TAX RETURNS
by Steve Clay
Zenobi Software
Spectrum 48
One of the three tax puzzles. As Steve's other games, the humour is good
and the puzzles range from medium easy to very challenging. Hints are
given with HELP at certain locations, many of which are obvious and some
of which are obscure. Type VOCAB for verbs that might be helpful.
Your aim is to find eight debtors and collect their taxes from them. You
can collect the taxes in any order, but sometimes you need the objects
that are given so don't be too quick to return some things.
First, some hints:
The green/red light puzzle: All the locations are green when you first
visit, so approach the 3x3 square systematically, for example, in an S-
shape. The panels are on the right side (so you actually have a 3 x 4
grid). When you reach the left side of the third row, make your way back
to the "safe" panel location. When a light turns red, reverse your
direction, and then go on again. Then go north until you can enter the
mines.
At the Banker's, type what you read on the chalkboard. You need to read
the fine print first. The item on the chalkboard is randomly generated
(there are three possibilities) so write it down. There are other
randomly generated puzzles (all have three possibilities).
Go to Blotto first. He is the easiest puzzle. Hide in the barrel.
The two-pad puzzle: This is a case of "simultaneous versus sequential".
You will need an object to help you. Try it out someplace to see how
many moves you have.
Some objects are used close to where you find them to solve puzzles, so
there is not much carting of objects, and only once will you reach a
problem where you may be carrying too much.
There is a lever in one location which when you pull, nothing happens.
But don't be fooled, it can be pulled later.
The nether regions house Nomarks and a few of the other debtors. The hat
describes Nomarks accurately as he keeps giving you things and then
forgets. You need to keep returning what he gives you, but don't be too
much in a hurry since one object is needed elsewhere first. Do something
with the next object he gives you, and then return what you find.
The teleport assistance is necessary but choose the location where to
use it carefully. It's when you cannot get back in any other way that it
is needed. You will probably get stuck before you realize it.
Dealing with the parrot requires that you solve another puzzle first in
order to get the password.
When you have the grub, find the location to use it.
Scare the goose by saying "BOO". I didn't know that scaring fowl worked
that way. Not unless I missed the foul/fowl humour.
The key is heavy. You can't teleport with it. So you need to drop it
where it can be retrieved later.
The buzzer problem: I do not understand the logic of this puzzle, but
the steps to solving it are given in the solution. There are letters
above the door but you cannot read them (a bug?)
Visit the prince. Next make sure the grille stays up.
The 4-alcohol puzzle is basically simple to figure out, but complicated
to execute. There are two "end" locations with only one exit, so one of
them can be used as a "temporary" storage place to allow you to move the
others. That leaves you with four locations (in a square) to move the
other three alcohols. So "TAKE", move one or two positions, and "DROP",
systematically.
Snow White puzzle: Solve for the unknowns. There are three randomly
generated possibilities. Once you have solved the unknowns, note the
colours they represent and wind them in the reverse order.
Alternatively, if you cannot solve the unknown values, try all possible
combinations and eventually you will hit on the correct combination. The
objective is to get all the alarm bells to ring, then open the tomb.
The vowel puzzle. I was unable to understand the logic of this one
either. So the answer is 31214. If you understand it, please let me know
the rationale.
Solution:
INVENTORY (you are wearing a pin strip suit), HELP (examine everything,
knock on doors, etc.), S, W, HELP (to get some light turn each light
room green), EXAMINE PANEL (3 x 3 grid), VOCAB (you see some words you
might need), W, W, W, S, E, E, E, S, W, W, W, E, E, W, E, E, N, N, E, N,
N, EXAM TRUCK, ENTER TRUCK, READ SIGN (1 – Blotto; 2 – Finance and
Research; 3 – Nether Regions; 4 – Trapper; 5 – Start), 1, E, HELP (try
the barrel for size), EXAMINE BARREL (roomy), EXAMINE DOOR (3c), KNOCK
ON DOOR, ENTER, HIDE (the barrel rolls), UP (Blotto pays; the others who
remain are Snow White, Banker, Gadget, Nomarks, Trapper, Parser, and
Potboy), W, ENTER, 3, W, KNOCK ON DOOR (you get a hat), EXAMINE HAT
(Idiot), KNOCK ON DOOR, KNOCK ON DOOR (you get a pair of glasses),
EXAMINE GLASSES (for reading).
Go E, ENTER, 2, S, EXAMINE SIGN (fine print), WEAR GLASSES, READ PRINT
(enter via Myth – a password), SAY MYTH, EXAMINE BLACKBOARD (you get a
randomly generated number – remember it), E (Gadget turns a dial and you
find yourself in a clearing; you need the device and the money to get
back), E, E, N, UP (the ladder collapses), EXAMINE HAY (soft), TAKE HAY,
TAKE SCARER, EXAMINE SCARER (it has a switch and scares birds), THROW
HAY, DOWN, TAKE HAY, S, E (you see a hole to a cellar), THROW HAY, DOWN,
S, W, TAKE DEVICE, EXAMINE DEVICE (there is a dial), EXAMINE DIAL, UP,
N, W, S, EXAMINE HAWK, UP (not likely), PRESS SWITCH (the hawk flies
off), UP, TAKE TAXES, DOWN, N, W, TURN DIAL (Gadget takes back the
device, gives you a map and bracelet and pays up. You find yourself back
at the door).
