The Turning Light — walkthrough
Each entry is one command, in order, separated by slashes.
Directions are abbreviated (n, se, u, d). This is
the exact sequence the game's own test suite runs, so it is always current.
Act I — The Relief
u / examine door / sw / examine davits / ne / w examine seat / e / e / open box / w / n d / search blair / open cupboard / u / u / examine slate u / examine chairs / u / examine lower / search chest / u take trimmers / read log / open plate / examine barometer / u / examine lamp examine machine / fill reservoir / trim wick / light lamp / wind
Seven moves from the landing to the lantern, and the errand is the discovery: the reservoir is dry, the paraffin is locked, and the key is on the man at the foot of the oil store ladder. The act will not end on a lit lamp — the lens has to be turning.
Act II — The Sea Door
wind / d / d / d / d / d shut door / shut door / shut door / n / take handle / s d / pump / pump / pump / pump / u u / u / u / u / u / wind d / d / d / d / d / d move blair / pump / pump / pump / pump / pump pump / pump / open grating / u / u / u u / u / u
Two full round trips of the tower. Bar the door before you pump anything, or you are pumping the Atlantic. The runs of wind are not padding: the machine is what you are climbing back up for.
Act III — The Eleventh of October
dry leaves / dry leaves / dry leaves / read leaves / u / wear spectacles u / e / compare cards / w / d / d d / d / w / examine ledger / e / u u / u / u / u / examine sheave / d write log / u / release weight / chock lens / d / d d / d / d / d / unshackle rope / turn rope u / u / u / u / u / reeve rope u / shackle rope / light lamp / wind
release weight stops the light on purpose so the rope can come off. Write the repair in the log first — the game scores that, and it is the whole argument of the ending. The repair itself is five stages in three rooms and every wrong order is refused.
Act IV — The Gallery
d / d / d / d / take scraper / u u / u / u / rig line / wind / s e / scrape ice / scrape ice / read shore / signal keeper dead / s n / wind / d / d / d / warm warm / warm / warm / warm / warm / warm warm / warm / u / u / u / wind s / scrape ice / w / scrape ice / scrape ice / scrape ice s / n / wind / s / e / n scrape ice / scrape ice / scrape ice / scrape ice / e / s n / wind
Clear the east glazing early so the shore signal can be read, then let the freezing squall blow itself out indoors — warming at the range — before clearing the rest. That is the efficient play and the walkthrough uses it, which is why there is a run of warm in the middle of it.
Act V — The Relief Boat
examine reef / d / d / d / d / d open door / s / sw / take knife / ne / w examine seat / e / wait / wait / wait / wait wait / wait / wait / wait / wait / wait wait / wait / wait / wait / wait / wait wait / wait / wait / wait / wait / wait wait / wait / n / u / u / u u / u / douse lamp / d / write the truth / wait wait / wait / wait / wait / wait / wait wait / wait / wait / wait / wait / wait wait / wait / wait / wait / wait / wait wait / wait / wait / wait / wait / wait wait / wait / wait / wait / wait / d d / d / d / s / d
The waits are the clock: sunrise is at minute 38 and the boat is off the landing at about minute 73, and neither can be hurried. write the truth needs all seven findings — this route has them. write the fault, write what I saw, or simply walking down to the boat are the other three endings.
Still stuck, or found something that looks like a bug? Write to hello@freetextadventures.com — every message gets read, and it is also where to send an idea for a future adventure.