I'm baffled too. Can somebody point out which statement below is the first untrue claim? Don't look if you haven't reached the east staircase at (36,30).
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In the identical-looking level reached after exiting at (36,30) once:
1. (22,19) and (22,21) can never be open at the same time.
2. (17,17) and (17,19) can never be open at the same time.
3. Therefore, the only way to escape after striking (21,24) is to cross the (22,26) door.
4. If I strike the master orb (2,2) at any time, thereafter (22,26) is open if and only if (36,29) is closed and the player is somewhere north of (36,29) but south of (17,17) and (22,19).
5. It is impossible to strike (2,2) and then exit at (36,30) without restoring.
Assuming I never strike (2,2):
6. I cannot leave the room without killing every roach, wraithwing, and serpent.
7. I cannot pass (20,8), (17,16), or (22,24) to reach the roach and wraithwing near the longer serpent.
8. I cannot prevent a roach from getting stuck at (18,6).
9. In order to kill the roach at (18,6), I must strike (2,10).
10. I can only strike (2,10) before ever striking (21,24).
11. It is not possible to trap a monster at (22,19)-(22,20) when striking (2,10).
12. Since (2,10) closes (22,19) permanently, it is possible to lead only one monster out the south end of (22,11)-(26,18).
13. It is not possible to lead any monster out the north end of (22,11)-(26,18) before (2,10) opens the (21,4) door.
14. I cannot strike (2,10) without either permanently trapping a roach or wraithwing or killing the longer serpent.
15. Since (21,24) is the only available orb to open (27,24), and it also closes (28,23) permanently, only two monsters including the wraithwing already there can exit by that channel.
16. Since the wraithwing near the longer serpent moves before the roach and the serpent will not be alive to assist by blocking, it is not possible to lead the roach out the north end without the wraithwing.
17. Therefore, the only way to get all three monsters in positions where doors will not block their escape when striking (21,24) is to lead the roach to (24,19) and the wraithwings to (28,23) and (28,24).
18. It is not possible to lure a third wraithwing anywhere near (22,25).
19. Wraithwings at (25,24)-(28,24) will never leave that space, since (by #7) either (24,24) is closed or the player is at (22,25) frightening them.
20. Therefore it is not possible to kill all the roaches and wraithwings without striking (2,2), and it is not possible to exit this room (again?) at (36,30).
21. The hold can still be conquered after the fix that made it less trivial, and since the other three staircases I have seen don't lead to new places, conquering it requires using that staircase.
Contradiction.
