CutthroatsCutthroats

Game Details:  Adventure, 1984

Links:  Moby Games, Adventure Gamers

Walkthrough Updated:  4/7/2005

Suggested Listening:  Caught Up in the Panic (Ash 25)

Cutthroats is a classic text adventure game by Infocom. You play as a professional scuba diver in a small seaport called Hardscrabble. You are given the opportunity to go diving for sunken treasure, but danger lurks around every corner.

Collecting Info and Equipment

Stand up and wind your watch. Read the note on the floor, then open the dresser and take the key. Open the door, go out, and close and lock the door behind you. Go down, then north to leave the inn. Head east 4 times, then south to the shanty. Sit down and order food, then eat. Wait until your throat feels dry, then order water and drink it.

Keep waiting (or listening to the parrot) until Weasel arrives and you are asked if you are interested in treasure hunting - answer "yes". Stand up again, and go north, west 4 times, southwest twice and northwest to reach the lighthouse. Wait here until everyone arrives and Johnny shows you an item - examine it. If it is a dinner plate, you will dive for the Leviathan; if it is a gold coin, you will head for the Sao Vera.

Return southeast, northeast twice, south and up. Unlock your door, open it and go inside. Take your passbook, then get all from the closet (your scuba gear). Leave the room again, closing and locking the door behind you, and go down and north. Go east 4 times, then go southeast and southwest into an alley, and drop the scuba gear. Return northeast, then go south twice, southwest and north into the bank. Withdraw $600, then go south, northeast and southeast. Drop your passbook. Wait here until Johnny arrives, then show him the money. He then asks if the treasure is more than 200 feet deep - if you are going to the Leviathan say "no", otherwise say "yes".

Follow Johnny northwest, north twice, northwest, west and south to Outfitters International. Wait here until McGinty leaves, then Johnny will pay for his share of the ship and leave. Pay for your share, then buy the flashlight and shark repellent. If you are heading to the Leviathan, also buy the putty, C battery and electromagnet, and rent the small air compressor.

Next head north, east, southeast, south twice, southwest and west twice to reach the ferry landing. Wait here and witness the Weasel handing something to McGinty, then boarding the ferry. Return east twice, northeast, north twice and southwest into the alley. Pick up all the scuba gear, then go west twice and wait. McGinty will head past from east to west, then eventually return west to east. As soon as he does, go west again to be behind McGinty Salvage. Open the window and climb through. Take the envelope, then climb through the window again and close it behind you.

Go east, then north 3 times to reach the wharf. Board the appropriate boat (west for Leviathan, east for Sao Vera) and go south, down and north twice to the crew's quarters. Hide the envelope under the bed. Go south 3 times. Wait here until Johnny asks you where to go. Now follow the appropriate section below.

The Dive

Leviathan

Tell Johnny the latitude is 25, and the longitude is 25. Wait, and you will fall asleep and be woken up again. Get up and wear the flippers and wet suit. Grab the tank, mask and envelope, then go north to the storage locker. Get everything except the compressor. Open the drill and insert the battery, then close the drill again. Fill the tank with the compressor.

Now head south twice to the galley, where you should eat and drink. Go south twice more and show Johnny the envelope. Go north and up (you will see Johnny drag the Weasel down below), then wear the tank and mask. Dive into the water. Immediately turn on the flashlight, then when the shark approaches open the canister of repellent. Swim down twice to reach the top deck of the Leviathan.

Go down twice more, then south. Read the sign here, then open the door and continue south. Touch the magnet to the loose mine, then turn on the magnet and drop it. Now you can go up. There is a very narrow passage here, so remove your tank and go south twice to find a safe. Turn on the drill, drill the lock, and immediately turn off the drill again. Get the glass case, which is slowly leaking. Return north twice, wear the tank again, and go down, north and up. Turn on the drill again, and drill a hole in the case. Open the tube of putty, and put the glob of putty in the hole. Now head down, north and up 5 times to complete the game.

Sao Vera

Tell Johnny the latitude is 40, and the longitude is 45. Wait, and you will fall asleep and be woken up again. Get up and grab the envelope, then go north to the storage locker. Get everything except the machine, then head south twice to the galley, where you should eat and drink. Go south twice more and show Johnny the envelope. Go north and up (you will see Johnny drag the Weasel down below), then wear the suit. Look, then examine the compressor to see an airhose. Connect this to your suit, then turn on the compressor. Dive into the water. Immediately turn on the flashlight, then when the shark approaches open the canister of repellent. Swim down 7 times to reach the top deck of the Sao Vera.

Go down and south, then grab an iron bar. Go south twice more, then move the bunks with the bar. Wedge the bar under the bunks to prevent them sliding back. Continue south and down again, then north twice (past a sleeping squid). Note the chest here, then continue north and examine the skeletons. Examine the scabbard you find, then take the sword. Go north once more to find another chest. Push the maple chest south twice.

Now push the oak chest west (out through the hole in the ship). Wait here and the orange line will swing into view. Get the line and tie it to the oak chest. Tug on the line and the chest will be lifted up. Return east into the ship. Push the maple chset south twice more and climb on it. Go back up to the middle deck. Head north twice and push the cask north twice. Climb on the cask, then cut the rope with the sword. Drop the sword and go up 9 times to complete the game.