infocom/hints/solutions/zorkzero.txt

Walkthru
              for:
                                     ZORK ZERO

 GENERAL DESCRIPTION

 ZORK ZERO is a text adventure with some graphic additions. Since there is
only one small maze in the entire ZORK ZERO game, I will give detailed
directions for reaching a place only when they are absolutely necessary. I
will only refer you to the parchment, calendar, and blueprint that come with
the game for information needed from them. I do recommend saving your game
frequently.

 PROLOGUE

 You start as a waiter in the banquet hall. Follow the orders you receive to
go to the Scullery, the Kitchen, and back to the Banquet Hall. A few moves
later Megaboz will appear. Dive under the table, and after the panic, be sure
to stand up and take the piece of parchment. Everything will fade after the
king dies, and the real game will start 94 years later.

 FIRST EXPLORATIONS

  You start in the great hall. Take the parchment and the calendar. Read the
parchment supplied with the game, and you will discover that you need 24 items
(2 for each of the 12 Flatheads) and a magic word to complete the game. Each
time you get one of these items, your score will go up by 12 points. South of
the hall are the audience chamber and the throne room, where you will find a
SCEPTER, the first of the 24 items you need. You can also read the
proclamation in the Entrance Hall, which is north






r starting place.

 West of the hall is a garden with a flamingo that you will need later, and a
locked door to the west wing. Northwest of the hall you will find a parlor
with a fish tank containing a lobster (needed later), and west of the Parlor,
the Torch Room. You can take the torches for amusement, but they will burn out
soon and are not really needed.

 East of the Great Hall is a Courtyard leading to the locked East Wing. North
of the Courtyard is the Banquet Hall, which is a good place to leave most
objects while they are not needed.

 Upstairs and South from the great hall in the Gallery is a rebus which is
covered by six flattened animals. Go South into the closet, and press the
button there; one of the animals will be removed from the rebus. You will
encounter five more such buttons, each of which will remove an animal when
pressed. Take the bag of food from the Closet.

GENERAL HINTS

 Every time you obtain one of the 24 needed items, your score will increase by
12 points. There is a character called the Jester, who will both help and
annoy you. He will give you a funny paper and a slate, both of which contain
important information that may vary from game to game. When he sticks a clown
nose on your face, you must remove it before you suffocate. When he turns you
into an alligator, you will drop all your possessions and be unable to pick up
anything until you turn back a few moves






. When the bedbug appears, sleep, yawn, lie down, or sing a lullaby to get rid
of it.

 THE SECRET WING

 Read the calendar, especially the FUN FAX for Suspendur. Follow the
suggestion to get into the secret wing. Take the candle from the secret
passage; it seems to be a magic candle that will stay lit. Go south and go
west at the Tee to the Solar. There is a key here for the East Wing. To take
the key you must solve the Jester's riddle: The answer is "Y."

 West of the Solar is Dimwit's Room and a closet containing a magic glove and
a magic cloak. Take them and wear the glove. You will need the cloak later.
There is a fly in the Parapet above the Solar, but you will not be able to get
it now.

 Follow the east branch of the Tee to the Bottom of Stair. Go South into the
Dungeon, and down the hole. Take and wear the SEAMAN'S CAP (second of the 24
items), and wait a few turns if necessary. The Jester will appear and ask you
a riddle: If he is identical to his brother, but is not a twin, then what is
he? Answer triplet (or quadruplet or quintuplet), and you will escape from the
Oubliette.

 Go to the Torture chamber southwest of the dungeon, and open all the torture
devices until you find and take the METRONOME (item 3).


 EXPLORING THE OUTDOORS

 Go to the Entrance Hall, and ring the bell. The Jester will ask you a riddle.
Answer "time," and the Portcullis will open. Go north to the Inner Bailey, and
take the worm (needed later). Continue northwest to the Causeway and Barbican.
Go up, and turn the wheel to open the bridge. Continue northwest to the
Drawbridge, and the Outer Bailey. The Perimeter Wall northwest of the Bailey
cannot be passed until the end of the game.

 Go southwest from the Bailey to the Garrison, and open the locker. Take the
key, which opens the West wing. Go northeast and follow the northeast path to
the Shady Park. You can explore the church to the South, but it is not
essential to the game. In the URS Office North of the park, answer
"bookkeeper" to the riddle and take the Zorkmid Coin. Go back to the park, and
East to the Village Center. The courtroom to the North is not essential to the
game.

