Vol. V/No. 4 -Fall 1986- Glamour Edition

Soon Tu Be A Major Interactive Story . .. HOLLYWOOD HIJINX

Who can forget those wonderful You even enjoyed your Cousin childhood sununers spent with Herman, who often visited at the your Aunt Hildegarde and Uncle same time as you. You and Her­ Buddy Burbank? Uncle Buddy was man would team up together to a Hollywood mogul, Aunt play games in the garden or help Hildegarde his loving (and very Aunt Hildegarde with her dinner rich) wife. They had no children parties. There was also the time of their own, but you and your he got sick in the top bunk when cousins were always welcome at you were sleeping in the bottom their sprawling Malibu estate. one. Or the time he tripped you The house itself was loads of on the beach stairs and you fell fun. There was the luxurious and got a bloody nose. But you movie theater, the gaudy round were able to forgive and forget in satin-covered bed, the gold-plated the name of cousinly love. bathroom faucets in the shape of Well, those days are all behind Aunt Hildegarde and Uncle Buddy would be proud of the Oscars, and the goofy props from you. Uncle Buddy has been dead Hollywood Hijinx package. old Buddy Burbank movies. And for several years, and now Aunt the grounds had everything from Hildegarde has passed away, too. It a private beach to a hedge maze, seems lil

author of The Hitch.hiker's Guide written by Dave Lebling. to the Galaxyn;1 and author of A The Enchanter 1Hlogy comes irl Writers: Tom Bok, Gary Brennan, Elizabeth Langosy, Dave Lebling, Steve Mind Forever Voyaging™ and a beautiful slipcased package Meretzky, Jonathan Palace, Tom Veld.ran Leather Goddesses of Phobos™ suitable for awed contemplation, Production: Cynthia Curtis, Susan Goldman, Jonathan Palace The third lesson, Spellbreakern;1 tasteful holiday gift-giving, or an­ Supposed Boss: Susan Goldman is a tricky final exam, for now you noying friends and relations who © 1986 Infocom, Inc., 12.5 CambridgePark Drive, Cambridge, MA 02.140 have become Head of the Circle of thirlk Infocom is irlto occultism. Zork, Enchanter, Deadline, The Witness, Starcross, Suspended, Planetfall, Infidel, , Enchanters. Ready to relax and All three games have been updated Cutthroats, Suspect, and are registered ·trademarks of lnfocom, Inc. Hollywood Hiiinx. , Leather Goddesses of Phobos, 1hnity, Ballyhoo, Sorcerer, , take it easy, you have no such with the latest and best bug fixes, , Fooblitzky, , Tales of Adventure, Plus, and InvisiClues are trademarks of Infocom, Inc. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a luck: magic itself appears to be irlcluding the legendary OOPS trademark of . failing, the populace is up irl arms, command. All the feelies you and the most dangerous opponent know and love are there, irlcluding yet is behirld it all. Analog Com­ the lovely field guide to the NY Times Can't Be puting said "Spellbreaker is a vast, "Creatures of Frobozz" (Sorcerer) sprawling game, firlely detailed, and five portraits of renowned En­ irltricately designed. It can be easi­ chanters (Spellbreaker). The En­ GIVEN Away ly and wholeheartedly recom­ chanter 1tilogy is limited while mended, a grand conclusion to a supplies last. Tu Whom It May Concern: New York Times yet about my great series'.' Spellbreaker was When I got my Status Line a few days subscription, so maybe it's not too late ago, I was thrilled to learn that I had to cancel it, saving Infocom from finan­ named one of the greatest newsletters cial ruin. How about it? Who in their of all time. Then I remembered the right mind would give away an expen­ sive prize made by some other com­ Hitchhiker' s In Planetfall, using naughty words prize I had won: a year's subscription causes the response "Such to The New York Times. Now what, pany when they could simply give on Radio exactly, am I going to do with that? I away a relatively inexpensive Infocom language from an ensign irl the can't use it to line a bird cage, because . game, and boost their company's im­ We are proud to armounce that Stellar Patrol!" The reason we age at the same time? Please serious­ I don't even have a bird! Then I thought, once again Infocom has made it mention this is an old but still this prize must be costing those ln­ ly consider this idea, and let me know amusing quote we dug up recent­ what you think. possible for all radio listeners to focommies an arm and a leg (or two). pick up Hitchhiker's! Before it was ly. It's &om an article on irlterac­ They would save big bucks if they just Sincerely, Cliff Tuel an irlteractive story, before it was tive fiction in the .Man:h 18, 1985, sent me an Infocom game