Humbug solution

Solution written by pjg

BEWARE!


This file can seriously damage your enjoyment of
the game.


It’s much more fun to try and work out how to complete
Humbug on your own.


You have been warned.

This is not the “official” solution.
This solution augments the game’s built-in hint system, and shows how to earn all 2000 points.


For game version 5.0 (public domain, May 1997)
Other game releases may be slightly different

Introduction
The Beginning
The Time Chair

The Gravedigger
The Time Case
The Octopus

The Hacker
The Maze and Rabbit
The Aardvark and Combination Door
The Fish in the Wine Barrel
The Viking Ship, Sealion, and Ticket
The Caddy

The Owl, Skylight, and Slug
Grandad and the Nightclub

The Mist Robot
The Coffin
The Wumpus
The Rucksack
The Powder and the Fairy
The Fire Alarm
The Gems and the Chutes

The Bear Cub

The Petrol Can
Grandad and the Bath

This game is fairly linear and several of the puzzles
are intricately locked together. Virtually every “takeable” object
in the game has a point earning purpose. It is very easy to get into
a no-win situation. If you get stuck then consult the relevant
section of the solution for help.

There are about 122 things that you can do to earn points.
Comments and earned/total points are in ()

(your purpose in this game is to find 6 gemstones,
save Grandad, and defeat Jasper)

(multiple commands are given on each line
even though the game only understands
one command per line)

The beginning

Who
I. X satchel

Open satchel
W. In
X Horace
Hug Horace (10/10)
Get shovel (you will use the shovel 5 times)
Look in dustbin

Get banana

X can
Drink petrol (10/20)
Ask Horace about petrol
(Get can)
(you will come back for the petrol later)

Get plane. Drop it
(you will come back for the plane later)

Out. E. N
Push button
X letterbox (10/30)

Get envelope. Read it
Open door (10/40)
N. N
Pull cord (10/50)

D

X crate
(the robot cleans up one item at a time,
the chimp blocks the east passage)

Get torch
(E)
Hit chimp

(were did the raspberry go?)

X chute (the main disposal chute)
Give banana to chimp (10/60)
(you can now enter the passage)
U. S
save “s60”

(you will use the entry hallway as
your central base of operations)

U. U. W (20/80)

Get coin (10/90)
(you may as well get the coin from the cat now.
the cat moves randomly and can be hard to find later)

X hair
(your hair must be white for the bus ride)

Open wardrobe

Get scarf
Get gloves
Wear gloves
E. D. D
Drop all but torch
Get shovel
save “s90”

S. S. E
Dig
(wumpus hiding place)
Open trapdoor (10/100)
N
X well
(what do you do at a wishing well?)

Wish (10/110)
Turn on torch
D
Dig (10/120)
Get carrot
Hit wall (10/130)

E

Turn off torch
Get crowbar (10/140)
(you must be wearing the gloves)
S
X statue
Push button (10/150)
(this is a prison cell, you will come back later)

N. W. U
S. W. N
N. N. D
Open crate with crowbar (20/170)

Drop crowbar
U. S

Remove gloves
Drop all
save “s170”

The Time Chair

N. D
(you can’t carry anything with you)

Sit in chair
(you have gone back in time to the year 1844)
E. E
X miner
Kick miner (10/180)
Get lamp
Get ladder
X arch

Read sign
(to read the anagram take the words from left to right
and stack them top to bottom. Make sure that the left
column always has a letter in it. Shift the bottom row
to the right one position. Read the words formed
vertically from right to left)

E. E
(you will return to this room by the stairs later)
E
(you are under the hen house)

N
Lean ladder on wall (10/190)

X table
(there are 3 items on the table)
Get amphora
X racquet
Wear racquet (10/200)
save “s200”

