WALKTHROUGH FOR COLOSSAL CAVES ADVENTURE

                      by Sean L. Palmer
                released to the public domain

This is a walkthrough for the 350-point version of the Colossal Caves
Adventure by Crowther and Woods.  It starts from the start of the game
outside the building, and is (more or less) the exact commands needed
to win the game with the maximum number of points.  DO NOT use this
walkthrough unless you have already solved the game or are just really
stuck and have exhausted all other methods of getting hints (like
typing "HELP" in the game itself).  This walkthrough WILL RUIN THE
GAME for you if you haven't already solved it, and you'll hate yourself
forever for not sticking it out on your own.  Besides, winning isn't
everything, and some of my favorite memories from the game are some
of the clever responses it gives for trying some of the wrong ways to
solve a puzzle (like try typing "kill troll" or "throw axe" at the
troll sometime.)  This walkthrough will NOT solve any of the versions
which have more total points.  It is not a 100% optimal walkthrough,
and I'm sure a few improvements can be made, though it is considerably
better than at least one other walkthrough I've seen (less total moves).
It is also not documented very well, so you are expected to halfway
know your way around, though I've put some locations down for
synchronization purposes.  It also assumes that you don't find the
first dwarf (the one who throws the axe) before completing the first
trip into the cave (else you'll have too many items to carry). It also
(whew!) assumes that you will pick up the axe as soon as you see it,
and kill the other dwarves you see as you see them, and retrieve the
axe afterwards. It also assumes that the pirate doesn't steal any
treasure until you actually get into the maze of twisty little passages,
all alike, or else you'll have to modify the chest-retrieval bit to
account for it. Due to these random events, and certain other ones like
passages occasionally dumping you into the same room you left from,
this is not an exact walkthrough, and feeding the inputs shown into
the game via input redirection will NOT work (unfortunately). You have
to deal with the extra events as they happen, and maybe try several
times before circumstances work out and you win the game.
Notice: some versions of the game do not treat 'get' the same as 'take',
and will complain at you if you type 'get x', but will accept 'take x'.
In this case, replace all occurrences of 'get' in the walkthrough with
'take' and all will be well.

Now, without further ado, 'You are at the end of a road, outside a
small building...'

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
e                //end of road
get lamp         //can hold maximum of 7 items
xyzzy
on lamp
e                //we intentionally leave the rod there for now
get cage
pit
e
get bird
w
d
s
get gold
n
n                //this should bring you to Hall of Mt. King
free bird
drop cage
s
get jewel
n
w
get coins
e
n
get silver
n                //this should bring you to Y2
plover
ne
get pyramid
s
plover
plugh            //if any dwarves have shown up already, restart!
drop pyramid
drop coins
drop jewel
drop silver
drop gold
get bottle
get food
get keys
plugh
s                //now get axe, when you see it
d
bedquilt
slab
s
d
pour water
u
w
u
reservoir
get water
s
s
d
s
d
pour water       //should be at bottom of west pit now
u
e
d
get oil
u
w
d
climb
w
get eggs
n
oil door
n
get trident
w
d
drop bottle
sw
u               //should be at sw side of chasm now
toss eggs
cross
ne
barren
e
feed bear
open chain
get chain
get bear
w
fork
ne
e
get spice
fork
w
w
cross           //should be at ne side of chasm now
free bear
cross
sw
d
drop keys
bedquilt
e
n
open clam
d
d
get pearl
u
u
s
u
e
u
n              //should now be at Y2 again
plugh
drop chain
drop spice
drop trident
drop pearl
plugh
s
d
bedquilt
w
oriental
n
w              //should put you in the alcove
drop lamp
drop axe
e
get emerald
w
get axe
get lamp
nw
s
get vase
se
e
get pillow
w
w
w
d
climb
w             //should be in Giant Room now
fee
fie
foe
foo
get eggs
s
d
u
w
u
s
kill dragon
yes
get rug
e
e
n
n             //should be at Y2 again
plugh
drop rug
drop pillow
drop vase
drop emerald
drop eggs
xyzzy         //now need to get a treasure stolen by the pirate if you haven't already
get rod
pit
d
w
wave rod
w
get diamond   //let him steal this (we saved it for this occasion)
w             //you ought to be at the west end of Hall of Mists now
s             //into MOTLP,AA
e             //hope the pirate comes while you're on the way to his lair
s
s
s
n
e
n
e
nw            //into Dead end (if he hasn't shown up by now, see note 1)
get chest
get diamond   //and any other treasures pirate stole
se
n
d
debris
xyzzy
drop rod
drop chest
drop diamond
plugh
s             //May need to save the magazines until now. May not.
d
bedquilt
e
e
get magazine
e
drop magazine //last point in beginner section (276)
n             //until you get out. See note 2
              //wait until the Cave closes
sw
get rod
ne
drop rod
sw
blast         //Yay! Elves!
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The other walkthrough finishes the game in about 243 moves, not counting
the dwarves and waiting for the pirate and getting out of Witt's End.
This finishes in around 215 moves with those same stipulations.
It could probably be improved by a few moves at least.

Note 1:
 If the pirate hasn't stolen something by now, you are basically screwed, but
 you can try the sequence se,n,w,w,w,e,e,w,s,n,s,s,s,n,e,n,e,nw over and over
 to try to find him before your lamp runs out.

Note 2:
 Don't go west here. Keep trying N and you'll eventually get out.
 After moving the magazines, I recommend going somewhere with light (either
 by the grate or in the plover room) and waste some time until the Cave closes.