Ever wonder what your humble garden gnome is up to when you're not looking? Apart from hours of practice standing completely still and grinning incessantly, gnomes are sneaky and underhanded. Apparently. Looks like some conjuration of magic is in order, and what better way to help than by exploring the world of gnomes and creating potions in Hodgepodge Hollow, a mesmerizing and charming hidden object game.
As it turns out, dragons have stolen the gnome's valuable book of secret gnome stuff, and to defeat the dragons, some powerful magic needs to be summoned. Everybody knows that gnomes can't mix potions themselves, so they post an ad on the community board advertising potion classes. And who happens to respond to the ad? Why, you of course.
You quickly learn that creating potions requires hunting for items in beautifully-drawn hidden object scenes. You also learn that to find items and ingredients requires the use of potions you've already created along the way. Search each scene thoroughly and use your mouse to click on items as you find them. Then, head to the kitchen to cook up potions according to special recipes!
Analysis: Jolly Bear Games has produced an exquisitely presented game, with gorgeously detailed drawings and smooth gameplay. The artwork reminds me a little of the illustrations in Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book, before the fairies are actually squished. The sounds and gentle folksy guitar music contribute to a peaceful ambiance, and the game itself is uncomplicated with only one level of difficulty. This sweet and unassuming experience embodies the meaning of casual gaming.
You'll hardly find challenge in Hodgepodge Hollow. In fact, it may even be considered too easy. There's a feeling of being led a little too much while playing. What needs to be clicked lights up as you hover your mouse over it. The potions are simple to create, involving only a few steps, and you barely have to hunt around the kitchen, as only the ingredients you'll be using for each recipe will be highlighted. There are plenty of different ingredients that to be found and used, and the results for each potion ease the threat of repetitiveness. It would have been nice if the game allowed for more experimentation with ingredients, methods and results, and even more usage of the potions throughout the game.
Perhaps the most challenging aspect of Hodgepodge Hollow are the hidden object games. While they are a delight to play as you take in all the detailed artwork, some hidden objects are hidden to the point of obscurity. There is a hint meter in the form of a snoozing gnome that recharges quite quickly, and you may have to click on it more than once during the game just to locate those few items.
This game is not for fans of the extreme. Although it has dragons, witches and sneaky, under-handed gnomes, Hodgepodge Hollow is more like a wander through a fairytale, sprinkled with some gnome-ish humor, and where the characters are all harmless with only the occasional mildly grumpy wizard. Easily, this is a game for those who like to, or even need to, relax. Think of it as a generous ice-cream cone with sugary sprinkles on a summery day, or a frothy mug of hot chocolate crammed with melting marshmallows on a frosty night: you may not have to think about it too much, but it's truly delicious and utterly delightful.
Windows:
Download the demo
Get the full version
Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.
Walkthrough Guide
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Hodgepodge Hollow Walkthrough
General Information
Getting Started
The options menu allows you to:
Adjust the music and sounds volume.
Select to play in Full Screen.
Choose Custom Cursors.
Use 3-D Acceleration.
Choose a player profile to start.
Gameplay
Use the mouse to click on the map and play hidden object games.
Find items needed to complete recipes.
Hover your mouse around the screen, and when a magnifying glass appears, you can investigate for more clues or find items
Areas that can be interacted with will be highlighted when you move your mouse over them.
Follow the recipe instructions to make potions.
-9
If you make a mistake, a black puff of smoke will appear and you'll have to start the recipe from the beginning.
As each new recipe is found, click on the recipe book.
When new ingredients are needed, click on the map.
You can click on the locations that appear on the map in any order.
When a potion is needed during the game, the potion inventory will appear at the bottom, showing a bottle. Mouse over the bottle to open the inventory.
Hints and Tips
The Menu icon is at the bottom right of the screen.
The Gnome at the the bottom left of the screen is the hint meter.
When he's snoozing, he's recharging.
Clicking on him during hidden object games will give you hints to items that are difficult to locate.
Clicking on him during potion making will give you hints as to what to do next.
Walkthrough
Click through the opening scenes that outline the story.
You start in the kitchen, for a quick orientation, and your first potion.
Potion #1 ~ Resolve Dissolve
This potion bemuses and confuses.
Troll Bridge
Locate the key
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Open the door and take the lump of wood.
Give the wood to the Troll.
