The Adventure Game was a game show

Game show

A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...

, aimed at children but with an adult following, which was originally broadcast on UK television

British television

Public television broadcasting started in the United Kingdom in 1936, and now has a collection of free and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are over 480 channelsTaking the base Sky EPG TV Channels. A breakdown is impossible due to a) the number of...

 channels BBC1 and BBC2 between 24 May 1980 and 18 February 1986. The story in each show was that the two celebrity contestants and a member of the public had travelled by space ship to the planet Arg. Their overall task varied with each series. For example, the team might be charged with finding a crystal needed to power their ship to return to Earth. The programme is often considered to have been a forerunner of The Crystal Maze

The Crystal Maze

The Crystal Maze was a British game show, produced by Chatsworth Television and shown on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom between 15 February 1990 and 10 August 1995. There was one series per year, with the first four series presented by Richard O'Brien and the final two by Ed Tudor-Pole, who made...

.

The programme came about because Patrick Dowling

Patrick Dowling

Patrick Dowling is the name of:* Patrick Dowling , British TV producer; produced TV shows such as The Adventure Game, Vision On and Why Don't You?* Patrick Dowling , member of the Kerry Hurling Squad...

 (who also introduced episodes of series 2) had an interest in Dungeons and Dragons and wanted to televise a show that would capture the mood. The programme shares a similar sci-fi feel to the work of Douglas Adams

Douglas Adams

Douglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...

. Patrick asked Douglas Adams to write the show but Douglas had already agreed to write a TV series of his own radio show The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams. Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted to other formats, and over several years it gradually became an international multi-media phenomenon...

. The first two series were written and produced by Patrick Dowling and directed by Ian Oliver. The final two series were written and produced by Ian Oliver after Patrick had retired from the BBC

BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

.

The characters

Arg was inhabited by shapeshifting

Shapeshifting

Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...

 dragon

Dragon

A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...

s known as Argonds. As a reference to this, most proper nouns in the programme, including Argond, were anagram

Anagram

An anagram is a type of word play, the result of rearranging the letters of a word or phrase to produce a new word or phrase, using all the original letters exactly once; e.g., orchestra = carthorse, A decimal point = I'm a dot in place, Tom Marvolo Riddle = I am Lord Voldemort. Someone who...

s of the word dragon. All Argonds shifted shape within the first few minutes before the contestants arrived, most to human form to avoid scaring them.

Notable characters within the game included:

• The Rangdo, who was the ruler of planet Arg and referred to as 'Uncle' by the other Argonds. In the first series, his human form was played by Ian Messiter
  Ian Messiter
  Ian Cassan Messiter was a BBC Radio producer and the creator of a number of panel games, including Just a Minute, and Many a Slip. He was also the Programme Associate on Family Fortunes. Messiter was born in Dudley, Worcestershire and educated at Sherborne School in Dorset...
  
  , who appeared as an old professor in a velvet jacket, but in later series he became the only one of the Argonds not to appear as a dragon. In series 2 and 3, he became an aspidistra
  Aspidistra elatior
  Aspidistra elatior is a rhizomatous perennial, native to Japan and widely cultivated as a houseplant.-Description:Aspidistra elatior is a stemless plant to 1 metre in height with dark green leaves...
  
   atop an elegant plant stand; he could move around the room and roared and shook when he was angry (the Rangdo was controlled by Kenny Baker
  Kenny Baker
  Kenneth George "Kenny" Baker is a British actor and musician, best known as the man inside R2-D2 in the popular Star Wars film series.- Career :...
  
  , who was also responsible for R2-D2
  R2-D2
  R2-D2 , is a character in the Star Wars universe. An astromech droid, R2-D2 is a major character throughout all six Star Wars films. Along with his droid companion C-3PO, he joins or supports Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Obi-Wan Kenobi in various points in the saga...
  
  ). Any human meeting the Rangdo had immediately to placate him with a bow or curtsey while uttering the phrase "Gronda!, Gronda!". In the last series, the Rangdo changed into a teapot
  Teapot
  A teapot is a vessel used for steeping tea leaves or a herbal mix in near-boiling water. Tea may be either in a tea bag or loose, in which case a tea strainer will be needed, either to hold the leaves as they steep or to catch the leaves inside the teapot when the tea is poured...
  
   instead, spouting steam when displeased.
• Darong (series 1, played by BBC newsreader Moira Stuart
  Moira Stuart
  Moira Clare Ruby Stuart OBE is a British journalist who was the first African-Caribbean female newsreader on British television...
  
