Map
The spoiler below shows a map of the Spiral, for those having trouble keeping track of the layout.
| Spoiler: Spiral of Despair map
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Normal solution
Hints are given below when you expand the boxes.
| Spoiler: Hint 1 (the starting chamber)
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| You start in a small room locked with the word PAIR. But you know how to deal with that by now, right?
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| Spoiler: Hint 2
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| Rearrange or destroy both stacks of blocks spelling PAIR to open the way out of the starting chamber.
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| Spoiler: Hint 3 (the level proper - figuring out what to do)
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| This is the biggest puzzle yet, but don't be distracted by the song - it's not impossible! Start by exploring the level and figuring out what your end goal is.
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| Spoiler: Hint 4
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| You'll find a bridge labelled DESPAIR, and the level exit behind it. You'll need to spell DESPAIR. Where would be the best place to do this?
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| Spoiler: Hint 5
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| Have you noticed that the spiral goes upstairs from the centre? Have you tried pushing a block upstairs yet?
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| Spoiler: Hint 6
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| Have you noticed that you can't push a block upstairs at all? This means it will be easier to write DESPAIR downstairs than upstairs.
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| Spoiler: Hint 7
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| Have you been paying attention to the blockpads? They dictate where smashed blocks will reappear. One blockpad will force you to write DESPAIR in a particular part of the spiral.
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| Spoiler: Hint 8
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| The P blockpad only appears in the lowest part of the spiral, north of the starting room. You will have to write DESPAIR here.
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| Spoiler: Hint 9 (block-pushing advice)
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| In general, you want to avoid pushing the blocks against walls or corners unless a) you're going to leave them there or b) you're damn sure you can get them away again. (For example, in the southeast corner of the level, there's a wall that's in line with the corridor to the north - that wall is fine, since you can easily push a block north further down the spiral. But the walls around the outside of the level will get you into trouble.)
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| Spoiler: Hint 10
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| The pillars throughout the spiral will be useful. They act as obstacles for the blocks, but you'll be able to push the blocks away again pretty easily.
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| Spoiler: Hint 11
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| For most of the blocks, if you try to prioritise pillars, you'll find that there's a clear route between pillars and interior walls that gets the block safety to the bottom of the spiral.
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| Spoiler: Hint 12 (the level proper - DES...)
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| It's simplest to go one letter at a time. The D appears high up the spiral, in the south part. Figure out a route to push it down.
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| Spoiler: Hint 13
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| As described in Hint 11, the pillars and interior walls throughout the spiral will act as obstacles for the D. If you don't push the D against the outside of the level, you're probably fine.
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| Spoiler: Hint 14
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| From its starting blockpad, push the D south, east (reaching it from across the little patch of ice), north, west, north, and west again. This will tuck it in the northwest corner of the lowest room of the spiral, where other letter blocks can reach it easily. (See Hint 19 if you're struggling to visualise this.)
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| Spoiler: Hint 15
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| The E, in the southeast corner of the level, will follow much the same route as the D. But you can't push it east from the start, or it'll get caught in the corner by those stairs.
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| Spoiler: Hint 16
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| From its starting blockpad, push the E north, east, north, west, north and west to slot it next to the D as placed in Hint 14.
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| Spoiler: Hint 17
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| The S is a little trickier, but follows the same principles. At one point, it will probably be on the raised bit of floor in the southeast. But that's fine, as long as it's not against the wall.
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| Spoiler: Hint 18
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| From its starting blockpad in the southwest part of the level, push the S north, east, north, west, north, west, north and west. Following on from Hints 14 and 16, you should now have DES in the chamber above the starting room.
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| Spoiler: Hint 19 (DES... diagram)
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 This shows the solution so far. The D and E follow the orange arrows; the S follows the yellow arrows. |
| Spoiler: Hint 20 (the level proper - ...PAIR)
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| You might find now that you don't have P, A, I or R available in the spiral. How can you make those blocks available to you?
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| Spoiler: Hint 21
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| Do you remember what you had to do to start the level?
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| Spoiler: Hint 22
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| Do you remember what happens when you smash a block?
