Bomb Appétit · manual 1 (standard)
Bomb defusal manual
You are an Expert. The Defuser can see the bomb and you cannot. You have the rules and the Defuser does not. Ask what they see. Tell them what to do. Do not look at their screen.
This is manual number 1. Check that the Defuser's bomb uses rule seed 1. A different number means different rules, and these pages will get you blown up.
Before you start
- Ask the Defuser to read out the edgework: serial number, batteries, indicators and ports.
- Ask which modules are on the bomb, front and back. Solve them in any order.
- Split the pages between Experts so that two people never search for the same thing.
- Repeat instructions back before the Defuser acts. A wrong move is a strike.
Module
Wires
A panel with three to six wires. Exactly one wire must be cut. Wires are counted from the top, starting at one. Find the list for the number of wires, then read it from the top and stop at the first line that is true.
3 wires
- If there are exactly two white wires, cut the last white wire.
- If the last wire is white, cut the third wire.
- If there is at least one white wire, cut the second wire.
- If there is at least one white wire, cut the first white wire.
- Otherwise, cut the first wire.
4 wires
- If there are exactly two blue wires, cut the last blue wire.
- If there is exactly one black wire, cut the last wire.
- If there is more than one white wire and there are exactly two yellow wires, cut the fourth wire.
- Otherwise, cut the last wire.
5 wires
- If the last digit of the serial number is even, cut the fourth wire.
- If the last digit of the serial number is odd, cut the third wire.
- If there is more than two black wire, cut the first black wire.
- Otherwise, cut the third wire.
6 wires
- If there is at least one white wire and the last digit of the serial number is even, cut the sixth wire.
- If the last wire is blue, cut the second wire.
- If the last wire is yellow, cut the first yellow wire.
- Otherwise, cut the last wire.
Module
Glyph Keypad
Four keys, each with a glyph. A glyph is an outer shape with a mark inside, such as a circle with a dot. Only one column below has all four glyphs. Find that column. Press the four keys in the order their glyphs appear in that column, from top to bottom.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 | Column 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| diamond ring | triangle bar | square zigzag | hexagon ring | diamond plus | arch zigzag |
| diamond plus | hexagon zigzag | diamond dot | triangle dot | diamond dot | square dot |
| arch zigzag | circle bar | arch plus | circle plus | diamond ring | circle ring |
| arch dot | square dot | triangle zigzag | diamond plus | hexagon zigzag | arch bar |
| hexagon ring | triangle zigzag | hexagon plus | square plus | arch dot | triangle zigzag |
| circle zigzag | square ring | arch dot | triangle plus | triangle zigzag | hexagon ring |
| triangle plus | arch bar | square plus | square dot | square ring | arch plus |
Module
Color Echo
Four pads: red, blue, green and yellow. The pads flash a sequence, pause, and repeat it. Do not press the pad that flashes. For each flash, look up the pad to press in the table. Press them in the same order as the flashes. Each time you get it right, the sequence grows by one flash. Answer the whole longer sequence from its start.
Pick the table by the serial number. Pick the column by the number of strikes on the bomb right now. A wrong press is a strike. Then start the current sequence again, using the new column.
The serial number has a vowel
| Pad that flashes | No strikes: press | One strike: press | Two or more strikes: press |
|---|---|---|---|
| red | green | yellow | red |
| blue | yellow | red | blue |
| green | blue | blue | yellow |
| yellow | red | green | green |
The serial number has no vowel
| Pad that flashes | No strikes: press | One strike: press | Two or more strikes: press |
|---|---|---|---|
| red | blue | green | red |
| blue | red | red | yellow |
| green | green | blue | blue |
| yellow | yellow | yellow | green |
Module
Word Grid
A display with one word, and six word buttons in two columns and three rows. There are three rounds. Many words sound alike. Ask the Defuser to spell every word. A wrong press is a strike and the round stays the same.
Step 1: which button to read
Find the word on the display. It tells you which button to read. Do not press that button yet.
| Display | Read the button at | Display | Read the button at |
|---|---|---|---|
| BREAD | top left | MOOSE | bottom right |
| BRED | bottom right | MOUSSE | top left |
| CHILI | bottom left | PAIR | top left |
| CHILLY | top left | PARE | top left |
| DOH | top right | PEAR | bottom left |
| DOUGH | bottom left | ROLE | top left |
| FLOUR | middle right | ROLL | bottom right |
| FLOWER | bottom left | STAKE | top right |
| LEAK | top left | STEAK | bottom left |
| LEEK | middle left | THYME | middle left |
| MEAT | bottom left | TIME | top right |
| MEET | middle left | WHISK | bottom right |
Step 2: which button to press
Find the word you read in the left column. Go through its list from left to right. Press the first word in the list that is on any of the six buttons.
