"Losing your Grip" step-by-step solution by pjg with suggested improvements by D.J. Picton This is not the "official" solution Please register this game to get the official game package. Feel free to write and upload a better solution if you want to. Otherwise, corrective modifications to this solution are welcomed and encouraged. For game version 3 (Feb 15, 1998) Other game releases may be slightly different. (Version 1 gives different points in the Hospital fit) This game is a series of dreamlike states involving "memories" of events concerning your father. There are 2 different 2nd Fits as well as 2 different 4th Fits. If you get stuck then consult the relevant section of the solution for help. You will earn 20 points in each of the 5 fits. Comments and points are in () ------------------------------------------------------------------- Fit 1 (The building in the snow) -------------------------------- Register NE (is this man your conscience?) X man Ask man about me Pull man Dig man (kick man) (oh well...) NE. N NW. X clock. SE (you must note the times on all of the stopped clocks) (a pyramid may fall) Get pyramid (the objects that fall from the sky are "intrusions" of the real world into your dream world) N. E. X clock N. W. W. D X clock (Frankie will, eventually, ask you to help him) Ask Frankie about Frankie Ask him about avalanche Ask him about project Ask him about pile (after Fit 5 you may be able to figure out who buried the spheres...) Get pile (try again) Get pile (a puppy will appear) Puppy, follow me (the puppy moves randomly) Name puppy "Max" (name the puppy anything that you want) X puppy then pet it Ask Frankie about rucksack Get it. Put rucksack on dog X Frankie (read notebook) Ask him about sunglasses Ask him for it (Frankie will give you a task to do) U. E. NW X clock S. W X clock X sentinel X sentinel's arms Move sentinel's hands Raise it Put sphere in it Look in drawer Get list, sphere E. N. E E. S. E X clock Raise sentinel's hands Put sphere in it Get single, sphere W. N. SW W. D Give list, book to him Wear sunglasses save "f10" X tables Look under it X junction Ask him about it Turn it on Ask him about power Ask him about breakers U. E. N X clock E. X clock Get coat, gloves Wear gloves W. S. NW. W X coat. X stitching Pull it Again X insulation (you need three tufts of insulation) Get mass then put tuft of insulation in coat. (2/2) Get mass then put tuft of insulation in coat. Get mass then put tuft of insulation in coat. Wear coat E. SE. S. S save "f12" S. (5/7) NW. N X line X fence Untie rope then get it E. E. S (a cube may fall) Get cube (the cube contains a hint about the upcoming interlude) X building Open box Read list (you have seen all 8 clocks. remember what Frankie said about reapplying power?) Flip 2, 8, 6, 7 Flip 4, 3, 5, 1 (5/12) SW. N. N N. W. D Turn on junction (1/13) (some sludge will eventually come out of the drain) save "f113" X east wheel Turn it clockwise. g Turn south wheel counterclockwise. g. g. (turn the wheels as far as you can to make the SE corner of the room low) (the sludge should be collecting in the SE corner) Ask him about sludge. X heater (you must be wearing the gloves) Push heater east (7/20) (the heater will consume the sludge) Get dark sphere (the dog needs to be in the room) Put dark sphere, rope in rucksack U. E. S. S save "f120" S (notice what the dog does with the rucksack. I think of the grey man as "guilt") NE (the avalanche will begin) (a sphere will appear) Get sphere (ouch!) N X post. (remember what Frankie said about the junction box?) Get lower. Get upper. (you are finished with Fit #1, you should have 20 points) Interlude #1 ------------ (back to reality) (remember what the cube by the breaker box said?) Get up X monitors Turn it off Remove leads Get IV N (you must hide and get back on the drug) W. Open door. S Push chair north (one more time) Push chair north Stand on chair Pull cord Get down Push chair south (one more time) Push chair south N Close door N save "f220" (To play the Hospital version of Fit 2, do the following...) Open door E Close door then lock it X supplies X crates Enter cubby Put needle in arm (go to Fit 2 Hospital version) ------------------------------ (To play the College version of Fit 2, do the following...) U Close ladder Put needle in arm Fit 2 College Version --------------------- save "c20" (you need to find Buddy) NE. SE (Buddy will eventually appear, when he does say...) Ask Buddy about shelf X Erin (Erin wants a book) NW (Buddy will cause an accident that the janitor will come and clean up. The janitor usually comes from the NE) NE (at the janitor's cart) X cart Get keys (5/25) NW. SW (you should meet your dog) (Dog, follow me) Get rope from rucksack NW (you will meet the grey man) X man NE Get box SW. SE Unlock door with keys NE Get square, cylinder SW save "c25" (you may have noticed the leaky pipe...) X pipe X box Put box under pipe X cylinder Put cylinder under pipe X needle (you must examine the needle until it wiggles, then...) Push button (5/30) (you will capture a water droplet) Get globe SW. SW Unlock SE door SE X grate X padlock Put globe inside padlock Put square on padlock