for my Ap­ issue of People magazine: ple IIc, such as Leather Goddesses of San Jose, CA a TV show, before it was converted irlto four phenomenal best-selling Phobos P.S. If you decide to waste your money In Planetfall, if you tell the com­ I haven't heard anything from The on the newspaper, I'll read it anyway. books, The Hitch.hiker's Guide to the Galaxy was a twelve-part radio puter to •:go to hell" it replies, serial on Britain's BBC. Now In­ Such language from an enzyme in focom is sponsoring a rebroadcast the stellar patrol!" of the entire serial on National Public Radio (NPR) . This is radio as you've never heard it before. Conceived and written by Douglas Adams, The Hitch.hiker's Guide radio serial is . > hilarious and contairls some of the DEAR 0 best sound effects ever produced. Before the irlteractive story came out, many considered this radio Dear Miss Underground serial the best rendition of The Manners: Hitchhiker's Guide. If you have I am a middle-aged gnome who never heard it, you will find it fun­ likes to think he practices impec­ ny, outrageous, mirldboggling, and cable manners. Recently, my well worth listening to. next-tunnel neighbor, an ogre of Begirmirlg irl January 1987, good repute and social standirlg, episodes will be made available to irlvited me to be present at his public radio stations across the son's wedding. Naturally, I con­ 5oow J.IE , t-L country for irlclusion irl their sented cheerfully. When the date schedules. Check local program arrived, I appeared at the listirlgs for times - each station ceremony, only to firld that my I CAN puts together its own schedule irl­ wife and children had been chop­ dependently. If your local public ped up and were to be served as radio station is not carryirlg the hors d'oeuvres at the reception. show, call to poirlt out that it is Of course I was shocked to learn available and that you are irl­ that my family was now a bowl terested irl it (phone calls are sur­ of flesh balls. How can I express prisirlgly effective). Why is In­ my displeasure to my host? focom running Hitchhiker's again two years later? Firld out irl the next exciting issue of The Status Gentle Reader: Line! You certairlly have justification FALL 1986 THE STATUS LINE PAGE 3

Marc Sylvester

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MISS UNDERGROUND MANNERS to feel shocked. As we all know, oneself before incinerating the that most unpleasant phenome­ a young man's chest, I realized flesh balls have been considered human in question. Malcing a non known as ''bad breath!' that he was not, in fact, a schem­ an absolute "faux pas" since Dun­ bad impression could injure your ing rogue or a slavering mass of dor of Vrirninax quashed the Yip­ sterling reputation, should your claws and fangs; it was little pie Rebellion, in 466 GUE. You victim somehow manage to Dear Miss Underground Davey, my neighbor's son. (Ap­ might pleasantly suggest to your survive. Manners: parently, he was selling flowers to host that he instead serve flesh support the elderly.) Have I com­ 2) Immolation can often be an On a recent Sunday jaunt strips in cream-cheese, spread through a portion of the mitted a serious social blunder? over delicate wafers, as is the embarrassing moment for a human. There's no need to rp.ock Underground Empire, in search custom these days. of countless, untold fortunes as or intimidate your victim with Gentle Reader: malicious peals of laughter or well as something to do, I found Dear Miss Underground that I was encountering many You, sir, have indeed violated Manners: wicked masks of hatred. Instead, put him at ease with a compli­ more ravenous dungeon denizens what Miss Underground Man­ I am a dragon on the debutante ment, or a light remark. than on previous trips. Why, on­ ners would consider a cardinal circuit. What are the formal rules ly ten minutes into the trip, my rule of etiquette, even by for immolating humans? 3) If recent gourmet experiences right arm was lopped off com­ dungeon standards. The recent have included such elements as pletely in a surprise attack by a loss of one's right arm is no ex­ Gentle Reader: garlic, onion, or rotgrub, one band of samurai worms! By mid­ cuse for holding one's fork in the should politely excuse oneself day, I found that killing had left hand, which is used only Miss Underground Manners and rinse one's maw with a fresh, become second nature; I was when one is mashing vegetables finds the following rules minty solution before spewing hacking up just about everything or gathering peas. (Also, never applicable: flames at the human. Humans that moved. At one point, as I confuse your pitchfork with your 1) One should always introduce can be particularly sensitive to was retrieving my pitchfork from dessert fork.) PAGE 4 THE STATUS LINE FALL 1986