| Word you read | Press the first of these that is on a button |
|---|---|
| AGAIN | NOW, GO ON, HUH, AGAIN, WHICH, NOT, OWE, RIGHT, KNOT, RITE |
| GO ON | WEIGHT, WITCH, GOT IT, WHAT, UH OH, WRITE, RIGHT, SAY AGAIN, AGAIN, GO ON |
| GOT IT | AGAIN, OH, WHICH, GOT IT, HUH, KNOT, HMM, GO ON, WEIGHT, NOT |
| HANG ON | WRITE, WAIT, HANG ON, KNOW, RIGHT, WHAT, RITE, WHICH, NOW, WATT |
| HMM | RITE, RIGHT, STOP, GO ON, OH, WRITE, HMM, KNOW, OWE, NOT |
| HUH | HMM, WHICH, KNOT, HUH, WHAT, HANG ON, RITE, WAIT, NOW, GO ON |
| KNOT | OWE, WATT, NOW, GO ON, KNOT, RITE, OH, HMM, WHAT, AGAIN |
| KNOW | WATT, RIGHT, WEIGHT, KNOW, OWE, HANG ON, RITE, WRITE, GO ON, KNOT |
| NOT | KNOW, RIGHT, WEIGHT, WHAT, AGAIN, WITCH, UH OH, OH, WRITE, NOT |
| NOW | AGAIN, NOW, RIGHT, HANG ON, OWE, KNOT, HUH, OH, NOT, KNOW |
| OH | HMM, WATT, WAIT, HUH, WEIGHT, KNOW, OH, WRITE, HANG ON, AGAIN |
| OWE | WRITE, WATT, RIGHT, NOW, WHAT, STOP, WITCH, WHICH, OWE, HUH |
| RIGHT | AGAIN, WRITE, WATT, UH OH, HMM, RIGHT, GOT IT, WEIGHT, WHAT, OH |
| RITE | GOT IT, WEIGHT, AGAIN, STOP, KNOT, HUH, SAY AGAIN, RITE, NOW, UH OH |
| SAY AGAIN | HMM, HANG ON, STOP, WITCH, KNOT, UH OH, HUH, SAY AGAIN, GO ON, OWE |
| STOP | AGAIN, RIGHT, STOP, SAY AGAIN, WATT, WEIGHT, UH OH, NOT, OWE, WHICH |
| UH OH | GO ON, UH OH, KNOW, SAY AGAIN, WATT, WEIGHT, NOT, WAIT, WHAT, RITE |
| WAIT | NOW, HANG ON, WHAT, GOT IT, WITCH, AGAIN, KNOT, RIGHT, WAIT, STOP |
| WATT | WATT, OWE, GO ON, WEIGHT, WHAT, KNOW, AGAIN, NOT, NOW, RITE |
| WEIGHT | RIGHT, WATT, NOT, WITCH, OWE, KNOW, AGAIN, WEIGHT, WHICH, KNOT |
| WHAT | RITE, WHICH, GO ON, WRITE, WHAT, OH, SAY AGAIN, RIGHT, KNOT, UH OH |
| WHICH | SAY AGAIN, WHICH, WRITE, WHAT, UH OH, WITCH, HANG ON, NOT, GO ON, KNOW |
| WITCH | KNOT, NOT, WRITE, WATT, GO ON, AGAIN, UH OH, WITCH, KNOW, GOT IT |
| WRITE | UH OH, WHAT, NOW, KNOT, KNOW, WRITE, OH, HANG ON, RIGHT, GOT IT |
Module
Recall
A display with one digit, and four buttons labeled 1 to 4 in a mixed-up order. There are 5 stages. Positions are counted from the left, starting at one. At every stage, write down the position and the label of the button that was pressed. Later stages ask for them. A wrong press is a strike. The module then goes back to stage 1 with new numbers, so throw your notes away.
