Invisiclues

Is there any significance to "no tea"?

1. Yes.
2. It's a hint that at some point, getting tea will be important.
3. Also, see the question about the screening door in the Corridor. Aft End in the "Heart of Gold" section.

What the Zark is the thing my aunt gave me which I don't know what it is?

1. Have you tried examining it?
2. Have you tried getting rid of it?
3. You've probably noticed that it keeps turning up.
4. If you leave it behind, it will pop up about a dozen moves later, sometimes on the ground where you are, sometimes in your inventory, and sometimes in your gown pocket. (The thing will only "follow" you when you are Arthur.)
5. There's something else that you probably haven't noticed about the thing your aunt gave you.
6. You can put things in it. In fact, you can put almost every takeable item into the thing at the same time.
7. This is useful for transporting more objects than you can carry, but it isn't ever necessary to do so.
8. Because of these two properties (auto-return and containment) the thing your aunt gave you provides an alternate solution of one of the puzzles in the game.
9. It's a puzzle toward the very end of the game.
10. It's the puzzle of getting the flowerpot out of the whale.

Is the Hitchhiker's Guide important?

1. Well, the game is named after it...
2. The various entries in the Guide contain all sorts of useful information and hints that you'll need to solve the puzzles in the game.
3. The proper syntax for reading a particular Guide entry is CONSULT GUIDE ABOUT (item). For example, you could type CONSULT GUIDE ABOUT MUSHROOMS.
4. Once you know the solutions to all the puzzles, you could play to the end of the game without ever using the Guide.
5. There are 39 Guide entries in the game. A complete list of the topics appears in the "Guide Entries" section.

What is the Thumb? How does it work? Is it important?

1. The Thumb is an electronic Sub-Etha Auto-Hitching Device. If used properly, it will allow you to hitch rides aboard passing spaceships.
2. You should read the Guide entry on the Thumb.
3. You can examine the Thumb to determine whether a spaceship is within range. (If the lights are flashing, a ship is nearby.)
4. If a ship is within range, you can transport yourself to the ship (via a matter transference beam) by pushing the green button.
5. If you press the green button when there is no ship around, you'll break the Thumb.
6. Also, the Thumb will break down on its own over the course of the game.
7. If the Thumb is broken, you will not be transported when you press the green button, even if a ship is nearby.
8. A broken Thumb can be mended.
9. To do so, push the red button to summon a repair robot. See the following question for further details on repairing the Thumb.
10. There are three points in the game when you can use the Thumb.
11. The first time is near the very beginning of the game, when you use it to get to the Vogon ship.
12. The second time is when you're in the Airlock of the Vogon ship. It isn't necessary to use the Thumb here, because simply waiting a few turns has the same result.
13. The third time is when you're Inside the Sperm Whale. Once again, there's an alternative to using the Thumb, but in this case it's not as simple as just waiting. See the section entitled "Inside the Whale" for more information.

Is the Engineer robot important?

1. Only the Engineer robot can fix the Thumb.
2. Once you've summoned the Engineer robot, SHOW (or GIVE) THE THUMB TO THE ENGINEER ROBOT.
3. If the robot claims that there's nothing wrong with the Thumb, then it wasn't broken.
4. If the Thumb is broken, the Engineer robot won't agree to fix it unless you also SHOW THE GUARANTEE TO THE ENGINEER ROBOT.
5. Actually, you can shortcut by showing the guarantee first.

What's all this nonsense about fluff?

1. There does seem to be a lot of it scattered throughout the game.
2. Have you consulted the Guide about flufl?
3. The ancient legend is of particular interest.
4. There are a total of four pieces of fluff in the game. You'll have to find and obtain all four.
5. Try finding them yourself. When you're stumped, return to this question.
6. Hint: You have four different roles over the course of the game: Arthur, Ford, Trillian, and Zaphod.
7. You can obtain one piece of fluff during each role.
8. A list of all four, and their locations, follows. You shouldn't look at this list unless you're completely stumped, because it will give away a lot.
9. Pocket fluff: in the pocket of your gown at the start of the game. Satchel fluff: inside Ford's satchel (see The Earth, Revisited). Jacket fluff: on Arthur's jacket (see At The Party). Seat cushion fluff: under the pilot seat of the speedboat (see On Damogran)
10. Now that you have all four pieces of fluff, any idea what to do with them?
11. Don't continue until you have the flowerpot.
12. You should plant each piece of fluff in the flowerpot.
13. Now wait.
14. A tiny plant will sprout around ten moves later.
15. For more information, see the next question.

What do I do about the plant?

1. Left to itself, the tiny sprout will never grow any further.
2. You have nothing to water the plant with.
3. Read the Guide entry on fluff again.
4. Notice that this rare plant once grew on a tropical world.
5. Can you think of anything around that's similar to a tropical environment?
6. Carry the plant into the sauna.
7. Now examine the plant.
8. Now see the question about opening the hatch in the Heart of Gold section.

What are all these tools scattered throughout the game?

1. Have you examined them?
2. Many of them are rather excitingly high-tech, aren't they?
3. They don't really have much use...
4. ...until the very end of the game.
5. See the question about opening the hatch in the Heart of Gold section.
6. Marvin will ask for one of ten different tools.
7. A list of all ten. and their locations, follows. You shouldn't look at this list unless you're completely stumped, because it will give away a lot.
8. Flathead screwdriver: in your Bedroom. Toothbrush: in your Bedroom. Tweezers: inside Trillian's handbag. Molecular hyperwave pincer: on the Bridge. Ionic diffusion rasp: in the Engine Room. Hypersonic pliers: in the Engine Room.

What is the goal of the game?

1. Have you tried asking some of the other characters in the story?
2. Have fun, be happy.
3. Solve all the puzzles. reach the end.
4. The ultimate goal of the game is to step out onto the surface of Magrathea.
5. Knowing this fact is of virtually no help in getting through the game.

How can I read the footnotes?

1. You obviously didn't read your manual very carefully. That's explained in the section entitled Important Commands.