 Go south from the Village Center to the Post Office. Take the package and
open it. The magic homing pigeon works as follows: Anyone who takes it will be
transported to the location of the perch. Go north to the Center, and east to
the FrobozzCo Lobby. Climb to the office of Frank Lloyd Flathead (see the
calendar for its location) and take the T-SQUARE (item 4). Then walk down to
the basement.

 Press the button in the basement, and continue South to Philharmonic hall.
Stand on the conductor's stand, and you will be transported to the basement.
Get off and take the VIOLIN (item 5). Get back on the stand to re-enter the
hall. The areas to the south and east are not essential to the game. Return to
the Lobby, and continue east and north to the Magic Shop, where you can take
the Ring of Ineptitude. Go back to the castle.


EAST WING

 Make sure you have the iron key and the candle, and go to the Courtyard.
Unlock and open the door. North of the East Wing is the Library. Touch the
armor 3 times to get the LANCE (item 6). Read the encyclopedia about various
things. In particular, read the entry about the Jester, as you will need his
name. South of the East Wing is a Chapel. Open the trap door, which is a short
cut to the Crypt.

 East of the East Wing are the Guest Rooms. Take the wand, which can animate
or freeze objects for 16 turns. Go east again to the Servants' Quarters, and
up to the Jester's Quarters. Open the large door, and go North twice to the
Pyramid room. Take and wear the goggles. They will enable you to look into
objects. Return to the Jester's Quarters.

 Open the small door, and you will be confronted by the Tower Of Bozbar (more
commonly known as the Tower of Hanoi). [Ed's note: Save your game before
starting this puzzle!] The recursive procedure to solve this puzzle is as
follows: To move N weights from one peg to another, move N-1 weights to the
remaining peg, move the Nth weight to the target peg, and move the N-1 weights
to the target peg. The large door in the Jester's Quarters will open only when
all weights are on one of the pegs, and will l






 1 of 3 different rooms, each of which contains an object you need.

 You already have the goggles from the center peg. Move the weights to the
right peg (it will take 63 moves) and obtain the MANUSCRIPT (item 7). Move the
weights to the left peg and obtain the cup with the magic potion. Return to
the main part of the Castle.

 WEST WING

 Make sure you have the candle, the wand, and the steel key, and are wearing
the goggles. Go down from the Kitchen, and take the Walnut. Then go into the
parlor, and point the wand at the Lobster; it will turn into a nutcracker. Go
south and southwest. Unlock and open the door, then enter the West Wing. Try
to go West from the West Wing and the Jester will ask you to show him
something that nobody has ever seen before and nobody will ever see again.
Open the walnut with the nutcracker, and show it to






ester. Then eat it. This will allow you to go further West later on.

 North of the West Wing is the Peg Room. Play Peggleboz (If you are unable to
win, one solution is QG SQ HR UL IK TI EJ OG AE FN MO LJ PF FC BD DK QG EJ
OG.) Go north to the Gaming Room. The Jester will play a shell game. Since you
are wearing the goggles, you will see exactly where the ZORKMID BILL (item 8)
is. Point there and you will get it. Stow all your items, and pick up the
DUMBBELL (item 9) in the gym south of the West Wing. Return to the main part
of the Castle and stow the dumbbell.

 UNDERGROUND

 Make sure you have the candle, the coin, the pigeon, the perch, and the
cloak, and are wearing the glove. (Note: You may have to try more than once to
pick up the pigeon.) Go down from the Great Hall to the Lower Hall, and down
again to the Lowest Hall.

 To the South is a closed vault door. Examine the door, then examine the dial,
and turn it to any number. Because of the dexterity the glove gives you, you
will automatically crack the safe. Open the door, go south, and take the STOCK
CERTIFICATE (item 10). Also go north from the Lowest hall, and take the magic
passages. Read the notice that flies out when you take them.

 From the Lower hall, go southwest to the Great Underground Highway, south to
the Exit, and west to the Field Office. The blueprint there is supplied with
the game. The memo indicates that a hard-hat was left in one of the lots. Go
west to lot 47.

 The closest you can get to the hat is a Knight's (as in chess) move away. Go
there; you will need to install the magic passages to do so. You do not need
the hammer you will find along the way. When you arrive, drop the perch and
wear the cloak You will be transported to the Plain, an area constructed like
a chessboard. Explore the area until you find one of the knights. Drop the
pigeon; the knight will pick it up and be transported.

