I'm interested in examples of excellent individual puzzles in IF. In other words: not 'Spider and Web' so much as 'getting out of the chair' in 'Spider and Web'
The Edifice, by Lucian P. Smith 6 votes "The language puzzle" [+]"The language puzzle" --Marius Müller... "The language puzzle" [+]"The language puzzle" ( ![]() | |
Spider and Web, by Andrew Plotkin 5 votes "Getting out of the chair" [+]"Getting out of the chair" --Jeremy Freese... "Chair puzzle" [+]"Chair puzzle" ( ![]() | |
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams and Steve Meretzky 5 votes "The babelfish puzzle" [+]"The babelfish puzzle" --Jeremy Freese... "Babel Fish" [+]"Babel Fish: There's nothing like a multi-stage puzzle when it's done well..." --Mike Sousa... "Babel fish" [+]"Babel fish" ( ![]() | |
All Things Devours, by half sick of shadows 4 votes "The time travel puzzle." [+]"The time travel puzzle." ( ![]() | |
Enchanter, by Marc Blank, Dave Lebling 3 votes "The puzzle of redrawing links" [+]"The puzzle of redrawing links" ( ![]() | |
The Lurking Horror, by Dave Lebling 2 votes "The chain puzzle" [+]"The chain puzzle: The complexity and mechanics behind the chain puzzle makes it pure joy to solve. Extremely rewarding." --Lester T Hobbs... "The chain puzzle" [+]"The chain puzzle: An unexpectedly rich use of the world model." ( ![]() | |
Sorcerer, by Steve Meretzky 2 votes "The time travel paradox in the coal mine. It is really mind-blowing." [+]"The time travel paradox in the coal mine. It is really mind-blowing.: A true masterstroke. The logic of the puzzle is brilliant while at the same time being completely illogic by its very nature. Requires some good thinking, and once solved it will stick in your mind. There was even a forum discussion on it: http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.int-fiction/browse_thread/thread/c4d47a4ee8acfc0b/2a17cbf697aa4447?lnk=raot" --Lester T Hobbs... "The..." [+]"The three-dimensional glass maze" --Gemma Bristow... ![]() | |
Curses, by Graham Nelson 2 votes "The slide projector puzzle" [+]"The slide projector puzzle: The slide projector puzzle is not at all the hardest puzzle in the game, but is surely one of the most captivating and beautiful ones I remember." ( ![]() | |
Adventurer's Consumer Guide, by Øyvind Thorsby 2 votes "Several, especially the gambling puzzle and the puzzle involving an opening between rooms" [+]"Several, especially the gambling puzzle and the puzzle involving an opening between rooms" ( ![]() | |
Leather Goddesses of Phobos, by Steve Meretzky 1 vote "The Sultan's Riddle" [+]"The Sultan's Riddle: I'm not a big fan of riddles, as a rule, but the Sultan's Riddle turns the whole idea of the riddle sideways through the fourth dimension, complete with several good responses to wrong answers (because, until you figure out what the riddle is really doing, there's gonna be some wrong answers ...) The other LGoP puzzle that I remember fondly is the swordfight in space (which, despite the racy nature of the game, isn't nearly as racy as the phrase "swordfight in space" might suggest)." ( ![]() | |
A Mind Forever Voyaging, by Steve Meretzky 1 vote "Stopping the..." [+]"Stopping the saboteurs" ( ![]() | |
