I reviewed my notes on Curses! and noticed that my list of respones from the angel and the demon is incomplete. Do anyone know how to/what triggers the missing responses?
(BIG spoiler below)
Things you can ask the demon about:
Premonition - In the premonition, it is vital to get hold of the mascot for later use.
Battery, Torch - It’s no use poking about on the attic floor for fresh torch batteries, because there aren’t any.
Jemima, Gloves - Your Aunt Jemima is not the kind of woman to be distracted by music or frivolous presents, mark my words.
Marie Swelldon, Novel - Novels are, of course, invariably written by people using their real names, not disguised in any way.
Daisies - The thing about daisies is, they are the same all year round, not changing with the calendar.
Medicine Bottle - Modern medicine bottles can even withstand falls from a great height. I should try heat if I were you.
Demijohn - You can easily get a grip on the demijohn with your bare hands.
Bottle - The answer’s the same, whichever bottle you meant. That counts as your hint, I’m afraid. Not very fair, but then I am a demon.
Heaven - The demon acknowledges the question, but cannot bring himself to speak of Heaven.
Hell - Hell? Oh this isn’t your eternal damnation, it’s mine, having to answer all these wretched questions. No, Hell itself is a marvellous place, and it has an excellent health club too. Look forward to seeing you there.
Postcard - Don’t worry, there’s nothing written there. No need to look at the problem in a fresh light.
Joshua - History never repeats itself, so it’s pointless looking him up in the book.
Isaac - The really interesting stuff is at the very start of his working life.
Museum - Forget it, there’s no way to return from the museum, and Doktor Stein’s medicine has no antidote.
Merlyn - Merlyn doesn’t really come into this. Try working on something else.
Hat - Literally, Merlyn’s actual hat. Green pointy felt, I wouldn’t wonder.
Book - The answer’s the same, whichever book you meant. That counts as your hint, I’m afraid. Not very fair, but then I am a demon.
Ebenezer - Ebenezer? He’s absolutely central to this. Concentrate on him, definitely.
Projector - Trouble with holiday snaps is, once somebody gets the old slide projector going, a boring time is on the cards for all.
Rods - You’ll need to be wide awake and alert to work out what to do with them. Finding them is easy - just remember to keep an eye out for short, fat things.
Tarot Cards - Clairvoyantes are expert at detecting stacked decks, so it’s no good cheating.
Boat - Phlebas runs a very badly-advertised service, I’m afraid. I’ve got no time for him.
Mouse - Once the mouse is in the hole, forget it, it couldn’t hear you even if you talked to the hole instead. But there is an alternative method.
Key - Your fault for letting the key get into the foundations - nothing can get in there to retrieve it.
Radio - Marvellous, marvellous contraption. Starts the moment you switch it on, and then nothing but solid gold classics all the way. You can really concentrate when that’s playing.
Fireplace - What, the blocked-up old fireplace that doesn’t lead anywhere? You need to be carrying plenty of equipment to get down it - don’t worry if it’s dark at the bottom, after all there’s nothing you can do about that.
Sandstone Recess - The sandstone recess is probably impassible. Better try only when you’re wide awake.
Austin - Austin’s a perfect devil, isn’t he? She, I should say. Good for nothing except getting in the way, of course. Walks into walls just when you don’t want, but at least Jemima calms her down.
Smoke Detector - Smoke detectors like yours are specially rigged not to be triggered by accidental shafts of light.
Ship - Of course the ship is far too large and ungainly ever to fit in the bottle.
??? - 3c360: S980 “~Cold comfort.~”
Alison Bed - A good blanket might be a plain, colourless sort of covering with no emblem to it.
Revolving Door - The thing about the revolving door is, you can only revolve it when you’re already standing inside.
Cabinet - Unbreakable glass.
??? - 3c3f0: S984 “~A vital clue, and useful in its own right.~”
Curses - The greatest computer game of all time. I’m proud to be a part of it.
??? - 3c43c: S986 “The demon blushes. ~Wasn’t my fault! My partner made a mess of it.~”
Things you can show the demon:
Returning Rod - Well, that’s not very useful, is it? I’d go on strike if I were you.
Stalking Rod - It has no horticultural application.
Crumpled Paper - Immensely useful, that.
