These commands are very common:

{ }
You just started up a game
and now you’re staring at > |
text and a blinking cursor
( ) EXAMINE it
TAKE it
DROP it
PUSH it
PULL it
TURN it
Does the game intro suggest
ABOUT, INFO, HELP?
and you don’t know what to do! Try them first!
OPEN it FEEL it
Don’t panic kids— PUT it IN something N (“Go north.”)
Crazy Uncle Zarf is here to help you PUT it ON something
NW NE
get started… When in doubt, examine more.
W E

*Try opening!
You are standing in an open field west of a white house,
SW SE Also:
with a boarded front door. There is a small mailbox *here. Up, Down,
S IN, and OUT

You can try all sorts of commands You could also try: “ What if I only want to
on the things you see. EAT it CLIMB it type one or two letters? ”
DRINK it WAVE it
Try the commands that make sense!

•
FILL it WEAR it N/E/S/W/NE/SE/NW/SW: GO
Doors are for opening; buttons are for pushing; SMELL it TAKE it OFF in the indicated compass direction.
pie is for eating. (Mmm, pie.) LISTEN TO it TURN it ON L: LOOK
BREAK it DIG IN it around to see what is nearby.
•

If you meet a person, these should work: BURN it ENTER it X: EXAMINE

TALK TO name LOOK UNDER it SEARCH it a thing in more detail.
ASK name ABOUT something UNLOCK it WITH something I: take INVENTORY
TELL name ABOUT something of what you possess.
Or even: Z: WAIT
GIVE something TO name
LISTEN JUMP a turn without doing anything.
SHOW something TO name
SLEEP PRAY G: do the same thing AGAIN
Each game has slightly different commands, WAKE UP CURSE

•
UNDO† SING A service of the
but they all look pretty much like these. †Take People’s Republic of Interactive Fiction:
back one move — handy! http://pr-if.org