X slate
(you must figure out and remember the 4 digit decimal value
of the roman numeral on the slate.
M = 1000, D = 500, C = 100, L = 50, X = 10, V = 5, I = 1
When a smaller number(s) comes before a larger number, subtract the
smaller number(s) from the larger. Otherwise, just add up the numbers)

save “s201”
(the game is saved before and after you read the slate in case
you want a different number or want to look at it again)

S
X table
Put amphora on table

E
X table

Get watch
Get goggles
Get musket
Get doll
W
Put watch on table
Put goggles on table

S

X door
(remember that door by the crowbar?)
X table
Get claw
Get cap
Get key
N
Put claw on table
Put cap on table

(the spider won’t let us
put the key on the table)

save “s202”


The Gravedigger

N. U. E. S
Read sign
X cart

In
Give doll to barman
Give beer to digger (10/210)
Give musket to barman
Give beer to digger (10/220)
Out
Open coffin (10/230)

(X body)
Put key in coffin
Close coffin
In
Wake digger
(you may want to follow the digger to
see where he puts the coffin)

Out
N
(wait)

W. D. S. W
save “s230”

W. W. W. W
(U. X knothole. D)
Drop lamp
Sit in chair
(back to the present)


The Time Case
U. S. E. N
X desk
Get nailfile
Open door with nailfile (10/240)
Drop nailfile
E. D

(the 4 dials form a sort of combination lock
for the cases. Remember the 4 digit decimal slate number?)

save “s240”

X dial (should be 1)
Turn dial to <first decimal digit from slate>
E. E
X dial (should be 2)

Turn dial to <second decimal digit from slate>
W. S
X dial (should be 3)
Turn dial to <third decimal digit from slate>
Get mattress
N. N
X dial (should be 4)
Turn dial to <fourth decimal digit from slate>

Drop mattress
S
X case
Push button (30/270)
(the display case will open if you did your numbers right)

X case
Get all from case

(you will get 5 items)
Wear cap
(the cap will protect your white hair)
Wear goggles
(the goggles will protect your eyes)
W. U. W
Get monocle
S. W
Drop all but amphora

(be very careful with the amphora!)
Get torch
Get monocle
Get watch
save “s270”


The Octopus
N. D

Turn on torch
E
Get sweet
E. E
X chute (the S chute)
W. S
Wear monocle
Read runes (10/280)

(each gemstone goes to a different location)
save “s280”

Drop monocle
E
(you need to be carrying a “goodie”
you can use the watch for this)

Y (10/290)
(this is a modulus arithmatic problem. If you always
leave your opponent 4n+1 (13, 9, 5, or 1) sweets then you will win.
To do that always take 4-(Number of sweets your opponent just took)
The octopus moves first and will always win unless you…)

Turn off torch
Read sign
X octopus
(you must be wearing the goggles)
Drop amphora (20/310)
Put sweet on plinth
(cheat)
Drop watch

Wait
(wait about 6 turns for the fog to clear)
Get 1 sweet (you leave 13)
(the octopus normally takes 1 sweet)
Get 3 sweets (you leave 9)
(the octopus normally takes 1 sweet)
Get 3 sweets (you leave 5)

(the octopus normally takes 1 sweet)
Get 3 sweets (you leave 1)
(the octopus is forced to take the last sweet)

(the octopus will give you the jigsaw piece)
Read sign (20/330)
Say moccasin beehive (10/340)
(the octopus will give you the dweezil)

Drop dweezil
Drop goggles
Turn on torch
save “s340”

W. S (notice the fire alarm)
(do not enter the misty archway)
E (notice the aardvark)

S
Turn off torch
X door (you need to feed the aardvark)
Read sign (you need Grandad to help here)
E
X chute (the R chute)
(you will put out the fire later)

E


The Hacker
X pedestal
(you will use the pedestal and button later)
Get hammer (remember the fire alarm?)

