<!--
	Title: Mail Bag
	Source: The New Zork Times, v4(3)
	Date: Summer 1985
	Transcription by Steve Derby
-->

**Dear Infocom:**

What a great puzzle! I solved puzzle number 5 two days after
receiving my latest copy of *The New Zork Times*, but I had to replay *Zork
II* to determine whether "FEEL FREE" was in the Crypt Anteroom
or the Crypt. I had made a *Zork II* map, but I loaned it out, and my
friend lost it. He claimed a little guy with a beard and pointy hat just
popped in, waved a wand, mumbled something like "Filch," and the map
just vanished. The loss had occurred some time ago, and this current
puzzle was just the motivation I needed to play the game again to
remap *Zork II*'s world.

I must say, however, that I appreciate the definitive Infocom trivia
encyclopedia the puzzle solution provides. Nobody I know had ever
thought to count the leaves, and sure enough ... there are 69,105 (I went
back and counted)! Other surprises (at least for me) were the folding cot,
and the Linder's radio. It just once again proves why Infocom has the
finest interactive fiction: attention to detail!

I've tried other adventure games, but as soon as the next Infocom adventure
is available, they are forgotten and I am once again happily lost
in another world of Infocom's making.

According to the statistics you've published, the number of people
responding to the NZT puzzle is on the rise. Worse, the number of
correct answers are also climbing. What chance does a 33 year old
programmer from California have against all of those youngsters from
around the country? Ah well, it really doesn't matter. I can, after all,
afford a T-shirt. At least I still have my FrobozzCo stock options, but I
do miss the fame and prestige that winning the NZT puzzles bestows on
one.

Should you be hurting for good material to publish next issue, feel
free to use this letter in your Mail Bag section or write me for a free
brochure. The brochure tells about how I could write for *The New Zork
Times*, work for Infocom, or create the next great American interactive
fiction adventure.

Well, as the Wizard said: "Finish!"

In Frobs we trust (and so should you),

<p class="right"><strong>David Alan Hoag</strong><br>
Placentia, CA</p>

*You will notice that the number of entries was down this time. Also,
don't forget that The New Zork Times Puzzle Winner T-shirts can't be
bought — you must solve the puzzle to own one — Ed.*

**Hi,**

I was really making progress on the NZT puzzle in the Winter issue. I
have all the Infocom games and spent hours and hours researching
the questions and filling in my grid. I had a ways to go but felt I was on the
right track when I was called on to babysit a friend's cat.

To make a long story short, the cat, unknown to me, had a craving for
graph paper and ate my almost complete grid. (She gave birth to a
little of black and white checked kittens yesterday.)

I would like to make a comment on the gender of computer gamers.
Many of us have names or nicknames that could either be male
or female. I write to a lot of gamers and I find they usually assume I am
male. After finding out I am definitely female they express
surprise such as "I didn't know GIRLS PLAYED computer games!"
Then when I tell them I am 49+ they are shocked almost to silence. I just
hope by that time they realize I'm just as hooked on games as anyone
else.

I suspect a lot of your Chris's, Leslie, Robins, Pats, etc. are female.
Looking forward to more puzzles and newsletters soon.

<p class="right bold">Pat Smith</p>

**Dear NZT:**

I was shocked to see that in the article about music in the Great
Underground Empire, there was no mention of one of the foremost GUE
heavy metal bands, Mötley Grüe.

<p class="right"><strong>Lee Killpatrick</strong><br>
Houlton, ME</p>

To the New Zork Times:

Seen on a truck on the Interstate in Arizona:

<p style="padding-left: 2em;">Zork Hardware Co.<br>
El Paso, TX</p>

Now there's *Zork* hardware to go with the *Zork* software? Love your
games — keep 'em coming.

<p class="right"><strong>Susan Heller</strong><br>
Tuscon, AZ</p>

**Dear Sirs:**

I was intrigued by your photo-feature, "Searching for the Relics of
the Emu," which appeared in the Spring '85 issue of *The New Zork
Times*. I look forward to seeing the proper photographs in your next
issue. Incidentally, I recently participated in a research project at
Hellspont Historical Institute which uncovered startling evidence that the
Emus were NOT wiped out by the encroachment of western man, but
were instead conquered by a race of malignant Yaks native to mountainous
New Zealand. A fellow researcher proved this invasion possible
by successfully traversing the treacherous between New Zealand
and Tasmania in a coracle made entirely of spun Yak hair. The creatures
the Europeans discovered were the sad remnants of their proud race,
who quickly died of culture shock from exposure to gunpowder weapons,
canvas, and "pick-a-path" game booklets (a primitive form of Interactive
Fiction!). I hope this sets the record straight.

<p class="right"><strong>Stefan Jones</strong><br>
Lucust Valley, NY</p>

Stardate 8411.04.

**To the staff of the NZT, preferably Marc "Mark" Blank:**

In reply to your "Call the Exterminators" article (NZT: vol. 3 #1) I
believe I have found a bug, or at least a typo. In the Fortran IV
translation of Zork for the PDP-11/V-11 (translated from MDL for the
ARPANET), the dam tour guidebook claims that FCD#3 was composed of
"3.7 cubic feet of concrete." To the best of my knowledge, it is very
difficult, if not impossible, to take a lump of concrete measuring one foot
by one foot by three point seven feet and build a structure the size of
FCD#3. While on the topic of the guidebook, how come the present
day versions of Zork I don't mention the work force of "384 slaves, 34
slave drivers, 12 engineers, 2 turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree"
or the command team of "234 bureaucrats, 2,347 secretaries (at
least two of whom could type), 12,256 paper shufflers, 52,469
rubber stampers, 245,193 red tape processors, and nearly one million
dead trees?" Keep *The Times* coming.

<p class="right"><strong>Marc Egazarian</strong><br>
Blauvelt, NT</p>

P.S. Would somebody mind writing The Hitchhiker's Guide for the
TRS-80 Model III, please? Thanks.

*(It may be impossible in the real world to build a dam with such a
small piece of concrete, but this is a fantasy remember? Actually, it was
intended as a joke; it is not a typo. Ed.)*