 Take off the cloak to return from the plain. The knight will be with you
holding the pigeon and the perch. Take the pigeon from him, and tell him to go
to the hard-hat location: "SOLDIER, x THEN xx." Drop the pigeon, and take it
to join him. He will be wearing the hard-hat. Tell him to reverse his move,
and repeat the process with the pigeon. Take all to get the hat and the perch,
and work your way out of the construction zone.

 From the Exit go south to the Crossroad, and south again to the Toll Booth.
Read the sign and put the coin in the basket. Ditch the cloak, and other
unneeded items here, or your hands will be too full. Follow the south path all
the way to the Orb Room, and take the orbs. Return to the Crossroads and go
east to the Cave-In. The Jester will ask you for his middle name, which you
found in the encyclopedia. Answer correctly, and take the anti-pit bomb.

 Return to the Lower Hall, and go down twice to the Pits. Throw the bomb at
the pits, and you will be able to take the LANTERN (item 11). Go back up to
the lower hall and north to the Laboratory and take the SCREWDRIVER (item 12).
Return to the castle to stow your loot.


 PORT FOOZLE

 Make sure you are carrying the candle, and are NOT carrying the pigeon. Go
back to the Crossroads and take the west path. When you reach the Fork,
continue west all the way to the Wharf, and west to the Casino. The Jester
will ask you to play Double Fanucci. Sit down and begin playing. If you read
the calendar about Babe Flathead, you will be able to eventually win, and take
the broom.

 Stand up and go south, east, and north to reach the Inquisition. Take the box
that is there, and a number, and read the rules. When your number comes up,
enter "EXECUTIONER, BEHEAD ME," which is paradoxical to the posted rules. You
will be put back into the Fishing Village. Go south twice, and southeast to
the Warning Room. It is a good idea to save your game at this point. Read the
sign and go northeast to the Room of Three Doors. Read the doors. Two of the
doors have statements that would both be






f the door led to Wishyfoo territory. Open the remaining door, and take the
shovel. Go down, and you will be at the fork.

 Return to the castle. In the Secret Wing go to the Cell, which is southeast
from the Dungeon. Sweep the cobwebs, and you will find a GLASS FLASK (item
13). Go north from the Bottom of Stair and north again into the crypt. By now
you should have received the funny paper. Look under the indicated slab, and a
hole to the Oracle will appear. You should also have received the slate. Work
your way outdoors to the outer Bailey, stand at the stump (remember the slate
is old and the tree was living at the ti






ollow the directions, and dig with the shovel. Open the chest and take the
GAUDY CROWN (item 14). Return to the castle and stow everything.


THE LAKE AND DESERT AREAS

 Be sure to have the squid repellent, pigeon, perch, and candle, and to wear
the seaman's cap. Enter the Lower Level, and go southeast to the Royal Zoo,
and east to the West Shore of the Lake. Enter the dock; then enter the boat
and examine the controls. Press the white button (while wearing the cap), and
the yacht will go to the middle of the lake.

 Go down to the Hold, and examine the Bathysphere. Drop the squid repellent,
open the Bathysphere, enter it, close the door, and examine the controls. Turn
on the lights, put your hand in the hole, grab the squid repellent, and push
the lever down. Wait until you reach the bottom. Release the repellent, grab
the ruby, which is on the bottom, and push the lever up. When you reach the
top, remove your hand from the hole, open the door, get out, and take the
ruby.

 Go up, and press the green button to go to the South shore. Leave the yacht,
leave the dock, and go west to the stream. When you try to go west, the Jester
will ask you a riddle. Answer "music" and you will receive a DIPLOMA (item
15). Go back east, south to the Edge of Desert, east to the Great Underground
Savannah (you will get the fly later), and northeast to the Great Underground
Woods. Leave the fox for now, and continue north to the Base of Mountain. Go
east up the mountain and take the amulet

 Push the boulder, and you will be able to continue north to the Grotto. Press
the button (3) and continue northeast to the Shrine. The elixir here is toxic,
as you will discover if you use the straw from the kitchen to drink it, but
what you have to do is merely touch it. Leave most of your possessions here;
you need to keep the pigeon and the candle, and be sure to leave the perch. Go
to the Grotto, and go down. You will fall into the Lowest Hall with some
gravel. Take the gravel, the candle, and t






eon to get back. Put the gravel in the bowl, and repeat this two more times
(so that there are 3 helpings of gravel in the bowl). You can now touch the
elixir. This will enable you to take the flies. Take your possessions, and
wear the cap and the amulet.