X square Z. Z (you must wait until the water drips from the padlock) Flip switch (you must wait again) Z. Z. Z (5/35) (the ice will break the padlock) save "c35" Open grate (a pyramid may appear, you can ignore it or...) Get pyramid (they found you in the attic) Push box into shaft D. D. D X plate X protrusion Tie rope to it X opening Put rope on pulley Pull rope (5/40) Open grate Push box west E. W. W (you will find the book box) Push box NE (Erin will take a book) save "c40" Z. (Buddy will run off to investigate the shaft) Z (you should go and rescue Buddy) Get bottle SW Put lotion on Buddy Push Buddy (go to Interlude 2) Fit 2, Hospital version ----------------------- save "h20" (game version 1 awarded 5 fewer points) X woman W. N (the grey man will appear) Wait Open small door (it's locked, the nurse is inside) S (this OR is a dream within a dream, you may want to stay and watch) S. E X doors then get key Unlock doors with key Drop key N. E. E. S Get cane N. N (notice that the room occupant is gone) S. W. S Get rope, sunglasses Tie rope to dog Wear sunglasses (you now look like a blind person) N save "h22" Z. Z. Z. Z (wait for your nurse friend Eileen to appear from the small door room) X nurse Z. Z. Z. Z Z. Z. Z. Z (Eileen will eventually ask you to hold a bag) Get bag (wait for Eileen to return) Z. Z. Z. (Eileen will give you a hall pass and ask you to get her BP cuff) Z (5/25) Ask Eileen about old woman (you get a clue about what to do with the old woman) W. S. W. N Get vial (oops) Dog, get vial (7/32) Get vial (a pyramid may appear) Untie rope Drop rope, cane, sunglasses X vial. Read label (a drug that makes you insensitive to pain) N. N Get cuff S. E Push wheelchair West Push it SW Push it SE Push it East Push it East (the doors must be unlocked) Show pass to attendant (you can now push the old woman past her) Push wheelchair North Give cuff to Eileen (1/33) Push wheelchair East Push it North save "h33" (the old woman will need help) say "help" (a Doctor will appear) perform cpr Z. Z X cart, ecg, syringe, defibrillator (you need the syringe) Turn dial to 200 Turn dial to 260 Turn dial to 360 Get syringe (7/40) (you will be escorted out) Z (the old woman has been saved) save "h40" E. S Put syringe in vial Put needle in hand Get globe Z. Z. Z. Z Interlude 2 ----------- (back in reality) Put needle in hand Fit 3 The Fairies, Forest, and Dragon ------------------------------------- save "f340" Get up Read mythology (the rivers are a clue to Fit 4) Read faeries (the clover is an important clue) Open window X bed Get sheet Tie sheet to bed W X grass Search clover N (you will see and hear 3 faeries) Z. Z. Z (the faeries will move into the shed) E (the box is used in one of the fourth Fits) Get box, flyer (the faeries will fly away) Get hat then wear it Say "I'm after" (5/45) (you will fly to the faery cave) N Z. Z. Z. Z Z. Z. Z (the faeries will send you on a quest) U (you will meet your dog) Put all but jar in rucksack W. SE. E S. S Get stone N. E X toadstool X single toadstool Knock on door (the pixie will tell you things) save "f345" Ask pixie about jar Wear boots Ask him about stone Ask him about laurel N X boy Get knife (mean kid) Dog, attack boy (5/50) Get knife (the trees will talk) Ask oak for staff Ask ash for laurel (you need the blood of another) Get staff, laurel S. W. W. W. W (you will meet your father) Give knife to father Get knife Put laurel in blood (a pyramid may appear) Get pyramid Wear laurel E. Dog, follow me E. E. E N. N Rub stone. Again. Again (you will sneeze) save "f350" E (if you did everything right, the dragon won't notice you) (you must be holding the jar) Kick dragon (5/55) (kiss dragon) W (another cube) S. W. W N. D. N (uh oh!) S. U (the grey man will grab you) X man (notice his eyes) Z (he wants to throw you over the cliff) Z (wait until his grip has loosened) Break jar (5/60) (or you can use the knife as attack man with knife) (you are dangling over the edge of the cliff) save "f360" X cage (you can choose to save yourself...) U (or save the faeries...) Open cage (or do nothing...) Z. Z. Z. Z Chess Interlude --------------- Z Interlude, Again ---------------- Z. Z. Z. Z Get rucksack then wear it save "f460" (the fourth Fit is the hardest and the most peculiar) (you will be asked some questions. you can choose to answer in Jefrey's favor or in Marie's favor.) (some of the typical answer are...) Say Look Get Listen to (if you answered in the Marie's favor then you will find yourself in the...) Fit 4 Clock Room version ------------------------ save "w60" N (what are the three monkeys doing?) Give dark to monkeys (5/65) E. X balance Get doll save "w65" The Dolls --------- X doll Open doll then I (do it again) Open doll then I Get copy then x it (note the phase "stare down") Drop all, copy then stare down Open doll then I Get copy then drop it Drop all then stare down Open doll then I Get copy then drop it Drop all then stare down Open doll then I Get copy then drop it Drop all then stare down I (no more dolls) Stare up Get copy, lower, lid Close doll then throw it in large doll Stare up Get copy, lower, lid Close doll then throw it in large doll Stare up