GIANT KILLER
by Peter Killworth
Topologika
Spectrum +3
This is purportedly a children's game, though I would say for late
adolescence is more likely. While the story line is based on the fairy
tale Jack the Giant Killer, the mathematical and logical puzzles in the
game are not easy to solve. Each time you play, most of the puzzles,
though they stay the same, the variables change. Major mathematics is
not needed though logical thinking is. Because of the randomness in the
puzzles, a complete walkthrough cannot be given.
You are Jackie (male or female) sent by your mother to buy a pig at the
market. You have a groat. Go NW (you see a trapdoor), OPEN TRAPDOOR (no
key), SE, S, E, E, NE (you see two games to play - one requires a
groat), S.
Calculator puzzle: You need to find the number that results in an answer
of 100 decimal something, when multiplied by the number you are given
(random each time you play). Divide 100 by the number you were given and
type it in (you win a penny), N, N.
Mirror Maze: This too is random each time you play. To solve this
puzzle, keep going toward the small reflection. Sometimes there is more
than one choice. If there are two choices, don't go in the direction you
came from, as this is a straight-step, linear maze. If there are three
"small reflection" choices, going in the wrong direction and then back,
will land you back at that junction, but going back in the direction you
came from will make you double-back, so go in a new direction.
Go E, S, SW.
Bottle puzzle: You need to end up with three rows with four bottles
and one row with six bottles. You need to have three columns with four
bottles (i.e. all the columns filled), and the other three columns with
two bottles. Since one row already has six bottles, put one bottle in
each of the remaining three rows in a diagonal. It is easier to do with
paper and pencil first. One solution is: 1,1; 2,1; 4,1; 6,1; 1,2; 2,2;
4,2; 5,2; 1,3; 2,3; 3,3; 4,3; 1,4; 2,4; 3,4; 4,4; 5,4; 6,4, but there
are others. You now have a magic bean.
Go W, SW, W (your mother greets you), W, W, W, TAKE CHEESE, N (for help
say <random word>), TAKE BIRDSEED. Say <the word you were given> (a
fairy godmother arrives and tells you she will help when you are stuck),
S, W (you are at a cliff and see a figure), E, E, E, N (in your garden),
PLANT BEAN (a beanstalk sprouts up), UP, UP, UP, NE (you see a castle),
NE (the door is too stiff to open), N, NE, E, TAKE WAND, SE, S (you see
a hole), DOWN, NW (the mouse chases you out), THROW CHEESE, NW, NW, TAKE
TOOTHPICK, W (you are given the rules to the game - part 1), TAKE
CANDLESNUFFER (your fairy godmother takes it), E, NE, NE, TAKE TIEPIN
(the cat throws you out), SW, SW, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, S, W, W, W (at the
cliff again), WAVE WAND (the gerfalcon flies over - one ride only), TAKE
GAUNTLET (your fairy godmother takes it), W (the rules Part 2), TAKE
MATCHBOX, N.
Beach puzzle: You need to reach the island by laying the plank and log
diagonally to reach the island. Go W, TAKE PLANK, W, DROP PLANK, NW, NW,
N (you see a log), TAKE LOG, S, SE, DROP LOG, NE, NE (you are on the
island), TAKE ELEPHANT (your fairy godmother takes it), SW, SW, SE, E,
E, S, E (by the gerfalcon), DROP BIRDSEED (it flies you back), E, E, E,
N, UP, UP, UP, NE, NE, E, NE, N (at the hole), DOWN, NW (at the mouse),
NW, NE, NE, SW, SW, W (the cat smells mouse and goes southeast), E, NE,
NE, UP (you are beside a giant on a draughts board, i.e. checkerboard).
Draughts puzzle: Note which piece the giant picks up and head in that
direction. When he stops picking up pieces you are stuck. Say <the word
your fairy godmother gave you>. You are rescued by her into an inkwell,
E (you can't see).