 Return to the base of the mountain and go north to the Stable, where you can
take the SADDLE (item 16) and the rooster. On your way back to the docks take
the fox and the fly. Get onto the yacht, press the yellow button to go back,
make your way to the Castle, and stow you possessions. On your way back, pick
up the toboggan from the Kennels (west of the Royal Zoo). DO NOT leave the
rooster alone with either the fox or the worm!

 FENSHIRE

 Take ONLY the fox, rooster, and worm with you. Go to the West Hall, and
continue west to the Dirigible Hanger. Enter the dirigible, and press the
right button. Wait until you arrive in Fenshire. Leave the dirigible, go south
to the Deserted Castle, east to the Ruined Hall, and north to the Marsh.

 Give the fox, rooster, and worm to the Jester, who will now have all the
ingredients for Borphbelly Stew -- although he'll insist on going North to the
Nice Lunch Spot. You now face the old puzzle (more commonly given as fox,
goose, and corn). You can carry only one item, and cannot leave the rooster
with either the fox or the worm. The solution is: Carry the rooster north.
Drop it, return, and take the fox north. Take the rooster, and drop the fox.
Go south, take the worm, and drop the rooster. Go






 drop the worm, and return to take the rooster North.

 The Jester will make the stew, and you will end up in the Fenshire Hangar
with a hexagonal block. Press the left button to return to the Castle; you
will have to go to Fenshire again later.


 ORACLE AND GLACIER AREA

 Wear the amulet, and take the ruby, candle, toboggan, pigeon, perch and all 4
orbs. Go to the Crypt and down to the Oracle. Drop the perch, and put the ruby
in the depression to activate the Oracle. If you examine the amulet, anywhere
from none to all 4 of the eyes may be open. Every few turns the Oracle will
blink, and the number of open eyes will increase by 1 (or cycle from 4 to 0).
Enter the Oracle at a time when one eye is open; you will be transported to
the Glacier.

 Drop the toboggan, and ride it; you will slide down to Mirror Lake. Look at
all 4 orbs in the mirror. One of them will show a sleeping maiden. Discard the
3 that do not, throwing the last one east. The reaction will put you on the
west side of the lake. Enter the Chalet, and take the SCALE MODEL (item 17).
Drop and take the pigeon to return to the Oracle.

 CRAG AREA

 Leave the perch at the Oracle, continue wearing the amulet, and equip
yourself with the pigeon, the proper orb, candle, hexagonal block, and wand.
Go down to the Royal Zoo, and drop the pigeon. SAVE YOUR GAME AT THIS POINT.
You may have to wait a few turns here to get the timing right. You have only
16 turns before the rope reverts into a snake.

 Point the wand at the snake, which will turn into a rope. Open the cage, and
take the rope and the pigeon to get back to the Oracle. Enter the Oracle when
no eyes are open. You will be transported to the Crag. Go down to the Upper
Ledge, tie the rope to the Spire. Go down to the Lower Ledge, and take the
EASEL (item 18), and the LANDSCAPE (item 19). Drop and take the pigeon to get
back.

 Return to the Crag as before and press the button (4). Go northeast (or
southeast) to the Natural Arch, and down to the Enchanted Cave. Put the orb on
the altar, and take the flower. Return to the Crag, go southwest to the
Hollow. Put the block in the hole, and go south to the Iron Mine. Take the
sapphire, and return to the Oracle via the pigeon drop.

 Return to Fenshire, and go south from the Ruined Hall to the Hothouse, and
play Snarfem (Nim). If you do not know how to play look at the flowers. The
ones on the left show the pile number; those on the right show how many to
take. After you win, take the fan. In the Ruined Hall, put the flower in the
vase, go east, and take the ladder. Return to the castle.




ANTHARIA I

 Make sure you are wearing the hard-hat and the amulet, and have the candle,
pigeon, and lantern. Enter the Oracle when all 4 eyes are open; you will be
transported to the Mine Entrance. Go east to the Rubble Room, north to the
Heart of Mine, and north to the Crawl. Press the button there (5). Go
northwest and take the QUILL PEN (item 21).

 Leave the mine, go west to the Coast Road, and southwest to Flathead Stadium.
You will be unable to take the club. Go southeast to the Edge of Bog, and east
to the Cliff Bottom. Turn on the lantern, go up to the Precipice, and east to
the Aerie. A bird will take one of your light sources. Continue southeast to
the Icky Cave. Summon the witches (see the Ottobur page in the calendar to
learn how). Say hello to one of the witches. They'll ask for 6 gloops of water
from the Great Underground Oasis, and






ou a 9-gloop vial.