Get copy, lower, lid Close doll then throw it in large doll Stare up Get copy, lower, lid Close doll Drop doll (5/70) S X sink Turn left handle on Drink water (Mythology book clue) Turn left handle off N. W. S save "w70" X woman Touch woman N. E (the woman is trying to make the chains resume their normal operation. She needs your help to do it) Z. Z. Z. Z (the woman will leave and pull you with her) N. N. N Get strand Again. (keep getting strands until you have the "Resume" and "Chain" strands) S. S. S. E (the woman should follow you) (we will force the game to ask us about the strands...) Give strand to woman Resume Give strand to woman Chain (5/75) save "w75" Z. Z S (the woman will enter the break room and relax. You will be "forced" to sit on the sofa) Sit on sofa Z. Z (the woman will take a brief break and then leave) Get up N (hmmm, you can't leave using the northern door) X sink Get spoons Wait (the spoons will twitch) Drop spoons (the spoons should form a line pointing west) X spoons W (5/80) N Read note Get flask E. S (left is forget, right is remember) Turn right handle on Fill flask with water Turn right handle off N. W. N save "w80" Drink flask (go to Fit 5) (if you answered in the Jefrey's favor then you will find yourself in the...) Fit 4 Dome Room version ----------------------- save "d60" (Orange crystal) E Enter door X shelf (each layer of the box has 5 cubicles in it. the top and botton layer cubicles are arranged in a + shape. the middle layer cubicles are arranged in an X shape) Get orange Put it on bottom middle Exit X panel then read plaque (you must perform some spacial movements on the orange piece to get it) Push left button (you want the first operation to be TR, a West, North, Up movement) Push middle button (you want the second operation to be ROT, a clockwise rotation) Push right button (you want the final operation to be INV, an inside-outside) Pull lever (Enter door. Exit) Pull lever (Enter door. Exit) Pull lever (4/64) Get orange W Put orange on red crystal save "d64" (Yellow crystal) N. W Get belt then wear it (do you remember the ghost scene from "Perdition's Flames"?) X belt (Red is EW, Green is NS, Blue is UD, Grey is +- time) Read flyer Get box. N Put box on cube. X needle (remember this West number) Get box. E Put box on cube. X needle (remember this Bottom number) Get box. S Put box on cube. X needle (remember this South number) W Flip switch (turn the grey dial to anything but 612) Turn grey dial to 111 (you may have to round your numbers here) Turn red dial to <200+West/10> Turn blue dial to <200+Bottom/10> Turn green dial to <200+South/10> Turn grey dial to 612 (you are inside the cavity in the cube) Get yellow (4/68) Turn grey dial to 999 Turn red dial to 700 Turn blue dial to 1 Turn green dial to 1 Turn grey dial to 612 Flip switch Remove belt then drop it S Put yellow on orange save "d68" (Green Crystal) W Feel rectangle X patch (you must push the raised patches in the floor in the order: Rough, Fairly Rough, Barely Rough, Barely Smooth, Fairly Smooth, Smooth) NW. Push patch S. S. Push patch NE. Push patch N. Push patch S. S. Push patch NW. Push patch (4/72) Get green E. E Put green on yellow save "d72" (Blue crystal) S (you inside a sphere, on the bottom. In the middle of the sphere is a large cube. On the ceiling of the cube is a crate with the blue crystal) N. U. D Push crate south (notice how the crate spun, you must give the crate the correct orientation) U. S. N Push crate east S. NE. W Push crate north E. NW. S Push crate down N. D. U X crate Push button (4/76) Get blue D. NE Put blue on green save "d76" (Violet crystal) D (notice the ripples) X box Push button (you can move west or east to experiment) Look Jump Push button Look W Get violet (4/80) E. U save "d80" Put violet on blue (you will be sent to the fifth fit) Fit 5 Fight your Father ----------------------- save "f580" Pet dog Wait (you Father will appear...) Wait (... and kill your dog) Wait (listen to the advice of the voice in your head) (notice the hand that your Father looks at) Relax hands (this will defeat your father) (or you can...) Clench left hand (this will kill your father) Hospital Room (Father) ---------------------- save "f680" X father Again. G. G. Kiss father (20/100) (or you can...) X father (20/100) (or you can...) X string (20/100) Epilog: Hospital Room, on the bed ------------------------- save "alldone" (back to reality at last) Xyzzy I Listen to muzak X fool ---------------------------------------------------- Some questions to ponder... - Who was the man in the mud? - Who was Frankie? - What were the spheres? - Who buried the spheres? - What was the sludge? - Who was Sam? - Who was the grey man? - Who was the man with the white hair? - Who was the man in the hospital room? - Who are Jefrey and Marie? - How accurate were the memories of your Father? ---------------------------------------------------- For fun have you... - played with the radio? - put the black sphere in the hands? - kissed Erin? - found out who Mr. Jeffers is? - stayed in the operating room? - kissed the Dragon? - found out who Bob and Phil are? - kissed Marie? - seen the flipping bird?