Stage 1
| Display | Do this |
|---|---|
| 1 | Press the button in the first position. |
| 2 | Press the button in the first position. |
| 3 | Press the button labeled 3. |
| 4 | Press the button in the second position. |
Stage 2
| Display | Do this |
|---|---|
| 1 | Press the button in the same position as you pressed in stage 1. |
| 2 | Press the button with the same label as you pressed in stage 1. |
| 3 | Press the button in the fourth position. |
| 4 | Press the button with the same label as you pressed in stage 1. |
Stage 3
| Display | Do this |
|---|---|
| 1 | Press the button labeled 2. |
| 2 | Press the button in the fourth position. |
| 3 | Press the button with the same label as you pressed in stage 1. |
| 4 | Press the button with the same label as you pressed in stage 2. |
Stage 4
| Display | Do this |
|---|---|
| 1 | Press the button in the same position as you pressed in stage 2. |
| 2 | Press the button with the same label as you pressed in stage 2. |
| 3 | Press the button labeled 2. |
| 4 | Press the button in the fourth position. |
Stage 5
| Display | Do this |
|---|---|
| 1 | Press the button labeled 4. |
| 2 | Press the button labeled 4. |
| 3 | Press the button labeled 2. |
| 4 | Press the button in the same position as you pressed in stage 2. |
Module
Blinker
A light blinks one word, over and over. Each letter is a group of short and long flashes. A dark pause separates two letters. A much longer dark pause means the word is starting again.
- Have the Defuser call out each letter as flashes, for example "short, long, short".
- Find each group of flashes in the code table.
- Find the word in the word list.
- Tune to the frequency beside that word.
- Press the transmit button.
Code table
A dot is a short flash. A bar is a long flash. Groups with fewer flashes come first.
| Flashes | Letter | Flashes | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| W | A | ||
| Q | Y | ||
| K | B | ||
| T | H | ||
| C | M | ||
| D | L | ||
| R | N | ||
| S | F | ||
| I | U | ||
| Z | G | ||
| V | O | ||
| X | E | ||
| J | P |
Word list
| Word | Frequency | Word | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAGEL | 3.615 MHz | SALSA | 3.556 MHz |
| BASIL | 3.583 MHz | SAUTE | 3.562 MHz |
| BRINE | 3.644 MHz | SPICE | 3.533 MHz |
| BROTH | 3.511 MHz | STEW | 3.574 MHz |
| CREPE | 3.658 MHz | TANGY | 3.591 MHz |
| CRUST | 3.637 MHz | TOAST | 3.608 MHz |
| GARLIC | 3.524 MHz | WAFFLE | 3.505 MHz |
| GRAVY | 3.541 MHz | WHISK | 3.629 MHz |
Module
Tangled Wires
Four to six wires run from top to bottom and cross each other. Each wire is white, red, blue, or red and blue striped. Each wire has a light above its top end. Each wire may have a star below its bottom end. Follow a wire with care, because it rarely ends under where it starts.
Take one wire at a time. Ask four things: does it have red, does it have blue, does it have a star, is its light on. Find the letter for that mix in the diagram or in the table. Do what the letter says. Cut every wire that needs cutting. Leave the rest alone.
What the letters mean
| Letter | Instruction |
|---|---|
| C | Cut the wire. |
| D | Do not cut the wire. |
| S | Cut the wire if the last digit of the serial number is even. |
| P | Cut the wire if the bomb has a hex port. |
| B | Cut the wire if the bomb has two or more batteries. |
Diagram
Each loop is one fact about the wire. Stand inside every loop that is true and outside every loop that is false. A white wire with no star and its light off is outside all four.
Table
| Wire | Star | Light | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | No star | Off | S |
| White | Star | Off | P |
| White | No star | On | D |
| White | Star | On | B |
| Red | No star | Off | P |
| Red | Star | Off | C |
| Red | No star | On | C |
| Red | Star | On | B |
| Blue | No star | Off | C |
| Blue | Star | Off | P |
| Blue | No star | On | C |
| Blue | Star | On | D |
| Red and blue striped | No star | Off | B |
| Red and blue striped | Star | Off | S |
| Red and blue striped | No star | On | S |
| Red and blue striped | Star | On | D |
Module
Wire Panels
Four panels, shown one at a time. Each panel has up to three wires. A wire runs from a numbered post on the left to a lettered post on the right. Each wire is red, blue or black. Earlier panels cannot be seen again.
- Read the wires of a panel from post 1 down to post 3.
- Keep a separate count for each color. The counts carry on from panel to panel.
- Count every wire, whether or not it gets cut.
- Find the wire's color and count in the table. Cut the wire only if it ends at a listed letter.
- When every wire on the panel has been checked, press the next panel button.
- Pressing the button on the fourth panel finishes the module.
Cut the wire if it ends at
| Count | red | blue | black |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | A or C | B or C | A or B |
| 2nd | B | C | B or C |
| 3rd | A | A or C | A or C |
| 4th | C | C | B |
| 5th | A or C | A or C | A or C |
| 6th | B | B or C | A |
| 7th | A or B | A | A |
| 8th | C | A or B | A or B |
| 9th | C | B or C | A |
Module
Labyrinth
A six by six grid of dots with four arrow buttons. Two dots have a ring around them. The white light is the Defuser. The red triangle is the goal. The Defuser cannot see any walls.