X computer
Type 1 on computer (any number will work)
Read display
Hit computer (10/350)
(stroke computer)

Ask hacker about computer
Get humbug

Ask hacker about humbug (10/360)
Play humbug on computer (10/370)
Drop humbug

Turn on torch
N
Get parchment
Sit on stool

(you will come back later)

W. W
Drop hammer
(you will break the alarm later)
N. N. W. W
Turn off torch
U. S
Drop all

save “s370”


The Maze and Rabbit
Get parchment
Get shovel
Get carrot
S. S. W. W
Read sign

Read parchment
Drop parchment
(this game is public domain now)
W
(actually, there are only 2 locations in the maze.
namely, the “inside” location and the “center” location.
Reaching the center of the maze is like opening a combination
lock, the last 12 directions must be correct to reach the center)

S. E. W. W
N. E. S. N
W. N. S. E (10/380)

(you can eventually figure this out on your own if
you use RESTORE, LOOK and have a LOT of patience)

X statue
Read sign (a subtle clue)
Dig (100/480)
Get emerald
W
(keep going east until you leave the maze.
If you can’t go east then waste a turn going
N, S, or W and then try going east again)

E. E. E (outside)
N (you will feed the bear later)
X tree
Get termites
D
Give carrot to rabbit (10/490)

N (we are too big to fit through)
Kneel (10/500)
save “s500”

Eat orange flower (10/510)
(now you can fit)
N

Get ruby
S
Eat blue flower (normal again)
Get all
Wear trousers
Wear shirt
Wear cap
U. S. E

E. N. N
Drop all
E. E
(you have to get a few things from Grandad…)
X Grandad
Get Document
Read it (10/520)
Drop it

Get hat
X hat
Get feather
W. W
Drop hat
Get torch
Get termites
save “s520”


The Aardvark and Combination Door
N. D
Turn on torch
E. E. S
S. E
Wake aardvark (10/530)
Give termites to aardvark (10/540)

Give feather to aardvark (10/550)
Read wall (random door combination)
S
Turn off torch
X buttons
Read display
save “s550”

(the door is opened by entering the digits that the aardvark
wrote on the wall (random each time). To enter a digit you must
turn on only the segments in that digit. Push the segment
button to turn it on (or off). When all of the correct segments
are lit, then push button 7 to ‘enter’ it. Read the LCD display to make sure its right.)


(this puzzle has been particularly problematical for visually impaired and blind players of Humbug, because it is much simpler to solve if you can see the segments being lit up on the screen. It may help to know how the segments are arranged to build up the numbers:

4 – Top bar
3 – Left side upper vertical
5 – Right side upper vertical
2 – Centre bar
1 – Left side lower vertical
6 – Right side lower vertical
0 – Bottom bar

So to create an LCD 4, press 2, 3, 5, 6, and then 7 to transfer this to
the LCD itself.)

Screenshot showing the number '4' being entered by lighting the appropriate buttons on the door

Push button # (to turn the segment on or off)
(push the other segment buttons)
Push button 7 (20/570)
Read display
(enter all four numbers this way)

Turn on torch
W
X chute (E chute)
X machine
X buttons
Push button 3 (10/580)
(you will get a turkey leg)

Get leg
E. N. W
N. N. W
W
Turn off torch
U. S
save “s580”


The Fish in the Wine Barrel
W
X table
Get mousse
(x mousse)
(eat mousse)
N
Open door (10/590)

E
X barrel

X wine
Put leg in barrel (30/620)
X wine
Get casket (10/630)
Get fish
Get bone

Open casket
W
X kennel
X dog
Give bone to dog (10/640)
(the dog will not bother the cat now)
X table
Get pot

Get kettle
S. E
Drop all
Get jigsaw
Get fish
Get coin
save “s640”


The Viking Ship, Sealion, and Ticket
S. S. E
S. S
X hair
(your hair will still be white, the cap protected it)
X mug
X tea
Get lump

X table
Get bag
X viking
Give jigsaw to viking (10/650)
Get filofax
S. D

X sealion

Give fish to sealion (10/660)
Get tuck
Open Tuck
Get sandwich
X sandwich
Drop tuck

