SUPER PUZZLE RPG
Solution
We are presented with a text-based interface for an RPG, and can either fight enemies for practice or attempt a final gauntlet of enemies. As we fight practice enemies, we learn new abilities and increase our health. With some experimentation, we discover that our new abilities do different amounts of damage to each enemy depending on their name, and that certain attacks will defeat enemies in one hit, rewarding much more experience.
After discovering how each attack works, we can attempt the final gauntlet. Our goal is to defeat each enemy in one hit, and there’s a unique attack which does so. Taking the first letters of these attacks in order spells the answer, MURDER WEAPON.
| Attack | Effect |
| [A]lliterator | Damage equal to 30x the longest run of a single letter, if there is a run of 2 or more. |
| [D]isembowel | Damage equal to 20x the longest run of consecutive vowels. |
| [E]lemental Blast | If the first two letters of the enemy’s name are an elemental symbol, damage equal to the atomic number of that element. |
| [G]enetic Algorithm | Damage equal to 10x the combined count of ACGT in the enemy’s name. |
| [I]dentify | Provides “helpful information” on the enemy (does not count as attacking for the purposes of perfect fights, does not let the enemy attack you) |
| [M]atter Scrabbler | Damage equal to 10x the Scrabble value of the first letter of the enemy’s name. |
| [N]umber Munch | If an enemy’s name contains a number spelled out, damage equal to 10x that number. |
| [O]pera-te | Damage equal to 20x the number of unique notes of the solfege (do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti) which appear in the enemy’s name. |
| [P]unch | 50 Damage. |
| [R]ainbow Spray | Damage equal to 20x the number of letters in ROYGBIV which appear in order in the enemy’s name. |
| [S]pellout | Damage equal to 3x the number of letters in the enemy’s name. |
| [T]wister | Replaces the enemy with a random practice enemy. |
| [U]-Turn | 101 damage, if reversing every word in the enemy’s name produces valid words. |
| [V]entilate | 65 damage if the enemy’s name contains the substring “SUS”. |
| [W]ater Gun | 71 damage if the enemy’s name contains the substring “HOH”, “OHH” or “HHO”. |
| Gauntlet Enemy | Best Attack | Damage |
| ZERO ELEMENTAL | [M]atter Scrabbler | 100 |
| SMART WOLF | [U]-Turn | 101 |
| ROYAL GRUB IV | [R]ainbow Spray | 140 |
| WALKING SEQUOIA | [D]isembowel | 80 |
| THINKER STATUE | [E]lemental Blast | 90 |
| DESTROYER OF GODS | [R]ainbow Spray | 80 |
| HIGH HORSE | [W]ater Gun | 71 |
| FLOOD BEAST | [E]lemental Blast | 114 |
| WALL LLAMA | [A]lliterator | 120 |
| HEROIC SORCERER | [P]unch | 50 |
| SEMI RETIRED FAUN | [O]pera-te | 80 |
| GOBLIN BOBSLEIGH TEAM | [N]umber Munch | 80 |