Find the TEACUP in the hidden object game.
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Boundless Dark
Complete the hidden object game to find 20 CRYSTALS.
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Gnome Sweet Gnome
Complete the hidden object game to find 20 FORGET-ME-NOTS.
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Befuddled Inn
Complete the hidden object game to find the SUGARBOWL.
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Making the Potion
Click X on the book to view the kitchen.
Take the teacup and put it on the bench.
Click on the crystal to take some and put it in the teacup.
Click on the Forget-Me-Not and hold her over the cauldron. When she starts crying, hold her over the teacup.
Click on the sugarbowl and a teaspoon of sugar will be added to the mixture.
The potion will be added to the potion inventory bar at the bottom of the screen.
Potion #2 ~ Shrink Shrank Shrunk
Makes you tiny.
Gullible Hovel
Use the Resolve Dissolve potion to look in the Goblin's book.
Click on the Tea Canister on the mantlepiece to take a teabag.
Put the teabag into the cup next to the Goblin.
Take the ladle hanging near the cauldron.
Use the ladle on the cauldron.
Use the ladle on the cup.
Mouse over the bottle in the inventory, and take the first potion.
Put the crystals into the tea you've just made.
Take the cup and give it to the Goblin.
Click on the book to get the recipe card.
Gullible Hovel part 2
Complete the hidden object game to find 20 CATERPILLARS, and get the Cat Fur.
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Addlebrain's Aviary
Complete the hidden object game to find 20 CHICKWEEDS.
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Murmur Gardens
Complete the hidden object game to collect 18 BEES.
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The Canine Confederacy
Complete the hidden object game to find the EYEDROPPER.
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Making the potion.
Put the THIMBLE on the table
Click on the jar of BEES KNEES to add to the thimble.
Click on the CAT FUR to add.
Click on the CHICKWEED twice to add feathers.
Click on the EYEDROPPER, take it to the cauldron, click, then take it to the thimble and click to add water.
Click on the ATOMIZER, take it to the thimble and click again to fill.
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Potion #3 ~ Bright Idea
Lights up dark places.
Gnome Sweet Gnome
Mouse over the potion inventory and click on the Shrink Shrank Shrunk potion.
Click on the recipe card to the right.
Find 18 DEWDROPS
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Murmur Gardens
Locate the BEE HIVE.
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Restless Merchant
Find the MATCHBOX.
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Hirsute Spellman
Find the Notepad.
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Use the notepad on all 4 stone symbols.
A page with jumbled symbols will go into the inventory. Use it on the steaming kettle in the fireplace.
Click each of the stones from top to bottom so the symbols match the symbols on the page, going left to right.
A small compartment at the bottom will open. Take the LIGHTNING ASH and the RECIPE CARD.
Heedless the Healer
Find the 20 NEWTS.
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Making the Potion
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Add dewdrops, lightning ash, eye of newt and a crystal to the cauldron.
Put the beehive on the table.
Use the ladle hanging above the cauldron to scoop some mixture into the beehive.
Dip 3 matches into the beehive.
Potion #4 ~ Hoi Polloi
A cloning potion.
Wayward Sanctuary
Find the sunflower.
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Big Man Bumble
Find 20 DANDELIONS.
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Nebulous Forest
Find 20 UNICORNS.
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Addlebrain's Aviary
Click on the key to the right and use it to unlock the small cage lower left.
Take the pink, green and blue eggs from the cage.
Put the eggs in their respectively coloured nests.
Take the fish-food and use it on the pond.
When the fish appear, use the fishing net to catch them.
Feed the fish to the flamingo in the centre.
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Find 20 MOCKINGBIRDS.
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Boundless Dark
Use one of the matches in your potion inventory.
Find the BEAKER.
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Making the Potion
Put the beaker on the bench.
Add dandelion, sunflower seeds, unicorn flakes and dewdrops to the beaker.
Put the mockingbird on the beaker, and when the musical notes appear, click the beaker to tap it.
Quickly get the cork from the shelf and use it on the beaker.
Put the beaker in the cauldron, and take it out when it turns blue.
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Potion #5 ~ Giddy Greedy
Is Irresistibly Delicious.
Restless Merchant
A raven will take your Hoi Polloi potion.
Click on the key at the bottom right and open the hanging cage.