X dispenser

Put coin in slot
X buttons
Push button 5
Hit machine (20/680)
Get ticket

N. N. W
N. N

Remove cap
Drop all
Get sandwich
save “s680”


The Caddy
(you need to go and find the cat. The cat moves
randomly within the house and cellar. If you are
holding the tuna sandwich then the cat will follow you.
After you have found the cat, return to the entrance hallway)

save “s681”
W
(the cat will follow you because you are holding the sandwich)
N (the dog will leave the cat alone)
W (notice the caddy)
(10/690)
Look (wait for the cat to kill the mouse)

Look
Get mouse (20/710)
Stroke cat (10/720)

Get caddy
(the shark won’t let you get the caddy until you
wash your hands, wash your hair, comb your hair, and say please)

E. S. E

Drop sandwich (the cat will no longer follow you)
Get kettle
Get gloves
Wear gloves
U. U. U. W
Get hedgehog (you must be wearing the gloves)
(10/730)
X boiler (20/750)

save “s750”


The Owl, Skylight, and Slug

X kettle
Plug in kettle (10/760)
(the kettle will boil for about 6 turns)
Wait (1 wait is about 3 turns)

E (you will unplug the kettle and take it with you)
E
Give mouse to owl (10/770)
Open skylight (the steam has melted the latch ice)
(10/780)
U. E
Get balloon

Jump (10/790)

W. D. W. W
Drop kettle
Plug in kettle
Wait
Wait
(the kettle will stop boiling)

X kettle
Get salt
E. D. D
D. E. S
Throw salt at slug (10/800)
Open chest
Get clippers
Get zircon

N. W
Remove gloves
Drop all
Get clippers
Get shovel
save “s800”

S. S. E. N
Cut fence with clippers (10/810)

Drop clippers
N
In
X door
(the door contains a hint about what
to do with the goose)

Open door (10/820)
N
X door

N
X line
Get peg
Get chain
X bath
(the last move of the game takes place here)

S
Drop chain

Dig (10/830)
(you will return here when you have the key)

S
(back in the hen-house)
Say boo (10/840)
Look
Get battery

(a new torch battery)

Out
S. S. W
N. N. U. E
Get trombone
X bed
Get sheets
Wear peg

Get longjohns (30/870)
Drop peg
Get pass
X chute (the A chute)
W. N
Open cabinet
Get plaster
X basin

X trombone
(the lard is not used)
S. D
Drop all
save “s870”


Grandad and the Nightclub

(you are now ready to wake Grandad)

Get envelope
Read it
Open it
Get card
Read it
Drop envelope

Get scarf
Get claw

Get trombone
Get pass
Get torch
Get shovel
Get lump
Get ticket
Get hat
Wear hat
E. E

save “s871”

Blow trombone (10/880)
Give card to Grandad (10/890)
Give scarf to Grandad (10/900)
Ask Grandad about Jasper
Ask Grandad about Horace

(grandad will drop the trombone)

Get trombone
W. W
Drop trombone
N. D
Turn on torch
E. E. S
S. E. S

(you need to arrive at the club before Grandad does)
Turn off torch
save “s900”

Read sign
Look
(keep looking until Grandad shows up,
when he enters the club, follow him)

S (10/910)

X table
Get token
save “s910”

(this is your best chance to ask Grandad things)
(Ask Grandad about bath)
(Ask Grandad about shark)
Look
(you must wait about 5 turns)

(you will win a prize)
Open package
(you need help with the package)
Look
(Grandad will win a prize and then
get up and leave, you may as well follow him)


The Mist Robot
————–
N
(don’t worry about the darkness)

N. W. S
Y (10/920)
(you will deal with the Viking later)
save “s920”

S
X robot
Push button

(you must have white hair, wear the hat, and have the ticket and pass)
X coach
(too bad we can’t go with Grandad)
Enter coach (20/940)

The Coffin
X tombstone

Dig. Dig. Dig (20/960)
(dig until you reach the coffin)
Open coffin
Give claw to zombie (10/970)
Get key
Give lump to horse (10/980)
Ride horse (10/990)

(you had white hair most of the game
and did all that work just to get a key)

Look
(you are by the trapdoor)
N. N
In
N
Get chain
(hope you put the mattress in place!)

