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…what appeared to be an old storeroom. Dust obscured a damaged painting making it hard to understand just what the artist had intended.
“This could be a trick of some sort,” one said. “We might be going around in circles.”
“I don’t think so,” said the thoughtful one. “I think we’re supposed to think it’s a trick…that’s the trick.”
They all looked at me. “Yes,” I said. “I’m sure you’re right about that.”
With doubtful looks they left for…
- Images and text copyright 1985 by Christopher Manson
used with permission. [Purchase MAZE from Amazon]
Room Type: LOOP Doors: 3 18 27
Solution Summary: [COLLECTION CURATED BY WHITE Raven. SEE COMMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL SOLUTION PROPOSALS.]
● In the text the line “I think we’re supposed to think it’s a trick…that is the trick,” is meant to prime us to look for a couplet by the couplets “think” “think” and “trick” “trick.” The last two lines are a couplet the first devoted to the word “right” and the other to the word “left.” “Right” is in the same sentence as “Yes” and “sure,” while in the second sentence “left” is with “doubtful.” The right hand door, 18, is correct. [Independent Credit: David G | White Raven]
● The three men and the picture of the blind mouse go together to recall the nursery rhyme “Three Blind Mice.” A visitor says, “We may be going around in circles” – this recalls the blind mice chasing the farmer’s wife, who in turn captures the blind mice. The sword in the torn painting which is pointing to door 3 recalls the knife in the nursery rhyme used to cut off the tails of the mice. All this is to indicate that door 3 is bad. Door 3 = blindness, running in circles, and being cut with a knife. Alternately door 18 is flanked by a picture of sunlight. Door 18 = sight. [Independent Credit: vewatkin / David G | White Raven] [Note: This solution is incomplete]
why is there a hidden lowercase “a” in the ripped painting? (Is this possibly part of a “riddle of the loop” maybe?)
It sure is a pretty good “a,” isn’t it? And then there’s that Apple and Angel through door “A”-teen…
This is probably outlined down below or in a Mazecast but I think the hidden “a” on Theseus’s side of the painting and the apple and angel refer to the beginning of the alphabet, and the apple and angel also refer to the book of Genesis, the first book of the bible. The message is that you have to go back to the beginning and door 18 is the way to get there. But the ripped side of the painting, which we assume to have had an image of the Minotaur, makes triangles, another element telling you that door 3 is the worse door. (We also know that Manson associates 3 with the Minotaur (trefoils), probably because of tripartite shape of the bull’s head.
STOP SAYING “WE KNOW”
ESPECIALLY IN INSANE CONTEXTS
I know it
Manson knows it
WR knows it
I wish he was still here…the first time I saw this website was in 2014 when i got Maze as a Christmas present. Back then there were much less people…and nobody knew it.
The Abyss is absolutely the place for crackerjack theories but your epistemological carelessness is abusive toward everyone trying to have an honest conversation. You do not know these things.
of course I don’t, that’s why it’s fun to try to solve Maze. I wasn’t trying to be mean or abusive. (I’ve never even heard of trefoils or the word “epistomological” before coming here)
Oh no, sorry, not you, I meant Sara. I wouldn’t talk to a human being deserving of respect and understanding that way.
I think Vince was addressing me there, Derek, with all my “I know”s. ;-)
I miss WR too! Maybe he’ll come by and say hi sometime.
The hole in the ground is obviously the entrance from room 27