Path: utzoo!utgpu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!crdgw1!ge-dab.ge.com!cho006.cho.ge.com!newman_r
From: newman_r@cho006.cho.ge.com
Newsgroups: alt.sources.d
Subject: Re: Okay, I give up.
Message-ID: <1990Nov15.131017.311@cho006.cho.ge.com>
Date: 15 Nov 90 17:10:16 GMT
References: <1990Nov11.000443.28487@cs.ucla.edu> <1990Nov11.040756.27552@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG>
Organization: GE Fanuc Automation, North America
Lines: 22

In article <1990Nov11.040756.27552@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG>, xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Kent Paul Dolan)
> kirkaas@makaha.cs.ucla.edu (paul kirkaas) writes:
> 
>>What the heck is the history behind "xyzzy" ????  I've seen so many
>>references to it here I feel like I'm missing a vital piece of
>>historic computer lore.
> 
>>What gives?  What is the origin of xyzzy, what is it supposed to
>>do; how have so many people heard of it???
> 
[]
> By the way, Adventure is also the source of the line "you are in a maze of
> twisty little passages, all alike", in case that one also had you confused.
> 

or any number of permutations of the same, like (if memory serves) "you are
in a maze of little twisty passages, all alike."  I think that the particular
permutation served as a clue as to which way to get out through the maze.
-- 
Bob Newman                           internet:  newman_r@cho006.CHO.GE.COM 
                                     GE DECNET: CHO006::NEWMAN_R           
GE Fanuc Automation, Inc.            uunet: ...uunet!virginia!edison!rfn