Key & Compass presents:
BLACK'N'WHITE RAG - or, A Study in Something-or-Other
by Jonathan Nowell

BLACK'N'WHITE RAG - or, A Study in Something-or-Other is a Z-machine interactive fiction game written with Inform 6 and is © 1996 by Jonathan Nowell. It was one of three runner-ups in the 1996 Acorn User Interactive Fiction competition, and it was also awarded "best CD-related puzzle".

In this short one-room escape challenge, you play as a UK university student locked in the programmer's study. By escaping without alerting Security, you'll raise money for charity. The RAG Week Committee made sure that the objects already in the room have enough clues to help you get out.

This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on Release 1 of the game.

SPOILERS AHEAD. Reading a walkthrough prematurely can sometimes diminish one's enjoyment of an interactive fiction game. Please make an honest effort to play the game before reading this walkthrough.

Walkthrough
Extras
- Characters, Endings, Inventory
Thank You to my Patreon supporters
Support me on Ko-Fi
External links:
- This game at IFDB, and IFWiki.
- Follow me at Bluesky, Ko-Fi, Mastodon, Patreon, and Wordpress.

Walkthrough

Programmer's Study

You're escaping this room for charity. RAG is short for "Raising and Giving". Many clubs and societies in UK universities have a RAG Week where they compete to raise money for charities. The activities can be as diverse as pedal car races, eating competitions, skydiving, hitchhiking from remote locations, performing in a parade, or getting tattoos.

By the way, it's never said which way the door is, but it doesn't matter. Just get the door open.

> x door. open it. (locked)

> x window. (locked)

> x deak. open drawer.

> x pad. ("PABZ")

> x pencil. ("HAMLET")

> x receipt. (remember there's a change line)

> x computer. (Note the model number: "6Z".)

> x chair.

> x box. open it. x porcelain. x stone.

> x wooden. open it.

> x smaller doll. open it.

> x tiny doll. open it.

> x sweet. (It's a humbug.)

> x note. ("WHO MADE ME?")

For a hot minute, I thought the game was referring to the IF game "Humbug", which was made by Graham Cluley in 1990-1991, which does predate this game!

> x shelves. x hi-fi.

> x player. open it. x disc. (Dolly Suite, by Fauré)

Ah, the answer to the note's question is Fauré, assuming a dolly sweet is a pun for "Dolly Suite".

> x amp. x speakers.

> close player. turn on player. turn on amp. listen. (piano duet)

> x copy. x bust.

> x poster. (possible stereogram?)

> stare at poster. ("CHANGE")

> x bin. read sheet.

You learn that the door has a lock that responds to the voice command COMBINATION DLDLDLDL, when the correct digit/letter code is used. Security is summoned after a third incorrect code.

Assume that the letters needed for the code are PABZ from the scrobble pad, and in that order.
The "CHANGE" clue on the poster suggests that the Change line on the receipt is important. Assuming this game is set in the UK, the change is five pence, or 5P for short.
Fauré (on the CD) sounds like 4A to my English pun-loving ears.
HAMLET (on the pencil) suggests it's a 2B pencil, as per Hamlet's most famous line, "To be or not to be".
The computer model is 6Z.
Therefore, the code is 5P4A2B6Z.

> combination 5P4A2B6Z

*** You've done it! Now to extract several beers from the Rag Week Committee . . . ***

Extras

Characters

This game strictly a solo adventure, but here are a few mentions:

The Rag Week Committee organized this escape challenge for you.
Security Officers will be summoned if you use the incorrect combination three times. Avoid that.
Gabriel Fauré wrote Dolly Suite, a piano duet. Have a listen at Youtube as performed by Lucas and Arthur Jussen.
Ludwig van Beethoven is represented in plaster bust form.

Endings

Three incorrect combinations - the Security Officers are here, and they don't look best pleased!

if you try three incorrect combination commands.

You've done it! Now to extract several beers from the Rag Week Committee . . .

if you successfully escape the room.

Inventory

You don't need to pick up anything at all in this game. But you can pick up quite a few things regardless. Examine them all for clues.

a scribble pad. It's in the desk's drawer. Note the word "PABZ".
a pencil. It's in the desk's drawer. Note the word "HAMLET".
a till receipt. It's in the desk's drawer. Note the change was 00.05.
a box. It's in the room. Open it.
a porcelain doll. It's in the box. Ignore it.
a large painted wooden doll. It's in the box. Open it.
a smaller painted wooden doll. It's in the large doll. Open it.
a tiny painted wooden doll. It's in the smaller doll. Open it.
a carved stone doll. It's in the box. Ignore it.
a boiled sweet. It's in the tiny doll. You may eat it.
a note. It's in the tiny doll. It asks "WHO MADE ME?", referring to the boiled sweet.
a compact disc. It's in the hi-fi system's CD player. Note that Dolly Suite is by Fauré.
a scrap of paper. It's in the wastepaper bin. Note how the voice command for unlocking the door works.
a copy of War and Peace. It's on the shelves. Ignore it.
a plaster bust of Beethoven. It's on the shelves. Ignore it.

Thank You to my Patreon supporters

This walkthrough is provided free of charge since the work it's based on has less than fifteen locations. Please consider it a thank you for your support!

I create larger walkthroughs too! Please visit my Patreon account if you're interested in helping me create more interactive fiction walkthroughs. I appreciate all the help I can get! Thanks again.

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