Main Space Quest 1 Space Quest 2 Space Quest 3 Space Quest 4 Space Quest 5 Space Quest 6 Space Quest 7 Miscellaneous Donors

Space Quest 5 Official Hint Book > Being stuck on a puzzle for too long is frustrating. On this page you won't find a walk through but the hints from the official hint book. A hint doesn't spoil the game like a walk through does.


General
story
credits
game information

Database
characters
planets
ships
inventory items

Game Help
hint book
point list
patches
fixes
saved games
goliath maps

Downloads
documentation
demo
screenshots
soundtrack
design sketches

Behind the Scenes
cameo appearances
easter eggs
spoofs & references
plot inconsistencies
cheats & debugs
fun facts
cancelled stuff
____


Space Quest 5 Official Hint Book
This page is about the official Space Quest 5 hint book, released by Sierra in 1993. The hint book is of the usual Sierra hint book size, namely 15 x 11.5 centimeters. It consists of 71 pages and includes a "making of" article (which has been reprinted in the Funfacts page), character descriptions, design sketches, maps, a pointlist and more. It
is written by David Selle, the assistant director of the Space Quest 5 project.
Watch out for fake hints or "Red Herrings"!

Scans: cover closeup (64 KB) - page 34 with adventure window (96 KB)

Space Quest HintbookAcademy daze
A Garbage Scow by any other name... (still smells as bad)
How to avoid the droid
Monkey business at the Space Bar
Much ado at Klorox II
Thrakus: Fun with Fungi
Man overboard!
To Bea, or not to Bea; that's the question
Genetix: a Roger-fly in the ointment
The Final Conflict (more or less)
Eureka! I'm back...

 

Academy Daze

I can't figure out what I'm supposed to do at StarCon Academy.
- You have several tasks to complete at the academy.
- Remember where Captain Quirk told you to go?
- You need to get to class.

I'm in class taking the SAT but I don't know any of the answers.
- Timing is everything.
- Eye the big-head cadet's test when the Proctormatic 9000 droid is facing away from you.

I got busted by the Protormatic 9000.
- "Look" at the droid for a clue on how to avoid getting caught.
- Discretion is the better part of plagiarism, so to speak.
- Don't look at anyone else's test unless the droid is facing away from you.

All the other cadets are really mean to me!
- Did you try giving them some candy?
- What's that? You don't have any?
- Did you try the vending machines?
- Actually, there aren't any vending machines.
- You can't do anything about your fellow cadets' bad attitudes, just stick it out and you'll persevere in the end.

I was told to clean the academy crest but I don't know how.
- You'll need some cleaning supplies.
- Check out the janitorial closet in the hallway.
- Make sure you take the Scrub-O-Matic floor scrubber and the orange safety cones.

Okay, I got the cleaning supplies, now what?
- Proceed to the floor of the main rotunda.
- You will use the Scrub-O-Matic floor scrubber to clean the floor, but you have to do something else, first.
- Did you get the orange safety cones from the janitorial closet?
- Place the cones at each corner of the StarCon Crest.
- Board the Scrub-O-Matic (put it on the floor and click the Hand icon on it twice) and use the Brush icon to clean all parts of the crest).

There are several areas that are "off-limits" to me. I need to get back there to hide from the sentry robots!
- Did you try bribing the security guards?
- Didn't work? Hmm. Maybe you should try a creative approach.
- Wait until the guard take a coffee break, then slather some Insta-Bond liquid cement on his chair. When he comes back, he'll be stuck to his seat and unable to reach the alarm button.
- Actually, you can't get to any of the areas that are off-limits to cadets (snicker). This clua is a "Red Herring" or, as the French say: a "Poisson Rouge."

I've finished cleaning the crest and interrupted the conference meeting, now what?
- One of your classmates tells you something.
- Something to do with the SAT test, remember?
- Go to the bulletin board and pick up your test score, if you answered at least 50% correctly you'll pass, otherwise it's "Hasta la Vista, Baby!" (SAT scores are posted on the bulletin board next to the classroom).


A garbage Scow by any other name... (still smells as bad)

I'm Captain of the SCS Eureka, but I don't know what to do.
- Well Captain Wilco, it's time to take "command' of the situation.
- Read the portion of the Inquirer walk-through that describes the Command icon.
- Try giving some orders to your crew.
- Click the Command icon on Flo and select HAIL STARCON from her order menu.

I've been ordered to undertake a Refuse Recovery Mission, but I can't find the coordinates I need to get there.
- You have them, you just don't know you have them.
- What do you want us to do, draw you a map?
- We did.
- Examine your documentation carefully.
- Read "Gir Draxon's Predictions for 3010". (That is, if you have the manual)
- See those little dots with planets names and numbers next to them? Duuh.

