It's Midsummer's Eve and in this magical game, you're one of several 13-year-old children competing in the Midsummer's Eve Treasure Hunt. You're looking for clues, you may not enter any buildings, and whoever wins gets to make any request (within reason) of the mayor! And you're going to win!
This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on Version 1.0.6 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.
In this walkthrough, I'm ignoring the other children in the Hunt because they move randomly, but feel free to examine or talk to them whenever you like. They give hints.
> x mayor. listen to speech.
>> 1(listen to the rest)
> x house. s.
Town (South)
> x boats. get bobber.(Clue 1)
> drop bobber. look. clues.
> s.
Shops
> x shack. talk Sammy.
>> 2.(re: clues)
>> 1.(re: food)
>> 2.(bye)
Use Clue 1 here:
> buy hotdog with pickles. take hotdog.
> x stand. talk Alba.
>> 1.(re: herself)
>> 1.(re: news)
>> 1.(re: thief)
>> 1.(re: mayor)
>> 1.(re: clues)
>> 1.(bye)
> e.
Flower Shop
> x shop. x Grandma. talk Grandma.
>> 1.(re: herself)
>> 1.(re: thief)
>> 1.(re: necklace)
>> 1.(re: clues. Pansies might come in handy.)
>> 1.(bye)
I needed help for this step:
> take pansies.(Grandma brings some.)
> take pansies.
> e.
Circus Entrance
> x booth. x man. talk man.(mostly ignores you)
> buy ticket. buy cotton candy. take candy.
> x candy. eat candy.(Clue 3)
> e.
Circus Arena
> x tent. x wheel. ride wheel.
Ferris Wheel
> x basket.(Clue 4)
> x circus. x wheel. exit.
Circus Arena
> x games.(which?)
>> 1.(darts)
Game of Darts
>> 1.(play)
Use Clue 3 here. You must use the word ZONE in your commands; otherwise, you won't win the plush toy; you'll win some other prize instead.
> throw red dart at white zone.
> throw yellow dart at black zone.
> throw blue dart at green zone.
> take toy.
Circus Arena
> x toy. pull thread. x seam.(Clue 9)
> x show.(Why is the mayor creeping in the dark?)
> x mayor. x shiny.(necklace!)
> w. w.
Flower Shop
> talk Grandma.
>> 4.(give necklace: Achievement!)
>> 3.(bye)
> w. s. s.
River (by oak tree)
> x dog. x tree. x note.(Buddy blocks you.)
Use Clue 1 yet again:
> give hotdog to Buddy.(Because of the pickles, he likes it!)
> x note.(Clue 7)
> s.
Bridge
> x bridge. x pole. fish.(need bait)
> s. s.
Witch's Hut
> x witch. x hut. x cauldron.
> talk witch.
>> 1.(re: herself)
>> 1.(re: clues. Wants potion.)
>> 1.(re: potion-making. Put three ingredients into cauldron.)
>> 1.(re: thief)
>> 1.(bye)
> e.
Graveyard
> read headstones.
>> 7.(read all)
Use Clue 4 here:
> knock third stone.("Blessed")
> knock first stone.("Free")
> knock sixth stone.("Loved"; Clue 10 seen.)
> w. w.
Mushroom Forest (with gigantic mushroom)
> x gigantic mushroom. climb it.(too high)
> x tall mushroom. climb it.
> climb gigantic mushroom. x it.(Clue 5)
> climb down.
> w.
Mushroom Forest (with treehouse)
Two turns after you arrive here, a grumpy little man comes out of the treehouse and waves you away from mushrooms.
> x mushrooms. x bolete. x webcap.
> x treehouse. x man. talk man.
>> 1.(re: grumpiness)
>> 1.(re: thief)
>> 1.(re: clues)
>> 1.(bye)
Quickly, leave and return. The man returns to his house, and that gives you enough time to take the bolete and webcap.
> e. w.
> take bolete. take webcap.
> n.
Fairy Cottage
> x cottage. x fairy. x pond. x frogs.
> talk fairy.
>> 1.(re: herself)
>> 1.(re: thief)
>> 1.(re: ring)
>> 1.(re: clues. Wants something.)
>> 1.(bye)
> n.
Magical Path
> x stream. x lights. x bottle. x note.(Clue 6)
> n. n.
Flowers
> x asters. take aster.
> x daisies. take daisy.
> x lilies. take lily.
> x tulips. take tulip.
> x mountains. x hillside. x cabin.
> n.
Path (at large tree)
> x door. open door. x note.(Clue 2)
> e.
Tower (base)
> x tower. climb tower.
Use Clue 6 here:
> whistle.(A gryphon lands before you.)
> x gryphon. ride gryphon.
Tower (top)
> x tower.(Clue 12)
> d.(You see two shadowy figures hiding in the forest.)