Electric Torch - Pity you can’t change the batteries.
Chocolat Biscuit - He eats it
History of the Meldrews - What a boring old book! There’s nobody worth looking up.
Classical Dictionary - Lots of naughty words in that one.
Scarf - The very height of fashion, if you ignore the colours and wear it regardless.
Bird Whistle - It has a calm, soothing effect.
Gift-Wrapped Parcel - Shame the wrapping paper won’t come off.
Box of Chocolate - Far too nice to give to anybody else. In fact…
Wrapping Paper - The reindeer have enormous significance.
Postcard - There’s no message there to read.
Medicine Bottle - These bottles can even survive long drops, so perhaps you should try fire.
Red Tablet - This drug is for fun, it isn’t an antidote. And it tastes gorgeous…
Romantic Novel - Don’t bother reading or thinking about it. Nothing to do with your family.
Poetry Book - My my, a golden age for clear, simple poetry. At last, an end to the dreary obscurity of Tennyson, Kipling and Hardy.
New Battery - That is a difficult puzzle, yes.
Rucksack - It might be handy, if only it could carry anything.
Painting of Mad Isaac - Carry this with you everywhere you go.
Gas Mask - The cork filters have gone. It’s useless now.
Gothic Iron Key - Unfortunately, what you need this for is up in the clouds.
Sooty Old Stick - It’s exactly what it seems.
Prayer Book - The really good research was in his earlier years.
Delicate Gold Key - Gold and lead are naturally related, so you want to find a lead box to open.
Red Battery - It’s provided for your torch, and not for anything else.
Tourist Map - Purely decorative.
Gloves - Good for nothing. Why would you want gloves on?
Daisy Chain - Dangerous to wear. But at least any sort of daisies will do.
Chicken Wishbone - It isn’t even mentioned in any of the books I’ve read.
Robot Mouse - It can’t even follow orders.
Brass Key - It isn’t the attic key, I fear.
Ragged Scroll - What taste! What artistry!
Framed Charcoal Sketch - It’s the frame which really sets it off.
Charcoal Sketch - Charcoal is so unrealistic, don’t you agree? Besides, it’s far too large and clumsy.
Old Letter - The ravings of a madman. Ignore it.
Poster - What a very useful piece of paper. Pity there’s writing on it.
Grim Reaper - It’s vital you slide right along with this one.
Fool - Don’t worry, he won’t slide down the cliff.
Drowned Sailor - He’s one of my colleagues now, of course.
Oak Quarterstaff - Shoddy workmanship, but never mind, it’s only a staff and who needs those any more?
Silk Handkerchief - People had no style in those days, before they invented paper tissues. I mean this tatty cloth is hardly attractive, is it?
Map of Paris - Burn it! Burn it at once!
Tarot Box - There’s nothing worthwhile in it.
Castle - It leads nowhere.
Star - Ugh, what a nasty bright light. Good thing you’ll never go there.
Eight of Wands - There’s less to this card than meets the eye.
Maiden - What an ugly girl! Bet she’s good for a laugh though.
Ace of Cups - It leads nowhere.
Shepherd’s Crook - Just a crook. And what’s wrong with crooks, that’s what I say.
Timer-detonator - Time flies down here, you know. Eternity simply breezes by.
Amber Hairband - Mmm… it still has her perfume on it. Hehehehe. Bet she’s dead now.
Fig - You can ask a god for a date, but they just don’t give a fig.
Ekmek Special - Better with chocolate ice cream, I think.
Flag - Piece of advice - it’s never very comfortable wrapping yourself in the Flag.
Old Timber Spar - A plain old piece of timber.
Miniature - What’s the point of a drawing so small it might almost be a playing card?
Bean Pole - Whatever you do, it’ll always be a bean pole.
Croquet Mallet - It’s for mashing croquet potatoes.
Bluish Stone - I wouldn’t wave that around if I were you!
Heavy Iron Mascot - An absolute essential.
Model of Ugly Animal - Exquisite. Simply charming.
Green Oak Quarterstaff - Ready to use.
Spindle - Don’t go waving this about.
Mystic Scroll - Don’t you believe it!
Bunch of Nuts - Nuts to you too.
Crescent Moon - It leads nowhere.
