Virtuoso.pzl: By Noah Horn.  Email: Licah@likeafox.net.

A set of ten puzzles that are very difficult to complete, but have no random elements; they will run the same way every time, and no items are hidden.
Recommended for anyone who considers themself a Lode Runner expert.

The difficulty of the levels is as follows, easiest to hardest:
  1, 2, 6, 3, 8, 5, 7, 9, 4, 10


Virtuoso.pzl Strategy Guide

WARNING: DO NOT READ IF YOU WISH TO HAVE THE FULL EXPERIENCE OF VIRTUOSO.PZL.

This puzzle set is hard enough that many people may think it's impossible.  This guide aims to show the specific strategy used by the level's maker to complete each level.  You may have discovered a different strategy; if that is true, please email me and I'll add it to this file.

Each level has 1-4 hints or tips that will aid you in completing it.  If you are stuck, I recommend reading the tips one at a time, in order -- if they don't help, then move to the next.  That way you retain some of the joy of discovering the solution.
The four hardest levels -- 4, 7, 9, 10 -- have a step-by-step strategy for those truly flummoxed.  These levels are difficult enough that I felt a full strategy was needed.

Onwards!




1: Things to Come (Diff: N/A)
	a) Just run.

2: Der Bomber (Diff: Easy)
	a) You need to place your bombs as far right as possible, and as quickly as possible, without dying or missing a monk.
	b) You're doing well if you can place the second pair of bombs one square to the right of the skull.
	c) Stand just outside the edge of the blasts, and run forward as soon as they begin to fade.
P.S. I really don't remember why I wrote "DEATH" in this level, but I suppose it's fairly appropriate.  After all, you made it through the first level without a scratch, and the rest might be like that too, eh?  But "DEATH" lets you know that no, you're gonna be dying.  So, "DEATH" can stay.

3: Flat-headed Monks (Diff: Somewhat Easy)
	a) You need to make your way to the exit as fast as possible.
	b) The trickiest part is running across the 4th monk's head as soon as possible.
	c) Run to the top of the ladder and step off to the right, staying on the third monk's head to wait for the ideal moment to go.

4: Jake's Trusty Pickaxe (Diff: Quite Hard)
	a) Go straight for the key, then retrace your steps.
	b) You need to use your pickaxe with very high precision and speed.
	c) You will need to juggle tools a lot.

	Full strategy:
		1) Pick up pickaxe
		2) Fill in first gap that you come to on the bottom
		3) Run to the end of the second platform and immediately spin around to block your attackers
		4) Fill in second gap
		5) Fill in third gap
		6) Run through the "falling" monk
		7) Drop pickaxe one square to right of "falling" monk
		8) Run past actually falling monk; if you have used the pickaxe fast enough, you will barely make it underneath him
		9) Pick up boss bomb
		10) Pick up small bomb and immediately set it where you picked it up
		11) Drop boss bomb on the farthest right square
		12) Pick up key
		13) Swap key for pickaxe
		14) Fill in hole directly to the left of the 2 vertical monks
		15) Drop pickaxe on top of new rubble
		16) Retrieve key; if you have done all this fast enough, you will just snag it before the actually falling monk reaches you
		17) Use pickaxe to reach the farthest left platform and bring key with you as you go
		18) Equip key and obtain the gold in midair
		19) Climb ladder halfway; wait for nearby falling monk to drop off midair ladder
		20) Go to the exit and unlock it; you should arrive just before an oncoming monk
		21) Hop back onto the ladder, climb up, and fall into the exit; you should make it in the small gap between oncoming monks
		22) Congratulations!  This one is very complex and difficult.

5: A Little Rubble (Diff: Medium)
	a) Did you know you can use a pickaxe at the very edge of a platform, just before you fall off?
	b) You must use your pickaxe very quickly to make it by the falling monk.
	c) You'll need to postpone your lust for gold for a moment to delay the oncoming monk.
	d) You need to make a mad run for the exit as soon as you obtain the piece of gold.