I'm having trouble recovering refuse.
- You will need to give several orders in the correct sequence to complete a pick-up.
- If you overshoot your destination, you'll have to start over from scratch.
- Listen to your crew, they'll give you some hints.
- When Droole says "Approaching our distination, Sir", click the command icon on him and choose REGULAR SPEED.
- After Flo says "I'm tracking a waste beacon," click the Command icon on Droole and choose ACTIVATE RRS.

I want to beam down to some of the planets, but I can't.
- You cannot beam to any of the planets on your initial garbage runs.

The Eureka keeps losing hull integrity and I don't know what to do.
- Pay attention to what your crew says to you.
- Have you checked the garbage compartment?
- Look in the trash compartment (in the engineering section).
- After you rescue Spike you must figure out how to "neutralize" him.

I rescued this cute little, um, "thing", but it keeps making holes in the deck.
- The baby face-hugger's metabolism is highly acidic.
- There is a place you can store Spike, if you "neutralize" him first.
- What do you do if you have an upset stomach?
- Did you check Cliffy's toolbox? (it's in the engineering section).
- Take the antacids from Cliffy's toolbox.
- Put Spike in the "Habitube" in the science lab/transporter room.
- Put the antacids in the specimen tank while Spike is in it.

Apollo, the sun god, grabbed my ship with a giant hand and he won't let it go!
- You'll have to transport to the surface of Lukaszuk II.
- The only way you can escape is to beat him in a contest of skill.
- When the toga-clad deity comments on your "strange garb" choose the dialogue response, "Nice dress apollo, did your mom buy it for you?" He will then challenge you to a duel.
- At the Gladiator games menu, choose PAPER, SCISSORS, STONE.
- Pick STONE, PAPER, PAPER, STONE, PAPER, PAPER, SCISSORS in that order.
- Ha! You bozo! Stop reading ahead. This is a "Red Herring!"

I got ambushed by an android!
- You cannot avoid this, so make the best of it.
- She's not bluffing.
- Beam down to the surface of Kiz Urazgubi or she'll blow up your ship.


How to Avoid the Droid

I keep getting nailed on Kiz Urazgubi!
- When in doubt, run away!
- Keep moving. If you stay in any one place for too long, you're toast.
- WD40's targeting system take a couple shots to bracket you, but she'll hit you by the third shot every time.
- Try a little spelunking.
- Use the network of caves to avoid the android.

How can I fight something I can't even see?
- Be creative.
- You'll need to "stick" this one out.
- Crawl out onto the small tree branch to the left of the big log in the "big log" scene.
- After the branch breaks you falldown to the pool below, pick up the stick.
- Make your way up to the scene with the boulder balanced on the cliff.
- Walk over to the left-most cave and wait until WD40 appears in the foreground.
- As soon as you can see her, enter the cave (you should then see her footprints in the pool and her silhouette as she walks through the waterfall). When you get to the cliff, jump across and climb up to the boulder above the mouth of the small cave.
- Use the stick as a lever to pry the boulder loose while WD40 is still in the cave. Note: you must do this while she is still in the cave. If your timing is off, you'll have to start over.

I've bould"er" over with my ingenuity, now what?
- For your efforts to be "fruitful" you must use something found in the "big log" scene.
- "Look" at everythin in the room.
- Notice those clusters of fruit haning just out of reach?
- The fruit cluster on the far right is the one you want.
- Can't reach it? Stick around.
- Use the branch to swing the fruit cluster. Grab a fruit when the cluster swing near you --- timing is the key!
- The banana-like fruit mightier than the sword (when applied correctly).
- Did you notice that big hollow log?
- Ever heard of the "banana in the tailpipe" gag?
- Hide inside the hollow log, when WD40 appears, shove the banana-like fruit in the tailpipe of her jet-pack.

Egad! Cliffy won't let me beam back up to the Eureka!
- Listen to what he has to say.
- He wants something.
- Search the "big log" scene carefully.
- Did you notice the small, round, metallic object laying on the ground?
- The ground object is the android's head. Pick it up and Cliffy will beam you back up to the Eureka.

Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!
- That just needed to be said.
- What are you still reading this for? This isn't a hint.
- Have you ever been talking to someone at lunch and had a big goober of partially chewed sandwich fly out of your mouth and hit them in the face?
- I hate it when that happens!

I foundWD40's ship, but I can't get inside.
- Did you notice what she did when she arrived at Kiz Urazgubi?
- Have a chat with Cliffy back on the Eureka.
- Did Cliffy give you a "souvenir"?
- You can use this object to open WD40's ship.

