These timed deals are driving me nuts. I'm giving up on this game, I guess. I've spent three days trying to catch the scorpions. I've tried one bucket on a scorpion and Sherlock dies in about ten seconds. I've tried picking up both buckets, and as I turn toward the scorpion SH dies. Is there any way some time could be added?

Hi Jenny: I clicked on the thread and followed, I thought, the instructions for downloading the save very carefully, but not being very computer literate -- because of advanced age -- I can't seem to get the save downloaded. I went back and tried the bucket-on-the-scorpion routine a number of times and did not get beyond picking up a bucket before SH dies.

I'm now going to take my 5:00 happy hour and calm down a little bit.

Chuck, that saved file is in zip form--do you have WinZip on your computer? It is a free application for unzipping files of that sort...

I, too was frustrated and even got the save game file loaded which worked fine (once unzipped). But being the anal gamer decided to try again and found it did make a difference which bucket you used (it helped to have saved right before placing chess pieces-although annoying to watch that scene over and over...)To make a short story long, I did it!!! So it really is doable- but I detest those timed sequences-much rather use my brain!!!

For the life of me I don't know what happened, but I tried the puzzle one more time and, for some reason, I never ran out of time. I even wandered around a bit before I found the second scorpion. I did take both buckets into inventory together. At present I've gone into the smoky parlor, cut the curtain with the broken bottle, and have gone back into the hallway for a breath of fresh air, and saved at this point. I'm ready for my 5:00 happy hour on the back porch, watching the birds on the feeders, and enjoying a martini. Cheers.

I need a little assistance. In the parlor (having taken the piece of curtain out of inventory) I've clicked on the shield behind the sofa and began the puzzle. On the first try I got to the last word (shines), and Sherlock died. On the second try, a little faster I guess, and following "fanatic's" WT, I solved the puzzle and clicked on the puzzle, but nothing happened. I clicked on the little icon at the bottom left and backed away from the puzzle and clicked on the puzzle again and then clicked on the mirror. The WT says to quickly leave the room for some fresh air. Just as I got to the door Sherlock dies.

When I solve the puzzle, is there a hot spot somewhere in the puzzle to click on without having to back off the puzzle and then click on it again (using precious time)?

Chuck,

I replayed this part a while back for another gamer and did as you decribed. That is the only way that worked for me.

I had ample oxygen -
I took the curtain piece.
Went out the room to get a big gulp of air.
Went back to open the shield.
Went out took a big gulp of air again.
Went back to the puzzle - solved it. Clicked, clicked again.
Looked at mirror.
Go out of the room again.

Hope you have better luck this time around.

MaG

Thanks MaG. I took the extra trip out of the room, as you did, and made it.

Well, I might be able to finish this game. I see that there are no more puzzles after the black-and-white tiles puzzle. On this last puzzle I tried the two workarounds a couple times each, to no avail. I wondered about the figures in the left and upper margins and studied them a bit. I noted that the numbers 31 near the center of the upper margin were the number of rows. I filled a couple rows in with black squares then worked in either direction from there, then did the same for the left-margin numbers. All of a sudden I heard, "We did it," and the lever appeared.