The New Zork Times See Page 3 VOL

Home , Bruce Daniels, Infocom, Seastalker, Wishbringer, Zork, Zork I

® “All the Grues The History of Zork — Part II That Fit, We Print” The New Zork Times See Page 3 VOL. 4. . . .No. 2 —SPRING 1985— INTERMOLECULAR EDITION

Wishbringer™: The Story of Your Dreams

Festeron's not a bad place to live. It's kidnapped, and the ransom is an a little seaside town with a pictur- enchanted stone called Wishbringer. esque church, a charming old- When you leave the Magick fashioned movie theater and a Shoppe, after agreeing to help its sparkling bay. There's that famous proprietress find her cat, the charm- tourist attraction, Pleasure Wharf, ing world of Festeron has disap- and the Free Public Library with its peared, familiar people and places collection of historic artifacts. gone or twisted into sinister forms. There's even a miniature lighthouse. Goldfish have turned into piranhas, The only thing Festeron doesn't trolls guard bridges, grues lurk in have is a couple of dragons or caves, and your little post office has princesses to spice things up. But become a fortress-like tower. Over- that's okay. You spend a lot of time seeing this skewed environment is daydreaming, creating a Magick the Evil One and her omnipresent world that you can visit whenever henchmen, the Boot Patrol. you want. The only problem is your As you venture through the boss, Mr. Crisp, who always shows grotesque realm of the Evil One, up when you're just about to polish you'll befriend mythic creatures and off the dragon. evade the traps that have been set for Included in every Wishbringer package are a sealed envelope containing the Mr. Crisp doesn't spice up your you. And, like the Magick sword of ransom note and a glowing Wishbringer stone. life — he's more like a thorn than a your daydreams, the Wishbringer dragon. But as mail clerk, you do stone will be there to give you help what he tells you to do, whether it's when you need it. selling a stamp or delivering a letter. According to legend, Wishbringer Mail Order: And, strangely enough, it's the letter holds seven Magick wishes. The he asks you to deliver one day that wishes, which are listed in The Fulfillment Beyond makes your life in good old Festeron Legend of Wishbringer booklet as exciting as your dreams. included in the package, may each be Your Wildest Dreams Here at Infocom, we like to turn used only once. To invoke a wish, fantasies into reality. In Wishbringer, you must have both the Wishbringer Having trouble finding Starcross™ We have moved our fulfillment our newest introductory-level stone and a specified object in hand. InvisiClues™ or Enchanter™ for your service to a different company (note fantasy, you are the Festeron mail For example, "LUCK will bring Osborne? Many of our readers have the new address) and we are clerk seeking the extraordinary in the good fortune, if ye hold a Horseshoe made use of our direct order service. confident that their service will be land of the picturesque. and the Stone in thy possession." Every game and InvisiClues booklet both accurate and speedy. (Most The special-delivery letter Mr. You can solve all the puzzles in we make is available by calling our orders should be processed and Crisp asks you to take to Ye Olde Wishbringer by logic alone. When toll-free order number, (800) 262- shipped within 24 hours of receipt. Magick Shoppe turns out to be a used in this way, the story is a 6868, or by mailing your order to: That rivals even the old Zork Users ransom note from the mysterious challenge for experienced interactive Group!) Infocom, Inc. Evil One. The Magick Shoppe . . .Wishbringer We apologize for any inconven- P.O. Box 478 owner's beloved cat has been continued on page 5 ience our previous fulfillment service Cresskill, NJ 07626 may have caused you and assure you Unfortunately, in the past some of that from now on no effort will be the orders were mixed-up or slow to spared to provide you with the Don’t Stick This in Your Ear . . . be processed. service you expect and deserve.

Admit it. You were excited when official Infocom "I GOT THE you first got your very own interac- BABEL FISH" t-shirt. InfoNews Roundup tive fiction version of The These 100% cotton t-shirts are ™ Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy , black with the same bright lettering Party Tricks shot twice in the chest, near the weren't you? You can't fool us — we as the front of your Hitchhiker's indoor swimming pool. Examination know you wore your peril-sensitive game package. They come in 4 sizes A sumptuous mansion in Las Vegas, reveals that the victim has a knife sunglasses while driving, and (S, M, L, and XL), and are available once owned by Elvis (Presley, not wound in his back; yet strangulation nobody could get you to take your directly from Infocom (you may use Flathead). A party with nearly a is indicated by marks around his "DON'T PANIC" button off for the enclosed order form, or call our thousand guests, sipping drinks and neck. A red drink nearby turns out to weeks — you even wore it in the toll-free number [800-262-6868]). discussing everything from politics be a banana daiquiri with red food shower (painful, but it was worth it). The price? Just $7.95. And consider- to local scandals. A band serenading coloring added. Now there's a safer, more socially ing how excited you must be about the crowds in the ballroom. Everyone at the party immedi- acceptable way to show your excite- this, we're sure you'll want two or Suddenly a scream, and shots ring ately becomes a suspect. Other ment about Hitchhiker's, with an three! out. Moments later, a body is found, . . .InfoNews continued on page 5 PAGE 2 THE NEW ZORK TIMES SPRING 1985