  ).
• Gnoard (series 1 - 3, played by Charmian Gradwell
  Charmian Gradwell
  Charmian Gradwell is a British actress, best known for her role in the television game show The Adventure Game. She also played Jenny Richards in Howards' Way....
  
  ), whose job it was to explain the initial stages of the game to the contestants.
• Dorgan (series 4, played by Sarah Lam
  Sarah Lam
  Sarah Lam is a British-Chinese actress, noted for her television roles.She played Susannah in the sitcom No Problem!, Linda Mo in Angels, Anna Lee in Howards' Way and Caroline Choi in Brookside....
  
  ), who took over from Gnoard in the final season.
• Gandor (series 1 - 4, played by Chris Leaver), an ancient, half-deaf butler
  Butler
  A butler is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some also have charge of the entire parlour floor, and housekeepers caring for the entire house and its...
  
   who took the contestants through most of the puzzles and refereed the Vortex and Drogna games. He could only hear when he was wearing his glasses, which he continually (and conveniently) misplaced.
• Rongad (series 3 & 4, played by Bill Homewood), because he was Australian, spoke English backwards and could only understand the contestants if they did the same. His Australian accent was a mild clue to help the contestants realise he was speaking backwards. Noted for habitually singing Waltzing Matilda
  Waltzing Matilda
  "Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known bush ballad. A country folk song, the song has been referred to as "the unofficial national anthem of Australia"....
  
   in reverse, and exclamations of "Doog yrev!" when the contestants did well.
• Lesley Judd
  Lesley Judd
  Lesley Judd is an English dancer and TV presenter, best known as a long-serving host of the BBC children's programme Blue Peter. She was educated at the independent Royal Ballet School...
  
  , known as the Mole
  Mole (espionage)
  A mole is a spy who works for an enemy nation, but whose loyalty ostensibly lies with his own nation's government. In some usage, a mole differs from a defector in that a mole is a spy before gaining access to classified information, while a defector becomes a spy only after gaining access...
  
   (series 2), who pretended to be one of the regular contestants but was actually working against them. She had been a genuine contestant in the first series.

The look of the characters in Argond form was quite different in each of the series:

• Series 1: they looked like dragons, and each was rather distinct
• Series 2: they didn't look much like dragons, but were furry, with no tails and mask-like faces, and primarily differed in colour
• Series 3 & 4: they returned to looking like dragons, with ruffs, and were almost identical to each other

Notable contestants included Keith Chegwin

Keith Chegwin

Keith Chegwin is an English television presenter, former child actor and singer.-Early career:Chegwin's early roles were in works of the Children's Film Foundation, appearing as Egghead Wentworth in The Troublesome Double Egghead's Robot . He also appeared as a stowaway in Doomwatch episode...

, Sue Cook

Sue Cook

Sue Cook is a British broadcaster and author.-Early life:Her father, William, worked for the Commission on Industrial Relations . She has two younger brothers, and lived on Burnham Avenue...

, astronomer Heather Couper

Heather Couper

Heather Anita Couper CBE CPhys is a British astronomer who popularized astronomy in the 1980s and 1990s on British television. She is a former president of the British Astronomical Association from 1984 to 1986.-Early life:...

, John Craven, Paul Darrow

Paul Darrow

Paul Darrow is an English actor best known for his portrayal of Kerr Avon in the BBC science fiction television series Blake's 7...

, Noel Edmonds

Noel Edmonds

Noel Ernest Edmonds, is an English broadcaster and executive, who made his name as a DJ on BBC Radio 1 in the UK. He has presented many light entertainment television programmes, including Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, Top of the Pops, The Late, Late Breakfast Show, Telly Addicts, Noel's Saturday...

, Sarah Greene

Sarah Greene

Sarah Greene is a British television personality well known for presenting live TV: long-running series e.g. Blue Peter, from 19 May 1980 until 27 June 1983, Saturday Superstore, Going Live for 10 years and big event/awards shows.- Early life and career :Greene was born in London, England, the...

