Lock & Key

Official Author's Page

Written by Adam Cadre. Winner of three Xyzzy Awards, including Best Puzzle of 2002.

You are locked in a cell.

This in and of itself is not a new thing: spending a little time behind bars every now and again is one of the hazards of the job. But up until now it's been for little 50-crown and 100-crown jobs out in the countryside, and you've ended up in decrepit little gaols that managed to hold you for, what, a minute? Possibly two? This, though, this is different. You thought you'd try one last job, land one big score: five thousand crowns. And now you're the newest resident of King Tyrak II's deepest, darkest dungeon. Scream all you like: no one will be coming to rescue you. No one will even be coming to feed you. If you ever want to see the sun again, you will have to pull off an audacious escape -- and soon.

You are the head of security for a dungeon. It is your job to keep it secure against pesky adventurers. Lock & Key is unusual in creating a graphical interface to help you keep track of the traps, minions, and other pitfalls that you can introduce against the incoming hordes of do-gooders.