Hollywood Hijinx Mark Rollin (continued from page 1) find the treasures .in one night, package includes a gossip-filled you lose the whole caboodle. copy of Tinselworld Magazine, 0 That's the premise of your Aunt Hildegarde's will, an Hollywood Hijim?~ the new autographed photo of your Uncle interactive story from Infocom. It Buddy, and a lucky palm tree swiz­ sends you on a zany treasure hunt zle stick. through a house that's as eccentric Combining the glitz of as its owners. After a night spent Tinseltown with the offbeat in its deserted rooms, you might humor of a ''B'' movie, Hollywood be feeling a little wacky, too. For Hijinx is cram-packed with although you assume Aunt puzzles that will test the wits and Hildegarde and Uncle Buddy tickle the ribs of both first-time wouldn't make it too hard for you and experienced players. Numer­ to find the treasures, the puzzles ous amusing anecdotes about your you must solve prove that they childhood with Herman, Buddy, weren't just kidding. and Hildegarde add to the fun. Hollywood Hijinx was written Hollywood Hijinx will be by ''Hollywood" Dave Anderson, available in February for a wide whose Hawaiian shirts and baggy variety of personal computers, at shorts fit right in with the beach a suggested retail price of $34.95 mural and tropical fish that for Atari XLIXE and Commodore decorate his Infocom office. To get 64/128 and $39.95 for all other YOU in the California mood, the systems. Max Yaks Null Set Some of you have probably no­ Brogmus. Ernie, denizen of ticed a change in the name of this Boston's darkest demi-mondes, is column from the previous issue. on his way to the Western Front, You may remember that it was aka . The party was titled ''News Inside Infocom'.' Well, highlighted by an appearance of I received a rather threatening let­ the Burnin' Flames. The Flames ter from the lawyers of News In­ are composed of Info-vaudevillians side the Society of Respiratory Debbie Reilly and Carol Brang­ Surgeons stating that if I did not wyn. More about these two sub­ stop using the old name they tle performers later, much later Cartoonist Wanted woµld rip out my lungs and use . . . While Ernie's party definitely In our last issue, we neglected to toons must be in black ink on them as weather balloons. Hence drew the A-list, the same cannot credit Jim Chan of Rowland white, unlined paper. Please don't the new name. Now the news .. . be said for the Harvard 350th Height, CA, for his cartoon por­ fold your cartocm! All submissions LOVE NCJTES: It used to be that birthday bash. This massive chow­ traying the "authors of Hit­ become property of Infocom. If we an old-fashioned love song was down featured His Royal Majesty chhiker's Guide!' print your cartoon, we'll send you plucked out on a beat-up old six­ Prince Charles as its featured a free game of your choice. Don't string by the one who loved you. eater. Tester Tom Bok, infamous If you'd like to submit a cartoon forget to include your name, ad­ Not anymore. Testing Manager offspring of Harvard Prez Derek for publication, send it to The dress, phone number, the title of Suzanne Frank was recently Bok, was brushed off by his Status Line Cartoons, Infocom, the game you'd like to win, and presented with a cassette tape on original table-mate, Gloria Inc., 125 CambridgePark Drive, the computer system you'd like which her new beau lavished Steinem, only to be left seated Cambridge, MA 02140. All car- the game to run on. praise upon priase in state-of-the­ with a secret service agent all art stereophonic sound. You know, evening. Tom claimed the chap multiple tracks, electronic key­ was interesting enough but kept boards, and four-part harmony. confusing his butter-knife with his tificial palm trees for the depriv­ tester Gary Brennan. He was a Suzanne, Suzanne, I think he likes UZI. The evening was not a total ed masses of New England .. . farmer before he joined Infocom: you . . . I'm negotiating to have loss, however: Tom did get a much­ a sponge farmer. It was Gary's task "Suzanne, Suzanne'' released on sought-after autograph of Prince MEET THE NEW BOSS: Susan to keep the cute little kitchen­ The Status Line label for Christ­ Charles for yours truly. His Royal Goldman has been named the helpers-to-be healthy and happy, mas ... WEDRUM: Marc Blank, Wit inscribed one of those "1000 new Editrix of The Status Line. before they were thrown into ex-Infocom VP and distinguished stamps, only $2.95" matchbook Susan's background