I can't figure out how to open the nondescript panel.
- At first you don't succeed, try, try again.
- Oh come on, it's not THAT hard!
- Try the following:
1.
Open the two center vertical latches.
2. Turn top left knob.
3. Turn bottom right knob.
4. Open top left panel.
5. Open bottom right panel.
6. Turn bottom left knob.

7. Turn top right knob.
8. Open top right panel.
9. Open bottom left panel.
10. Take the device.


Monkey Business at the Space Bar

I can't win Star Cruiser.
- Read the "on-line" directions.
- Practise makes perfect.
- Use your probes.
- Fire in a "checkerboard pattern" (every other square).
- If you can't beat Quirk, don't sweat it too much. You can stilll "win" the game even if you lose here.

Cliffy got busted, what should I do?
- Maybe your crew will have some suggestions.
- Talk to Droole and Flo in the booth.
- You need to rescue Cliffy!

Cliffy is in the brig and I can't get past the guards!
- The obvious approach isn't necessarily the correct one.
- You will need to create a diversion.
- A little "monkey-ing around" is in order.
- Dump the packet of Space Monkeys in your drink (at the booth).
- Make sure you turn off the force-field in the detention erea.

I found Cliffy, but I can't extract him from his predicament.
- Be creative.
- You'll need some help to get through the bars.
- Parhaps your "li'l buddy" can help.
- Get Spike and put him on the bars to Cliffy's cell.
- Get out there before teh station blows!


Much Ado at Klorox II

I've been ordered to Klorox II for an auxiliary garbage pickup, but there isn't any trash to recover.
- Take it over with your crew.
- Orbit the colony.
- Order Flo to HAIL PLANET.
- Ask WD40 for a "recommendation."
- Beam down to the surface.

Ugh! I can't escape the "Loogies of Death."
- Quick reflexes are a life saver.
- You need to use your eyes and ears.
- When you hear the mutant hawwwk up a loogie, it's time to duck.
- Move your head the moment he expectorates (spits).
- After you beat him, pay close attention to what he says to you.

I found a computer terminal, but I don't know the access code.
- It's right under your nose, more or less.
- Did you notice the mutant drop anything before he attacked you?
- Search the floor of the greenhouse.
- See that little ship of paper?
- The access code for the colony is written on the slip of paper.

I got the colonist's body into the Med-Lab. Should I use the Autodoc to conduct an autopsy?
- You'll need to restore power first.
- Now, if you only knew which program to use.
- Aww skip it. Just shove the body into the chipper/shredder near the compost heap.
- BAD HUMAN! You're reading ahead again. This is another Red Herring!


Thrakus: Fun with Fungi!

I died as soon as I beamed down to the planet's surface.
- You died because you were dumb.
- Remember the question on the SAT test about beaming down to an unknown planet for the first time?
- Did you order WD40 to SCAN PLANET?
- Did you try holding your breath? (Press [Ctrl]+[Alt]+"H"+"B" keys & right mouse button simultaneously)
- Actually you need some hardware.
- An air mask, yeah, that's the ticket.
- Look in the Eureka's pod bay.
- There's a rebreather mask in the storage compartment immediately to the left of the pressure suits.

I've looked everywhere and there's nothing down here!
- Patience.
- If you don't detect the homing beacon from orbit, there's no point in beaming down to the surface.
- If there is nothing of interest on Thrakus when you visit, come back later, there will be.

I see a steaming "pod" but I can't get to it.
- You cannot jump the chasm.
- It will require a short walk.
The the narrow path leading to the west.
- When you enter the next scene, look around carefully.
- Look at the stems of the large Fungi.
- The large stem to the east has a cleft in it. You can gain access to the pod via this passage.

I got "pucked-out" after I looked in the Pod.
- Look around the pod's interior carefully before you leave.
- Notice anything its former occupant may have left?
- Look under the "frock".
- Turn off the homing beacon.

I got munched by the Mold Monster!
- Did you take the Dr. Schmolls anti-fungal odor-eating boot inserts from the locker back at the academy?
- Get upwind from the beast and set your boot inserts on fire with the laser torch.
- The cloud of anti-fungal smoke you create will blind and confuse the Mold Monster causing him to fall over the precipice.
- NOT!
- You're BAD! Stop scamming the hints. This is another "Red Herring"!

The ambassador knocked me over the cliff! (I've heard of falling for a girl, but this is ridiculous!)
- The ambassador is a spunky little thing, isn't she?
- Actually there's nothing you can do to prevent this.
- Hang in there baby!

