The ‘Elevator’s is a way to access other floors of the museum, and the way to enter them is one of the puzzles of the museum.
Description[]
There are three of these non descript elevators exist in the museum. Two of them are linked to Professor Windlenot's office, while the other is located in the secret passages of the museum. Given these locations, it is safe to assume that the elevators are not something that can be accessed by the patrons.
The first elevator encountered is in the one connecting the Underground Lake and Professor Windlenot's office. This elevator is designed with two door, and is more industrial in appearance. Since it merely connects to the underground lake, and only ever used to as transit for leaving the museum unseen, it does not need to look very pleasing to the eye.
The second elevator encountered, in a normal search by a trespasser, is the one leading to Professor Windlenot's Bedroom. Since this is to a place the public would never visit, and a place the Professor uses as living quarters, this elevator has a more pleasing look to it. It also has two doors, and probably the largest span of distance to be covered by all the elevators.
The last elevator encountered is the one in the Secret Passageways. This elevator is different in two ways. First off, the elevator only has one door in and out. This could mean that the elevator is made more for public use. This could be further assumed by the fact that this is the only elevator with buttons denoting multiple floors. All this aside, this is also the only elevator that one does not need to use, but just enter
.
Things Amiss[]
Two of the elevators have something that tells the player that things are amiss, First off, as one approaches the elevator that leads to Professor Windlenot's office from the Underground Lake, the camera near seems to focus on the person. This could mean the camera was designed with very sophisticated motion sensors, or that something is controlling it, most likely the Electric Ixupi.
The second of the things amiss is actually a clue to one of the puzzles, courtesy of Beth Ann Nelson. On the wall of the elevator in the secret passages, there is a crude drawing of the door puzzle in theater. In that drawing, Beth has a partial word all spelled out, which is the clue to solving that door puzzle. It can be assumed that after Professor Windlenot had arrived back at the museum, he never used this elevator, since the drawing is there years later.
The Puzzle[]
The puzzle attached to the elevators acts like a call button, as well as a security feature. Once activate, a panel opens up revealing a grid, initially in a four by four grid, and increasing in size as the elevators are called more, reaching a maximum size of six by six. In that grid, there are panels with a symbol on them that must be aligned on the one diagonal for the elevator to open. For each row and column, there is an arrow button, and pressing that button moves the panels a set number of spaces (If a row or column's arrow button won't move the panels any spaces, the button will not appear). Occasionally, there are blockades in the grid as well, which if the panel will land on that space, the button will not allow movement to be made.
Since the only way to find out what each button will do is by trial and error, the puzzle requires thinking on the fly. The key is to get the diagonal from bottom left to top right, which is hinted at by the elevator doors. Once that line is achieved, the elevator will open, allowing the person to use it. There is also a button to reset the puzzle if one gets in a situation where they can not achieve the desired line. As puzzles go, this is one of moderate difficulty
.