is mainly blenders by his bosses at MIT . . . author of such Info-Favorites as covers (one picturing himself and shopping. ''When you've read as HOLY HACKER: If you some­ many shopping mall sales cir­ Zork, Deadline~ and TN20, is to Lady Di) with the most un­ times feel a Revelation coming on, be married in late December. The princely yet utterly charming culars as I have, the newsprint just while playing one of Steve Meret­ marriage will take place in the "Chuck" . . . PALMTRENEUR: gets into your blood;' says Ms. zky's games (Planetfall, Sorcerer, same hotel at which The Shining Jeff O'Neill, author of BallyhoofJ Goldman. Goldman's future plans AMFV et blah), there's a good was filmed. Don't get snowed in has been bitten by the en­ for the paper include changing the reason for that. It's because he you two . . . THE ART OF PAR­ trepreneurial bug that is so per­ name to The Credit Line . .. does some of his best hacking late TIES: A major end-of-surnmer­ vasive here in the Bay State. Jeff's JOBS OF THE STARS: Not at night when the only light in his super-surprise-soiree was held in scheme involves the mass produc­ everyone came to Infocom from office is coming from his Jesus honor of Ernie (Bumin' Ernie) tion of life-size, all-weather ar- the computer field. Take Info- nite-lite ... AMEN . .. FALL 1986 THE STATUS LINE PAGE 5 23 Reasons to Own a Computer A Mind Forever Voyaging by Steve and gain entry to the pyramid, decipher alien artifact which has entered the carrying turns sinister, as the small Meretzky (Advanced, 1985). Explore a the hieroglyphs, and survive the solar system. Once aboard the artifact, town of Festeron becomes twisted and frighteningly possible future as Prism, diabolical traps of the ancient Egyp­ you'll meet a number of alien races, in­ dangerous. The magical Wishbringer the first true artificial intelligence. tians, to lay your hands on the sacred cluding the Rat-Ants, and you are stone grants its owner seven wishes, in­ Senator Ryder's Plan looks pretty good treasures that will make you fabulous­ drawn into a puzzle that could give cluding Flight, Rain, Foresight, and - or does it? The closest any computer ly rich and famous. mankind the stars. Luck. Puzzles can be solved with game has- come to literature: there are • magic or without, giving the game few puzzles to solve in this imaginative Leather Goddesses of Phobos by Steve Suspect1' by Dave Lebling (Advanced, unusual replay value. and chilling story where you are the Meretzky (Standard, 1986). The year is 1984). Your editor sends you to cover • main character. 1936, and the evil Leather Goddesses a society Halloween Party. Then the The Witness® by Stuart Galley (Stan­ • plan to tum Earth into their private hostess is murdered, and guess whds dard, 1983). Los Angeles. 193CYs. Ballyhoo by Jeff O'Neill (Standard, pleasure palace - unless you can stop the prime suspect? Can you clear Freeman Linder wants your help on a 1986). Winding up a day at the circus, them. This racy space-opera comedy is yourself before the police arrive? Other little blackmail case, but before your you become enmeshed in a kidnapp­ packed with puzzles and can be played party guests include blue-bloods, power eyes it becomes a murder - his! Writ­ ing plot that takes you behind the in "tame;' "suggestive;' or '1ewd" mode. brokers, senators, and real-estate ten in the hard-boiled Raymond scenes of The ilavelling Circus That Equally enjoyable for both men and magnates. You'll uncover dirty dealings Chandler style, heavy on atmosphere. Time Forgot. You'll have to tame lions, women; play with a friend! and private affairs among the rich and The suspects include Freeman's scare an elephant, walk a tightrope, and • powerful, as you try to prove you've beautiful daughter Monica; Phong the perform other circus acts to win the Moonmist'™ by Stu Galley and Jim been framed. butler; and Ralph Stiles, who had game. Full of seedy circus atmosphere, Lawrence (Introductory, 1986). Spend • something going with Linders wife. rich with humor, and peopled with cir­ the night in a haunted English castle, Suspended® by (Expert, • cus freaks like Andrew/Jenny (half man, where a ghost threatens you and your 1983). You are the controlling brain of by Marc Blank and Dave Leb­ half woman) and the 28-inch-tall Com­ friend. Is one of the other castle guests a totally automated planet, and you ling (Standard, 1980). The story that rade Constantine Thumb. doing the haunting? Four variations on must repair the system before the started it all. Treasure hunts and • this theme, each shorter than a full­ planet's inhabitants "replace'' you. You derring.