6: If Only I Could Run Faster (Diff: Fairly Easy)
	a) Just running for the exit won't quite cut it.  You'll need to jump across that gap somehow.
	b) The skull's position isn't random.
	c) You'll need to run through the blast as soon as it's safe, else you'll miss your ride.

7: The Art of Dodging (Diff: Somewhat Hard)
	a) You must let the monks come a lot closer to you than you're comfortable with.
	b) Make your way to the pickaxe, then make your way to the gold on the bottom.
	c) Careful placement is everything.
	
	Full strategy:
		1) Pick up monk trap and set it two squares to its right
		2) Stand just to the left of the trap and run through it the instant the monk is snared.  This takes a lot of practice - but you'll learn the Art of Dodging.
		3) The next monk trap goes one square to its right; dodge as before - this one's even harder
		4) Pick up the jackhammer and return whence you came
		5) Drill down to the bomb, and run left
		6) Place the bomb one square to the left of the nearest snared monk above
		7) Just barely touch the gold on the far left and return right
		8) If you set the bomb appropriately, and have done everything with speed, you will barely run underneath the falling monk
		9) Exit to the right!

8: Slime Tappin' (Diff: Medium)
	a) Did you know that tapping the move button through slime, instead of holding it, makes you go a lot faster?
	b) Slime also allows you to reach out for something on the edge of a platform without falling off.  It's quite tricky to pull off, though.
	c) It may be tempting to lure the topmost monk all the way to the left, but it's probably not such a good idea.
	d) If you get back to the ladder fast enough, you might be able to run on the lowest monk's head twice.

9: The Right Tools (Diff: Hard)
	a) Yes, you need to use every tool in this level.
	b) Did you know that you can get yourself out of a snare by using certain tools?
	c) It might be wise to let things calm down before releasing yourself.
	d) Be careful - much of this level can go subtly wrong.  Try slowing down or using a different tool if you run into problems.
	
	Full strategy:
		1) Run up the ladder and set the monk trap where it sits
		2) Pick up the bomb and set it at the foot of the ladder
		3) Grab the bucket of slime very quickly before the monk arrives
		4) Run back up the ladder and snare yourself
		5) Wait for all the monks to stop moving, then use the slime to free yourself
		6) Grab the gold and head up to the teleporter
		7) Immediately set the monk trap where it sits
		8) Run left and let the monk be trapped
		9) Pick up the pickaxe and set the bomb one square away from the right wall
		10) Use the pickaxe three times to get yourself closer to the jackhammer
		11) Stand on top of the rubble you've created until your pile is almost about to vanish (use the other piles as a reference point)
		12) Run off your pile and grab the jackhammer
		13) Use the jackhammer directly above the gas pistol
		14) Obtain the gas pistol and go to the exit chamber
		15) Gas the monks and you're outta here!

10: Jake's Challenge (Diff: Extremely Hard)
	a) You will need to make many incredibly well-timed movements to succeed in this "challenge" level.
	b) That piece of gold is going to be much more difficult to obtain than you might think at first, if you want to make it through that exit door.
	c) You'll need a mastery of knowing when to jump while monks are dancing on ladders.
	d) Killing monks is probably quite a bad idea, except when absolutely necessary.
	