Dear Editor: terrific newsletter and line of interac- Ode to a Planetfall Player MAIL BAG I just received my Winter 1985 tive fiction. Planetfall is a wonderful game, To "Max the Knife" Dornbrook: edition of The New Zork Times, and, James Funkhouser After I played it, I wasn't the same. needless to say, I was excited. I look The Stellar Patrol is invincible, You know, Max, back when you forward to each and every issue. But With their ships made of steel and were running the Zork Users Group as I read this one, I saw the most Dear Info-Folks or editor (as you lead. (ahh, for the good old days) you distressing headline I have ever read: please): Their motto is: To Boldly Go were a real down to earth guy. But "Max Sacks Yak Facts." How could Recently, upon arrival of your Where Angels Fear To Tread. since you were hired at Infocom and you do this?? If your defense is the given a cushy job as Product Man- Winter '85 issue of The New Zork Ode to a Zork Player survey mentioned, I must remind you Times, my wife and I were surprised ager (sneer) you seem to have forgot- that the average Zorker is not like the The roses have lost their luster, ten about the little people (i.e., the by the scathing article, "Max Sacks And I have lost my love. average person in a magazine survey. Yak Facts." We were shocked! I type of people that CompuNews Some people actually rely upon yak The heavens have lost their [double-sneer] ignores in its polls). guess we fall into the lonely 0.1% moonlight, facts for their very existence. I there- who like to read "a significant And what the little people want is fore believe that I speak for many And all the stars above. yaks. Back in the Fall 1984 issue amount about yaks." The sky is plagued with darkness, other NZT readers when I say THE It seemed so long ago that we were when you started printing Yak Facts, WORLD NEEDS MORE YAK The orchids rot with rue. I hoped that you might come down delighted by these Yak Facts in the The world is dark and meaningless, FACTS! Perhaps even an interactive Fall '84 issue. The Mrs. and I were off your high horse long enough to yak game is in order. To demonstrate I've been eaten by a grue. do something to correct the severe sure that the new issue would hold the importance of the yak in daily more of these wondrous facts, only —Jared A. Sorensen paucity of yak news in computer life, I have included these facts that gaming newsletters. But then you go to be slapped in the face by your (sixth grade) need desperately to be more widely yak-hating editors. and cancel the Yak Facts. It's still not known: too late, Max, and if you correct this So a final farewell to those good Beneath the rug my adventure began 1) The typical yak is much, much ole days of yak (?), we offer these The way was fraught with danger grievous error the little people may larger than the typical housecat (and just go back to calling you Mike. final bits of yak facts: and reward much, much more useful). Did you know that... Vanquish a troll and find the shadow On the lighter side, I would like to 2) Well-instructed yaks can be congratulate everyone at Infocom for . . . Flood Control Dam #3 is as tall man used for such purposes as transporta- as 42 large bull yaks. A score of treasure found, safely their successes. So far I have played tion, grinding coffee, and dragging eleven games and have enjoyed them . . . a good yak can be purchased stored. large rocks through marshy fields. for less than 200 zorkmids. Unto the Wizard's realm I then did all very much, except that a yak 3) If purchased for business doesn't appear in a single one! Any- . . . the word "yak" can be worth up go, purposes, yaks can become tax ™ way, keep up the good work. to 30 points in Scrabble (sorry, this Melting the great dragon to gain the exemptions. is from the pre-Zork days.) key. Mike Zulauf These are just a few of the impor- Turn out the light and follow the dim tant things that your readers could W. Scott Kardel glow P.S. Please print this in The New benefit from in the "Yak Facts" Open the door, a well fought victory! Zork Times; this must be brought out column. But fortunately, this omis- P.S. Why are there no yaks in the The quest however is not at an end, in the open! sion is but a very minor (and topiary? hopefully temporary) flaw in your . . . Mail Bag continued on page 8

Come Work In Beautiful ® The New Zork Times

Managing Editor Jennifer “Jen” Fine Puzzle Editor Steven “Rock” Meretzky How would you like to join a team of professionals whose claim to fame is quality? Infocom is growing by leaps and bounds, and we need professionals in product Wishbringer Editor Elizabeth “Eliz” Langosy development, sales, marketing, testing and administration. Sports Editor I see no sports editor here

If you’re looking for a brand new opportunity with proven success, consider a Photo Editor Paul “Grossboy” Gross career with Infocom. But move fast. . . while we’re still in the process of building. Cartoon Editor Jeff “Jeffrey” O’Neill Exterminated Editor Gary “Gary” Brennan Our business and game software company offers excellent benefits including health, dental and life insurance, and tuition reimbursement. History Editor Tim “Chomper” Anderson Editing Editor Jon “Caesar’s” Palace To find out about job opportunities at Infocom, please send your resume to Donna McCarron, Infocom, Inc., 125 CambridgePark Drive, Cambridge, MA Publisher Michael “Stan” Dornbrook 02140. We are an equal opportunity employer. Production Manager Angela “The Whip” Raup

Zork is a registered trademarks of Infocom, Inc. Enchanter, Sorcerer, Starcross, Suspended, Planetfall, Deadline, The Witness, Suspect, Infidel, Seastalker, Cutthroats, Wishbringer, InvisiClues and Corner- stone are registered trademarks of Infocom, Inc. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a trademark of Douglas Adams. SPRING 1985 THE NEW ZORK TIMES PAGE 3

The History of Zork — SECOND IN A SERIES

|||||||||||||| by Tim Anderson an account on a TOPS-20 machine || __ __ || ® on the net. After we made the When last seen, Zork was a small || $$ $$ || necessary software modifications, of game (probably slightly more than \|| >> ||/ course, many copies could be made; half the size of the final mainframe || ______|| a mailing list of Zork owners devel- version) that ran on one computer. | -//-- | oped, so they could get whatever Although it was only six weeks old, \\_//_____// updates appeared. and had never been advertised, it had a relatively large user community ___//| | Although people could get from all over the country. In some /__// | | runnable Zorks, they couldn't get ways it was better than the classic | | sources. We tried two approaches to Adventure at this time, but mostly it ______// \\______protecting the sources (remember, was the next game to come along, / $ / **** \ $ \ there was no protection of any sort and it wasn't even the only / / ** \ \ on DM): they were normally kept contender. encrypted; and we patched the / /| ** |\ \ system to protect the directory where The characters: MIT-DM, a PDP- / / | ** | \ \ we kept the sources (named CFS, for 10 running ITS; MDL (aka Muddle), / / | ** | \ \ either "Charles F. Stanley" or a language that ran only on PDP-10s; ^ ^__|______$Z$**$Z$______|___^ ^ "Computer Fantasy and Simula- Marc Blank, Bruce Daniels, Dave \ * $Z$**$Z$ * / tion"). This worked pretty well, but Lebling, and Tim Anderson, intrepid \______*___$Z$**$Z$___*______/ was finally beaten by a system implementers; and assorted net hacker from Digital: using some randoms. | $Z$**$Z$ | J. PIERPONT FLATHEAD archaic ITS documentation (there's July 1977 saw two major additions never been any other kind), he was CHAIRMAN able to figure out how to modify the to the game, the last for several months (we weren't exactly hired to running operating system. Being write the thing, after all). The first of clever, he was also able to figure out these was another BKD special: volcano: if the player got trapped in addition, it finally moved to how our patch to protect the source Bruce didn't write much code, but he the upper reaches of the volcano by machines other than DM, thus directory worked. Then it was just a was willing to design problems. We losing his balloon, after a few moves greatly expanding the number of matter of decrypting the sources, but went to him, and asked for a particu- a volcano gnome would appear and players. that was soon reduced to figuring out larly nasty section; the result was the offer freedom in exchange for a the key we'd used. Ted had no coal mine. His design was originally treasure. We were just being nice; Although Muddle ran primarily on trouble getting machine time; he just nastier than the final implementation, most players weren't allowed to save DM, a version for TENEX (the most found a new TOPS-20 machine that since the maze was just about as their games, so they had no way of popular PDP-10 operating system on was undergoing final testing, and horrible as the original one in the backing out if they made such a the ARPAnet) had existed for some started a program that tried every key game; it got simplified due to mistake. The gnome allowed them to time; the TENEX version could, with until it got something that looked popular demand. The problems were keep playing, albeit with no chance some minor modifications, run on like text. After less than a day of improving in quality, and the coal of getting all the points. TOPS-20 as well. We finally mine maze was a late example of succumbed to one of the requests for ...History of Zork making things hard by making them Even before the volcano section, a copy of Zork when we were given continued on page 4 tedious. we'd talked about a problem that involved flying; Dave had a prefer- v----v--- The volcano section was Marc's ence for something with an eagle, v---- v----v---- second vehicle implementation, but and its aerie, but we could never v---- v----v---- is perhaps more noteworthy for the figure out how to restrict things --- loving portraits of Lord Dimwit enough — it wouldn't do to have a | | Flathead the Excessive that parallel map of the game viewed | |||||||||| LORD || decorated the coin and stamp found from the air. Once again, we worried ---| FLATHEAD | > !|||| | DIMWIT < in the section. The river (see Part I) about restraining a new concept, so | |||| the balloon had no way of leaving and volcano sections, in addition to | |||C CC \ vehicles, required a better concept of the volcano. And once again we | time: both the boat and the balloon were bitten by a new concept. When > |||| _\ < moved more or less on their own, the player used the explosives in the | ||| (____| | wrong place, and didn't get out of the | || | and the volcano required the use of | explosives and fuses. Marc added a way, he'd end up with 20,000 pounds > |______| Our < clock daemon, which processed a (or was it tons?) of rock on his head. | / \ Excessive | queue of events that would happen This made a certain amount of sense | / \ Leader some fixed number of moves later. in the underground section, but not > | | <| This handled, in addition to the out in the forest. | | | | movement of the vehicles, the fuse, No more sections were added to | the lantern burning out, and the -^--- mysterious gnomes that occasionally the game for several months after > G.U.E. POSTAGE 3 ^Zorkmids----^--- < July, but it continued to improve. In ^---- appear. The first of these was in the | ^ ---- ^ ---- | ----^------^ PAGE 4 THE NEW ZORK TIMES SPRING 1985

