Part 23: Exploring Folsense III

Folsense (Live Version)



Alright, let's get right to it then!



And, of course, its associated puzzle.





2. Simply put, A and B are getting paid for doing the work C was supposed to do. When considering your answer, don't factor in the days A and B were supposed to work according to the original agreement.




Hm, I think this is the first time in this game that the thread's gotten a puzzle wrong.

...Well, okay, not quite the entire thread. It was roughly a 50-50 split between this and...



3. The coins should be distributed based on the number of days each person worked to cover the three days C was supposed to have worked. A did two days, B did one.

This. And this answer?






Hidden puzzle, so no dialogue worth worrying about.





3. The dog runs at a rate of five feet per second. The father catches up to his daughter in exactly 10 seconds.








You may run around like dogs, but you've got it going on upstairs too, haven't you?
If you both love running around so much, I won't stop you. Besides, it's fun to watch.



The Cinder Horse here is our last tea ingredient! Let's put this to use to make the remaining tea blends.

A Moment of Rest (Live Version)



Oasis Leaf, Citronia Seed and the Cinder Horse.



Brisk Berry, Joy Root Clover and Cinder Horse.



Dream Fluff, Tonic Flower and Cinder Horse for this one.

And our fourth is... special. Not in terms of ingredients, mind.



It's just Joy Root Clover, Peppercherry and Cinder Horse. But what makes it for me is the name and that Layton has never drunk this before either.

Anyway, where were we? Ah, right.

Folsense (Live Version)





2. Read over the conditions that cause each spout to spray water. Then try applying that knowledge. For example, think about how the fountain would indicate the ages of 10 through 20.
3. Spout A fires off to indicate one year, B fires for two, C fires for three, D fires for four, and so on. So, if spout I is meant to indicate nine, then...












And its puzzle:





Really, seems pretty simple to m-




Wait, what?

Oh. Ohhhh! I see.



3. Even if you place three books upright in the box and use two more to fill what gaps you can, you'll still have a good chunk of wasted space on your hands. Fitting the books together in a space-efficient way is of utmost importance in solving this puzzle.

In what I can safely say is a first, no one in the thread got this one right. I know, I'm surprised too!






Right, so what about the important stuff?

Suspense









History of the Village (High Quality)



Before we set off towards the mine, since we're already here we'll help out Grinko with his thirst problem.



The other day, while thumbing through an old account of castle provisions, I discovered something.
Interesting. Please do continue. I have a weak spot for matters of this sort.
I read an account about a very special tea.



Sadly, it seems the ingredients for this wondrous tea have been lost to the sands of time.
Oh, what I wouldn't give for a chance to savour that historic blend...
I suppose that's impossible now. Sigh...
Not necessarily, my good man.
Perhaps we can use modern ingredients to recreate this legendary tea.
Your knowledge of tea is clearly expansive, Mr Layton, but... could it really be possible?
I can't guarantee I'll get it right, but I'll see what I can come up with.



The clue here is a bit abstract but the Cinder Horse is described as smoky, and where there's smoke there's fire after all. The Joy Root Clover is pretty obvious, for its part, but its the Peppercherry that pushes this one over the Clover Quencher because that's a spicy ingredient. That's basically it.



Ah, now tha's a legendary tea. The nuanced flavour almost moved me to tears.
I aim to please, sir.
Ahhhh. You'll have to excuse me. I haven't become so emotional over a cup of tea in a long time.
It's not much, but let me share this puzzle with you. It's really all I can do to say thanks.

Oh, there's no need. Sidequest completion is thanks enough.



Now we can head on over to the mine. It's not really that far awa-

Folsense (Live Version)



Hm, it seems we still have work to do here. Very well then.



Are you all right, sir?
To be honest, I've been better, sonny boy. The name's Gregorio, and I love chess like pigs love mud.
I've been standing here all day pondering my next move and, well, it's pretty brutal work.
Would a cup of tea help that thirst of yours?
That'd be mighty kind of you, sonny boy.
I'll see what I can make. Once you're refreshed, thinking up your next move should be much easier.



This one's very easy and pretty straight forward, honestly.



Ahhh, now that's a refreshing cup of tea! Oh, of course! Queen to Bishop 6. Check!
See? A little tea can work wonders! You've already found your next move!
As my way of saying thanks, here's a little factoid for you, sonny.
In the Herzen Museum, you can find books with the chess strategies used by aristocrats of the past.
The peculiar thing is that no new strategies have been developed in the last 50 years.
It's almost like time has stopped.

Y'know, now that we have every tea blend and this is our best opportunity to finish up in the town proper... let's do that, then.



There's a fair few folks left in Folsense who we still have to give a drink to. Hopper right here is the closest to the museum, so we'll start by heading in this direction.