> x figures.(Mayor arguing with a man in black.)
> listen to figures.("I'll get you the money" and "I don't care what you have to do.")
> d.
Tower (base)
> x figures.(gone)
> e.
Town (North)
> x house. x sparkly. take ring.
> s. s.
Shops
Use Clue 5 here:
> buy popcorn with lime. take popcorn.
Oh, and for the gryphon and witch:
> buy pizza with worms. take pizza.
> buy apple with ants. take apple.
> s. s. s.
Bridge
The syntax is a bit tricky here.
> use popcorn as bait.(Clue 11)
> s. s.
Witch's Hut
> give apple.(Achievement!)
Try three flowers:
> put daisy in cauldron.
> put lily in cauldron.
> put tulip in cauldron.(Brewed perfume! Achievement!)
> take perfume.
> wear perfume.(It teleports you to the field of flowers!)
Flowers
> xyzzy.(You teleport to...)
Witch's Hut
Try all orange or red things:
> put bolete in cauldron.
> put lily in cauldron.
> put tulip in cauldron.(Brewed liquid fire! Achievement!)
> take fire. drink fire.(Achievement!)
Finally, try purple things as per Clue 2:
> put aster in cauldron.
> put webcap in cauldron.
> put pansy in cauldron.(Brewed purple potion!)
> x potion. take potion.
> give potion to witch. take frog. x frog.
> kiss frog.(Achievement!)
> w. w. n.
Fairy Cottage
> give frog to fairy.(Clue 8)
> talk fairy.
>> 5.(give ring. Acheivement!)
>> 4.(bye)
> go tower.
Tower (base)
> whistle. give pizza to gryphon.(Achievement!)
> go shops.
Shops
> tell password to Alba.
>> midsummer nights alive with magic
Achievement: Won the game.
> take golden crown. x it. wear it.
Ceremony (at Town North)
The mayor declares you the winner and the crowd cheers. Make a request of the mayor:
>> 1 —or— 2 —or— 3 —or— 4.
If you choose "Make me the new mayor", the mayor says maybe when you're 35, and you need to choose something else.
If you choose "Start a new festival for Midwinter's Eve", the mayor denies you, and you need to choose something else.
If you choose "Return the valuables you stole!", the crowd gasps, and the mayor runs into his house. Achievement: Caught the mayor.
If you choose "Give me a pet chicken", you get a chicken. Achievement: New pet chicken.
*** The End ***
Your achievements are listed. You may now restart or end the game.
Extras
Achievements
The ACHIEVEMENTS command was very buggy when I first played. Buggy enough to tell me what all the achievements are. But it was all fixed when I tested this walkthrough.
Won the game
Earn it by telling the correct password to Alba.
Lost the game
I don't know how to earn this achievement. Perhaps you have to wait and wait and wait and wait until one of the other kids gets all the clues.
Witches love candy apples
Earn it by giving a candy apple (any topping) to the witch.
Gryphons love pizza
Earn it by giving pizza (any topping) to the gryphon.
The frog is no prince charming
Earn it by kissing the frog you get from the witch.
Guessed the magic number
Earn it by winning at the Magic Number game.
Mastered the wheel of fortune
Earn it by winning at the Wheel of Fortune game.
Went for a swim
Earn it by swimming anywhere there's water.
Brewed a floral perfume
Earn it by putting three flowers into the cauldron.
Earn it by talking to Grandma outside the flower shop, and giving the necklace to her.
Returned the stolen ring
Earn it by talking to fairy outside her cottage, and giving the ring to her.
New pet chicken
Earn it by choosing option 4 at the ceremony: Give me a pet chicken.
Caught the mayor
Earn it by choosing option 3 at the ceremony: Return the valuables you stole!
Artwork
First, here are thumbnails for the in-game cover art and the in-game map:
In-game cover art
In-game map
There's artwork for every location in this game. Here are thumbnails for just four of the locations:
Town (North)
Tower
Witch's Hut
Circus Arena
Special icons are used as inline elements:
A mushroom icon is used whenever you acquire an ingredient, and before the list of ingredients in your inventory.
An apple icon is used whenever you acquire a food item, and before the list of food in your inventory.
A ring icon is used whenever you acquire other items, and before the list of general items in your inventory.
A cauldron icon is used whenever you put an ingredient into the cauldron.
A flask icon is used whenever you brew a potion. A different fluid color is used for each potion.
Characters
The mayor explains the rules of the Hunt at the start. Later, you see him do some very suspicious things.
Clara, Elle, Francis, Ollie, Reed, and Sophie are the other children participating in the Hunt.
Sammy is grilling hotdogs at his food shack. He sells other snacks too!
Alba is the woman who runs the news stand. She's concerned about recent thefts in the area.