Carbolic Soap - That’s the spirit, keep it up!
Things you can ask the angel about:
Heaven - Heaven? Oh this isn’t your eternal salvation, it’s mine, able to serve by answering all these delightful questions. No, Heaven itself is a marvellous place, and it has an excellent health club too. Look forward to seeing you there.
Hell, Demon - The angel acknowledges the question, but cannot bring herself to speak of Hell.
Rods - The rods definitely fit into all this somewhere.
Maze - If only you could have been there when the maze was being laid out!
Master Game - The master game is like a point at infinity to we mortals,~ the angel says wistfully.
Infinity - All a matter of fitting the rods in somewhere.
Andromeda - How she must long to let her hair down now, instead of being chained to that rock,~ the angel says sorrowfully. ~But in deference to her wishes, I cannot help you rescue her.
??? - 3c640: S994 “~Amazing fortune you must have in finding it, I can tell.~”
Folly - Ah yes, we must all lament for human folly,~ says the angel, misunderstanding completely.
Zeus - Zeus wasn’t a true god, of course,~ the angel predictably insists, ~just a manifestation of the laws of physics to an Ancient Greek, a kind of symbol for the way the universe fundamentally worked.
Lighthouse - 3c718: S997 “The angel maintains a tight-lipped silence.”
??? - 3c734: S998 “~That’s too dangerous a rod to actually use, of course, and the Church no longer approves of martyrs.~”
Luck - Is there really such a thing as luck, or free will? It’s a theological grey area,~ says the angel with fine casuistry.
??? - 3c7c4: S1000 “~Certainly a thorny problem, that.~”
Evans - Old Evans would never give you his mascot of his own free will.
??? - 3c80c: S1002 “~One has to reflect on ugliness like that.~”
Golden Watch - It’s quite hypnotically fascinating, don’t you think?
Squirrel - Squirrels are very fond of nuts, but you can’t trust them an inch.
Spade - Just think what that would do to a decent lawn! Oh, it makes me go cold all over.
Croquet Lawn - Whatever is a croquet lawn for, if not to play croquet? Although, now I think about it, there is something else down there.
Anoppe - Ah yes, a code word understood by certain of Alexander the Great’s slaves. But you’d have to be in the right place at the right time.
Tombstone - The mouth is the key, or rather the lock.
Sphinx - Do be careful. The sphinxes are only made of stone, but they could easily give you nightmares.
Couch - Jolly comfortable, some of those funeral couches.
Coffin - A one-way ride, but that’s life.
Knight - Once fired with life, the knight will only be yours to command when he has discharged his chivalric duty.
??? - 3ca44: S1013 “~Some of those ancient knights were rather loose, but perhaps that’s better than being screwed up.~”
Library - The Great Library isn’t for passing hooligans, you know,~ says the angel reprovingly. ~Besides, the guards understand their duty by the Cat God far too well to let you through.
Apollonius, Callimachus - They’re always at each other’s throats. I shudder to think what might happen if a real fight broke out.
Procession - Oh, find yourself a costume, join the party!
Quarterstaff - The green wood may one day make a really good staff, but it could take ages. Better leave it with someone for safe keeping.
High Rod - Some choices are inevitable and permanent, at least in this world.
??? - 3cbd4: S1019 “~Do be careful of the trap, won’t you! You might want to take precautions with the opening.~”
??? - 3cc0c: S1020 “~Let me see.~”
Statues - You appreciate, in my position I can’t really comment on graven images of pagan gods. Better try some dictionary or other.
Oracle - That woman will rabbit on, once you set her off. But only if you sacrifice something. Will you be joining us next Harvest Sunday, by the way?
Oil - Ooh, it does make me shiver, thinking of the way they used to pour oil over themselves, anointing they called it.
Homer - Shabby old gossip, Homer, always reminds me of Peter Falk. Anyway, just give him his answers. Shouldn’t be too hard, with what you’re wearing and carrying.
Summer House - Going in round the front just scares the birds away, I fear.
Contraption - Find out what you can about your ancestor who built it - his tomb isn’t far away. Then reflect as best you can on the problem.
Ozone - Well, if you know what the odour is, that’s the main thing.
Things you can show the angel:
Fire Rod - This is rather dangerous, I’m afraid. Use only on vegetative matter.