The History of Zork impossible: Muddle is very (oops, game, etc., etc., etc. Silly as it We didn't agree (and MIT had some very) different from FORTRAN, and sounds, we eventually started calling very expensive lawyers on retainer continued from page 3 much more complicated, and we'd it Dungeon. (Dave admits to suggest- who agreed with us), but it encour- used most of its features in designing ing the new name, but that's only a aged us to do the right thing, and not crunching, he had a readable copy of Zork. The guy who did it was mostly minor sin.) When Bob the lunatic hide our Zorks under a bushel. the source. We had to concede that a hardware person, so perhaps he released his FORTRAN version to anyone who'd go to that much didn't know what he was up against. the DEC users' group, that was the The next section that was added trouble deserved it. This led to some At any rate, shortly after the Great name he used. I'm sure many people was intended to be the last: after a other things later on. Blizzard of '78 he had a working have noticed a curious similarity player had accumulated all the points version, initially for PDP-11s. Since between the Dungeon game they in the game, he could play the End Players hadn't been able to save Game, designed largely by Dave. their Zorks because the method we it was in FORTRAN, it could run on played on their friendly IBM 4341 practically anything, and by now it and the Zork I they played on their This became the section of Zork III used at first took several hundred with the Dungeon Master, and at the thousand bytes for each save, and has. equally friendly IBM PC; now you know why. time was certainly the most involved, even on a time-sharing system that Unfortunately, at some point in the and hardest (as it should have been) was excessive. Marc, around this thing in the game. The implementa- time, invented a new way of saving tion was, if anything, more involved that cut the size down to something than the problem. Less than two more reasonable, with the slight ------months later, though, Marc had come disadvantages that any new rooms or up with something worse, probably objects added to the old game would / Gold Zorkmid \ I D S \ during a boring anatomy lecture. The break existing save files, and that it / T e n T h o u s a n d \ bank section has probably been fully never quite worked right anyway. / Z O R K M deciphered by fewer people than

However, it did make it easier to / \ \ anything else in the game; even those play the game, and we still had the / |||||||||||||||||| \ who solve it on their own don't silly notion of being nice to our / !|||| ||||! usually understand what was going users. | ||| ^^ ^^ ||| | on. I can only say that it makes sense if you understand it. Fall '77 saw two major additions to | ||| OO OO ||| | the game, as Marc took another | In Frobs ||| << ||| We Trust | For some time, we'd been getting break from medical school (yes, | || (______) || | bug reports, fan mail, and sugges- fans, he did graduate on time), and | | | | tions for new problems from all sorts Dave got into coding in a big way. | |______| -- / | of people. We were beginning to run The Alice in Wonderland section, / a little short on ideas anyway, and complete with its magic bucket and \ -- / -- Lord Dimwit Flathead one of the ideas we got was very robot, was installed. The robot was \ good. During a lengthy dinner at -- Beloved of Zorkers the first "actor," an object that could \ / Roy's, our favorite Chinese restau- perform some of the same tasks the \ rant, we worked out the details of the player could. The style of address \ * 722 G.U.E. * / jewel-encrusted egg, purple prose was familiar: "ROBOT, TAKE THE \ / courtesy of Dave. Many people on CAKE." The implementation of this ------the net had long since solved the required another change in the game, but went back in and did any preceding year we (no one will now Fortunately for us, a certain com- game's flow of control, and changes new problems that came along; one admit to suggesting the idea) had pany (which shall remain nameless) to anything else that one could of them had played DD with Dave, decided to change the name of the decided to claim that it had trade- reasonably talk to. and called him up about a day after game. Zork was too much of a non- mark rights to the name Dungeon, as the egg was announced. "I've gotten The first version of fighting was sense word, not descriptive of the a result of certain games that it sold. added about the same time. Dave, an old Dungeons and Dragons player, didn't like the completely predictable ways of killing creatures off. In the original game, for example, one ______killed a troll by throwing a knife at | 1 0 0 GREAT UNDERGROUND EMPIRE 1 0 0 | him; he would catch the knife and gleefully eat it (like anything else | 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0| you threw at him), but hemorrhage | 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0| as a result. Dave added basically the | 1 0 0 DIMWIT 1 0 0 | - || | full complexity of DD-style fighting, | ||||||||||||||||-OO OO | with different strengths for different | || __ __ || B30332744D | weapons, wounds, unconsciousness, | || and death. Each creature had its own | IN FROBS \|| >> ||/| WE TRUST || set of messages, so a fight with the ------thief (who uses a stiletto) would be | || ______|| | very different from a fight with the | B30332744D | troll and his axe. | \\______// | | 1 0 0 Series FLATHEAD LD Flathead 1 0 0 | As a result of the purloined sources | 1 0 0 0 0 719GUE Treasurer 1 0 0 0 0| at DEC, a lunatic there decided to | 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0| translate Zork into FORTRAN. We had always assumed this would be | 1 0 0 One Hundred Royal Zorkmids 1 0 0 | | ______| SPRING 1985 THE NEW ZORK TIMES PAGE 5