Reminiscing, are we?
Yeah... Back in the day we had this cafe in town that brewed the most amazing tea.
I mean, folks would flock to Folsense by the hundreds to taste this wonder tea, as it was called.
It sounds like that cafe was the place to be.
Too right it was!
You know, you look like you know a thing or two about tea.
I don't suppose you could brew me a cup of that wonder tea, would you?
It's certainly a challenge I'm willing to take up. I'll see what I can do.
Well, good luck to you. I kind of rememebr that the tea had something spicy going on.
But that's all the help I can give you.



After the previous use of this tea was basically "nothing else quite fits the description as well," this becomes much more obvious. I think so, anyway.



Me and my mates would play cards late into the night while downing cup after cup of this.
I wasn't sure you had it in you, but you really came through for me here. Cheers mate!
Glad to be of assistance, my good man.
You're a brainy one, but you're not the first clever-clogs to visit this town. We used to get loads of 'em.



We played cards and put the world to rights. He was in town researching something or other.
I wonder if he ever found what he was looking for.



Of course, while we're making this lap around the town there are a few more puzzles to pick up for good measure.



I'd be delighted to, sir.

Puzzles Remix





1. Your options for a first jump are pretty limited. It has to be one of the four balls surrounding the center ball. The tough part is deciding what to do next. For your second move, pop a ball into the space that opened up when you moved your first ball.
2. Next, move a ball into the open center space.
3. Read carefully, because this next move is key. You need to take the ball now sitting in the center space and move it in the direction that you moved your ball in the first move. The rest of the puzzle is up to you.

Oh, but most of the puzzles we can find sort of really cannot be handled in-thread.






Folsense (Live Version)



I heard talk that the vampire living up in Herzen Castle attacks anyone who gets close.
That's the word from some people who just barely escaped the castle with their lives.
Pretty wild stuff, ain't it?
So that's why everyone in town starts shivering when we talk about the forest.
Yep. But here's the thing. So just mentioning the place makes people jump out their skin, right?



Sure, they're all scared and some have wet trousers, but they're no worse for the wear.
That is odd. So what do you think is going on out there?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Everyone says they escaped by the skin of their teeth, but I dunno about all that.



I would say that we'll take this path around so as to maximise the use of our time. Problem is, everyone along that path has had their drink dilemma resolved already! We'll take it anyway, just in case there's a new puzzle there though.



Speaking of which, we'll duck into this alleyway for a moment to see Gertie again.



I've been knocking them out extra fast, so there are more now than ever before.
Unfortunately, just like before, I can't get even two of them to come out the same size.

Puzzles Remix





1. Having trouble? Just follow the hints given to you in Pancake Stacks 2. This is the last hint you're going to get for this kind of puzzle. So it would be a waste to spend another hint coin here.
2. Looks like you went and spent that hint coin coin anyway. Must be nice having hint coins to burn. OK then, here's a little fun fact for you. These pancake puzzles are based on a puzzle called the Tower of Hanoi, which can be solved using a basic concept in computer science known as recursion. Sure, it's not much of a hint, but it is interesting stuff, isn't it?
3. Well, look at that, you spent yet another hint coin. All right, moneybags, time for more fun facts. Edouard Lucas, the man who thought up the Tower of Hanoi puzzle, introduced the puzzle saying that it was based on an Indian myth detailing the creation and destruction of the world. Though the myth is quite fascinating, many people believe Lucas fabricated it.

These still aren't difficult, at least.






Folsense (Live Version)



If anyone else had tried to stack 'em like that, they'd be buried in a mountain of batter right now.



Following the path back and down the right-side of Folsense brings up back to the hotel in due time, and... with nothing en route, but TWO people here. Who both need our assistance. Alright, Opal first.



You seem troubled, madam. May I be of any assistance to you?
Yes, I'm quite troubled, and what's worse, I have no one with whom I can discuss the matter.
Well, how would you like a hot cup of tea? If nothing else, it should bring a bit of cheer to your day.
Well, I am tired of mulling over the issue, so I suppose I might as well take a break.
I don't mean to sound picky, but please keep in mind that I have certain preferences.
On a day like today, I do believe a nice, strong tea with a pinch of Dream Fluff is in order.



Very straightforward, this time.



Mmm, yes, this tea is just the thing I needed to lift my sagging spirits.
Could I trouble you to lend me your opinion, kind sir?
There's been some trouble in my family, and to be quite frank, it's been a bit much for me.
But of course. Please continue.



However, the way he demanded his property be divided is simply baffling.
In what sense, madam?
The specifics are written up like a strange riddle. Until we can decipher it, no one gets anything.

Unfortunately for her, this is a bit much for me too...



Next up, we've got Sammy to help out. Again.



