Start of a transcript of JIGSAW An Interactive History Copyright (c) 1995 by Graham Nelson Release 3 / Serial number 951129 / Inform v1600 Library 6/1 Standard interpreter 1.1 Interpreter 1 Version C / Library serial number 951024 >list a1 a growth of mould in a Petri dish (solved) a2 a 33 r.p.m. vinyl long-playing record (solved) a3 a wall covered with graffiti a4 parklands strobed by laser light (solved) b1 a moustachioed invalid in bed (solved) b2 rolling, low sand dunes (solved) b3 a silver USAF-marked plane (solved) b4 white folds of snow (solved) c1 a cocktail in a glass, with tonic and ice (solved) c2 a horse-drawn state carriage (solved) c3 a racing steam train (solved) c4 the full moon in a blue sky (solved) d1 parklands with wrought iron gates d2 a lady wearing a crinoline dress d3 a Victorian country house (solved) d4 a shipping barge in a canal >set clock to 59 The clock starts, silently and slowly, and the jigsaw board pulses with a flickering amber light, warm and erratic as though from an oil lamp. >press d2 The piece at d2 presses in smoothly, like a button, then releases. You are sucked up once again into the time vortex. As you slow down, you briefly make out mass being broadcast on Polish radio and then everything begins to change... [Press SPACE to continue.] Chapter Twelve - Christabel, My Dear Railings around Russell Square Russell Square, reads the plaque a few inches from your eyes, which makes this London. These railings surround a green, tree-lined square, and are themselves surrounded by genteel houses; the municipal gas-lamps are lit. A gaggle of bobbies rings the square on almost every side. Militant suffragettes are gathered in the Square, and there's an uneasy stand-off between the opposing forces, which seems to have lasted some time. >save Ok. >x device A highly curious device, like a wood-mounted gimballed compass, with dials and swinging arrows, inscribed "tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis". The main feature is a white button. The easiest arrow to read points to 12. The militants begin to chant something. >listen to militants You can't see any such thing. >listen You hear nothing unexpected. Two sergeants confer, over in one corner of the Square. >n The bobbies won't let anyone through their loose cordon, so you can only slip in to the gardens. One of the suffragettes kicks a small pebble across the square. >s The bobbies won't let anyone through their loose cordon, so you can only slip in to the gardens. >in Russell Square The grass is slightly sunken, and the bordering trees cast dense shadows, so the interior of the square is quite well-concealed from the distant policemen. A paved path runs southeast. A poster (the kind which tends to roll up) rolls about. Apparently oblivious to goings-on around, Black is sitting crouched over what looks alarmingly like a large petrol bomb. "The funniest thing happened," Black mentions. "I got caught by Russian troops, I thought I'd had it, but then I woke up in the Land with nothing worse than a headache! My time machine must have retrieved me after all." You smile slightly. >hug black It becomes quite a languorous one, too, but Black pushes you away to get back to the pressing business of the hour. Black consults a pocket-watch, pensively. >black, it was me "Shhh," says Black with easy friendship, "I'm busy winning women the vote." >x black To look on is the usual mixture of irritation and desire. >se Near Fountain The water to the fountain appears to have been turned off, but a cherub still gasps upward at the night sky. The square-crossing path runs southeast and northwest. A crumpled-up newspaper half hangs out of the fountain. A nightingale flutters dimly by in the dark sky. [Your score has just gone up by one point.] >sketch nightingale At this distance, in this light? >get newspaper then read it (the crumpled newspaper) Taken. Saturday 13th April, 1912, and still full of the big story of the week: the sinking of the Titanic. (The details are all wrong, though.) >x device A highly curious device, like a wood-mounted gimballed compass, with dials and swinging arrows, inscribed "tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis". The main feature is a white button. The easiest arrow to read points to 12. >i You are carrying: a crumpled newspaper wheels III and I a cloth cap (being worn) a sparkler (providing light) a canvas rucksack (which is open) a spent cartridge a RZ-ROV gadget a beige folder a Geiger counter Rukl's "Atlas of the Moon" a British Army officer's uniform a wooden broom a cargo capsule (which is empty) a gnomon Waldo a lump of corn bread a mandolin a box of mosquito powder a Sixth Officer's jacket Place Names of Carolina a green cap a Richard's anemometer a paper dart a madeleine cake Black's Kaldecki detector a second note from Black a first aid box (which is closed) the 1911 Boy's Book of the Sea a curious device the Victorian ormolu clock Emily's sketch book a charcoal pencil three keys: a little key a elegant key a tagged key two newspapers: an historic edition of Pravda Le Figaro an intercept a travel permit a checklist a chit signed by Lenin a handwritten invitation card a White Star Line scribbled-on towel a folded note a white party ticket >drop corn bread You haven't got that. >get corn bread Taken. >drop it Dropped. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >get corn bread Taken. >se Russell Square The far end of the Square, which is especially shady owing to the irregular placing of the gas-lamps; a paved path runs northwest. On the other side of the railings, a lone policeman stands guard with his back to you, whistling off-key. >attack policeman The bobby whirls around, startled, and peers through the railings to see you. "Cripes," he exclaims, and strides back at a fair lick to the circle of policemen around the Square. >undo Russell Square [Previous turn undone.] >save Ok. >attack policeman The bobby whirls around, startled, and peers through the railings to see you. "Cripes," he exclaims, and strides back at a fair lick to the circle of policemen around the Square. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >restore Ok. >nw Near Fountain The water to the fountain appears to have been turned off, but a cherub still gasps upward at the night sky. The square-crossing path runs southeast and northwest. A nightingale flutters dimly by in the dark sky. >x fountain Little more than an open bowl without its water. >put corn bread on fountain The nightingale swoops down to the bowl, landing perfectly, and voraciously consumes the lump of corn bread. >sketch nightingale You sketch in a picture of the nightingale. >save Ok. >turn on alarm The latch on the clock is now on. >set clock to 1 You shorten the time left on the clock. >z Time passes. Suddenly you are wrenched out into the time vortex once more, and find yourself back... Disc Room This is a tiny tetrahedral annexe of a room, whose only clear feature is a broad black disc embedded in the floor. >nw Inside the Monument A sloping crevice of metal, sunken into the ground some way to make a larger-than-expected room. Short flights of steps lead up to west and southeast. The air is hot as a bakery. At the centre is a heavy old table whose top is a beautiful mahogany jigsaw-board, with room for sixteen pieces arranged in a square. The board is full. You shake your head, confused. Why is this party happening? Don't they know there's a war on? Still: before the next raid, just time to toast the new millennium with rationed lime juice. *** You have wrecked the course of history *** In that game you scored 87 out of a possible 100, in 1940 turns, giving you the rank of Master Puzzler. Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, give the FULL score for that game or QUIT? > restore Ok. >nw Russell Square The grass is slightly sunken, and the bordering trees cast dense shadows, so the interior of the square is quite well-concealed from the distant policemen. A paved path runs southeast. A poster (the kind which tends to roll up) rolls about. Apparently oblivious to goings-on around, Black is sitting crouched over what looks alarmingly like a large petrol bomb. Black consults a pocket-watch, pensively. >x bomb In a few years' time, it would be called a Molotov cocktail. For now, "dirty great petrol bomb" will have to do. >stop black That's not a verb I recognise. >se Near Fountain The water to the fountain appears to have been turned off, but a cherub still gasps upward at the night sky. The square-crossing path runs southeast and northwest. A nightingale is perched in the fountain-bowl. >se Russell Square The far end of the Square, which is especially shady owing to the irregular placing of the gas-lamps; a paved path runs northwest. On the other side of the railings, a lone policeman stands guard with his back to you, whistling off-key. >x policeman Moonlight gleams from his silver epaulettes, and the pair of handcuffs hanging loosely from his back pocket. >get handcuffs You attempt to pick the bobby's back pocket. After a moment he half-turns, scratching his backside as if he has an itch. You are forced to concede that it won't be so easy. >save Ok. >get handcuffs You attempt to pick the bobby's back pocket. After a moment he half-turns, scratching his backside as if he has an itch. You are forced to concede that it won't be so easy. The bobby runs out of tune, and begins whistling another. >