D (10/1000)
S. S
Open door with key (10/1010)
Drop key
S
Drop chain

E

X tube
X wumpus
save “s1010”


The Wumpus
Push button (10/1020)
(you have about 75 moves before the wumpus shows up)

W. W. U
S. W. N. N
Remove hat
Drop all
U. N
Turn on tap
Wash hands (10/1030)
Wash hair (10/1040)

(finally, you get rid of that white hair!)
Turn off tap

S. D
Get gloves
Wear it
Get hedgehog
Comb hair with hedgehog (30/1070)

X hair
Remove gloves
Drop all
W. N. W
Say please (10/1080)
Get caddy (10/1090)
Open caddy
Get toffee

Drop caddy
E. S. E
Get mousse
save “s1090”

S. S. E
(you must have the toffee and mousse with you)
Wait (wait takes 3 moves)

(you must wait until you hear the hunting horn
this may be another 35 moves or so)

Look
(the wumpus will leap over the hedge in another 2 moves or so)
Give mousse to wumpus (30/1120)
Get wumpus
D
Drop wumpus (10/1130)
(you don’t get points if he jumps out)

U
Close trapdoor
save “s1130”

Wait
(you must wait for Jasper to appear in another 7 moves or so)
X Jasper
X teeth
Give toffee to Jasper (10/1140)

Ask Jasper about wumpus
(you can ask Jasper questions if you want to)
Wait
(wait for Jasper to loose a tooth in another 7 moves or so)
Get tooth
Wait
(wait for Jasper to leave in another 13 moves or so)
Look (20/1160)

Get polaroid (10/1170)
Open trapdoor
D
Get wumpus
(poor little guy…)
U. W. N. N
Drop all
Get balloon

Get package
Get filofax
Get plaster
Get tooth
Get wumpus
Get bag
Get torch
save “s1170”


The Rucksack
N. D
Turn on torch
E. E. S
S. S
Turn off torch
X Olaf
Ask Olaf about story

Pop balloon (20/1190)
Ask Olaf about story
(remember the insurance number)
N
(you can’t leave the mist room if
you still have white hair)

E. S. E. E
X hacker
Give package to hacker (10/1200)

X computer
Read filofax
Type <number from filofax> on computer (20/1220)
X computer
Type <insurance number> on computer (10/1230)

X computer
(remember the telephone number)
Drop filofax
Type Log Off on computer (10/1240)

W. W. N
W. S
Say <telephone number> (30/1270)

(Olaf will drop the rucksack and run away)
Open rucksack


The Powder and the Fairy
Get powder
(you can’t leave carrying the powder)
Put powder in chute
X chute (the D chute)

Pull lever
N. E. S
E. E
Sit on pedestal
save “s1270”

(you need the plaster and the tooth)
Push button (20/1290)

Get powder
X fairy
X wand
Ask fairy about wand
Give plaster to fairy (10/1300)
Sit on pedestal
Push button
Get raspberry

Blow raspberry at fairy (10/1310)
Drop raspberry
Kiss fairy (20/1330)
(the fairy will give you a diamond)
Give tooth to fairy (10/1340)
Turn on torch
N

Put bag on stool (10/1350)
E
Get amethyst
W. W

X machine
Open door
Put powder in machine

Put wumpus in machine
Close door
Push button (10/1360)
Open door (50/1410)
(the wumpus will give you a sapphire)

W. N. N
W. W

Turn off torch
U. S
Drop all
(you now have all 6 gems)
Get torch
Get mug
Get sheet
save “s1410”