Karen Karp You Said It, Not Us

Rumor has it that some of you will probably never see the glossy think we make up the comments inside cover of an interactive nc­ in the ''Take Their Words For It!" tion box, but are still too ...well, section on our interactive fiction let's say entertaining . .. to ignore packages. Some of you think that completely. Here are a few: no one reall.y wrote (as we said on "As I booted the square ominous the Wishbringer box), ''If I go crazy disk, shimmering green blips on or become a bum, it's all your my screen accompanied my fault. I hope you're happy'.' Or (like passage into the limitless tunnel we put on the Spellbreaker­ of Infocom computer fantasy.' package), '1 truly believe that if God had wanted us to lead our '1t's absolutely marvelous, darl- own lives, he woulchit have given ings, don't change a thing. Oh, by us Infocom'.' Or even (as we felt the way, if you like to wear that "- compelled to include with Leather tie, fine, but you should pin-stripe Goddesses of Phobos), "So nerve- your gym socks'.' VL__ ~I /J(r'i --~ wracking and intense I have had "Gag me with an eating imple- YoUN~ ~L1c:.B L~it £~ ~Er\ST.s f)LA'-\ 1-llt)S-r-.J-sFE K. to use the rest room several times'.' ment. Not even a super nova could Well, we hereby assure you that scare me'.' all of the above comments and ,1 enjoyed the game thoroughly. commendations, as well as every Then I turned on the computer'.' other one that you see on our Solutions and Winners to Puzzle 10 boxes (well, nearly every one), has '1 frotzed my girlfriend and now I actually been sent in by a bonafide can't get any sleep'.' In Puzzle Number Thn, we ask­ H. "Sorry, current course for ed entrants to identify the two the legendary lost planet of Infocom player on a warranty "Splunge, scum queen. Great. brief responses, out of a total of Magrathea can be countermand­ form, survey card, or letter. Yes, Wow. Hard, sexually permissive, thirteen, which didn't appear ed only by Zaphod Beeblebrox'.' folks, your words do not go un- 64 Chevy. Bomb. Tit. Oops. anywhere in The Hitchlllker's (ASK EDDIE TO TURN ON noticed. We answer your ques- Wonker, Ping, Pong, Kong King'.' tions, send you catalogs, put you /1 Guide to the Galaxy. The cur­ THE DRIVE.) on our mailing list, and add your C~ yo~ send ~e a n~ space rect answer was D and K. I. A footling effort. The shock comments to our ever-expanding fleet. Mine fell m the toilet and Here's a list of the -thirteen bits wa\ies of the Be"ast's laughter_ - filesof pos8ible''fm1lieir Woros ----all-the-buggers-drowned'.' of text, and where they appear push you back. (THROW THE in the story: For It'' quotes. To protect the inno- ''The sunglasses I got in the Hitch- STONE AT THE BEAST) cent, we switch around the names hiker's package are great for the J. You see your environs upside­ and cities on the quotes we use. beach!! I never realized how much A. The word "nd' is not in our Some of the comments on file harder waterskiing could be'.' hostess' vocabulary. (At the par­ down and slightly distorted ty, as Trillian, SAY ''NO'' to the (LOOK THROUGH THE MAGNIFYING GLASS.) hostess when she asks if you total adds up to 200 percent, 3. Betty Martin, Moorestown, want the food or drink you K. The sun's light is a perfectly since every entry includes two NJ dropped.) horrible shade of orange. excerpts. 