Click on the Chinese dragon to the right of the cage to take one of its jade eyes.
Put the jade eye into the cage, and the raven will fly into the cage, dropping the Hoi Polloi potion.
Take the Hoi Polloi potion and grab the recipe card that lights up.
Secret Cenote
Find 16 SPRITES.
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Big Man Bumble
Find 20 SNAKES.
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Gullible Hovel
Find 20 COBWEBS.
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Dragon Dragoon
Use the Hoi Polloi potion on the Pixie Guard.
Pick up the recipe card that glows.
Find 20 PIXIES.
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Divine Intervention
Find 20 ANGELICAS.
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Making the Potion
Put the mortar and pestle on the bench.
Add Angelica, Cobwebs and Pixie Dust to the mortar and click on the pestle to crush the ingredients.
Add 3 Snake Eye's to the dust.
Click on the sprite and put it on the mortar and pestle.
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Potion #6 ~ Sweet Dreams
A Sleeping Potion.
Troll Bridge
Find 18 CHAMELEONS.
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Addlebrain's Aviary
Find the COPPER BOWL.
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Ticklish Grove
Find 12 FAIRIES.
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Befuddled Inn
You need to get under the table without disturbing the customers.
Use the Shrink Shrank Shrunk potion.
Once under the table use the Giddy Greedy potion.
Find 14 TOADSTOOLS.
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Wolf Den
Firstly, a moon needs to be created to get the Wolves howling.
Click on the HONEY POT and take it to the CRYSTAL SPHERE BOTTOM to the left, on the shelf.
The Sprite will fly over to it to enjoy the honey.
Take the CRYSTAL SPHERE LID from the right, on the shelf, and use it to cover the Sprite.
Click on the now-whole sphere and it will move to the window, causing the wolves to howl.
Find 12 WOLF HOWLS.
Take the Recipe Card.
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Divine Intervention
Find the LOLLIPOP.
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The Gatekeeper
Find 20 NIGHTSHADES.
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Making the Potion
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Put the Copper Bowl on the bench.
Click on the Toadstools and the Chameleon Tails to put them in the bowl.
Put 2 Nightshades in the bowl.
Click on the Forget-Me-Not and take her to the cauldron.
Take the Forget-Me-Not to the Copper Bowl and let her tears trickle in.
Use the ladle to add some water from the cauldron.
Click on the Fairy and take her to the bowl to capture her laughter.
Click on the horn with the Wolf's Howl and add it to the bowl.
Click on the Lollipops 3 times to dip them into the bowl.
Potion #7 ~ Lucky Bunny
Wayward Sanctuary
Find 20 BUNNIES.
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Murmur Gardens
Find 20 HUMMINGBIRDS.
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Master At Arms
Give the Master At Arms a Sweet Dreams Lollipop from the potions inventory.
Take the recipe card he drops.
Find 20 LILACS
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Hirsute Spellman
Find 12 TEACUPS.
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Heedless the Healer
Find 12 WITCHHAZEL.
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Boundless Dark
Use a Bright Idea match to light the scene.
Click on the potbelly stove door to open it, and the dog will wake up.
Click on the rug that the dog had been sleeping on, on the top right corner, to get the key.
Use the key on the chest, sitting left of the shack.
Get a scoop filled with bird seed.
Use the scoop on the birdfeeder to the left of the screen.
Find 18 NESTS.
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Making the Potion
Put the Bunny on the table.
Add Hummingbird's Kiss, Lilac Nectar, Tea Leaves, Bird's Nest and Witch Hazel to the Cauldron.
Use the Eye Dropper on the cauldron.
Feed the Bunny with the Eye Dropper.
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Potion #8 ~ Cry Uncle, part 1
This potion starts a fight in a crowd.
Master At Arms
Find 20 HAMMERS.
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The Gatekeeper
Use the Lucky Bunny on the Gatekeeper.
Take the scroll that appears in the mouth of the face at the bottom of the screen.
The scroll will show a clue.
We Miss What We Left Behind.
Some pictures will appear in the inventory.
A ship, a wand, a flute and a princess.
Look closely at the faces in the scene. Some will have their mouths open. The faces with their mouths open are each missing something.
Match the pictures to the faces.
Ship to the Sea Captain
Wand to the Wizard
Princess to the Knight
Flute to the Faun
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Another scroll will appear in the mouth of the face at the bottom. Take it and give it to the Gatekeeper.
