The Locked Room Problem by Iris Polak

The Locked Room Problem

Played 1,524 times
View game source (spoilers!)
Download the .z8 file
Source Code

The Ordinary Office is a room. "You are the standard ambiguous locked room protagonist, standing in a perfectly ordinary office, which of course means windowless and free of any objects that might require an amateur programmer to account for multiple solutions. The office door is locked, inexplicably resilient, and also windowless. You notice that one of the floorboards is made of a different type of wood than the others. Maybe you should investigate that."

The desk is in the Ordinary Office. The desk is fixed in place. The description is "There is nothing truly remarkable about this desk or its single drawer. There is a small paperweight on the desk."

The paperweight is on the desk. The paperweight is not described. The paperweight is edible. The description is "The paperweight is shaped like a medallion and covered with intricate carvings." The paperweight unlocks the floorboard.
Instead of eating the paperweight: say "You try your best to fit the paperweight in your mouth, but it's too big. You return the saliva-covered paperweight to your inventory."

The drawer is part of the desk. The drawer is a closed, openable container.

The note is in the drawer. Understand "paper" as the note. The description is "On the crumpled paper, in messy handwriting, is a riddle: 'My purpose is in my name, my name is my purpose. But with nothing to hold down, I lose all purpose. What am I?'"

The floorboard is a locked, openable container in the Ordinary Office. The floorboard is fixed in place. The floorboard is undescribed. The description is "Upon closer inspection of the oddly-colored floorboard, you notice that there is a circular indent with intricate carvings. Maybe you should try finding something to fit it."

Does the player mean unlocking the floorboard with the paperweight: it is very likely.

Before unlocking the floorboard with the paperweight: say "You fit the paperweight into the groove, and twist it clockwise. You hear a clicking sound, and the floorboard pops slightly upward. There must be a secret cubby underneath."

Understand "secret cubby" or "cubby" or "board" as the floorboard.

The key is in the floorboard. The key is edible. The description is "Wow! A key! Wonder what this unlocks!"

Instead of eating the key: say "You eat the key, leaving you with no way to open the door. You die alone, starving and regretful."; end the game in death.

The office door is north of the Ordinary Office and south of the Winner's Room. The office door is undescribed. The office door is a locked door. The key unlocks the office door. 

Does the player mean unlocking the office door with the key: it is very likely.

The Winner's Room is north of the office door. 

Every turn:
if office door is unlocked
begin; say "You have escaped the ordinary office through your rad puzzling skills."; end the game in victory;
end if.