongs
– they are about to explode), IN HOLE, N, IN CARGO, RELEASE RODS (you
close the lid and the process reverses), OUT (the policeman wants a
password), TEMPUS FUGIT, OUT. You are finished with 100%.
Terri Sheehan
2008-01-22
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Displayed on the Classic Adventures Solution Archive:
http://solutionarchive.com
