TIMELESS CORRIDOR

You enter a curved corridor. As you walk around it, you find yourself back where you started - but the door is now sealed shut.

The inner wall of the corridor has 60 equally spaced holes in it. One of the holes has the letters XII written over it.

A rather odd man peeks around the curved corridor and says: “Hello, you must be my new imaginary friends! My name is Tick.”

He explains, “I’ve been stuck here for centuries! Or no time at all… Time stopped when I got here.”

He points to his watch which appears to be stuck at 6:50 and 10 seconds.

“I don’t mind being trapped in here though. My imaginary friends keep me company.”

He points to three metal spears. “Meet Shorty, Longo and Skinny! We’ll enjoy eternity together!”

How will you escape the endless corridor? Or will you stay and hang out with Markus

SOLUTION

The endless corridor is a prison based on a giant clock. To escape, put the “spears” or hands of the clock in the correct holes along the central wall.

The correct holes for 6:50.10 are:

Shorty - the hour hand goes in the 34th hole clockwise from the one labeled XII.

Skinny - the second hand goes in the 10th hole clockwise from the one labeled XII.

Longo - the minute hand goes in the 50th hole clockwise from the one labeled XII.

Putting the spears in their correct holes will cause them to begin spinning. You’ll have to dodge the Skinny (the second hand is sharp and rather fast!)

Once time gets moving again, you find a hatch in the floor which leads you to freedom!

Tock may decide to stay in the clock as he’s quite happy there.

NOTES FOR THE DUNGEON MASTER

This one is a strange puzzle so put it somewhere fantastical - like a Gnomish prison.

If you don’t think your players know Roman Numerals, replace XII with the number 12.

If your players are having trouble with the puzzle, redescribe the room. Emphasize the 60 holes in the wall, the different sized black metal spears and the stopped watch reading 6:45.10

I hope you enjoy this one, I’ll be testing it out in an upcoming game.

Music suggestion: Philip Glass played on harp is perfectly simple and reminds me of a ticking clock.