Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a young boy named Jack. Jack was an adventurous and curious boy who always dreamed of going on thrilling journeys. He would often read books about magical worlds and dreamt of the day when he could experience the same adventures. One day, while exploring his grandmother's attic, Jack stumbled upon a dusty old book. The book was bound in worn leather and had an intriguing title: "The Magic Word Adventure." Curiosity got the better of Jack, and he couldn't resist opening the book to see what lay inside.
" Curiosity got the better of Jack, and he couldn't resist opening the book to see what lay inside. To his amazement, the pages were filled with illustrations and tales of incredible adventures. Each page detailed a different world, filled with talking animals, flying creatures, and mysterious landscapes.
Magic word adventuge
Hidden XYZZY in printer firmware
I have worked with United Barcode Industries "UBI" programmable bar code printers for many years. UBI was bought by Intermec in the 1990's and Intermec was bought by Honeywell a few years ago.
These printers use a basic-like language called Fingerprint. It is interactive or interpreted.
There were "SYSTEM" commands of the form SYSTEM and a number in the interactive part and SYSTEM 1138 had some special meaning. I'm betting the 1138 came from THX 1138.
SYSTEM 0, SYSTEM 10, SYSTEM 20 and SYSTEM 40 did things like memory dumps, listing loaded modules, etc. None of this was documented for the developer community.
Intermec came out with what is known as the XP series of printers (no relation to Windows XP) which had faster processors and more memory. These were flash ROM-based machines whereas the UBI printers used ROM chips and battery backed RAM.
I had to see what commands survived in the XP platform and to my surprise in one of the SYSTEM commands I received the prompt "Enter Meta Guru password:"
Gee, were my Amiga days coming back?
One brief flash of lightning later I entered XYZZY and the printer responded with "Meta Guru mode ON."
After rebooting the printer I entered XYZZY in Fingerprint interactive mode and the printer responded with "Nothing happens."
It's still there to this day on the latest printers.
You find mentions of it everywhere. 'XYZZY' (along with other phrases from the game such as ". you are in a twisty maze of passageways, all alike") can be found in computer documentation, classroom discussions, and in many other surprising contexts.
Origins of XYZZY
But where did XYZZY come from? Is it totally a nonsense word, or was there some hidden meaning? There are two stories on its origins.
Bernie Cosell, a friend of Crowther's at the time Adventure was originally coded, says that he was unaware of any special meaning for the word:
"Will Crowther says he made up the term out of whole cloth when he was putting ADVENT together.
"As for 'out of whole cloth,' I meant just what the idiom means: he devised this little pseudo-puzzle and needed a magic word to make it happen, and he just made one up. It has no antecedent nor is it an acronym or anything like that."
XYZZY: a mathematics 'in-joke?'
But Ron Hunsinger believes there is a more meaningful origin to the 'XYZZY' word:
"'Cross products?' you ask.
"Indeed. The cross product of two three-dimensional vectors is the vector whose length is the area of the parallelogram with the two given vectors as adjacent sides, and direction perpendicular to the plane of that parallelogram.
"There is a 'simple' formula for the cross product. If A = B x C, where A, B, and C are the vectors (Ax, Ay, Az), (Bx, By, Bz), and (Cx, Cy, Cz), then:
Ax = By Cz - Bz Cy
Ay = Bz Cx - Bx Cz
Az = Bx Cy - By Cx
"Notice that the second and third equations can be obtained from the first by simply rotating the subscripts, x -> y -> z -> x. The problem, of course, is how to remember the first equation.
"You do that by remembering the 'magic word,' consisting of the subscripts, taken in order: xyzzy.
"And that, friends, is the origin of the magic word xyzzy. This use of the word was around long before Adventure (or Colossal Caves or whatever name you knew it by) was ever written.
"When I first played Adventure, finding 'xyzzy' in it was like finding an old friend in an unlikely place. Or an inside joke."
After rebooting the printer I entered XYZZY in Fingerprint interactive mode and the printer responded with "Nothing happens."
But what fascinated Jack the most was the mention of a unique magic word that unlocked the door to these enchanting worlds. Eager to embark on his own adventure, Jack decided to search for this magic word. He spent days researching, learning about mythology, history, and ancient languages, seeking clues on how to discover the elusive word. As he delved deeper into his quest, he started to notice peculiar coincidences and synchronicities, leading him to believe that he was on the right path. Through his tireless efforts, Jack eventually stumbled upon an ancient spellbook in a hidden nook of his local library. The spellbook contained cryptic incantations, and among them, Jack recognized a phrase that felt powerful and right. It was the magic word he had been searching for all along. With a mix of apprehension and excitement, Jack pronounced the magic word softly, but nothing happened. He repeated it louder with more conviction, and suddenly, the room around him started to tremble and shake. A vortex appeared, pulling Jack into a swirling mass of colors and energy, transporting him to a realm he had only read about in books. As Jack stepped out of the vortex, he found himself in a lush green forest surrounded by mystical creatures. He quickly realized that he had indeed discovered the magic word, and with it, the ability to roam different realms at his will. From that day forward, Jack's life was forever changed as he embarked on countless adventures, exploring magical lands, encountering extraordinary beings, and experiencing the wonders of the universe. The magic word adventure taught Jack about the power of curiosity, determination, and belief in oneself. It taught him that with the right mindset and a touch of magic, anything is possible. Jack continued to use the magic word to unlock new adventures, meet fascinating characters, and unravel the mysteries of the world. And so, Jack's story serves as a reminder to all of us to never stop chasing our dreams, to embrace the unknown, and to believe in the magic that lies within us all. For who knows, perhaps there is a magic word waiting to be discovered, that will unlock a thrilling adventure like no other..
Reviews for "Exploring the Legends of Magical Words: A Thrilling Adventure"
1. Ashley - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Magic Word Adventure." The storyline felt weak and predictable, and the characters were one-dimensional. The puzzles were not challenging at all, and the game was over within an hour. Overall, it lacked the depth and excitement that I was hoping for in an adventure game.
2. Mark - 1 star - I really didn't enjoy "Magic Word Adventure" at all. The graphics were outdated, and the gameplay was repetitive. The puzzles were far too easy, and they didn't offer any real challenge. The dialogue was cheesy, and the voice acting was subpar. I wouldn't recommend this game to anyone looking for a captivating adventure experience.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - "Magic Word Adventure" fell flat for me. The overall concept was interesting, but the execution was poor. The controls and navigation were clunky, and I encountered several bugs and glitches throughout the game. The lack of polish was evident, and it hindered my enjoyment of the game. The puzzles and riddles were also quite simplistic, making the gameplay feel uninspiring. I was expecting more from this adventure game, and sadly, it didn't deliver.
4. Michael - 1 star - I regret purchasing "Magic Word Adventure." The story was unoriginal, and the gameplay was tedious. The game felt rushed and unfinished, with several technical issues and poorly designed levels. The game's mechanics were repetitive and became monotonous quickly. Overall, it was a lackluster experience that left me feeling frustrated and unsatisfied. I would not recommend this game to anyone looking for an enjoyable adventure game.