The Fire Alarm

N. D
Turn on torch
E. E. S. S
(you left the hammer here
back at score 370)

Get hammer
X alarm

Break glass with hammer (10/1420)
Drop hammer
E. S. E
Turn off torch
Wait
(wait for Dennis the fireman to show up,
he will give you a form to sign)

X Dennis
(ask Dennis about pelican)

Give mug to Dennis (10/1430)
Hit Dennis (10/1440)
Get helmet
Get uniform
Tie Dennis with sheets (10/1450)
X Dennis
X underwear

Smell underwear (10/1460)
Sign form (10/1470)
Wear uniform
Wear helmet
Drop all
X uniform
S (10/1480)

Turn off wheel (10/1490)
X chute (the Z chute)
N
(the uniform and helmet have burned)
Get torch
Turn on torch
W. N. W
N. N. W. W

Turn off torch
U. S
Get battery
X torch
(the torch battery is almost used up)
Open torch (10/1500)
Put battery in torch
Close torch


The Gems and the Chutes

Get zircon
Get ruby
Get emerald
Get sapphire
Get amethyst

Get diamond
(you need a couple of pieces of “trash”)
Get gloves
Wear it
Get hedgehog
(you are ready for the endgame)
save “s1500”

U. E

(the chute letter must match the gemstone)

X chute
Put amethyst in chute
Pull lever (10/1510)
W. D. N. D
Turn on torch
E. E. E

X chute
Put sapphire in chute
Pull lever (10/1520)
W. S. S. S

X chute
Put diamond in chute
Pull lever (10/1530)

N, E, S, W

X chute
Put emerald in chute
Pull lever (10/1540)
E. E

X chute
Put ruby in chute

Pull lever (10/1550)
S

X chute
Put zircon in chute
Pull lever (10/1560)

N. W. N
W. N

save “s1560”

Get monocle
Wear it
Read runes
Drop monocle

N. W. W
Turn off torch
Drop gloves

(this will drop 2 “trash” items)
Say <magic word> (50/1610)
(the chute will spit out the treasure map.
you must keep the cleaning robot busy
with other trash so it won’t get the map)

Get map
(Jasper will show up with Grandad)
X map
U. S
Drop torch

Get casket
X casket
(you opened the casket earlier)
Get pepper
Drop casket
Get trombone
Get pot
Get polaroid
save “s1610”


The Bear Cub
(almost done now)
E. N
(Jasper must have Grandad down below.
do you have another way in?)

S. W. S. S
W. W. N
X trombone
X pot

Open pot
Pour honey in trombone
Drop trombone (20/1630)
(the bear cub will eat the honey
and free the sock)

Get trombone
Get sock
X sock
Wear sock (10/1640)

S. W
(you must “bother” Horace)
Drop pot
(any item will do)
save “s1640”


The Petrol Can

Drop sock (10/1650)

(Horace will take us to his hut.
he won’t take out his snuff tin until
you drop 2 things in the maze)

Look
(you dropped the plane here back at score 20)
Get plane

(Horace will, eventually, take out his snuff tin.
you may have to “LOOK” awhile though.
as soon as he takes out his snuff tin, then…)

Throw plane
(throw the plane before he puts the tin back in his pocket.
Horace will leap after the plane)

Get tin

Open it
Put pepper in tin
Close tin
Put tin on bench
(Horace will catch the plane and then get the tin)

Wait
(you may have to wait 25 moves or so
for Horace to take his tin out again)

Look

(Horace will sneeze after snorting the pepper-snuff)
Get can (30/1680)
Out
E. E. N
D. E


Grandad and the Bath

(Grandad is sleeping again)
Blow trombone (20/1700)
Drop trombone
Get chain
Tie chain to bars (10/1710)
W. U. N
In. N. N
X bath

X can
Pour petrol in funnel (10/1720)
Drop can
save “alldone”

(you must be carrying the polaroid)
Push button (280/2000)

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