I'm precariously hanging over the edge of a 10,000 foot cliff with a woman pulling my pants down while a horde of slimy mutants is shooting noxious spitballs at me! What should I do!
- First things first; save the ambassador (if she dies, you will too because of a time paradox).
- Did you get the frock from the escape pod?
- Lower the frock down to the ambassador.
- After she scrambles up, call the Eureka on your communicator.
- When Beatrice lowers you a vine, grab it!

The woman of my dreams got slimed!
- There aren't many options open to you.
- You cannot cure her, yet.
- She needs to "chill out" for awhile.
- Put her in the Eureka's cryo-chamber (in the science lab).
- Make sure you read the directions on the Cryochef.


Man overboard!

The Goliath blew me away after I beamed back from Thrakus!
- There's no way you can come out ahead in direct confrontation with the Goliath.
- Be "evasive".
- Order Droole to take EVASIVE ACTION when the Goliath attacks.
- Choose the O.K., Let's risk almost cetain death in the asteriod field, response.

Cliffy is "lost in space."
- You're going to have to rescue him yourself.
- Maybe your crew will have some helpful ideas.
- Ask WD40 for a recommendation.
- Hmm... maybe you should use the EVA pod from the Eureka.
- Make sure you give it the once-over though, you wouldn't want to run out of any critical supplies.
- You'll need to bring along some extra air.
- The extra air is in a storage locker locker to the left of the oxygen mask storage area.

I'm having a hard time grappling with the EVA pod.
- Read the on-line instructions.
- Save your game as soon as you get into the pod.
- Maneuver the pod towards the red dot on your scope (it's Cliffy).
- When Cliffy fills your screen and you can't get any closer, extend the claw.
- Maneuver right or left intil you see a green targeting rectangle. When it is visible, you can successfully grapple Cliffy.
- Beat back to the Eureka before your fuel or air runs out.


To Bea, or no to Bea; that is the question.

I don't know whether I should try to find a way to cure Beatrice or if I should concentrate on going after the pukoids.
- Actually, these goals are not mutually exclusive.
- Talk it over with your crew.
- You need to fin the "source" of the substance which caused the mutations.
- Then you can cure Bea and go after the mutants.

I want to track down the source of these mutants but I don't know where to look.
- You've been given a hint already, though you may not recall it.
- Remember the colonist on Klorox II?
- There is a piece of evidence there which could air your search greatly.
- There is an empty container...
- Take the secret path at the west of the ridge overlooking the settlement (near the abandoned mining equipment).
- Read the label on the canister. It lists the coordinates of the Genetix Research Corporation.


Genetic: A Roger-Fly in the Ointment

I went to Genetix but they warned me to leave!
- Are you surpriced? It is a top secret research facility after all.
- Actually, you cannot enter the facility until certain events have transpired.
- Come back later (trust us).

I had a transporter malfunction and it really "bugs" me!
- Deal with it. You can't avoid this "accident".
- Actually, it might give you a chance to scout around in places you couldn't normally go.
- Buzz on over to the "waterfall" room.
- See that little slit in the rock?
- It's an electronic locking mechanism.
- Pay REALLY close attention to what's going on in there. You might want to get a pencil and paper.
- Walk across various light beams and note the effects, if any.
- Fly into the lab, and land on the computer. Read the files and view the three security cameras.

I tried to talk to Cliffy, but he squished me!
- He thinks you're just an ordinary fly.
- You'll have to let him know what happened to you.
- This will require some communications.
- Did you notice your "better-half" dropped something as you beamed in?
- Fly near the east edge of the pool. When the amphibian creature jumps to catch you, it will miss and land on the communicator's "transmit" button.
- Land on the communicator and "talk" to Flo.

I've talked to Flo but I can't figure out how I'm supposed to get back to normal.
- You'll need some help.
- Cliffy's help to be exact.
- You'll have to visit the secret underground laboratory first.
- After you see CLiffy on the security monitors, "fly" (get it?) to the waterfall room and land on Cliffy's nose.
- Fly over to the compost bin you saw on the security monitor in the lab after you talk to Cliffy.
- Follow Cliffy's instructions.

I'm feeling like myself again, but I can't figure out how to get inside the lab.
- Talk to Cliffy, maybe he has a few ideas.
- Maybe you can devise a key.
- Did you pay attention inside the locking mechanism when you were a fly?
- Remember the business card the "Merchant of Venus" gave you?
- Did you take the hole puncher from Cliffy's toll box?
- Punch holes in the card to make a fake key.
- I hope you remember what you saw when you were a fly! (Hint: You have to make five holes.)
- You only get five chances.