Infinity Rod - Well, where might you have seen infinity before?
Husbandry Rod - Perhaps you should look up “husbandry” in a dictionary.
Bronze Rod - Bronze is the key here. Have you seen any other bronze anywhere?
Sacrifice Rod - Far, far too dangerous. The age of martyrs in the church is long gone, you know.
Luck Rod - Well, if there’s such a thing as luck, maybe this would help.
Ice Rod - Use only at heated moments, when affairs are delicately balanced.
Life Rod - Astonishing! One of the three high Rods!
Death Rod - Astonishing! One of the three high Rods!
Love Rod - Astonishing! One of the three high Rods!
Jewellery Box - Try investigating the world of the romantic novel, out on the balconies of life.
Four-Leafed Clover - Not much use as it is, is it?
Flash - When you can get this working, perhaps you should take it somewhere prominent.
Map of Paris - What a very useful map! Now you can go on holiday.
Matchbook - Ah, I fear it is only a token clue.
Smooth Round Stone - Doesn’t the shape strike you as familiar at all? - There, that should point you in the right direction.
Papyrus Fragment - You need more evidence before you can begin deciphering the language, I fear.
Timer-Detonator - Good photographic gear that. You didn’t get it from a… well, a bomb, I hope.
Mounted Bottle - The great challenge, of course, is to get a ship inside.
Ship in a Bottle - Oh, well done! Why not take a closer look, you deserve it?
Model Ship - The great challenge, of course, is to get it inside a bottle.
Stick with an Anchor - The great challenge, of course, is to get it inside a bottle.
Fig - Good enough for a god.
Ekmek Special - Doesn’t somebody else need this more than you?
Copper Coin - This currency is only valid in ancient Greece. Where on earth have you been?
Inscribed Stone - Whoever wrote this must have wanted to get the message across very badly, to write it all out twice.
Pan Pipes - Marvellous! A sound to soothe the spirit.
Amber Gem - Isn’t there some classical legend about her?
Green Branch - Oh, you startled me for a moment there! I am getting flighty.
Wooden Ball - Splendid, you’re having a ball. I do hope you hit it off.
Weed Killer Bottle - The funny thing is, they didn’t have weedkillers in the early nineteenth century, and yet they still planned some marvellous gardens
Spade - Do you think there’s anywhere in the garden particularly suitable for such an implement?
Marble Rose - Perfection set in stone. Not a gift for mortal women!
Croquet Mallet - Croquet is the Devil’s own game!
Gold Watch - How easily are the weak mesmerised by baubles.
Strongbox - You might have read about this. One of your ancestors is the key, perhaps?
Golden Astrolabe - A mighty fine instrument, though not much use hand-held.
Rusty Iron Key - Oh dear, surely it’s gratingly obvious what this fits?
Adamantine Heart - There must be more to this marvellous figure somewhere.
Cloak of many Colours - Are you sure it isn’t inside out?
Grey Cloak - Are you sure it isn’t inside out?
Model of Ugly Animal - Oh dear.
Golden Sceptre - Of no use to anyone these last two thousand years, sorry!
Adamantine Skull - There must be more to this marvellous figure somewhere.
Green Oak Quarterstaff - Perhaps it could be put aside for later use.
Silver Keepsake - For me? Oh, you shouldn’t have… oh, you didn’t. Well give it to someone else then.
Alpha Tube - Surely this is addressed to someone?
Kappa Tube - Surely this is addressed to someone?
Scroll with Short Poem - Oh my. “I touch your… and the scent of you rises from… your beautiful…” I’d better not read the rest. Strictly for aficionados.
Scroll with Epic Poem - Oh my. Well, the plot, um, there are seven attackers, all with different shields, one for each of the seven city gates, and it’s a civil war so of course the brothers are really in a duel and there are champions and the women are upset but it’s all because of their brother who was really their father… Never mind. It’s strictly for aficionados.
Mystic Scroll - We in the afterlife, um, have a policy of never commenting on leaked documents.
Bunch of Nuts - Do you know, I love nuts, but I have to be so careful what I eat now… Still, the little ones will have them.
Adamantine Hand - There must be more to this marvellous figure somewhere.
Carbolic Soap - Really! How disgraceful!