, Bonnie Langford

Bonnie Langford

Bonita Melody Lysette "Bonnie" Langford is an English actress, dancer and entertainer. She came to prominence as a child star in the early 1970s then she subsequently became a companion of Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy's Doctor Who and has appeared on stage in various musicals such as Peter Pan:...

 and Richard Stilgoe

Richard Stilgoe

Richard Henry Simpson Stilgoe OBE is a British songwriter, lyricist and musician. He is noted for clever wordplay as much as for his music....

.

The credits for the series listed the human characters as being played by Argonds, rather than the other way round.

Common tasks

The contestants had to complete a number of tasks in order to achieve their overall goal (e.g. regain their crystal and return to their ship). Many tasks involved the drogna, a small transparent plastic disc containing a solid geometric figure, which was the currency of Arg. The value of a drogna was its numbered position in the visible spectrum

Visible spectrum

The visible spectrum is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye. Electromagnetic radiation in this range of wavelengths is called visible light or simply light. A typical human eye will respond to wavelengths from about 390 to 750 nm. In terms of...

 multiplied by the number of sides of the figure. For example, a red circle is worth one unit, an orange circle is worth two units, a red triangle and a yellow circle are both worth three, and so on.

Tasks which often appeared included:

• • A mnemonic
    Mnemonic
    A mnemonic , or mnemonic device, is any learning technique that aids memory. To improve long term memory, mnemonic systems are used to make memorization easier. Commonly encountered mnemonics are often verbal, such as a very short poem or a special word used to help a person remember something,...
    
     would be given to the contestants, together with the actual items it referred to. The challenge would be to "solve" the Mnemonic, and arrange the items in the appropriate order. EG: Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain would be the clue, accompanied by tokens representing the colours of the visible spectrum. The solution would be to arrange the tokens in the order of "Red - Orange - Yellow - Green - Blue - Indigo - Violet."

• A simple computer game where Dogran the 'dog' had to be guided around a maze.

• Belts around the contestants' waists attached to cords tying them to the wall; there was a predictable function governing the maximum distances of all the cords, which had to be discovered by induction.

• The Drogna Game, which came in the middle of the programme, giving the contestants their opportunity to regain the crystal. The game is played by two players: one would be a contestant and the other would be a creature known as the Red Salamander
  Salamander
  Salamander is a common name of approximately 500 species of amphibians. They are typically characterized by a superficially lizard-like appearance, with their slender bodies, short noses, and long tails. All known fossils and extinct species fall under the order Caudata, while sometimes the extant...
  
   of Zardil. This game became so popular that Acornsoft
  Acornsoft
  Acornsoft was the software arm of Acorn Computers Ltd, and a major publisher of software for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron. As well as games, they also produced a large number of educational titles, extra computer languages and business and utility packages - these included ROM-based word...
  
   released a version for the BBC Micro
  BBC Micro
  The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
  
   home computer, which was written by Patrick Dowling.
  • The floor is marked out with symbols similar to those described above on drognas; the players stand at opposite sides of the board, and the crystal is placed in the centre.
  • There is a rule determining whether a user is allowed to move from a particular drogna to another drogna. (One common example is: A player may move to any drogna with the same colour or shape as the one on which they started the turn. For example, you may move from a red triangle to any red shape or a triangle of any colour.)
  • A player may only move to an adjacent drogna. However, a player may move across multiple drognas in one turn provided they all meet the given criteria. Hence, the drogna on which the player started the turn is not necessarily the drogna they have immediately left.
  • If a player breaks the movement rule, the crystal retracts such that it cannot be taken.
  • If a player becomes adjacent to the crystal and it is not taken or retracted, the player may take the crystal.
  • If, during the move of the player not carrying the crystal, that player can legally step onto a drogna currently occupied by the player holding the crystal, they may take the crystal from their opponent. This is known as the Hargraves Rule.
  • A player wins by reaching the edge of the board while carrying the crystal.

• How many Argonds around the pond. This was a game played just before the Vortex (possibly a time filler, if the contestants completed the whole game too fast, as it was not always played every show) The winner(s) (everyone had a chance to win) received a Green Cheese roll to triumphant fanfare. This Green cheese roll was of use when playing the Vortex (see below). Gandor would compère the game, it would start on a table with a number of drogna inside a velvet bag with draw strings. He would shake the bag and withdraw some drogna and place them on the table, then asking the first contestant "How many Argonds are around the pond?" The contestants would start by adding the sides or points of the solid geometric figure that the drogna's had and fail to guess the right number. The key was that Gandor would place his fingers on the table top as he said "How many Argonds are around the pond?" The number of fingers he would place down on the table would be the correct answer. Most people did not guess the answer, or they would just happen to get it right by mistake.