O.K., I busted into the lab, but now I'm stuck.
- You need to get something here.
- Something you couldn't get as a fly.
- Look around the room very carefully.
- Did you read the Primordial Soup information on the computer?
- See the large machinery near the staircase?
- Open the storage chamber in the large piece of machinery.
- Take the canisters of liquid nitrogen.
- If you're read all the information on the computer and retrieved the liquid nitrogen, you're done.

Beatrice croaks when I try to cure her!
- Have you read all the information on the Genetix computer?
- Did you li'l buddy Spike give you a hint?
- You'll need Cliffy's help, too.
- ou must prepare het first.
- Read the "defrost" instructions for the Cryochef.
- After Spike does his "lassie" bit, defrost Beatrice and put her on the transport pad.


The Final Conflict (more or less)

I'm ready to go after the Goliath, but she blows me away every time I try to get near her.
- This may require some "cloak" and dagger work.
- Talk to your crew. They may have a few suggestions.
- Cliffy will need to jury-rig a device to make it possible for you to approach the Goliath.
- Remember WD40's ship back on Kiz Urazgubi?
- You will need to get the cloaking device from inside her ship.

I figured out how I can sneak up on the Goliath, bit I'm at a loss as to what I should do next.
- WD40 may have some insightful analysis.
- Cliffy can probably come up with some strange creative ideas.
- You need to get aboard the Goliath, but you'll need a plan of attack.
- Cliffy can give you an idea where the Goliath's defenses are weakest.
- WD40 can tell you how to sneak aboard.
- When you're in the EVA pod, look carefully at the hull of the Goliath.
- You'll need a tool to cut your way into the hull of the Goliath.
- Don't forget to bring along the laser torch! You'll need it to cut through the Goliath's hull.

I managed to get to the Goliath but there was a Pukoid welcoming committee waiting for me.
- We don't want to belador the obvious, but you landed in the wrong spot.
- Next time, make sure you pay close attention to what Cliffy says to you.
- Look carefully at the schematic of the Goliath when Cliffy shows it to you in the science lab.

I made it to the Goliath's engine room, what now?
- Make sure you avoid the guard patrolling the catwalk (wait until he leaves the room).
- You need to do something here.
- Remember the warp distributor cap Beatrice gave you?
- You need to place it on the console at the top of the stairs.

No matter which way I try to go in the hallway, I die.
- I bet you would be grate-full if we gave you a hint.
- The answer is right at your feet.
- Look at the grating in the floor.
- Lift it up and climb into the subfloor.
- While you're in the subfloor, you'll need to avoid the Pukoid walking above you.

I'm completely baffled and utterly confused by the layout of the subfloor crawlspaces.
- Time to get out that pencil and paper.
- If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

I made it through the maze and shut down the generator, but I still died.
- You forgot something.
- Did you get the liquid nitrogen back at Genetix?
- I don't think so. You'll have to restore a saved game (you did save your game, didn't you?).

I'm in the transport room but I can't restore the Goliath's crew.
- Timing is critical.
- Wait until the Pukoids are on the transporter pad and the doors close before you give Cliffy the go-ahead.

Quirk escaped! Then he metamorphosed and trashed the Goliath.
- Think fast!
- You need to return to the Eureka to defeat the Quirkoid blob creature.
- Choose the CALL CLIFFY and tell him to beam over to the Eureka response when Flo radios you on the Goliath bridge.


Eureka! I'm back...

The blob crushed the Goliath, and it took me out too!
- You need to act quickly to prevent this.
- A distraction would be handy.
- What could be more distracting than a firefight?
- Order Droole to FIRE ON THE BLOB.

I stopped the Blob from squashing the Goliath, but then it munched down on the Eureka.
- You can't kill the Blob with your weapons.
- The Eureka can stop the Blob in its tracks, however.
- Think REFUSE RECOVERY MISSION.
- Order Droole to ACTIVATE RRS.

I confined the Blob, but the ship is coming apart at the seams.
- The Eureka can't hold the Blob very long.
- You don't need your crew's help any more.
- Order Flo to ABANDON SHIP.
- Set the Eureka self-destruct mechanism.
- Get out of there!

I'm ready to go, but the transporter blew up!
- Don't blow a fuse, it's not the end of the world!
- You can rebuild it, better, stronger, faster, than it was before... Ahem, excuse us, we got a bit carried away.
- You'll need something of Cliffy's to repair it.
- Did you get the fuse from Cliffy's tool box?
- Climb into the service tunnel and replace the bad fuse in teh sub-panel.
- Put bea through the repaired transporter before you.
- Don't forget Spike!

.
 
All original content (c) 2018 Brandon Blume & Troels Pleimert. All Space Quest related material (c) by Sierra Entertainment.