	Full strategy:
		1) Remove the two pieces of turf underneath you.
		2) Run back to the top of the ladder and tap right a couple times to stand just on the edge.
		3) At the instant when the monk is actually standing on the top of the ladder next to you, jump down.
		4) Run left and blast a hole to the right, then immediately jump down.  If you are quick enough, you will just escape the monk.
		5) You will actually need to run over the monk, not under him.  Stay on the far right, going up and down ladders until the monk is one square away.
		6) Get the monk to commit himself to going to the farthest right ladder on the bottom, while you clamber over him and run left through the tops of the ladders.  This will require a lot of dancing on your part; you have a small window where he can't get you and you can still make it up the ladder.  Stay right on the border between the upper and lower halves of the ladder to survive.
		7) Burn a hole in the farthest left piece of turf in this chamber.  Wait until the chasing monk has almost gotten you, then jump down.
		8) Run to the left and burn a hole in the first piece of turf to trap the monk.  If you waited long enough in the previous chamber, you will be able to make it.
		9) Run up the ladders and make a hole in the piece of turf one below and to the left of the farthest ladder.  We're going down.
		10) Go to the farthest right ladder and hang off of it until the chasing monk has reached the ladder opposite you on the same level.  Drop down and dig a hole in the same piece of turf you trapped him before.
		11) Wait until the monk has fallen, then run to the ladder and dig a hole in the piece of turf next to the monk to delay him further.
		12) Run up the ladder and dig through the three pieces to the left of it.
		13) Drop down on top of the monk's head and hold right so that you run onto the platform there.  This is extremely difficult to do every time; the right time to fall is when the monk is near the top of his ladder dancing.
		14) Go to the ladder, but wait to climb until the holes you dug for the previous monk have filled in; otherwise he will fall in them again and die.
		15) Dig the three squares of turf down to free the monk.  Stand on his level so that he will chase you, run to the top of the ladder, and jump off just as he reaches you.
		16) Dig a hole to your right, jump through, and grab the key as you go.  Wait to do this until the oncoming monk has almost reached you.
		17) Run to the left and carefully run across the monk's head on your way to the teleport.  Do NOT let the monk follow you into the teleport.  The best time to fall is when the monk is going down the ladder and is approximately halfway there or a little more; he will then be delayed in chasing you into the teleporter.  This step can be extremely hard because of the monk chasing you and forcing you to fall before you can study the ladder monk's movements.
		18) When you're ready, prepare to do some extremely quick digging and move off the rail to the right.  Dig the fourth square from the left to trap the monk on the right, then dig the farthest right square and fall through it.  The challenge here is to do your dig as soon as you can, otherwise the monk on the left will catch you; but also not to do it too soon, or you'll dig the wrong square and the monk will catch you anyways.  This step is usually also extremely hard.
		19) Catch your breath on the bar, and watch carefully the movements of the monk on the ladder below.  Drop down and immediately dig a hole on the right to trap him.  As fast as you can, run over him and stand on top of the ladder.  If you are too slow, and the monk on the right goes into the teleporter, you have lost.  This is very tricky because you must strike a balance between going too soon, and not being able to dig the hole, and going too late, and having the nearby monk not fall into the hole soon enough.
		20) Wait for the monk on the right to return to his ladder, then run to the next platform, right by the teleporter.  Use your ladder to lure the monk into the teleporter, and as soon as he is committed to going in, run up and across the teleporter to use the monk's head as a platform and grab the gold.
		21) The hidden ladders are now revealed, and you need to move quickly.  Go into the teleporter, hang from the bar for just a moment, then drop off to the right and quickly dig holes in the two pieces of turf to the left of the ladder.  Wait for the oncoming monks to fall into the holes, then run across them, then across the ladders, to safer ground to the right.  If you are quick enough, you will slip by just underneath the monks attacking from above.
		22) It's time for the final moment of judging monk dancing.  Carefully observe the monk to the right, who has some new ladders to play with, and dig a hole in the farthest right piece of turf on your platform.  When you are ready, jump down and dig a hole in the piece of turf between you and the monk, and if you've timed it correctly, it will appear and the monk will fall in.
		23) Run across the monk and up the ladders to the right.  Lure the monk next to the door to your side by standing on the same level as him.  If there is more than one monk, you've killed more than the one monk you had to, and you will not be able to exit after all the work you've put in.  When he is all the way to the right, run up and over his head, to the exit door; unlock it, and wait while the sweet, sweet exit pulls you in!
		24) Oh my lord, have you actually completed this level?  I had my doubts that anyone ever would.  Send me an email and I'll buy you dinner, or a few beers, or something.  Seriously.  And I hope you made a video of your run, because that's something to show your grandkids.

Thanks for reading.
-Noah