• The Vortex
  Vortex
  A vortex is a spinning, often turbulent,flow of fluid. Any spiral motion with closed streamlines is vortex flow. The motion of the fluid swirling rapidly around a center is called a vortex...
  
   (series 2 - 4). This was the last task in the programme. To return to their ship, the players had to jump between a grid of points, taking turns with the Vortex, another "player" (shown by a video effect generated pulsating column in series 2, and a computer-generated flashing column in series 3 & 4). If the human player jumped into the Vortex (which they could not see), it would explode and the human, who would lose the game, was said to have been "evaporated", meaning a long trip back home which had to be walked by foot along the interplanetary highway (Earth is a long way from Arg!). While the player can lose by stepping into the Vortex, the Vortex could not move onto the player's space. The important difficulty was that the human player could not see the position of the Vortex on the grid. Players would sometimes be permitted to buy Green cheese rolls or food with their leftover drognas, and this food could be thrown onto suspect squares to test for the presence of the Vortex. Players would sometimes put their Arg Crystal down to test the suspect square, except the Arg Crystal was never evaporated and not a good indicator of the vortex's position. Milk used in this way would, of course, become evaporated milk
  Evaporated milk
  Evaporated milk, also known as dehydrated milk, is a shelf-stable canned milk product with about 60% of the water removed from fresh milk. It differs from sweetened condensed milk, which contains added sugar. Sweetened condensed milk requires less processing since the added sugar inhibits ...
  
  . In spite of the Vortex being the most recognizable game in the series (and one of the best remembered), the total lack of information for the human player means it is in fact purely a game of chance in the later seasons, when the vortex has the first move and the players have to react to an 'opponent' they can't see. In season 2 however, the players got the first move, and thus there was some strategy that could be applied by encouraging the vortex player (who would often be one of the team accused earlier of being the 'mole', and would be out for revenge) to copy their moves, making it easier to judge where the vortex had been in order to step on a freshly vacated point that would now be 'safe'.

Episodes

Where known, and applicable, the contestants are listed below in the order in which they played the Vortex game: [E] = evaporated, [S] = survived, [n/a] = didn't play.

Series 1

Originally broadcast in 1980 on BBC1 on Saturday mornings.

Repeated in 1980 on BBC2 on Saturday mid-afternoons.

The series of encounters in every episode of Series 1 was the same, although some were omitted or added depending on time constraints:

• The Front Door: which contestants have to solve a simple puzzle to gain entry to Arg.
• Tile Puzzle 1: in which contestants have to cross a floor marked with drogna symbols. (However, the symbols are never referred to as drogna in Series 1, nor used as currency.) Only symbols of a certain colour or a certain shape are safe to stand on. Standing on an incorrect symbol produces the sound of a dog toy being squeaked violently but has no other penalty. Having crossed the floor, the contestants are required to open a final door by identifying the safe colour and symbol by pressing buttons on a control panel. Some episodes featured movable tiles, used either by the Argonds to cross safely while setting up the puzzle, or by the contestants to create a safe path.
• Computer Game: contestants play a simple interactive fiction
  Interactive fiction
  Interactive fiction, often abbreviated IF, describes software simulating environments in which players use text commands to control characters and influence the environment. Works in this form can be understood as literary narratives and as video games. In common usage, the term refers to text...
  
   game on a computer, to "repair the broken teleporter". (This type of game would have been referred to as an "adventure game" at the time, giving a possible wordplay on the name of the series.) When the game is completed, contestants are told that the teleporter is in fact working, and that by shouting a password in unison they may activate it; this, in fact, sends an untransformed Argond into the room to serve them tea and biscuits. This section is frequently omitted.
• The Main Puzzle, in which the contestants must solve an involved puzzle to escape from a room (or a small area), then answer a question to obtain their crystal. The program cuts away to show the Argonds setting up the puzzle before the contestants attempt it, enabling the viewer to know some parts of the solution in advance.
• Tile Puzzle 2: contestants must cross the same tiled floor as at the start of the show. The rule for safe symbols remains the same, but contestants stepping on an incorrect symbol are immediately "vaporised" (in the first show) or "evaporated" (in the later ones). If multiple contestants are standing on the grid at the time one contestant stands on an incorrect symbol, all are evaporated; this happened in most episodes in which the contestants were evaporated. Either way, the show ends instantly after this game with no final words from the contestants; if they were evaporated, Gandor makes a brief joke indicating that this was not fatal. This section is omitted in one episode due to time constraints.