you remember, a "pick"). You read v----v--- . . . InfoNews v---- that (in the reviewer's words) "there's v----v------continued from page 5 a refreshing side to interactive

| ______| fiction: It lets you use your imagina- guests' arguments with the victim are tion, instead of reflexes, and stimu- > One / \ G < | Lousy / \| UE |< remembered and denied. Clues, lates you to build pictures in your motives, and accusations are mind, instead of leaving them in flat > Point | ___ exchanged. dimensions on the screen." | | (___) -- |> P |< --)___( Is this another Infocom game, Infocom is glad you saw that > < where you play the detective or the article, so it doesn't have to tell you | / / \ \ o | dupe? Is Sergeant Duffy waiting in about it. > / / \ |\- | st <| the wings? Can you buy InvisiClues Finally, this headline from the ------|-| to figure this one out? November 22, 1984, Salt Lake City | | | g | Hardly. The party was hosted by Tribune: "New Software By Infocom > | | --\ (_)_ /-- | | a < | | | Infocom (who else?), to promote its Isn't Boring." Oh well; you can't most recent mystery game, Suspect™. please everyone. > | | /| |\--- || -|| e <| -|---|_| Retailers, distributors, and lots of | | press were in town to attend the Wave Bye-Bye, Junior > \ \__/_\__/ / < January 1985 CES (the Consumer | _/______\_ | Electronics Show, not the Conven- A very, very long time ago (Spring > | f.m.l.c. | <| tion of Enchanters and Sorcerers). 1984), Infocom announced its first ------™ | With the help of a New York troupe "junior-level" game: Seastalker , an < of actors named Murder To Go, Inc., adventure in the tradition of Jules > | Donald Woods, Editor | Infocom staged a crime and let the Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the party guests become participants in Sea. Seastalker was a success. > Spelunker Today < ^--- solving the murder. People magazine (remember them?) | ^ ---- | ^----^---- Sound like fun? It was; it was called Seastalker "a first-class intro- --- ^---- almost as much fun as Suspect. duction," and said "Though pitched to the junior set (9 and up), Kudos Seastalker can just as easily the egg opened, but I assume you two more years — the last main- enthrall an oldster." losers have some nonsense where frame update was created in January Sure, you've heard it a million times: But some people didn't like the you do something with the canary of '81. No new puzzles were added Infocom is the best. Well, be warned: designation "junior-level." It and the songbird." Dave, no fool, because none of the implementers you're about to hear it again. sounded like it was for children only. said "Cough, cough, ahem, of had time or inclination, and because The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Adults didn't want a kid's game; in course," and immediately went off we had no more space available: at Galaxy has been called "without fact, kids didn't want a kid's game. and added the brass bauble. the time, we were limited to a doubt the best adventure ever seen So Infocom went back to the (all- megabyte of memory, and we had on a computer." Who said that? Not text) drawing boards. The remaining puzzles, the Royal used it all up. The first article about Binky O'Leary (he hated the game). Introducing (drumroll, please) Zork Puzzle Museum and the Zork appeared in April of '79, and Not Mozart (he died before he could "introductory level"! Infocom's first palantirs, were added in the late attracted a great deal of interest; figure out the babel fish problem). introductory-level game is Wish- summer and fall of 1978. The puzzle some of this may have been because No, it was some little-known start-up bringer, a new fantasy story in which was designed (several times) primar- we offered to give people the game newspaper called The Times of your home town becomes a living ily by Bruce, who in theory was back (if they didn't already have it), and London, on March 12, 1985. Cheers! nightmare. It's not just for kids: trying to finish his dissertation. gave them parts of the sacred sources Admit it: you read People maga- Wishbringer is a great introduction Finding the minimum number of as well. zine. You read it at home; you read it to interactive fiction for everyone moves required to solve it was a at the dentist's office; you read it from age 9 up. So tell your popular pastime among dedicated Infocom was incorporated in 1979 while waiting on (or in) the check- friends — whether they're macho Zorkers for a while. by various people from the DM out line at the supermarket. So in the linebackers, adventurous grand- The last (lousy) point was a tribute group, including Marc, Dave, and March 18, 1985, issue, you saw the mothers, or just someone looking for to the final point in the original me. It was not founded to sell Zork; article about Infocom games in the Adventure, which involved leaving a rather, it was founded to give group "Picks & Pans" section (we were, ...InfoNews continued on page 8 particular object in a particular room members somewhere to go from for no particular reason. When we MIT. Marc and Joel Berez (both first solved Adventure in 1977, Bruce exiled to Pittsburgh) determined that finally figured this out by using a it would be possible to make Zork machine-language debugger on the run on something cheaper than the . . . Wishbringer running game (since Adventure was $400,000 PDP-10, and the company not written in machine language, this eventually went along. See the next continued from page 1 Crisp asks you to deliver at the start was not easy). The major difference NZT for further details. of the story). You even get your very between that and our version (a fiction fans. First-time players will own glow-in-the-dark Wishbringer stamp worth One Lousy point) is that In the meantime, we still get appreciate having the Magick wishes stone. it would be harder to find ours requests for hints on the mainframe to help them out. Wishbringer was written by Brian without the source of the game. Zork (sometimes it's called Dungeon, Along with The Legend of Moriarty, a new member of Info- and often it's running on something Wishbringer, each Wishbringer com's in-house group of interactive The last puzzle was added in other than a PDP-10). The most package includes a postal map of fiction writers. It will retail for February of '79. We (mainly I, at this recent request for a copy came in on Festeron and a sealed special- $39.95 for most systems. point) kept fixing bugs for almost April 1, but I think it was serious. delivery letter (the same one Mr. PAGE 6 THE NEW ZORK TIMES SPRING 1985

Two assistants pour over an exciting new discovery: papyrus scrolls Doctor Feep supervises a crew of local diggers. depicting writings and artwork. Could these be the work of emus? Searching for the Relics of the Emu

This month, New Zork Times photographer Paul Gross followed Doctor Lyman Izyuk Feep during a field trip to Tasmania. Doctor Feep is an expert on the emu, a flight- less bird which was exterminated by European settlers hundreds of years ago. He travelled “down under” in order to research his theory, which claims that before their extinction, Tasmanian emus had achieved a tool-based civilization equal to that of medieval man.

Sunset over the stark plains of the Ben Lomond plateau.