Cragne Manor, by Ryan Veeder, Jenni Polodna, Adam Whybray, Adri, Andrew Plotkin, Andy Holloway, Austin Auclair, Baldur Brückner, Ben Collins-Sussman, Bill Maya, Brian Rushton, Buster Hudson, Caleb Wilson, Carl Muckenhoupt, Chandler Groover, Chris Jones, Christopher Conley, Damon L. Wakes, Daniel Ravipinto, Daniel Stelzer, David Jose, David Petrocco, David Sturgis, Drew Mochak, Edward B, Emily Short, Erica Newman, Feneric, Finn Rosenløv, Gary Butterfield, Gavin Inglis, Greg Frost, Hanon Ondricek, Harkness Munt, Harrison Gerard, Ian Holmes, Ivan Roth, Jack Welch, Jacqueline Ashwell, James Eagle, Jason Dyer, Jason Lautzenheiser, Jason Love, Jeremy Freese, Joey Jones, Joshua Porch, Justin de Vesine, Justin Melvin, Katherine Morayati, Kenneth Pedersen, Lane Puetz, Llew Mason, Lucian Smith, Marco Innocenti, Marius Müller, Mark Britton, Mark Sample, Marshal Tenner Winter, Matt Schneider, Matt Weiner, Matthew Korson, Michael Fessler, Michael Gentry, Michael Hilborn, Michael Lin, Mike Spivey, Molly Ying, Monique Padelis, Naomi Hinchen, Nate Edwards, Petter Sjölund, Q Pheevr, Rachel Spitler, Reed Lockwood, Reina Adair, Riff Conner, Roberto Colnaghi, Rowan Lipkovits, Sam Kabo Ashwell, Scott Hammack, Sean M. Shore, Shin, Wade Clarke, Zach Hodgens, Zack Johnson 1 vote "Zarf's room and Jeremy Freese's romos come to mind" [+]"Zarf's room and Jeremy Freese's romos come to mind" ( ![]() | |
Hard Puzzle, by Ade McT 1 vote "The hard puzzle." [+]"The hard puzzle." ( ![]() | |
Beyond Zork, by Brian Moriarty 1 vote "The lighthouse monsters" [+]"The lighthouse monsters: Beyond Zork's puzzles frequently fit a specific theme, which is considering the very ordinary properties of things in lateral ways. The challenges in the lighthouse (particularly the dustbunnies and the dornbeast) show this off to excellent effect, since they reward thorough, flexible thinking without relying on obscure information. Or maybe I just like them because I managed to solve them without hints (but there's something very special about the image of rolling a giant onion up a cliffside road). Another puzzle worthy of note is the reading-the-amulet puzzle beneath the Rusty Lantern tavern, and the temporal reversal of a standard transmogrification puzzle (you need a caterpillar, so you catch a butterfly ...)" ( ![]() | |
Plundered Hearts, by Amy Briggs 1 vote "The..." [+]"The drinks-pouring puzzle." ( ![]() | |
Lock & Key, by Adam Cadre 1 vote "Working out the..." [+]"Working out the correct sequence of traps. (Most of the game, that is.)" ( ![]() | |
Delightful Wallpaper, by Andrew Plotkin ('Edgar O. Weyrd') 1 vote "Opening the doors" [+]"Opening the doors" ( ![]() | |
The Frenetic Five vs. Mr. Redundancy Man, by Neil deMause 1 vote "The final puzzle is one of my favorites" [+]"The final puzzle is one of my favorites" --Bernie... ![]() | |
The Tiny House, by Dan Doyle III 1 vote "Saving the Three..." [+]"Saving the Three Little Pigs. Getting the Celuxed spell. Establishing the Past." ( ![]() | |
The Black Lily, by Hannes Schueller 1 vote "Unlocking the..." [+]"Unlocking the bathroom cabinet." ( ![]() | |
Being Andrew Plotkin, by J. Robinson Wheeler 1 vote "The recursion puzzle" [+]"The recursion puzzle" --Emily Short... ![]() | |
Zork III, by Dave Lebling, Marc Blank 1 vote "the royal puzzle" [+]"the royal puzzle" ( ![]() | |
Hard Puzzle 2 : The Cow, The Stool and Other Animals, by Ade McT 1 vote "Excellent single puzzle" [+]"Excellent single puzzle: This game takes place on a farm. You have one objective. The solution may not be obvious, but then again, it is called Hard Puzzle (2)!" ( ![]() | |
Poll created on June 6, 2009