Christminster hints?

Playing Game Hints
1

I’m playing Christminster for the first time after seeing @joelburton recommend it in the “about” text of Our Lady of Thorns, and I’m quite enjoying the story and setting! However, I’m struggling with the puzzles and often finding myself turning to the in-game hint system, which isn’t always the most helpful. I’ve resorted to using the walkthrough linked on IFDB a few times, but I much prefer getting hints to relying on a walkthrough. So my question is, does anyone know if comprehensive hints for Christminster exist anywhere? My Google searches and searches of this forum haven’t turned up anything, but I wanted to check just in case.

And then a more specific question about my playthrough…

spoilers

I think based on things I’ve glimpsed in the walkthrough that I’m in an unwinnable situation at this point—I assume that with Edward and his parrot reunited, there’s no way to get back across the river?

This is my current inventory:

  your handbag (which is open)
    a retort
      some transparent gum
    five peanuts
    a bee-keeper's veil
    a brown glass bottle (which is empty)
    a telegram
    a green glass bottle
      some pale liquid
    a map of Biblioll College
    a note
    two books:
      "Men of Biblioll"
      a lab book
    four keys:
      one iron
      one steel
      one copper
      one brass

And my score:

    27 
       getting the police constable involved in a magic trick
       breaking a window
       stealing a key from the sleeping don
       successfully hiding the key from the don
       getting into Biblioll college
       visiting the Master of Biblioll College
       visiting the library
       borrowing a copy of Arkwright from the Master
       acquiring the key to Malcolm's room
       entering Malcolm's room
       finding Malcolm's lab book
       hiding Malcolm's lab book from Doctor Jarboe
       visiting Professor Wilderspin
       opening the secret passage
       escaping from the secret passage
       finding a secret way into the library
       finding the old bottle in the wine cellar
       hiding from the cook
       sneaking into Professor Bungay's rooms
       escaping from Professor Bungay
       opening the garden shed
       leading Edward Forbes to his parrot
       crossing the river
       recapturing the parrot
       visiting Edward Forbes
       lighting the gas ring
       eavesdropping on a telephone conversation
     3 
       finding various books
4 Likes
2

Huh. Perhaps you missed him getting in the punt and he rowed across without you? If so, you may be stuck.

While I really like the setting and the characters in it, it is a cruel game.

I’ll say, though, you’ve got a lot done! Big props for figuring out how to listen in on the call. Figuring out exactly how to do that took me a long long time.

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There is a solution file here: :: CASA :: Christminster (christminster.txt)

But that’s spoilers, not hints. Perhaps you can point a housemate to it and then ask them for hints? :wink:

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Speaking as Tabitha’s only housemate, please don’t drag me into this. :laughing:

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5

I think my issue at this point is that Edward is settled back in his room, so he’s got no reason to return to punting; I was hoping there would be an alternate way to cross the river again now that I know I need honey, but I’m guessing not! I think I’m just going to have to return to an earlier save; apparently I also need his tears and have missed my chance there as well.

I have to admit that I fully followed that walkthrough you linked in order to complete the telephone wire puzzle, and I still don’t understand why those steps worked! :sweat_smile:

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6

I restarted the game tonight and actually finished! I consulted the solution file liberally this time because I didn’t want to risk softlocking myself again, although I did manage to solve the dinner puzzles myself, and it was a fun moment when after successfully dragging Malcolm’s dead body to safety, I realized I should restore and give him the elixir.

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7

Yay! It’s definitely an old-school cruel game, but: did you have fun?

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Overall, yes! Frustration at times, too, but I did enjoy it and am glad to have played it.

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9

Christminster was among the very first games I played when I rediscovered interactive fiction back in 2003 or thereabouts. I went back and played again a couple years ago, and definitely felt it followed the conventions of an earlier age, but still one of the best games of its era (better than Curses, if you’re looking for something with a coherent plot and storyline)

3 Likes