4. Cliff Tuel, San Jose, CA B. You already did that. It's not (FAKE!) 5. Arie DiPiero, Hemlock, MI a merry-go-round. (WALK L. The chair is very comfort­ APPEAR· PER· 6. Lola Russo, Easton, CT AROUND THE BULLDOZER a EXCERPT ANCES CENTAGE 7. Marie Hicks, Madison able, with a thick plush A 32 8.5% second time, when you're Ford Heights, MI cushion. (On the Speedboat, as B 95 25.3% Prefect.) Zaphod, EXAMINE THE SEAT) 8. Kuo-Hsiung Hsu, Oberlin, c 34 9.0% OH C. You have two splitting M. This is one of those clever D 157 41.8% headaches. (DIAGNOSE on 9. Barbara Hall, Miami, FL new always-open always-closed E 22 5.9% 10. Tim Lang, Downieville, CA Damogran, when you're Zaphod F 25 6.6% bottles. (OPEN or CLOSE THE ll. John Prindle, 1exas City, TX Beeblebrox.) BOITLE OF SANTRAGINEAN G 43 11.4% 12. Josiah P. Rowe N, D. Congratulations. The towel MINERAL WATER.) H 48 12.8% Fredericksburg, VA 6.1% is now covered with slime. There were 376 entries, of I 23 13. Karl Feick, Itasca, IL 11.7% (FAKE!) which 73 (19.4%) were correct. J 44 14. Charles Engebretson, Santa (When we did a similar puzzle K 143 38.0% Rita Park, CA E. The effect is decorative L 14 3.7% for Zork I a year ago, only 15. Frank Tino, Thwksbury, MA rather than helpful. (PUT THE M 72 19.1% TOWEL ON THE BUGBLAT­ 10.1 % of the entries were cor­ 16. Steve Corum, Billerica, MA TER BEAST) rect.) 154 (41.0%) of the entries 17. Tum McGrath, Silver had only one right answer, and Since there were more than Spring, MD F. The bloody thing's been the remaining 149 (39.6%) of 18. Tim Rohloff, Bay City, TX jammed shut for months, now. 25 entries, we had to hold a the entries had neither one drawing to determine the 25 T­ 19. Greg Chung, Potomac, MD (OPEN THE WINDOW in the right. 20. Alan Hazelton, Fairport, NY Bedroom.) shirt winners. It was easily one For all you trivia nuts, the of the ten most exciting puzzle 21. Alex Balas, Akron, OH G. ''We can't leave while you're number of photocopied entries drawings weve ever had. The 22. Pearl TSai, Potomac, MD in trouble, Mr. President!" (On for this puzzle, the second for resulting winners: 23. Mark Weiher, Newburgh, IN the Dais, when you're Zaphod, which we allowed photocopy­ 24. Kurt S. Gedig, Indianapolis, after Trillian has pointed the ing, was 129 (34.3%). The IN blaster at you, ASK THE breakdown of answers for each 1. Jay Michael, Munster, IN 25. Korhan Thkin, Mission GUARDS TO LEAVE.) excerpt follows. Note that the 2. Jeff Yates, Mission Viejo, CA Viejo, CA PAGE 8 THE STATUS LINE FALL 1986

PUZZLE NUMBER TWELVE The multiple choice questions 4. Who was Sherlock Holmes's S. Cary Grant W. The Appalachian Moun­ below have directions associated landlady? W. Sean Connery tains are formed with each answer. (For example, NE. Mrs. Hawthrone 14. With what team did Babe the choices for question #1 are N­ SE. Mrs. Galworthy _J 17. From whence did the ad­ E-S-W rather than A-B-C-D.) To Ruth finish his career? vice come, "Tu thine own self SW. Mrs. Richards NE. The Boston Braves solve the puzzle, begin at the NW Mrs. Hudson be true"? Round Room in Zork I, or the SE. The Boston Red Sox N. Hamlet, by William Library Lobby in Planetfall, or 5. In Monopoly, what is the SW. The New York Yankees Shakespeare the Chamber of Ra in Infidel rent for Park Place with 4 NW The Brooklyn Dodgers E. Proverbs, The Bible houses? (your choice). 