Diggers seek shade from the scorching noontime sun. Doctor Feep, surrounded by several guards and his therapist, boards the plane back for the return trip to America. SPRING 1985 THE NEW ZORK TIMES PAGE 7

After dinner, crew members quaff flagons of “qisslepou”, a local ale. Professor Edward Wilsonfoot, from the Archaeology Department of the University of Sydney, exchanges heated words with Doctor Feep.

A poisonous asp, one of the dangers of the treacherous Tasmanian mountain ranges that the archaeological crew must constantly be on watch fro.

A surprise visitor to the encampment, a full-grown kangaroo, startles In the midst of an excavation, Doctor Feep (wearing the black sombrero) Melinda Feep. points to the outline of the walls of a fortified emu temple, visible in the photo as dark, linear markings in the soil. PAGE 8 THE NEW ZORK TIMES SPRING 1985

Music From The Great Underground Empire (reprinted from U.S. News and Dungeon Report, 9/18/951)

Because of the recent craze of torhorn. Hearts Club Band. Their songs in- group named Jefferson Bucket treasure-hunting that seems to have clude "I Get By With a Little Hint (later re-named Jefferson Balloon) swept through the remnants of the The most popular music among From My Friends" ("Would you be and a cute robot named Pink Floyd. Great Underground Empire (GUE), the masses of the GUE was a type mad if I showed you a bug/Would most people seem to associate the known as rock music, so-called you stand up and log out on me?") For the royal elite, more classical GUE only with jewels and gold, because it was produced by and "Sandy Cave" ("Sandy Cave is styles of music were in vogue. The and forget that it was once a banging together rocks (which were in my ears and in my eyes/There most famous of these works is the thriving kingdom of people, replete left lying all over the place follow- beneath the Frigid River skies"). "Toccata and Fugue and Theme and with traditions, culture, and art. ing the construction of the caverns Variations, Opus No. 69105" by and tunnels of the GUE) and also A later addition to the GUE's rock Johann Sebastian Flathead, For example, almost every book because listeners frequently stuffed music scene was a group called commissioned by his cousin, Lord or classroom course on the GUE rocks in their ears due to the loud Men at Zork, whose hit song Dimwit the Excessive. The piece ignores its fine musical heritage. volumes involved. "Down Under" revitalized interest was only performed once in its en- This heritage goes back to the very in the medium ("So you come from tirety, in 787. Legend has it that earliest years of the GUE. Zilbo III, The origins of the GUE's rock a land down under/Where trolls kill several members of the 98,000- the last ruler of the Entharion music can be traced to the legen- and thieves plunder"). Another piece royal orchestra, chorus, corps Dynasty, who is most known for his dary singer Elvis Flathead, whose popular rock artist was Billy Troll. de ballet, artillery battery, fireworks invention of the card game Double first concert in 841 propelled him to (Editor's Note: As a matter of fact, brigade, and smoke effects crew Fanucci, is also the inventor of the stardom. However, the most Infocom President Troll Berez is failed to survive the eighty-seven brass Trombuoy, and wrote several famous rock musicians were named after him.) Other important day ordeal. sonatas for Trombuoy and Danvic- undoubtedly Sgt. Duffy's Lonely rock musicians of the GUE were a

. . . Mail Bag Zorkers are great, Zorkers are cool, With the trouble you've caused me, For, without Zork, life would be Zorkers know not to swim in the you won't get off free! much worse! continued from page 2 pool. I now leave these meaningful lines of —Eric Larson Zorkers are clever, sneaky, and sly, verse, (age 16) And only Zorkers know why… The Dungeon Master waits with When to come in, when to go out, clever tricks, What to do in case of a bout Defeat him and with none do you Between trolls, thieves, dragons, and . . . InfoNews "Mark Blanc" to his face; learn all contend, bats, sorts of Infotrivia; hobnob with the Deep in the heart contentment does And how to use the old place mats. continued from page 5 game writers, the Infopeople, and transfix. We travel the land, the water, and your fellow fans. Interested? What Thus the end of my odyssey draws air, a challenge and a thrill. else would you like to see or do? Let nigh And rely on intelligence in case of a us know, and we'll see what we can I finish proud of deed and spirits scare. New Caverns do. Write to: InfoConvention, 125 high. We do many things, no matter the CambridgePark Drive, Cambridge, —John Betz risk, Recent improvements in lighting MA 02140. And to think this great world is just technology have reduced the number 'Tis sad I am on a disk. of Infoworkers eaten by grues. Stan’s Ban Stands That my new disc We have conquered the thief, dragon, Infocom thus needs more spacious Has ceased to boot and troll, caverns to accommodate its growing "The New Zork Times is a specialty Oh tsk Oh tsk But our final challenge will be my staff. A new cavern has been found, newsletter, not a high-class I used it once goal. at 125 CambridgePark Drive, magazine." So said Infocom Product On Christmas Day To reach the master, as he sits in his Cambridge, MA 02140. Mapping of Manager Michael "Stan" Dornbrook, Now it won't work seat, the new cavern has not yet been defending his controversial decision When I would play The man, all this time, I've wanted to completed, but early reports indicate to keep yak news out of the If I have caused meet. a large number of oddly-angled respected Cambridge-based journal. The tribulation Will he praise me, slay me or call me rooms. The offices of chairman Al Despite public outcry, protest letters, By careless disk drive a rookie? Vezza and president Joel Berez are and a petition from WOOLLY Operation Will he reach in his pocket and give rumored to have been designed by (Women Of Outer Latvia Loving Then I must pay me a cookie Lord Dimwit the Excessive. Yaks), The New Zork Times will The dollars five For the very hard job of reaching his continue its policy of no yak facts. If once again house? Zork Convention "Yak fans will just have to make do I wish to strive Will he kick me out? Turn me into a with the yearly yak issue of Sports To beat Suspended mouse? Infocom may be hosting a Zork Illustrated," said Stan. (Actually, With aplomb I guess time will tell in this situation Convention later this year, open to Michael Dornbrook's nickname is I NEED THE HELP OF INFOCOM I just hope I can stand all the all adventurers, sleuths, wizards, and "Mike" or "Max." But "Stan" made a frustration! Stellar Patrol members. Meet a real better headline.) —Bryan Hubbard I am not giving up, Master, you'll see live Dornbeast; call Marc Blank SPRING 1985 THE NEW ZORK TIMES PAGE 9 Starcrossed Adventurer Queries Author