Ask where the two rings are. Columns count from the left. Rows count from the top. Find the maze with rings in the same two places. Then ask where the light and the triangle are. Guide the light to the triangle one step at a time. Lines are walls. Stepping into a wall is a strike. Stepping off the grid is a strike. The light stays where it was.
Mazes
Module
Passcode
Five letter wheels side by side, and a submit button. Each wheel holds six letters. The arrows above and below a wheel turn it. Exactly one word from the list below can be spelled, using one letter from each wheel, left to right. Ask the Defuser to read out all six letters on the first wheel. Cross out every word that does not start with one of them. Do the same for the next wheel until one word is left. Set the wheels to that word, then press submit. Submitting anything else is a strike.
Passcode words
- BAGEL
- BASIL
- BERRY
- BLEND
- BROTH
- CHARD
- CHIVE
- COCOA
- CREAM
- CREPE
- CRUST
- CURRY
- DONUT
- DOUGH
- FEAST
- FUDGE
- GRAPE
- GRAVY
- GUAVA
- HONEY
- JELLY
- JUICE
- KEBAB
- KNEAD
- LEMON
- MAPLE
- MELON
- NACHO
- PRAWN
- SALSA
- SAUCE
- SLICE
- SPOON
- SYRUP
- TOAST
Needy module
Pressure Vent
This module cannot be solved. It sleeps, then wakes up with a question, a Yes button, a No button and a 40 second countdown. Have the Defuser read the question aloud. Find it in the table. Say the answer next to it.
The right answer puts it back to sleep. A wrong answer is a strike. Letting the countdown reach zero is a strike. It will wake again later with another question.
| The panel asks | Press |
|---|---|
| Simmer the sparks? | No |
| Preheat the detonator? | No |
| Salt the fuse? | Yes |
| Vent the gravy? | No |
| Is the souffle ticking? | Yes |
| Whisk the wick? | No |
Needy module
Discharge Lever
This module needs no expert help. Its meter fills on its own and a full meter is a strike, so the Defuser holds the lever down to drain it and lets go once it is empty.
Needy module
Dial Alignment
This module cannot be solved. It sleeps, then wakes up showing twelve lights in two rows of six, with a 40 second countdown. A filled circle below is a lit light. A hollow circle is a dark light. Have the Defuser read out both rows, left to right. Find the matching picture.
The dial must point the way the table says when the countdown reaches zero. The turn button moves the dial one step clockwise. If the dial points the wrong way at zero, that is a strike. Then it sleeps and wakes later with new lights. The dial stays where it was left.
| Lights | Point the dial |
|---|---|
| up | |
| down | |
| right | |
| right | |
| up | |
| down | |
| left | |
| left |
Appendix: edgework
Edgework is printed on the bomb's casing. Many rules refer to it. Ask for all of it once, at the start, and write it down.
Serial number
Six characters. The last one is always a digit. The letters I and O are never used, so a round character is a zero and a straight one is a one. The vowels are A, E and U.
Batteries
A bomb has zero to four battery holders. A holder carries one battery or a pack of two. Rules count batteries, not holders, unless they say holders.
Indicators
An indicator is a three-letter label beside a light. The light is lit or unlit. The possible labels are: YUM, NOM, ZAP, HOT, ICE, RAW, FRY, DIP, JAM, BRU, MSG.
Ports
| Port | Name | How to recognise it |
|---|---|---|
| Hex | A six-sided outline with one bar across the middle. | |
| Twin | Two round sockets side by side. | |
| Ribbon | A wide rectangle with five short pins. | |
| Coax | One large ring with a solid dot in the centre. | |
| Slot | A rounded box with one thick horizontal slot. | |
| Trident | Three upright prongs on a base line. |
Glossary
- Defuser.
- The one player who can see and touch the bomb.
- Expert.
- Everyone holding this manual. Experts never see the bomb.
- Module.
- One puzzle panel on the bomb. Solve every regular module to defuse it.
- Needy module.
- A module that cannot be solved. It wakes up now and then and must be kept happy.
- Strike.
- A mistake. Each strike speeds up the countdown. The last allowed strike sets the bomb off.
- Edgework.
- The labels on the bomb's casing: serial number, batteries, indicators and ports.
- Rule seed.
- The number of this manual. A bomb only works with the manual that has its rule seed.