15. Which of these magazines s: The Gospel of Matthew, Next, answer each question, N. $750 has the largest circulation? The Bible moving in the direction E. $1050 N. People W. Anonymous axiom, first associated with the correct S. $1100 E. National Geographic written in English circa answer. For example, if you w. $1300 S. Time 1250 choose Planetfall, and thought 6. What is the most populous W. Reader's Digest 18. Who dies of "consump­ that the last choice was the cor­ city in the southern 16. Which came first in the tion" at the end of "La rect answer to question #1, you hemisphere? history of the earth? Boheme"? would move WEST and end up in N. Rio de Janeiro N. First mammals appear N. Kiri Te Kanawa the Library. E. Sao Paulo E. Winged insects appear E. Anna Karenina Follow this procedure for all S. Jakarta S. Dinosaurs become S. Lucia di Lammermoor eighteen questions. If a question W. Sydney extinct W. Mimi sends you in a direction for 7. Which of the following is which there is no exit from your not a golf club? current location, then you "can't N. Natter go that way" and end up staying E. Brassie ______I put for that question. Also, S. Niblick ------assume that all potential exits W. Mashie Planetfall______I are passable (e.g., all doors are open) and that no random factors 8. The following poets were all interfere (e.g., the thief in Zork, close friends. Who died at the Infidel ------1 hunger in Planetfall) . youngest age? Once you have finished the N. John Keats . ------1 last question, note your final E. George Gordon (Lord location. The name of this loca­ Byron) tion is the answer to the puzzle. S. Percy Bysshe Shelley I NCTTE: Giving any one of the W. James Henry Leigh Hunt three answers is sufficient to win T-Shirt Size (S, M, L, XL) I 9. Which English Ruler signed ------~ the puzzle. There's no bonus for the Magna Carta? giving more than one correct N. King John I Contest Rules I answer. If you give more than one E. King Richard I (known as 1. All entries must be submitted on this form or a· photocopy of answer, and any of them are in­ The Lion-hearted) this form. correct, the entire entry will be S. Queen Elizabeth I 2. Entries must be received by January 15, 1987. 1 considered incorrect. W. William I (known as The Limit of one entry per person. The answers and winners to Conqueror) I Puzzle Number Eleven will ap­ All entries must be mailed separately. pear in the next issue. 10. In which of these movies 5. Up to 25 prizes will be awarded. If more than 25 correct en­ I did Woody Allen not appear? tries are received, the winners will be selected randomly. N. What's New Pussycat 6. Void where prohibited by law. L What is the name of the E. Love and Death I main character in 1984? S. The Front N. Alan Churchill W. The Purple Rose of Cairo The sure-to-be-a-collector's-item-as-soon-as-we-reprint-them-with- I E. Wilbur Stone 11. Which is the largest of the our-new-name New Zork Times Puzzle Winner T-Shirt. I S. Winston Smith Finger Lakes? W. Albert Smith N. Seneca Infocom Inc. 2. Identify the person who did E. Champlain The Status Line Puzzle I not sign the U.S. Declaration S. Cayuga 125 CambridgePark Drive of Independence. W. Canandaigua Cambridge, MA 02140 I N. Benjamin Franklin 12. What school has the E. John Hancock largest endowment? S. George Washington N. Yale W. Thomas Jefferson E. Harvard When------.1 mailing stuH to The Status addressed to the appropriate 3. Which noble gas has the S. Princeton Line, please do not mix things.to editor or department. As you are highest atomic number? W. MIT different "departments'' in the probably aware, the editors of NE. Radon 13. Who was born Archibald same envelope. Puzzle entries, The Status Line spend most of SE. Krypton Leach? cartoons, "Call the Exter­ their time on the golf course, the SW. Xenon N. Robin Leech minator" bugs, letters to the beach, or their analyst's sofa, and NW. Netron E. Alistair Cooke editor, envelope designs, etc., all are therefore unreliable re­ go to different people. Please routers of mail. 1 send each such item separately,