Gentlemen: video tape recorder would have I would like to make some been of more interest to him, if he comments on your games. The first had deciphered speech, and had one I bought was Suspended™, and been listening to broadcasts. I don't I was quite taken with it. The only know — is it easier to decipher modification I could suggest would broadcasts of pictures or of speech? be to fill the cavern with helium in As for trading the space suit for order to protect the electric circuits the brown rod, I suggest you read from corrosion, and to have the Chagnon's account of the protagonist sitting at a keyboard, Yanomamo, if you think it would be and of course, unable to leave his easy to trade with a people who chamber. Just a little detail to lend have been long isolated. I also doubt verisimilitude. if a single group is viable, as However, I was quite unhappy contrasted to several groups divided with Starcross. In the first place, into territories. I admit my view is there seems to be no logic to the gloomy in view of modern weapons, fourth bump. If you have read but that doesn't prove it untrue. Rendezvous With Rama, you recall Let me take the physics next. If that three was a key number to the one were to float from the center of builders of Rama. Perhaps the a rotating cylinder in a vacuum, one builders of the artifact in Starcross would certainly not accelerate. had four fingers, but how am I to There is no centrifugal force. One bats have claws, but the remark, "WAIT" in the elevator and the know that? would move to the outer surface at "You're batty," had enough wit to be shuttle. Let me take the biology next. An the same speed at which he left the unobjectionable. For example, you axis. If the radial speed of the I've only gotten to 205 in Sorcerer exoskeleton is useful to retain body might say, "The mouse won't do so it is satisfactory as far as diffi- fluids for small animals, which have cylinder were 250 km per hour, the anything until you get off his back!" effect would be the same as jumping culty, and I've liked it so far. a large surface to volume ratio. or perhaps something a little more However, Starcross irritated me However, an exoskeleton has the on a very large flatbed truck moving witty. After all, as Chesterton at 250 km an hour. However, I fail enough so that I doubt if I shall buy drawback that the owner must molt remarked, one can believe in the any more of your games. in order to grow. Hence, I think you to see any reason why the artifact impossible, but not in the improb- will find animals with endoskele- should rotate at a speed designed to able. Father Brown cited the case of Thank you for your attention in tons are better suited for ecological give one earth gravity. If we assume Gladstone offering Queen Victoria a this matter. niches requiring large size. Unless, a radial speed of 60 km an hour, or cigar, but I can't believe I need a John Wilson about one quarter earth gravity, then theory to sit on an object the size of of course, you believe in creation and not evolution. Also, how could of course, anyone landing on a flat a footstool. Of course, the edges of you tell that Gurthark was a mam- metal surface would be knocked the container on the mouse's back P.S. Let me note that the rule of mal? I take it you didn't milk him. arsy varsy when he landed, but I might be sharp. Another point — ethology I mentioned above is imagine one could make such a why does the program recognize the probably the result of evolution if Also, I think it is a general rule of jump. Of course, once one reached word "planter"? Of course, I never the behavior is inborn. When one ethology that animals will hide their radial speed of sixty km, one would obtained the red rod, so perhaps I animal of a species shows its weapons when they intend to feel as if one were in a quarter am missing something. weapons, then another must be appease. A sea gull will turn its gravity. I assume no structures on prepared to fight or submit. I don't After all, the difficulties in Star- beak away, and, while a man learns the rim, but a flat surface. think much of Freud's universal cross require a rather specialized the action, he raises his empty symbols, but I imagine any animal Of course, a ray gun has no recoil. knowledge of spherical coordinates, hands. A careful observation of that was the product of evolution Read Earthman's Burden by Poul and nautical directions. I would Gurthark would have shown, I would not show its teeth as a gesture Anderson and Gordon Dickson. Of imagine anyone with that knowl- think, that he was waving his palps, of friendship. If I am correct in my in a manner reminiscent of a male course, we must conserve momen- edge would also spot howlers. tum; we don't want it to become inference that the red rod is to jumping spider semaphoring a Planetfall™ was campy enough choose between oxygen, methane, female to placate her, and that he extinct; and radiation has no rest mass, and so no momentum. that I suppose one can't really and ammonia, you are asking for a was not grinding his teeth at all. criticize it. Also, I haven't finished player who has a fairly wide Moreover, surely a civilized gentle- Mostly, I objected to simple logic it. However, I do think one shouldn't knowledge of science to accept a man like Gurthark would never sidle faults. I had inferred the green rod weep crocodile tears over someone view of behavior which is, frankly, into someone else's personal space was either in a planter, or in the for whom one couldn't provide nonsense. Perhaps you might be while they were talking. garage, although I didn't know the covering fire. I did try to shoot the interested in David Snow's Web Actually, I found Gurthark the most name. Surely one can sit on an mutations, but the computer would- of Adaptation, a book that every sympathetic character in Starcross, object a meter long, and half a meter n't recognize the word. I felt that psychologist should read. and was sorry that programming high. Contrast this with the remark was the least I could do, since I limitations made it impossible to in Sorcerer™, when I tell the bat to typed "KICK FLOYD" instead of chat with him. However, I thought a take the parchment scroll. After all, . . . And Lebling Answers on page 11 PAGE 10 THE NEW ZORK TIMES SPRING 1985 Cartoonist Wanted Congratulations are in order for Gary proportionally. Entries must be in Clayton of California, for winning black ink (no pencil or color illustra- our cartoon contest this issue. "This tions will be considered) on white issue?" you ask. Yes, this issue. The unlined paper. Do not fold your en- response we got was so good, we tries! All submissions become the have decided to make this contest a property of Infocom, Inc. Be sure to regular part of The New Zork Times. send your cartoon to: NZT Cartoons, If we print your cartoon, you'll win Infocom, Inc., 125 CambridgePark the Infocom game of your choice. Drive, Cambridge, MA 02140. And For those of you who have just tuned don't forget to include a separate in, we'll be happy to reprint the sheet that tells us who you are, what contest rules. game you wish to win, your Cartoons will be printed approxi- computer system, and where you mately 4¼ inches wide by 5 inches live. deep, so please draw your cartoons

