Angry Walter

At the n’th time of asking, I finally managed to secure myself a copy of Dee Dixon’s Angry Walter. I’d tried picking up a copy on a few of the earlier releases, but never managed to be quick enough, but on the latest round, I finally managed to grab myself a rather handsome Canarywood copy of ole Walter.

I’d seen quite a few folks raving about Walter on various forums and bits of social media, so I was quite keen to grab a copy… and I was expecting good things having played with a few of Dee’s earlier creations.

I reckon Walter isn’t so much angry, as misunderstood, but I guess there’s a back story in there somewhere – he does look very distinctive! The accompanying instructions ask you to remove Walter’s green power cell – so off we go.

First thing we discover is that one of Walter’s eyes isn’t all that well-attached – in fact, turning the puzzle over to have a look at the somewhat featureless back is enough to get an eye to depart and stare up at you from the desk – not disconcerting at all!

Other than the fact that it it’s no longer attached, the eye doesn’t appear to be a whole lot of use…

…and that, dear puzzlers, is the only gimme you get on this puzzle – you have to work for everything else…

Described as a sequential discovery puzzle, this one really is a sequential discovery puzzle – there are tools and there is a very definite sequence that cannot be dodged… sometimes you’ll find yourself stumbling across the very tool you were hoping to discover, and sometimes you’ll find yourself hoping for a tool - any tool – and wondering how the heck you can possibly progress… and that’s the best part of this solution for me – the final realisation that the only place left to go might just be the final step in the solution… take your time – it is fun!

You have to admire Dee’s sense of humour in the design of this puzzle – not just the externals and the wild look on Walter’s face, but the creative use of mechanisms and tools is brilliant… and his take on the red herring alone is worth the entry price for me.

Well played that man! 

There’s at least a “Gosh!”, a “Whoah! I wasn’t expecting that” and a “Wow – that’s clever!” waiting in there for you. 

My patience was royally rewarded on this one.