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
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