EXAMINE MAT, READ INSTRUCTIONS (1- drop mat in the location where you
wish to end up; 2- wear bracelet; 3- when you wish to return to the
location with the mat, say "teleport". This will work only once),
EXAMINE BRACELET (it has Teleport written on it), N, N, TYPE the number
you got off the blackboard – skip the 3C). You find yourself in a
strange room with a cart, a lever, a door, and a chest), PULL LEVER
(nothing happens), EXAMINE CART (you can traverse the pole), N, EXAMINE
DESK (full of litter), EXAMINE LITTER, TAKE GRUB, EXAMINE GRUB (it
ignites when squeezed), S, EXAMINE CHEST (sensor is marked "heat"),
SQUEEZE GRUB (the chest explodes), TAKE BIRD, EXAMINE BIRD (wind-up),
DROP MAT, WEAR BRACELET, DROP GLASSES, ENTER CART, PUSH BUTTON (you
traverse the pole), LEAVE.
Go S (you see a pad), N, N (you see another pad), WIND BIRD, WAIT, WAIT,
WAIT (the bird's beak connects with the pad on the third move), DROP
BIRD, WIND BIRD, S, S, PUSH PAD (you hear a rumbling noise), N (the
grille is raised), E, WAIT, TAKE KEY, EXAMINE KEY, W, ENTER, DROP KEY,
TELEPORT, PULL LEVER (the cart arrives), ENTER, TAKE KEY, LEAVE, TAKE
GLASSES, UNLOCK DOOR (the Banker's debt is paid), S, ENTER, 3, W, KNOCK
ON DOOR (you get a pig), EXAMINE PIG (it rattles), SMASH PIG (you see a
ring), TAKE RING, EXAMINE RING, KNOCK ON DOOR (you can ask for a
reward), SAY TAX (Nomarks pays up), E, DOWN, N, W, W (Potboy tells you
to put the barrels in the right places and he'll pay up), DOWN, HELP
(work it out on paper).
Go S, TAKE ALE, W, W, DROP ALE, E, N, E, TAKE STOUT, S, W, DROP STOUT,
E, E, TAKE MEAD, W, DROP MEAD, W, N, TAKE CIDER, E, DROP CIDER, S, W,
TAKE STOUT, N, DROP STOUT, S, E, TAKE MEAD, W, DROP MEAD, E, N, TAKE
CIDER S, E, DROP CIDER, W, W, N, TAKE STOUT, E, DROP STOUT, S, W, TAKE
MEAD, E, DROP MEAD, W, W, TAKE ALE, E, N, DROP ALE, S, E, TAKE MEAD, W,
W, DROP MEAD, E, E, E, TAKE CIDER, W, W, DROP CIDER, N, E, TAKE STOUT,
S, DROP STOUT, W, N, TAKE ALE, E, DROP ALE, S, W, TAKE CIDER, N, DROP
CIDER, E, S, TAKE STOUT, W, DROP STOUT, N, E, TAKE ALE, S, E, DROP ALE,
W, W, N, TAKE CIDER, E, S, DROP CIDER, W, TAKE STOUT, N, E, DROP STOUT,
S, TAKE CIDER, W, DROP CIDER, N, E, TAKE STOUT, S, DROP STOUT (Potboy
pays up).
Go E, E, N, UP, HELP (try the rope), EXAMINE HOOP (solid iron loop),
PULL ROPE (grille is raised), TIE ROPE TO HOOP, N, EXAMINE WHEEL, TURN
WHEEL, S (there is now a passage to the west), W, N, LISTEN, KNOCK ON
DOOR (the Prince tells you that Trapper incarcerated Snow White. He is
not up to the job of rescuing her, but gives you a coin), EXAMINE COIN
(slot-sized), W, EXAMINE DOOR (it has a slot), INSERT COIN (the door
opens), N, EXAMINE ALARMS (there are five; say "wind"), EXAMINE TOMB
(hinged), TAKE NOTE, EXAMINE NOTE (it is a randomly generated set of
equations. Once you have matched a colour with a number, input those
colours in the reverse order; one solution is G=6; R=2; P=5; B=3; Y= 4),
WIND GREEN, WIND PURPLE, WIND YELLOW, WIND BLUE, WIND RED, EXAMINE TOMB
(all the alarms sound in the reverse order to your input sequence), OPEN
TOMB (Snow White wakes, has a few words with the Prince, and pays up;
she gives you a password for the parrot – "joker").
Go DOWN, S, S, UP, ENTER, 4, EXAMINE PARROT, SAY JOKER (you fall down a
chute), READ RIDDLE (mix your condiment to make peace), N (you're too
tall), S, E, PRESS BUZZER, S, W, PRESS BUZZER, S, S (you see a closed
door), PRESS BUZZER, W, N, PRESS BUZZER, N, N, PRESS BUZZER (you hear a
door creak open), E, S, S, S (the door is open), S, EXAMINE LEVER (2-
point locking lever), PULL LEVER, PULL LEVER, W, TAKE TAXES (Trapper
pays up), TAKE CAKE, EXAMINE CAKE (full of small ingredients), E, N, N,
N, N, N, EAT CAKE, N (you are back at the parrot's location), ENTER, 3,
DOWN, N, N, KNOCK DOOR (you find yourself in a room with a chest).
EXAMINE CHEST (it has a slot), LISTEN, EXAMINE SLOT, EXAMINE HOLE, READ
LETTERS ("au"), HELP (think corny), E, READ SIGN (if this is locked =
112; then opening it is straightforward), HELP (it's a vowel trick),
TYPE 31214, N, TAKE TOKEN, EXAMINE TOKEN (it has a picture of a chest),
S, W, INSERT TOKEN (the Hans run out and go south), S, EXAMINE GOOSE,
SAY BOO TO GOOSE (it pays an egg), TAKE EGG, EXAMINE EGG, EXAMINE GOOSE,
N, EXAMINE DOOR (it has a hole in it), INSERT EGG IN HOLE (Parser pays
up), S, S, UP, ENTER, 5, S. You are finished.
Terri Sheehan
2005-12-21
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