Initials puzzle: This is a maze that you need to map (and save/restore
at each junction). Drop the matchbox at points where there is more than
one exit. Use paper and pencil to note each exit in order to determine
the initials (even though you don't know that yet). When you reach the
location which tells you "say initials to proceed", you should be able
to determine the initials. These vary. TAKE NIB (your fairy godmother
takes it). Say <the initials you traced>. You are on the floor near four
spider holes. TAKE KEY.
Toaster puzzle: The objective here appears to be to hit each location
at least once. This puzzle does not appear to be random. Going southwest
first gives you the most moves. Go SE, N, E, N, E, S, E, S, S, W, N, W,
S, W, N, E, N, E, S, E (in the cubbyhole), TAKE GOOSE, SW (the giant
chases you), SW, SW, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, CHOP BEANSTALK, NW (the goose
squawks out a number and lays an egg), WAIT (the egg disappears),
INVENTORY (you have a key), DROP GOOSE, NW, UNLOCK TRAPDOOR, OPEN
TRAPDOOR, DOWN, LIGHT TORCH, LOOK (you are in a cellar), TAKE DOUBLOON
(your godmother takes it), E, TAKE TOKEN, W, N, INSERT TOKEN (a card
drops out), INVENTORY you have the King of Hearts), S, W (at the yellow
curtain), INSERT KING (the curtain turns green), W, S.
Shapes puzzle: I think there is some logic to this puzzle about what
shape can interlock with what shape, but I just found that the hexagon
worked. TAKE HEXAGON, N, THROW HEXAGON, S, TAKE HEXAGON, N, THROW
HEXAGON, S, TAKE HEXAGON, N, THROW HEXAGON (it's now safe to cross), W
(post-acid room - the first password letter is <random letter>, TAKE
AMBER (your godmother takes it), NW.
Workmen puzzle: Here, at least, I thought you could drop objects to map,
though, if I saved in the middle, it didn't work out, but this helps to
map it, so work out the route, go back to your original position, and go
straight through. You need to go in a kind of square (if you begin in
the southeast corner you need to go N, W, N, E, N), so you need to tell
the workmen to block the opposite wall from which you wish to go. Go N,
S, W, E, N, S, E, W, N, S, E, TAKE TOKEN, TAKE GERANIUM, NE, S, INSERT
TOKEN (you get the five of clubs), N, S, INSERT 5, S (you are in a round
black chamber with a hole), S, S.
Name your number - don't get down to one puzzle: The rules given
previously, i.e. Parts 1 and 2 apply here. Soon after encountering this
puzzle, I read this same "equation" in a mathematics book, with a slight
twist. However, to solve the puzzle, I just plugged away with all
numbers until I hit the correct one. The number is 27.
Say 27 (the middle password letter is <random letter>). TAKE CAMEO
(godmother takes it), SE.
Stone puzzle: This is, at least a maze you can map, though each time you
play it is randomly generated. You need to get two objects from here. So
map the maze until you get out. Before you do so get the swan (which
your godmother takes it as soon as you pick it up) and the jack of
diamonds. When you are out go northeast back to the cellar.
Go E, INSERT JACK, E.
Venn Cube puzzle: You find yourself in one of the vertices of a cube.
When you have the rock, you determine that when you go north-south the
rock's colour changes (from blue to red and vice versa); when you go
east-west, the rock's texture changes (from smooth to rough and vice
versa); when you go up-down, the rock's size changes (from large to
small and vice versa). Dropping the rock and waiting, in the "rocks
change" room where you entered, changes an attribute of the rock, one at
a time with each WAIT. First, go east, up, and north where you see a
curly hole to the east. When you want to go east, you are told what
three specifications are needed to leave. So, return to the rock, pick
it up, then drop it. WAIT until it changes to the opposite of each
attribute needed. Then take it, and return to the curly hole, making
sure that you go in those three different directions only that change it
to what you want it to be.
Go E (you are given the last, random letter of the password, TAKE DIADEM
(godmother takes it), TAKE TOKEN, NE, N, INSERT TOKEN (a card drops),
INVENTORY (you have the queen of clubs), N, type (the three-letter
password), N. You have won, though in this case, with only 240 points.
I leave it up to other mathematically inclined individuals to determine
where the other 10 points can be obtained.
Terri Sheehan
2007-08-14
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