He will say he misses his pet dragon Scruffy and ask if you can find him.
There is a recipe on the back of the picture that doesn't need any additional ingredients.
Potion #9 ~ Pleasant Delusions
Making the Potion
Put the Angelica, Pixie Dust, Nightshade, Eye of Newt, Unicorn Flakes and Fairy Laughter into the cauldron.
When it bubbles, put a Sprite in the cauldron.
The Sprite will pop up in a bubble when the potion is ready.
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Potion #8 ~ Cry Uncle, part 2
The Restless Merchant
Find 16 WARTHOGS.
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Secret Cenote
Find 18 BARNACLES.
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Boundless Dark
Find 12 BATS.
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Canine Confederacy
Click on the dice to the far left behind the dice game player.
Use the dice on the dice game player to the left.
Click on the jar of marbles on the shelf to the left.
Use the marble on the marble player that's on the left side of the marble game, to the right of the screen.
Click on the far right of the screen to get the billiards cue that is bent.
Use the bent cue on the billiards player on the left.
When all of the Canines have gone outside, Scruffy will appear.
Screenshot
Take a turkey leg from the cooked turkey on the table.
Put it in the crate. You've caught Scruffy.
The Gatekeeper
Click on Scruffy and give him to the Gatekeeper.
Go into the secret passage that opens up.
Before you enter each door, click on the Pleasant Delusions sprite in the potions inventory and use it on the doors.
Find the Gremlin's teeth in each mini scene, behind each door.
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Screenshot 2
Screenshot 3
Screenshot 4
Screenshot 5
Making the Potion
Put the mortar and pestle on the table.
Add the Lightning Ash, Bad Blood, Gremlin Teeth, Boar Bristles and Barnacle Beards to the mortar and pestle, and grind away.
Click on the Hammer, and then click on the mortar and pestle to fill the hammer.
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Invitation to Divine Intervention
Your help is needed to organise the Ladybug races.
Ladybugs are attracted to healthy well-watered plants.
Take the water jug from the table.
Use it on the white, pink, yellow and red rose bushes.
A Ladybug will appear on each rose bush. Click to take each one.
Put each Ladybug on the racetrack.
You'll have to guess the winner by clicking on one.
The one you pick will win every time you play Hodgepodge.
Your prize is a recipe card for the Narcissus Potion.
Potion #10 ~ Narcissus, part 1
Anyone seeing their own reflection will not be able to look away.
Persnickety
The main goal is to get a Primrose.
You'll need to duplicate the Primrose.
Use the Hoi Polloi potion.
Find 12 PRIMROSES. But as you find each one you need to put it one of the empty FLOWERPOTS around the room.
Screenshot 1.
Screenshot 2.
Take the Primrose.
Ticklish Grove
Find the MIRROR.
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Folly's Repair
First, you need to get the SCREWDRIVER from Folly's hand.
Use a Sweet Dreams lollipop on him.
Click on the clock on the upper right, and use the screwdriver on all four screws.
The clock front will disappear. Note the five handles and the dial with five numbers.
The hand is spinning apparently randomly to each of the numbers.
Watch the order of the numbers from when the light is first green. Pull the handles in the same order.
1,3,5,2,4
Find 20 BELLS.
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Mermaid Castles
Click on the 4 musical Sprites.
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Place them on the lilypads.
Click on the Recipe Card in the Seahorse's mouth.
Potion #11 ~ O2U
Creates a breathable bubble of air.
Folly's Repair
Find 16 HOURGLASSES.
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Persnickety
Find 20 SNAILS.
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Nebulous Forest
Find 20 GRYPHONS.
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Wolf's Den
Find the BELLOWS.
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Dragon Dragoon
The Pixie Guards need ot to distracted.
Which spell could work this time?
Click on the Cry Uncle Hammer in the potions inventory, and use it on the Pixie Guards.
Click the path just to the left of the Pixie Guards.
In the Dragon's Lair, click on 10 DRAGON HEADS.
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Making the Potion.
Put the Saucepan on the workbench and use the ladle to fill it with boiling water from the cauldron.
Click on the Copper Bowl and place it on top of the Saucepan.
To the Copper Bowl, add Barnacle Beards, Eye of Newt, A Grain of Sand, Gryphon Feathers and Snail Trails.