Sasha Blunderbraas: Prima Virtuosa

by S. Eric Merescu The huge hall erupts with applause called our art 'using illogic to untwist shrugging off the suggestion that his as Blunderbraas strides onto the logical contradictions.' I was never performance at Carnegie Hall was At the age of nine, Sasha Blunder- stage, and it's easy to see why so sure what he meant by that until the his greatest ever. "Am I better than braas toured the courts of Europe, many people have a bigger than life- first time I played Carnegie." Kleister? Maybe, maybe not. Was playing Adventure for the royalty. At size image of the master, as fifty-foot Carnegie last night better than Albert The opening moves of Zork I are the age of twelve, he stunned the television screens capture him as he Hall two years ago? Maybe, maybe standard, familiar to almost every- continent by solving the entire walks over to the waiting computer. not. Why should I ask myself one, but already Blunderbraas has SAGA series in two hours and seven questions I cannot answer?" Blunderbraas swills the soda the audience gasping at his innova- minutes. Two years ago, his around in his mouth, pondering his tion, his daring twists and turns. His There are no surprises left. performance of Starcross at the answer. "Why Zork I again? Well, to use of abbreviation during the troll Blunderbraas skillfully sweeps the Albert Hall received a forty-five tell you the truth, I've always had a battle leaves an unsuspecting woman audience forward with his final, minute standing ovation. His video- particular fondness for its simplicity in the front row on the verge of tears. brilliant inputs. As the closing words tapes have sold forty-million copies. of structure. It's an almost perfect The performance is still in its first of the story appear on the screen, When great interactive fiction piece, and of course it's very accessi- minute, and already the audience's and the barrow door crashes shut, players are discussed, Blunderbraas ble to audiences, which explains its emotions are putty in the master's the enthralled multitude is drawn to stands apart from the rest, a class tremendous popularity. With its very hands. its feet as though by a single cord. As unto himself. Where does someone first three words, West of House, a Blunderbraas turns for his bows, the go from the top? familiar mood is established, Traffic noise from Fifth Avenue is room thunders with applause that The lights dim, and an expectant forming a common meeting ground the only sound as Blunderbraas threatens to bring down the walls. It hush settles over the standing-room- for audience and performer." chews thoughtfully at the hot, rolls on and on, resounding around bubbling, room service pizza. "I'd be only crowd at Carnegie Hall. They As Blunderbraas flips back his the room, propelling the evening's await his appearance with bated lying if I said the audience reaction performance down the corridor of tails and settles onto the computer doesn't affect me. There's a bond breath, their eager faces illuminated stool, a dead silence falls over the time, toward a pedestal of greatness with a ghostly blue from the projec- there, and even though my concen- it has already earned. room. There is an electrifying tration, my top-level thought, is fixed tion TVs, displaying the bootscreen moment while Blunderbraas seems of Zork I. on that story, there's a secondary His agent appears at the door, frozen, his hands poised over the level of thought that is fed, reminding Blunderbraas of the Blunderbraas seems so ordinary, keyboard. Then with a crash of the nourished, and inspired by the level impending flight. The master agrees sitting in his midtown hotel room in keys, he's off and running, with the of electricity in the theatre." to a final question. What's next for blue-jeans and a T-shirt, sipping a swift, steady inputs that are his the man who is, if not unequalled in can of soda. It's hard to believe that trademark. As the emerald joins sixteen other the annals of his art, at least treasures in the trophy case, an this unassuming figure is the genius "I love to play Carnegie Hall," unsurpassed? More performances? almost electric tremor ripples whose name is synonymous with explains Blunderbraas, skirting the More tours, tapes, training? An through the audience. The audience performing interactive fiction. question of why he is touring again autobiography? "Just now, I mostly can sense history in the making; "People are always surprised at my after two years of semi-retirement. want to go home, lie around on the performances such as this one come appearance when they see me for the "Its age, its ornateness, juxtaposed beach, putter around my garden. only once in a lifetime. A man in the first time," explains Blunderbraas, against the modern simplicity of the When I feel the need to perform audience grabs his stunned wife's almost apologetically. "I think they computer, creates an image of again, I will perform again." He arm. "Not since the great Kleister expect someone taller, more contradiction that frequently inspires reaches for his jacket and knapsack. have I seen such a magnificent use of commanding, with unkempt wild me in my performance." A smile "By the way," he asks. "Do you AGAIN!" he murmurs. hair and a look of near madness in portends the release of a bauble from know when the next Hitchhiker's his eyes. I'm actually just pretty the stored wisdom of the master. "You hear this, you read that, what game will be out?" ordinary-looking." "The great Wilbur Kleister once does it matter?" Blunderbraas asks, SPRING 1985 THE NEW ZORK TIMES PAGE 11

You Can't Please YAK FACTS SPECIAL OFFER

All the People Buy an expert-level game, get a free InvisiClues book! Did you know that… All the Time Buy 2 expert-level games (Starcross, Suspended or Deadline), get ? yaks generally mate during the either: Two comments we received on The winter months? ? free InvisiClues books Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: ? yaks live on Tibetan plateaus "Most puzzles very easy, however nearly 20,000 feet above sea level? ? the third expert-level game free. game is enjoyable" — Marc, ? yaks require large quantities of HERE’S HOW: Enclose this coupon with your direct purchase Edmonds, Washington. "You water, and have been known to eat from us or with proof of purchase (a sales receipt for the expert- obviously designed this game so that ice during the cold season? level games you purchased dated between June 1 and August 31, the user is forced to purchase the hint ? the hide of the yak is used to make booklet" — Frank, Pacoima, Califor- leather, that the hair of the yak is 1985). Make your choice below: nia. used to make rope, and that yak tails ¨ InvisiClues for ______It's not easy making a game are used as fly whisks in India? challenging but not too frustrating ? no effective vaccine has ever been ¨ InvisiClues for ______for most players. For one thing, we found for pleuropneumonia, a ¨ Free game all have different backgrounds, contagious disease caused by the ¨ Deadline ¨ Starcross ¨ Suspended educations, hobbies, and skills. organism mycoplasma mycoides Our difficulty ratings are an indica- which strikes yaks and other herding For ______(computer system) tion of how hard or easy it should be animals? Offer expires August 31, 1985. for most people to get involved in the ? the hybrid between a yak and a game. The older games were rated cattle is called a dzo and is prefer- based on hundreds or thousands of rable to the yak for plowing? longer than any other warm-blooded day? comments received from players ? dried yak dung is the only obtain- animal? over the years. The new games are able fuel on the treeless plateaus of ? wild yaks, although native to Tibet, evaluated by our inside and outside Tibet? ? a herd of yaks can migrate over are frequently found grazing as far testers, a significantly smaller but, ? the gestation period of the yak is seven thousand miles in a single away as Lima, Peru? we hope, representative group. Many of the problems are tweaked based on the testers' input. If you find yourself up against a . . . and Lebling Answers roadblock in one of the games, do something else for awhile; then you continued from page 9 are regarded by ethnologists as recoil. For example, the current best- can attack the problem again with a possibly the most hostile, xeno- known "ray gun" is the design for the fresh perspective. (This is why it Dear John, phobic tribe ever discovered, so I so-called Star Wars missile often helps to play with a friend — a wouldn't use them as an example. defense, which starts by producing a different point of view can be a great I was very interested to read your Besides, they aren't isolated. One large explosion whose energy is then asset.) Whatever you do, don't comments about Starcross. I thought reason they are so warlike is that lased. It is possible to imagine ray despair! You'll figure it out. Remem- I'd respond just to clear a few they have been driven by pressure gun technologies that work by ber: the greatest satisfaction results misunderstandings about various from other tribes into their present similar methods. from solving the hardest problems. parts of the game. locale. I see the Weasels as living in Planters. There are planters (and But you already know that... Bumps. If you read the description a more benign environment. Their plants) in various halls, part of the carefully, you will find an analogy only "natural" enemy would be the oxygen recycling system. The with something far more obvious Rat-Ants. You are probably right program, within limits, recognizes than the supposition that the artifact about the single group being non- the words it uses in descriptions. builders had four fingers. The fourth viable in the long term. On the other Mouse. I agree the message should bump is obviously the Earth, the hand, the Bounty mutineers have be better. In the current version it ERRATUM current destination of the artifact and survived without significant outside says "You can't climb onto the your home. In short, it's more of a contact or gene-pool contribution for maintenance mouse." It's accurate, if Due to a typesetting error, test than an example of numerical 200 years. inelegant. I will probably change it captions from the photo essay in obsession. (It's the fourth bump Physics. You are absolutely right to say "The mouse whirrs and buzzes the next issue ("Searching for because the large one representing about floating from the center of a unhappily. It much prefers to collect the Relics of the Emu") were the sun also counts.) rotating cylinder in a vacuum. small pieces of debris." erroneously placed with the Gurthark. The whole point of the However, the interior of the artifact Teeth. I know an animal that photo essay in this issue ("Life Gurthark "problem" is to see exactly is not a vacuum. You would start shows its teeth as a gesture of friend- at Infocom"). We apologize for how species-centric the player is. slowly, then accelerate, not from the ship: man. What do you think a this mistake, which was discov- Gurthark is obviously not a spider, force of gravity but from the "wind" smile is? Gurthark is probably trying ered too late to correct in time for the reasons you cited, but he's produced by the interaction of your his best to smile. for publications. We hope it hairy and multi-armed and -legged, inertia (following a straight path out I'm sorry you didn't enjoy Star- does not interfere with your and he lives in a room crisscrossed from the center) and the inertia of the cross. Perhaps if you take time to enjoyment of the "Life at by wires (not webs, notice). He air (rotating about the axis of rota- finish it you will like it better. I don't Infocom" photo essay. The seems rather spidery, and the tion of the artifact). You would hit think it has as many howlers as you photos from "Searching for the solution to the problem is to deal hard but the effect of the wind would do. Relics of the Emu" will run in with him without worrying about his have speeded you up somewhat. I Sincerely, the next issue. appearance. assumed .5g, by the way. Dave Lebling Weasels. Actually, the Yanomamo Ray guns. Ray guns can have PAGE 12 THE NEW ZORK TIMES SPRING 1985

