From: linhart@romulus.rutgers.edu (Mike Threepoint)
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
Subject: Re: Spellbreaker - the 12 cubes puzzle
Date: 2 Oct 92 05:11:08 GMT
Organization: Frobozz Magic Amulet of Yendor Company

David.White@bbs.oit.unc.edu (David White) writes:
> Hmmm, not sure if my messages are getting out or not. I'll try again.
Your first post was empty except for your .signature.  Better cancel it.

> Was anyone clever enough to solve the puzzle of the 12 cubes in the vault
> in Spellbreaker?  If so, my hat's off to you; I STILL need the hint book to
> solve it every time I play.  Unfortunately, the InvisiClues have faded
> back into invisibility.  Could someone be so kind as to repost the
> solution...

This is a variation of a classic coin-weighing puzzle you can find in many
puzzle books.

In the Lost Treasures of Infocom hint book, under "How do I find out
which cube I want?", it reads:
 (hints)
A spell will help you identify the correct cube.  But you only have
three spells (maximum) to do it.  Then the alarm fairy and the guards
show up.

The spell isn't BLORPLE, it's JINDAK!

JINDAK when you first enter the room.  You'll notice something unusual
about the two piles.

The "real cube" doesn't glow at the same intensity as the fake cubes.
But...

...it could be brighter or dimmer.

You have enough time for only two more JINDAKs (three in all) before
you have to grab the correct cube and BLORPLE it out of here.

This is a variation of a classic coin-weighing puzzle.

To get the correct cube from the Outer Vault, enter the Outer Vault
without the treasure.  Have all your items in the zipper so you can easily
move cubes around.  Have JINDAK memorized thrice and BLORPLE memorized
once.  Read clue 9 and follow the directions.

[I've added the next 3 clues, since Infocom doesn't explain the logic.]

You'll need to break the cubes into three equal groups to tell which pile
of four is brighter or dimmer than the other two piles.

If you JINDAK with two piles of four cubes, and they glow with the same
intensity, then you know that all the cubes in the piles are fakes.  The
real cube must be one of the other four.  Use a process of elimination to
determine which of those four cubes is the real one.

Set up the piles with two unknown cubes on the first pile and two fake
cubes on the second pile.  JINDAK.  If both piles glow unevenly, it's a
cube from the first pile.  If both piles glow evenly, it must be one of
the two cubes you haven't JINDAKed yet.

To find out which of two unknown cubes is the real one, set up the piles
with one unknown cube on the first pile and a fake cube on the other.
If they glow unevenly, it's the cube on the first pile.  If they glow
evenly, it's the unknown cube that's not on a pile.

If you JINDAK with two piles of four cubes, and they glow unevenly, then
you know the other four you didn't JINDAK are fakes.  The real cube must
be in one of the piles.

Switch a cube from the first pile with a cube from the second pile, and
replace the rest of the second pile with fakes.  JINDAK.  If the piles
glow evenly, it's one of the three you took from the second pile.  If
the piles glow the same way as the first time, it's one of the three you
left in the first pile.  If the piles glow the opposite way from the first
time, it's one of two you switched.

If there are three unknown cubes left, set up the piles with one unknown
cube on the first pile and another unknown cube on the second pile.
JINDAK.  If they glow the same way as the first time, it's the cube on the
first pile.  If they glow the opposite way from the first time, it's the
cube on the second pile.  If the piles glow evenly, it's the unknown cube
that's not on a pile.

If there are two unknown cubes left, put one on the first pile and a fake
on the second pile.  JINDAK.  If the piles glow unevenly, it's the cube on
the first pile.  If the piles glow evenly, it's the unknown cube that's
not on a pile.
 [Finally, the step-by-step solution:]
[Clues 9-17:]

9. The first JINDAK should be done with four cubes on each pile.  TAKE X1,
X2, X7, X8.  JINDAK.  (X3, X4, X5, X6 on the first pile.  X9, X10, X11,
X12 on the second pile.)  If the piles are even then read clue 10.  If the
piles are uneven, notice which pile is brighter, then read clue 13.

  10. TAKE X3, X4.  PUT X1, X2 IN THE FIRST PILE.  JINDAK.  (X1, X2, X5,
  X6 on the first pile.  The second pile remains the same.)  If the piles
  are even then read clue 11.  If the piles are uneven, then read clue 12.

    11. TAKE X1.  PUT X7 ON THE FIRST PILE.  JINDAK.  (X7, X2, X5, X6 on
    the first pile.  The second pile remains the same.)  If the piles are
    even then BLORPLE X8.  If the piles are uneven then TAKE X7.  BLORPLE
    IT.  Now read clue 17.

    12. TAKE X1.  PUT X7 ON THE FIRST PILE.  JINDAK.  (X7, X2, X5, X6 on
    the first pile.  The second pile remains unchanged.)  If the piles are
    even then BLORPLE X1.  If the piles are uneven then TAKE X2.  BLORPLE
    IT.  Now read clue 17.

  13. PUT X1, X2, X7 ON THE SECOND PILE.  GET X9, X10, X11, X12.  PUT X9
  ON THE FIRST PILE.  GET X6.  PUT X6 ON THE SECOND PILE.  JINDAK.  (X3,
  X4, X5, X9 on the first pile.  X6, X1, X2, X7 on the second pile.)  If
  both piles are equal, then read clue 14.  If the piles are uneven the
  same way they were in clue 9, then read clue 15.  If the piles are
  uneven in the opposite way they were in clue 9, then read clue 16.

    14. Take all of the cubes off both piles.  PUT X10 ON THE FIRST PILE.
    PUT X11 ON THE SECOND PILE.  JINDAK.  If the piles are even then GET
    X12.  BLORPLE IT.  If the piles are uneven the same way they were in
    clue 9, then GET X11.  BLORPLE IT.  If the piles are uneven in the
    opposite way they were in clue 9, then GET X10.  BLORPLE IT.  Now read
    clue 17.

    15. Take all of the cubes off both piles.  PUT X3 ON THE FIRST PILE.
    PUT X4 ON THE SECOND PILE.  JINDAK.  If the piles are even then TAKE
    X5.  BLORPLE IT.  If the piles are uneven the same way they were in
    clue 9, then GET X3.  BLORPLE IT.  If the piles are uneven in the
    opposite way they were in clue 9, then GET X4.  BLORPLE IT.  Now read
    clue 17.

    16. Take all of the cubes off both piles.  PUT X6 ON THE FIRST PILE.
    PUT X1 ON THE SECOND PILE.  JINDAK.  If the piles are even then GET
    X9.  BLORPLE IT.  If the piles are uneven, then GET X6.  BLORPLE IT.
    Now read clue 17.

17. If you've ended up in the Sand Room: congratulations!  If you've ended
up in the Nondescript Room: too bad, you didn't follow the directions
accurately.