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| Spoiler: Hint 23
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| Return to the starting chamber and smash the P, A, I and R blocks along the east wall. That will respawn then on the blockpads within the spiral, and let you continue with the puzzle.
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| Spoiler: Hint 24
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| The P block's route should be obvious, but getting to it might not be. Fling across from the ice to its west.
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| Spoiler: Hint 25
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| Push the P block north and then west to get DESP (following on from Hints 14, 16 and 18).
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| Spoiler: Hint 26
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| The A has two possible blockpads, but it can simply be pushed from pillar to pillar no matter which pad it starts on.
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| Spoiler: Hint 27
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| From the A blockpad to the east, push the A west, north, west, north, west. If the A is on the A blockpad to the northeast, push the A east, south, west and north. Either way, this should get you DESPA (following on from Hints 14, 16, 18 and 25).
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| Spoiler: Hint 28
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| The I is similarly straightforward - like the A, it can just go from pillar to pillar.
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| Spoiler: Hint 29
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| From the I blockpad, push the I north, west, north and west. This should get you DESPAI (following on from Hints 14, 16, 18, 25 and 27).
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| Spoiler: Hint 30
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| The final R is tricky. You'll probably need to use an unusual obstacle to place the R correctly, whichever R blockpad you start from.
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| Spoiler: Hint 31
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| Remember that you can't push a block onto stairs. To put it another way, stairs are an obstacle to blocks.
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| Spoiler: Hint 32
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| You may need to use the little flight of stairs in the northern chamber (right outside the starting room) to slot the R into position.
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| Spoiler: Hint 33 (solution with full DESPAIR diagram)
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 The whole dang solution. The D, E and R follow the orange arrows (but the R takes a detour right at the end to slot into place); the S, A and I follow the yellow arrows; the P follows the green arrows. From the R blockpad to the southeast-ish, push the R east, north, west, south (so that it's stopped by the little flight of stairs), east and north. If starting from the northeast R blockpad, push it east, south, west, south, east and north. If following on from Hints 14, 16, 18, 25, 27 and 29, this should complete the word DESPAIR and let you cross the bridge to the exit. Phew!
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Present solution
| Spoiler: Hint 1 (present location)
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| Complete the level the normal way. Note a small staircase east of the exit. Follow the path to a new set of blocks. Find the present to the south across a REPAIR bridge.
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| Spoiler: Hint 2
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| You need to spell REPAIR vertically along the west wall. Note where the blockpads are.
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| Spoiler: Hint 3
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| If you are missing some blocks, make sure you smashed both PAIR words near the starting egg.
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| Spoiler: Hint 4
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| Note you can push/smash blocks through bars. Although that is not strictly needed for the solution here, it can make some maneuvering easier. (It is possible to solve without smashing through bars - try solving it without to reduce the possibility space.)
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| Spoiler: Hint 5
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| The "PAI" in REPAIR is more or less ready to go if you push those blocks west. So you just need to figure out how to manipulate the R and E blocks.
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| Spoiler: Hint 6 (solution)
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 A step-by-step guide to pushing the blocks for the present There are many ways to get to the solution but a simple one is: Reset all blocks to blockpad birth points. Push an R west then south (forming RE). Push the PAI blocks west and south forming PAIRE. Smash the E and then push the stack south again making EPAIR. Push the R east and south to make REPAIR. Go to the south side of the room and cross the bridge to claim the present.
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| Spoiler: Achievements
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There is 1 achievement available for this level:
- Give Up Giving Up: Close the Bridge of Despair before the song ends.
| Spoiler: Hint 1
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| You have about 1:50 from the start of the song to finish spell the word. The song only starts once you walk through the PAIR gate.
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| Spoiler: Hint 2
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| Efficient use of block pushing and flinging is key.
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| Spoiler: Hint 3
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| The time is tight but doable with practice, hopefully. I find it quickest to fling all the way to the farthest letter (the E), and do a sweep pushing all blocks towards the exit as you head back that way. They won't really get in each others way. I put DES all the way into place at once, then P, then go back for the AIR. Don't rebirth any blocks. Good luck!
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| Spoiler: View squares
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| There are 0 view squares on this level.
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| Spoiler: Hanging men
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| There are 0 hanging men on this level.
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