Quadrix is a difficult mind game that it is very satisfying to win at!

It is played on a 4 x 4 x 4 cube with 64 segments in it total. In four of these segments, chosen by the computer at random, are some special objects. It is your task to locate all four of the segments by a process of elimination.

To help you, you have a number of sensor probes that you can insert through any of the 96 surface spaces. The probe will then travel through the box and emerge on the other side - unless its path is blocked by one of the objects.

It's like pushing a rod through the box. If the route is clear, it will emerge at the other side. But if it encounters one or more objects then it will not.

The problem with locating the exact location of the objects is determining how far along the route the object is and whether or not there is more than one object.

The only way to do this is to push more probes across the path of the first one to see if an object blocks those!

When two objects are on the same level as the first, it gets very tricky as you then need to use more probes from a third direction in order to pinpoint the two objects. You only have a limited number of probes as well!

Different segments of the cube are referred to by three axis: X, Y and Z. When you think you know where an object is, press RETURN and enter these co-ordinates.

If you guess incorrectly three times, the game ends and you will see a list of the locations.

The biggest weapon you have is your own ability to visualise the cube from the image on the screen. It requires practice although the loading diagram will help enormously. (The two circles are just to show you which face is which between the flat and 3D cubes.)

Robin Pike, EUG #47