T-Shirt Winners From Puzzle #4 NEW ZORK TIMES PUZZLE No. 6 The twelve highlighted letters from 11. Brent Thomas the crossword puzzle, R R N E I S N Gainsville, FL Directions: Below are thirteen alleged responses from Zork I: The H T I T W, re-arrange to form the 12. Sheila Stroup Great Underground Empire. Actually, only eleven of them are answer: T-SHIRT WINNER. Covington, LA There were 463 entries to Puzzle 13. Matt Rosauer really in the game; two of them are fakes. Imposters. We just Number Four, and all but two of Bettendorf, IA made them up. To win the puzzle, simply write down the numbers them were correct. As usual, our 14. Tyler Keith Thomas of the two false responses on the answer form below and send it exciting drawing drew a sellout Irvine, CA in. There are no tricks; the fake responses are not just real crowd. Here are the 25 lucky 15. Laura Gordon responses with one word changed, for example. winners: Framingham, MA By the way, there were a few photocopies among the entries for 16. Howard Halter the last couple of puzzles. Your entry must be on the form below; 1. Russell Pickett Renton, WA not a copy. Don't bother even trying — despite all claims by Tulsa, OK 17. Robert Allgood 2. Ralph Dailey photocopier manufacturers, photocopies are quite easy to tell La Palma, CA Kent, WA 18. Jonathan Swartz apart from the original. 3. Alan Fisher Great Neck, NY Holliston, MA 19. B.L. Harris 1. "The pines and the hemlocks seem to be murmuring." 4. Thomas Keating Fort Dix, NJ 2. "Going up empty-handed is a bad idea." Wilmington, DE 20. Sue Whitman 3. "The leaves burn, and so do you." 5. Eric Dodds Lexington, NC 4. "You feel a faint tingling transmitted through the sword." Santa Barbara, CA 21. Patra Bach 5. "I'm afraid you have done drowned yourself." 6. Alan Bridges Camby, IN 6. "The thief says nothing, as you have not been formally intro- San Antonio, TX 22. Robby Moser 7. Brendan O'Leary Mountain View, CA duced." Brooklyn Park, MN 23. Debbie Antlitz 7. "The book is already open to page 569." 8. Max Salmenson Schaumburg, IL 8. "You pry the door open a crack, but then it snaps back with a Beaverton, OR 24. Mary Sauer resounding thud." 9. Amy and David Sams Circleville, OH 9. "The rainbow seems to have become somewhat run-of-the-mill." Pasadena, CA 25. Todd Yoder 10. "The cyclops spreads a checkered tablecloth on the ground." 10. Glen Corlin Columbia, SC 11. "You need no light to guide you." Honolulu, HI

12. "Some paint chips away, revealing more paint."

13. "The hole collapses, smothering you."

" SOLUTION TO PUZZLE NUMBER FOUR

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 . 9. P R O S P E C T I N G P ANSWER: ______10. . . . 11. . . 12. . B E A M O N E D O Name: ______13. 14. . 15. . 16. . 17. . . Address: ______D E L L E G N J U G

18. . 19. 20. . 21. 22. . . . ______E F L R E D X E N O

T-shirt Size (S, M, L, XL): ______. 23...... 24. . . . A K A L A M O N T E E

25. 26. . . . 27. . 28. . 29. CONTEST RULES: F I R M L R A A S H

1. All entries must be submitted on this form. No copies accepted. 30. . . 31...... T I P D U N B A R A 2. All entries must be received by July 1, 1985. 32. . . . 33. . . 3. Up to 25 prizes will be awarded. If more than 25 correct G L C B R A T answers are received, a drawing will be held to determine the . 34. 35. . . . 36. 37. . winners. Void where prohibited by law. A L E S L I E D C

38. . . . 39. 40. . 41. . N W A U A U D A H PRIZE: . 42. . 43...... 44. A New Zork Times Puzzle Winner T-Shirt G S S S U S P E C T

RETURN TO: Infocom 45. 46. . . . . 47. . 48. W A I T T T I O N NZT Puzzle 125 CambridgePark Drive 49. . . 50. . 51. 52. 53. . . . A L L T E N W I D O W Cambridge, MA 02140 54. . . . 55. . . . . Y E L L R E D N L