Grandma is outside her flower shop. She's listening to the music from the nearby circus.
Buddy the dog is guarding your favorite oak tree. He looks hungry.
The witch, Edwina, is a stereotypical hag-like witch. She's standing outside her hut, cackling, but friendly.
The fairy is on the roof of her cottage, watching her beloved frogs in the pond below.
A thin man is selling tickets and cotton candy at the circus entrance.
Attendants administer the games and ferris wheel at the circus.
A grumpy little man lives in a treehouse in the western part of the mushroom forest. He hates the treasure hunt, and hates children destroying everything.
The gryphon is a hulking beast with glossy black feathers.
The frogs (Lily, Charming, and Tad) are in the pond outside the fairy cottage.
Another frog can be acquired from the witch when you give her an appropriate potion.
A man dressed all in black is one of the shadowy figures seen from the top of the tower.
A crowd of people are at the circus. Many of them are from out of town. A crowd also gathers at the winning ceremony.
Mentioned:
Mary Mildred Macbeth is named on the first stone.
Isabella Rose Montgomery is named on the second stone.
Edward Grover Whitaker is named on the third stone.
Charles W. Cunningham is named on the fourth stone.
Margaret E. Hamilton is named on the fifth stone.
Sophia Louise Montgomery is named on the sixth stone.
A widow (or widower) may have planted the field of flowers.
The mayor's wife is mentioned by Grandma.
An owl hoots in the trees near the river (south of the bridge).
A chicken can be yours if you ask for one at the winning ceremony.
Clues
CLUE 1: Dogs and pickles go together.
At Town (South), examine the boats, then get the bobber to read Clue 1. Drop the bobber afterwards.
CLUE 2: Boil and stir three elements of purple.
On the path (at the large tree, northwestern corner of the map), open the door then examine the note to read Clue 2.
CLUE 3: Red on White, Yellow on Black, Blue on Green.
CLUE 4: Knock on the doors of the Blessed, the Free, and the Loved.
In the circus arena, ride the ferris wheel then examine the basket to read Clue 4.
CLUE 5: Cast your line with corn popped in lime.
In the eastern part of the mushroom forest, climb the tall mushroom, then from there, climb the gigantic mushroom. Examine the gigantic mushroom from its top to read Clue 5.
CLUE 6: Whistle to climb higher.
On the magical path, examine the stream, then the lights, then the bottle, then the note to read Clue 6.
CLUE 7: " midsummer "
On the river (by the oak tree), examine the tree to find a note. Give a hotdog with pickles to Buddy the dog to convince him to stop guarding the note. Now examine the note to read Clue 7.
CLUE 8: " nights "
At the fairy cottage, give the frog to the fairy. She tells you this clue in exchange.
CLUE 9: " alive "
After winning the plush toy at darts, pull its loose thread then examine the open seam to read Clue 9.
CLUE 10: " with "
Clue 4 suggests what to do. Go to the graveyard, and read the headstones. Now knock on the third stone, then the first, then the sixth to read Clue 10.
CLUE 11: " magic "
Clue 5 tells you what to do. First get some popcorn with lime, then go to the bridge and use the popcorn as bait to read Clue 11.
CLUE 12: Tell the five-word password to Alba.
At the base of the tower, whistle to summon a gryphon; see Clue 6. Ride the gryphon to get to the top of the tower. Now examine the tower to read Clue 12.
Credits
This is the response to CREDITS (without fonts and colors):
The graphics were created with Midjourney (an AI art generator), then edited with Photoshop.
Endings
As far as I know, there's three endings:
Win the game and demand that the mayor return the stolen items.
Win the game and ask for a pet chicken.
Lose the game. (Except I don't know how to do that.)
Hints
Talk to the other children to get hints. The more clues that they've discovered may influence which hints they can give you.
"Did you eat the cotton candy?"
"Did you get the webcap yet?"
"Did you look at the weird lights in the stream?"
"Did you read the headstones in the graveyard?"
"Did you ride the ferris wheel?"
"Did you try climbing the mushrooms yet?"
"I guess fish really like popcorn with lime!"
"I heard that you have to throw the darts at certain colors."
"I heard that you're supposed to fish with the popcorn."
"I heard the fairy really likes frogs."
"I heard there's a clue in the cotton candy."
"I heard there's a clue in the stream near the Magical Path."
"I heard there's a clue on top of a mushroom."
"I heard there's something on the Ferris Wheel."
"I heard you have to climb the tower."
"I heard you have to open a tiny door."
Inventory
Ingredients
Ingredients are used to make three different potions in the witch's cauldron: perfume, liquid fire, and purple potion. Note that making potions doesn't use up any of your ingredients.
aster, daisy, torch lily, and tulip. These flowers are all in the field of flowers and you can take one of each.