Click on the Dragon Breath and then click on the Saucepan under the Copper Bowl.
When smoke curls up, click on the Bellows to capture it.
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Potion #10 ~ Narcissus, part 2
Mermaid Castles
Time to create a breathable bubble of air.
Click on the Bellows in the potion inventory, and then click on the Seahorse.
In the Mermaid's world, find 20 MERMAIDS.
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Making the Potion
Add Angelica, Bees Knees, Primrose and Dew Drops to the cauldron.
Put the Mirror, Bells and Mermaid Hair on the workbench.
Click on the Mermaid Hair and then click on a Bell, before attaching it to the Mirror.
Repeat 7 more times.
Click on the Mirror and click on the cauldron.
Put the Mirror back on the workbench, then click on the Dandelion to stuff the bells with Dandelion fluff. Only one click is needed.
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Go back to Mermaid Castles. Use the Marcissus Mirror on the Mermaid Guards by putting it to the left of the screen on a ledge.
Click on the Saber that they drop and use it on the weeds to free the Diving Helmet.
Open the Diving Helmet to get a Book and another Recipe Card.
Potion #12 ~ Sticky Fingers
Hirsute Spellman
Find 10 WIZARD HATS.
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Heedless the Healer
Click on the Contraption inside the tree.
Find the equipment to rebuild the contraption.
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Click on the flask of liquid lace, top right and pour it into the funnel of the contraption on the right.
Click on the SUGGESTIBLE LACE to take it, from the top left.
Dragon Dragoon
Find 18 CATS.
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Master At Arms
Find 20 CLOTHESPINS.
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Canine Confederacy
Find 16 FOXGLOVES.
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Making the Potion
Put the Wizard Hat on the workbench.
Put the Suggestible Lace followed by the Cobwebs into the Hat.
Put Foxgloves on top of the Cobwebs.
Add Cat's Whiskers, Bad Blood, Snake Eyes and a Clothespin to the cauldron.
Some Green Poker Chips will fly out of the cauldron.
Pick up each Poker Chip and add it to the Wizard's Hat
Have a look at the Mysterious Book and read about the Gnome's secret ways.
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Potion #13 ~ Rose-Coloured Glasses
Hirsute Spellman
Find the wand and the book and give them to Hirsute.
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Take the Recipe Card from the Wizard's Hat.
Take Reading Glasses from Hirsute's face.
Making the Potion
Add everything but the reading glasses to the cauldron.
When the smoke rises, add the glasses.
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Potion #14 ~ Twitterpated Dragon
Befuddled Inn
Give the Rose-Coloured Glasses to the unhappy-looking Waitress at the left.
When she's seated at the table, click on the Sticky Fingers potion and click on each of the highlighted cupboards to open them.
Find a Teapot, A Pitcher of Water and a Teabag.
Put the Teapot on the burner on the table.
Add the Water, then add the Teabag.
Click on the Teapot, then click on the cup in front of the Waitress.
Use the Sticky Fingers glove once more on the wall to the left of the Waitress's head.
Take the Book.
Have a look at it back in the Kitchen.
Wayward Sanctuary
Find 18 LOVERS, that is pairs of Dandelion and Primrose.
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Gnome Sweet Gnome
Find 18 BUNNIES.
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Ticklish Grove
Find 12 PASSIONFRUIT.
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Making the Potion
Apart from the Bunny, put all the ingredients in to the cauldron.
When the steam turns pink, put the Bunny in for a bit of spa time.
When the Bunny looks relaxed, click on it.
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The Final Showdown
The first goal is to distract the Dragons by placing the Twitterpated Dragon bunny in the right position.
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Find the Sphinx, Copper Horse, Merlin's Mask, Book, Emperor Robes and Golden Claw.
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Use the Sticky Fingers glove potion to reveal the cave at the left, then take the Sapphire Chalice and Silver Hammer.
Use the Sticky Fingers glove potion to reveal the cave opposite the left cave, then take the Crystal Pegasus, Dragon Mace and Gargoyle Shield.
Use the Sticky Fingers glove potion on the cave just right of that cave, then take the Ruby Helm.
Enjoy the final scene as the Gnomes celebrate their victory.
Thanks, chiktionary, for the walkthrough!
Posted by: Mike
|
January 24, 2011 6:08 PM