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…the entrance hall of the Maze.
They looked carefully at the bronze doors, trying to choose. The uncertainty of visitors is one of my little pleasures.
“It’s easy to get lost,” I said helpfully. “This can be a sinister place.” The sun glared at me through the gateway.
Something was ringing behind one of the doors. They spent some time trying to decide which door it was, not understanding that the silences of the Maze are as eloquent as the sounds.
“Decisions, decisions,” one said. “Too many decisions.”
“The story of my life,” said another.
“We don’t want to be late,” said a third, opening one of the doors.
“Nary a soul to be seen,” said the first, peering into the gloom.
I waited patiently for them to choose which way to go … into…
- Images and text copyright 1985 by Christopher Manson
used with permission. [Purchase MAZE from Amazon]
Room Type: PATH Doors: 20 21 26 41
Solution Summary: [COLLECTION CURATED BY WHITE Raven. SEE COMMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL SOLUTION PROPOSALS.]
● The correct door is 26. [Credit: Unknown - during the 1985 contest.]
● The part of the Riddle of the Path in this room is “LIKE” spelled out on the scroll hanging on the wall. [Credit: Unknown - prior to 1990.] The symbols on the door (drum, cup, bottle, apple) spell out DCBA the opposite of ABCD. [Credit: Unknown - prior to 1990.] The backwards order of DCBA is intended to clue us to look for backwards letters elsewhere – leading to the identification “LIKE” spelled backwards on the scroll. [Credit: Vewatkin]
● The words over the door “Story,” “Tale,” (rearranged as Late) “Yarn,” (rearranged as Nary) are mentioned in the text. Not mentioned is “Fable” so this is the correct door. [Credit: Raphael Vanier]
● In the papers on the floor is “Go 17″ a possible reference to the hidden door. [Credit: Raphael Vanier]
● In the papers on the floor is “HI”. [Independent Credit: White Raven / David G]
● In the papers on the floor is a smiley face. [Credit: David G]
● The drawing easel: Every time you return to this room it is “back to the drawing board.” [Credit: vewatkin]
● The right hand curled end of the scroll with “IN” or “HI” on it looks like a 2. The left hand curled end of the scroll right next to it looks like a 6. 2&6=26 the number of the correct door. Also the “IN” suggests we go in via this door. [Credit: David Gentile] Between the 2 and the 6 is an upside down F reinforcing “Fable” as the correct door. The scroll with the “IN” when viewed upside down also has a 6 on the end opposite the 2 – another 26. [Credit: White Raven]
Red Herrings:
Through Door 41 the doll’s hair is YARN.
Through Door 21 the bird is turned to show its tail/TALE
Through Door 20 the newspaper perhaps suggests STORY while the tortoise perhaps recalls an Aesop FABLE
Through Door 26 the stage is playing a FABLE or STORY
The third child who said “late” opened the “tale” door. This door is the bottle door which is the only item that can be opened. He may left it open as in the book cover this door is still open.
I don’t know that we’re meant to make that assumption. It’s a reasonable thought, but it doesn’t look like each vistor interacts with the door their statements surreptitiously reference. Only one door is opened (prior to their leaving, by a door of our choice), but that door is opened by visitor Late, and peered into by visitor Nary. Since their statements reference different doors, but they interact with the same one, I don’t think we can make any assumptions about which door it is.
The word ” Decisions ” was used 3 times so instructing us of three false doors.