Here is a solution to the doll house puzzle that I got to repeat. I tried it at least 50 times
and as long as the first 4 moves for you and Stauf are the same as the solution you win.
Really I found if you can get him to do the right first move you win, I only had 1 time 
where he did the right first move and then he did a different 4th move so the solution 
didn't work. But it worked every time once I got him to make the first 4 moves, so just 
keep starting the game over till he makes the right first 4 moves after your moves. You have to 
start in the right place on the floor or it doesn't work, I tried it in other places and even if 
you can get him to start in the right place he doesn't repeat the other moves. To find the 
right place go to the left and find the first row that you can put beans in and that is row 1.
Count over 11 rows and go up 3 spots from the bottom and start there. When you make the 
first 4 moves Stauf has to move directly above you each time for the solution to work. After 
you make the 5th move he sould cut you off but he doesn't I guess because he knows if he 
goes on either side of your 3 in a row you can capture his beans, even though if he did this 
it would keep you from getting 4 in a row without him being on either side. So once he doesn't 
make his 5th move on either side of your 3 in a row you can get 4 in a row and the game is yours.

Now if you want repeat the solution to see all the endings of the game, you have to do 1 of 2
things. Either after the credits have gone by and your back in the game book you have to 
get out of the game and move or delete the file s11h.0 that's in your 11th Hour directory.
You have to do this because this is your Save 0 which is your open house file that the game 
just made so you can go all around the house. What happens if you don't do this is even 
if you go back in the game and use your save file that is right before the doll house puzzle
the game knows you have all ready won before and plays the doll house puzzle by different 
rules. First thing Stauf gets to move first which I think in this game if you know what your 
doing puts you at a big advantage. Next he plays alot smarter, in that you can tell he is analyzing 
many moves by sometimes it takes him a few seconds to make a move where in the first 
time you play the game he moves instantly after you move. It is alot harder to play him 
in this situation and the solution will not work for you. The other thing I did was instead 
of letting the credits finish I hit my reset button on my computer, this works because the 
game doesn't make the open house file till after the credits have finished. The one thing 
you want to do (if you haven't done it all ready) is before you try the solution have a game 
saved right before you grab the inkstand as this is the last place you can save before the 
doll house puzzle. That way if you want to see all 3 endings that's the fastest way you can
start the game over and get to the doll house. By the way don't let the clock strike 12 to 
see what that will do because it doesn't do anything the game just ends and the credits
start.

Now before you try the solution, even though the puzzle might be driving you crazy I 
think you should try to solve it on your own. I think if you follow a few rules you find that 
the puzzle really isn't that hard, I know what your thinking easy for him to say( I would 
have said the same thing). The puzzle was driving me crazy too, I hate these puzzles
( I never did solve the microscope puzzle in T7G) and I wasn't getting anywhere in it 
till I started playing to lose and just watched the moves Stauf made to get a strategy 
on what to do. After finding these rules I found I could win about 50% of the time. I 
found the puzzle actually to be easier than the beehive puzzle and its better because 
it's short so you can play it alot more times to get a stategy going. I think you'll find more 
satisfaction in beating Stauf by yourself  I know I did. Some of the rules I found were:

1  Don't put beans in a row at first because Stauf always puts a bean next to one of 
    your beans, this makes it easy for him to capture your beans.  
2  For the first rew moves put a bean next to his bean but not in a row with your other
    beans, you can see how I did this in the solution. This sets up for captures later.
3  After the first few moves you can put a bean in the same row as your other beans 
    but leave a space between them, or if he doesn't have a bean next to your bean you can 
    put them together.
4 Don't worry at first about getting beans in a row and more about getting beans just 
   around in a certain area.
5 Try to keep him making defensive moves at first by getting him to spread out all over 
   the board on the outside of you so that none of his pieces are close to each other. You 
   have the advantage by going first so keep it by making him make defensive moves.
6 Try to set him up so you can capture his pieces first as this usually is a big advantage 
   in that you can alot of times set up a win. I found by capturing his pieces first before 
   he got any of mine was better in that even if he gets your pieces later you can set up
   a win. I had games where he got 4 of my pieces and I still won. A good way to set him
   up is to have a piece off to the side where he has a piece next to it and then get 4 in a 
   row a couple rows up so he has to put a bean next to it and it puts his 2 beans together
   and you have the 1 bean next to them so you can just put a bean on the other side of
   his 2 beans and get him.
7 Make sure you don't get wrapped up in trying to win and forget to watch his beans. I 
   had a few games I could have won but I forgot to watch him. The place to watch is if
   you get 3 in a row and both ends are clear and after you make your move he doesn't 
   put 1 on either end of it watch out he probably has something else going that you 
   forgot to watch for. I did this a few times in this looks like a sure fire win because
   you can make it 4 in row and then you can't lose but forgot to notice that he had 4
   in a row already.
8 Take your time in moving especially when it looks like your winning so you don't make 
   a stupid move and go from winning to a loss. Especially watch that your not putting 2
   of your pieces in a row where he can then capture them and there goes your win. I found 
   it was better to leave spaces open until later till you can set it up to capture his pieces 
   if he then trys to capture your pieces. I found he sometimes will not capture your 
   pieces if that means you'll capture his pieces after.
9 After you capture his pieces don't just automatically start putting your pieces in a row, 
   look to see if can put a piece somewhere that will get 2 rows going that he doesn't 
   have pieces on either end even if the row has spaces between the beans. This usually
   sets up a win.
10 The thing you are trying to get is 4 in a row without him having a bean at either end, 
    this is a win because even if he captures pieces out of the row you can just put them
    back and there is no way for him to stop you from winning unless he captures 5 pairs
    of your beans. 
11 If it looks like you are having a good start and want to save it so you can use it later
    you can use the screen capture by hitting F12 and look at the pictures later to see the 
    moves you made and use them again. This saves you from having to write down your
    moves while your are playing and destroying your concentration. This is how I came 
    upon the solution, I had a start that was almost the same and used it to find the solution.

I think if you follow these rules and take it slow and watch what your doing you'll find 
that in a short time you can beat him. Remember you have the advantage by starting 
first so don't give it up. It only took me about an hour of playing him to be able to beat 
him 50% of the time and believe me I am terrible at these games. I think the first time 
you play he doesn't really analyze his moves that much and goes more by set moves in
that if you move to a certain place he has counter moves for it. I noticed this especially 
after a win and tried to play him again, he doesn't make the stupid moves he sometimes
makes before you have won a game(like in the solution game where he should cut you 
off when you get 3 in a row but doesn't). So keep trying for at least alittle bit more and if 
you can't make it you always have the solution. The solution never fails on my computer
so it should be the same on yours. One thing I think you'll find is that the endings are no
big deal, I at least thought they would be longer.

                                               
                                                                                  Mark Gradowski   73023,244