This is my strumming arm, man. How am I supposed to hold my axe when I'm all tense like this?
I didn't know you could play the guitar, Sam!
Aw yeah, born to rock, man! But hey, I hear there's a tea that fixes, like, everything.



Hmm... That's certainly the first time I've heard of such a tea.
Yeah, man. I'm, uh, a little foggy on the specifics, but I hear all sorts of good stuff about that blend.
One sip fills you with energy AND mellows you out at the same time! Far out, huh?
Now, everything I'm sayin's just a rumour I heard, but if that tea's out there, I gotta get me some!
Well, you've intrigued me, Sammy. Let's see if we can't discover the composition of this mystery blend.
Wha-? For real? You're gonna make me a cup of the magic juice? Oh, man, this is gonna be sweet!



"Works against sickness of all kinds" makes it very obvious that it's this we want. You might have thought it would be the Root Remedy but nope.



YEEEEEEOW! That tea is so good, it made me hit a high note, man. Talk about an original flavour.
To top it off, my shoulders feel loose and ready to tackle whatever guitar solo's coming my way.
Rock fans of the future are going to remember you as the man who saved Sammy Thunder's career!

That's really not necessary. Really.



But Sammy also has a puzzle, so let's see what this is about.



Things are coming along nicely, thank you for asking.
Oh, but Sam, as the conductor, is it all right for you to be away from the train like this?
Pfft, man, forget that train. Even if I cared, today's supposed to be my day off.
But here I am. First I get sent off after the Elysian Box and then I'm accused of murder!
It's a total drag! Sammy Thunder's no murderer, man!
After all that craziness, it's definitely time to chill out with a puzzle. Here, check it out.

I checked it out and my head is still spinning a bit from that one...





We'll just head a little bit further south, and finally get the chance to help out Rory. He's been kind of useful the entire time we've been here, thinking about, huh?



I don't suppose you know anything about fortune-telling, do you?
What sort of divination do you have in mind?
There's this tea with Oasis Leaf in it that lets you predict peoples' love lives.
Wow, I've never heard of any tea like that. Professor, can we try making a cup? Pleeease?
I'm all for experiments, Luke.
We'll give it a go, but tell me, whose love life will we be forecasting?
Well, I'm a handsome lad, so I don't really need my romantic fortune told...
But if you're brewing it anyway, I'll read the leaves when it's done.
That... sounds fine. Now, let's get to brewing, shall we?



Fortunately, the description here outright tells you that it is this one.



Oh yeah, these will do nicely.
See how the tea leaves are positioned just so? They're trying to tell us something.
Cool! So, what can you see?
Hmm, it doesn't look good for the poor lad.
What lad? Whose love life did you just peek into?



I decided to see how that relationship's gonna work out.
Oh... that sounds like bad news, doesn't it?
I mean, it's only a matter of time before he breaks down and drinks her blood.
Too right. Oh yeah, just as I thought, this one's gonna end in tears.
I don't know if you really need tea leaves to see that.

No, that's kind of a bit redundant. It should be obvious that's never going to work.



Equally obvious is that Rory now has a puzzle for us as well.



I've given you a taste of the glitz and glamour, so how's about giving this game a whirl?

Puzzles Remix





1. Wow, these puzzles are really getting tough. Here's a hint to take the edge off this puzzle. Start by clearing the ball three from the edge in the bottom row.
2. Next, move the ball on the edge of the bottom row to fill the space that opened up when you removed a bal in your first move. Then repeat the process detailed in Hints One and Two on the other side of the triangle, and move the balls around until you're left with a number of balls arranged in a shape that resembles a pine tree. The rest is up to you.
3. Hey, didn't Hint Two clearly say, "The rest is up to you"? Well, just know that you won't be able to rely on too many hints in the Disappearing Act puzzles to come! You can have a hint this time, though.
Select one of the balls one in from the outer edge of the pine tree and jump it upward. Then, from this new location, jump over the tip of the tree OK, this time, the rest really is up to you.

Still fairly easy honestly.



The puzzle says they're getting pretty tough but I didn't have much of an issue with this one.









Now we'll head back towards the mine. It's in the one place we haven't gone yet, because until now we couldn't. Time to finally see what lies beyond that broken gate...







Puzzles Remix





1. The answer to this puzzle won't simply pop into your head when you make some key realization. You need to work your way to it. Three different cubes are touching three different faces of the cube in question. Find the letters that must be on those face of the unmareked cube.
2. If the unmarked cube had its faces restored to it all four letters on the right side of the big cube would be Cs. Note how all four Cs don't point the same way.





1. There are 16 squares of land and four people to divide it among, so every person should receive a parcel of land consisting of four squares.





1. Sammy's work-and-rest schedule repeats itself every five days.