Note that the aster is purple, the daisy is pinkish-white, the tulip is orange or red, and the tulip is orange.
bolete and webcap. These mushrooms are at the western part of the mushroom forest after examining the mushrooms there.
Take them when the grumpy little man isn't there to stop you. The simplest way to do that is to leave the location so the man retreats into his home, then return and quickly take them before he returns.
Note that the bolete is orange, and the webcap is purple.
pansies. These purple flowers are at the flower shop, but not obviously so.
When you ask Grandma if she has any clues, she mentions pansies would be helpful. TAKE PANSIES to get Grandma to bring some to you, then TAKE PANSIES again to actually acquire them.
Food
hotdog with pickles. At the shops, BUY HOTDOG WITH PICKLES from Sammy's Food Shack.
Clue 1 suggests pairing a dog with pickles. At the river (by the oak tree), give this hotdog to Buddy the dog. In return, Buddy moves away from the tree so you can read the note with Clue 7 on it.
You can buy a hotdog with a different topping, but that won't help you.
popcorn with lime. At the shops, BUY POPCORN WITH LIME from Sammy's Food Shack.
Clue 5 suggests this food combo and also what to do with it. At the bridge, USE POPCORN AS BAIT. You catch a rubber fish and read Clue 11 from it.
You can buy popcorn with a different topping, but that won't help you.
pizza with TOPPING. At the shops, you can buy pizza with any topping (such as grapes).
You don't need any pizza, but if you give pizza to the gryphon, you earn an achievement.
candy apple with TOPPING. At the shops, you can buy a candy apple with any topping (such as coconut).
You don't need a candy apple, but if you give an apple to the witch, you earn an achievement.
cotton candy. At the circus entrance, BUY COTTON CANDY from the man in the booth.
a necklace. At the circus arena, after you know that Grandma is missing a necklace, examine the puppet show to notice the mayor creeping in the dark. Examine the mayor, then examine something shiny to acquire the necklace.
At the flower shop, talk to Grandma and ask her about the thief to learn that she's missing a necklace. Give the necklace to her to earn an achievement.
a ring. At Town (North), after you know that the fairy is missing a ring, examine the mayor's house to notice something sparkly. Examine something sparkly to see it's a ring. Take the ring.
At the fairy cottage, talk to the fairy and ask her about the thief to learn she's missing a ring. Give the ring to her to earn an achievement.
flower crown, circus shirt, circus mug, clown nose, and balloon animal. In the circus arena, play one of the games and if you win, you get a random prize.
You can wear the flower crown, shirt, and nose.
If you win the same prize, you don't get a second one.
For what it's worth, the nose is red, the shirt is pink, the animal is yellow, and the mug is blue.
plush toy.
For darts, if you read Clue 3, you know what to do: throw the red dart at white zone, throw the yellow dart at black zone, and throw the blue dart at green zone. Make sure you specify ZONE in your commands. You win the plush toy.
Examine the toy to notice a loose thread. Pull the thread to open a seam. Examine the seam to read clue 9.
Note that you won't play darts again after winning the toy.
perfume. At Witch's Hut, put any three flowers into the cauldron to brew this potion.
Wear the perfume to teleport to the field of flowers.
liquid fire. At Witch's Hut, put the bolete, torch lily, and tulip into the cauldron to brew this potion. These ingredients go together because they're all orange or red.
Brewing liquid fire earns you an achievement. Drink the fire to gain another achievement.
purple potion. At Witch's Hut, put the aster, webcap, and pansies into the cauldron to brew this potion. You know you need three purple ingredients from Clue 2.
Give this potion to the witch. She gives you a frog in exchange.
frog. At Witch's Hut, the witch offers this frog when you give her the purple potion.
Give this frog to the fairy. She tells you Clue 8 in exchange.
Golden Crown. At shops, Alba offers this crown when you correctly tell the password to her; see clues 7 to 12.
Note that you must find all twelve clues first before you can tell Alba the password.
Wear the golden crown to start a ceremony. The mayor declares you're the winner and you now get to make a request from him. Of the four choices offered, he won't let you be mayor or start a new festival, but you can ask for the return of the stolen valuables or ask for a chicken. Either way, you've won the game and earned yet another achievement.
Xyzzy
When you say XYZZY, PLUGH, or PLOVER in this game, you teleport to Witch's Hut.
The witch looks up at your sudden arrival and cackles.
"I see we have a little witch on our hands," she says with a wicked smile.
A mushroom icon is used whenever you acquire an ingredient, and before the list of ingredients in your inventory.
An apple icon is used whenever you acquire a food item, and before the list of food in your inventory.
A ring icon is used whenever you acquire other items, and before the list of general items in your inventory.
A cauldron icon is used whenever you put an ingredient into the cauldron.
A flask icon is used whenever you brew a potion. A different fluid color is used for each potion.