 Leave the Cave. Search the nest, and take the tie. Your light sources will be
at the Cliff Bottom. Turn off the lantern, and return to the castle via the
pigeon drop.

 FUBLIO VALLEY

 Make sure you are wearing the amulet, and carrying the candle, pigeon, and
ladder. Enter the Oracle when 3 eyes are open to reach the Foot of Statue. Go
southwest to the view, south to Outside Hut, and west to Megaboz's Hut. Read
the poem. Leave the ladder and climb it. Open the trap door, and go up to the
Attic. Press the button -- the last of the six buttons in the game. You will
come back later to open the trunk. Return to the view (leaving the ladder
behind). Go southeast to the Cairn, and east






side Shack. Read the sign and go northeast into Gumboz's Shack. Take the
4-gloop vial. Gumboz will cast a hunger spell on you. Return to the Castle by
the pigeon drop.

 BOOTHS

 Take the bag of food and the wand (as well as the candle you are carrying)
and go to the Formal Garden. Point the wand at the Flamingo; it will become a
lawn ornament. Go east to the Great Hall, down, and north twice to reach the
Testing Room. Put the Flamingo into one of the booths, and enter the other.
Open the bag and wait until the ornament becomes a Flamingo again. Press the
button, and YOU will become a flamingo! Eat the food to remove the hunger
spell.

 OASIS

 Make sure you are carrying both vials, the candle, and are wearing the cap.
Take the yacht to the green dock. Go south, west, and ride the camel. Before
the camel will enter the desert, he must drink water at the Stream. From the
Edge of Desert, go south, southwest, southeast twice, and northeast to the
Great Underground Oasis. Dismount. You can get 6 gloops as follows: Fill the
9-gloop vial, and fill the 4-gloop vial from it twice. This will leave 1 gloop
in the large vial, which you can transfer t






small one. Fill the large vial, and fill the 4-gloop vial from it. Six gloops
will remain in the 9-gloop vial.



 FUNGUS

 Return with the vial to the witches. When you give them the vial, they
discover that they need some brogmoid earwax. Take the cup of potion, and go
all the way down from the Great Hall to the Pits, and continue following the
path down to the ear of the brogmoid. Drink the potion and listen. The fungi
will be seeking a long-lost cousin (the name will vary from game to game).
Return to the Castle.




 MAGIC WORD AND EARWAX

 By now the entire rebus will be visible. The solution is (note that it is a
mirror image): TIRED PINE, IRON MINE, WORE, MAGIC STORE. These combine with
the poem in Megaboz's hut. Take the Ring of Ineptitude, and the sapphire (plus
candle, amulet, potion, pigeon). Return to the Fublio valley, and follow the
path west from the View all the way to On Top of the World. Drink more potion
and call for the cousin by name. Take the small fungus that appears.

 Work your way back down to the View. Go southeast, south and down to the
Quarry (in the shadow of a tired pine). Wear the Ring of Ineptitude (you will
drop all you are holding), and take the sapphire. Remove the ring. You can now
go to the Attic and unlock the trunk. Open the trunk and take the notebook and
the fly. Read the notebook to get the magic word.

 Gather your items and return to the castle. Work your way to the ear again,
and drop the fungus. You are now able to go further IN and take the earwax.
Finally, give the wax to the Antharian witches, and go grab the CLUB (item 23)
at the Stadium.

 DELTA AND ENDGAME

 Before going to the Delta, go to the Parapet above the Solar in the secret
wing, and take the fly there. Enter the Oracle when 2 eyes are open to reach
the delta. This is the only maze in the game. One solution is as follows: Go
southwest twice and then northwest to reach the toad. Try to take the SPYGLASS
(item 24). You will have to ask the toad for it. Furthermore, you will have to
call him by name. Look up his name in the calendar article on John Paul
Flathead. The toad will ask for the 4 flies,






ch you have 3.

 Go north, then northeast twice to the River's End. Take the fly and go
southwest, northwest, and southwest back to the toad. Give him the flies, and
ask for the spyglass. Take it and return to the Castle.   You should now have
all 24 items and the magic word. Do as instructed on the parchment. Now you
can go past the Perimeter Wall (northwest of the Outer Bailey), and watch the
Castle turn into the small white house with a mailbox: The starting point of
ZORK I!

 ZORK ZERO is published by Infocom, Inc. and distributed by MEDIAGENIC.

 This walkthru is copyright (c) 1989 by David Sachs. All rights
reserved.