Yesterday I finished my first playthrough ever of Grim Fandango. I loved the writing and worldbuilding, but man, some of those puzzles were insane. I got stuck with varying degrees of hopelessness at several points, although it was "only" bad enough (enough to make me look for a hint on UHS or the solution) with three puzzles:

-The messaging tube machine: I am surprised this kind of puzzle appears so early in the game. It was a combination of pixel hunting (the radical change in interface didn't help), moon logic and red herrings (there is a super long animation with the bread, which made me think it was important; the demon that repairs the machine says his true passion is elevators, and there are two elevators in that building, but it doesn't become important until the end of the game).
-The machine in the Petrified Forest: I had to look for a hint, the rest was trial and error. I probably would have tried for longer if I hadn't had to listen to that noise all the time I was there. At least the torture Glottis minigame was fun.
-The elevator and forklift puzzle: too many things going on at once and not enough feedback to the player. I think I might have solved it on my own if you could get the elevator stuck while going down as well as when going up. I just looked up the solution and went on with the journey.


I was able to figure out the rest myself, some of the from trial and error (that ship in Puerto Zapato...). I think the interface, while possibly looking cool and innovative at the time, was a bit frustrating if you tried to use the old good strategy of "use everything with everything". But in the end, the puzzles that gave me the most trouble were the mechanical kind.

I'm playing it currently. Had a lot of stuck moments but only once (elevator) I've looked at the solution. Now I'm stuck pernamently for few months in Rubacava, with Many as a "Calavera Cafe" owner and insisted not to use solution any more. There are three things that looks like to do something with to move plot further. Poem (probably to get to that room guarding by Olivia), casino machine at the desk and ticket printer.

I've tried everything with the poem, I noticed that Olivia repeats this ridiculous sentences after me, and sometimes speak this only sensible one. I wrote down all sentences with an applause, but its looks like random.

Casino machine also drive me crazy. Croupier says something about Mr Bogen lucky streak. I guess that I must set this streak on machine using magnet, but I have no idea how it looks like. I've noticed that some numbers changes when active (lighted), and looks like some numbers had relation with each other (sometimes when one is active other one is changing). I've tried set those numbers on individual tables but nothing helps.

To print good ticket I think I must have somenting more, maybe Olivia engagement date? But how to find out? Maybe
from Olivia room?

This game is hard.

Just started playing today, and I'm already stuck at the messaging tube machine puzzle. I'm always stuck in this old games. I'm just not used to having so little information, but I think that's a important thing that many games today have lost - this capacity to chalenge the player.