The series also differs from others in that Gnoards name varies regularly (at different points she is called "Enod", "Charmian", and "What's Her Name"). The set used for the main puzzle in each episode is the same: it always features a desk with two fixed plastic tubes, one with an air blower below, and a compartment secured by either a key lock or an electrically released seal; a reversed grandfather clock; three pressure pads located in three spots in the studio; a broom cupboard; and a ladies' toilet door with a vacant/engaged symbol above it (in all episodes but the first; as most teams had only one female contestant, this was usually used to isolate her so she could play a separate game; but it is sometimes not used at all, and is a trap in one episode). A series of three doors with clowns' faces on them appears as a puzzle in the first episode and is used several times as a background prop in later episodes.

• Episode 1: 24 May 1980, 9:29am–9:55am (repeated 27 September 1980, 3:12pm–3:38pm); 26 minutes; Elizabeth Estensen
  Elizabeth Estensen
  Elizabeth Estensen is an English actress, mainly known for work in the popular television dramas The Liver Birds and Emmerdale.-Career:...
  
   [S], Fred Harris
  Fred Harris (presenter)
  Fred Harris is a British comedian and children's television presenter. Formerly a school teacher, he began his television career as a presenter of the BBC children's programme Play School, on which he appeared regularly between 1973 and 1988...
  
   [S], Mark Dugdale [S]. Contestants must remove a potato from the grandfather clock and press it into one of the tubes to lift out a left-handed corkscrew within (although, in practice, Elizabeth Estensen's arm was so small she was able to simply reach into the tube!). The corkscrew can be used to uncork a bottle containing a strip of paper which, when wrapped around a cylinder, reveals the message "Key with What's Her Name"; this refers to Enod who provides the key when requested. Opening the Broom cupboard reveals a spanner which can undo a left-handed bolt to reveal a keyhole, which in turn reveals a "fan" switch; standing on top of each of the three pressure pads activates the fan to a different level of strength. Standing on all three pressure pads blows a white ping pong ball to the top of one of the tubes, but in order for a contestant to be free to take the ball, the weights from the clock must be substituted to activate one of the pads. The ball has a message indicating that it unlocks the white clown door; but only a blank wall lies beyond. Standing on the pads for a second time produced a blue ping-pong ball which unlocks the blue clown door, but this also has only a blank wall beyond; however, access to the back of the door enables the contestants to remove the clown's nose, which is the red ping-pong ball necessary to unlock the final door and exit. This group of explorers managed to work out the 'code' for crossing the entrance/exit hall (in this case Green and Triangles) and so escaped vapourisation!

• Episode 2: 31 May 1980, 9:32am–10:09am (repeated 4 October 1980, 4:30pm–5:07pm); 37 minutes; Liza Goddard
  Liza Goddard
  Liza Goddard is an English television and stage actress best known for her work in the 1970s and 1980s.-Early life:Goddard was born in Smethwick, West Midlands, England...
  
  , Michael Rodd
  Michael Rodd
  Michael Rodd is a British television presenter and businessman.-Education:Rodd was educated at the independent school Trinity College, Glenalmond near Perth in Scotland, and at Newcastle University.-Life and career:Rodd became a familiar face to millions of television viewers in Britain as a...
  
  , Stephen Cox. This episode is believed lost (though it would appear at least one domestic recording is in existence); it is missing from the BBC archives. This group of explorers were quite aware of what the 'code' for crossing the entrance/exit hall (in this case Blue and Crosses), however Liza Goddard (who was leading the way across the board made a mistake in her footwork and all 3 of the Explorers were evaporated in one fell swoop. As they were being evaporated, one of the male Explorers was hear to say - way to go Liza, we've just been evaporated, to which she replied rather ruefully Sorry Chaps. The 'Butler' (who was in this case dressed as a French Onion Seller complete with OTT accent) opined: Such a tragedy to 'appen to one so charming...and Gnoard was of the opinion that: it'll be a bit cold out there tonight

• Episode 3: 7 June 1980, 9:46am–10:23am (repeated 11 October 1980, 4:42pm–5:19pm); 37 minutes; Pat Cater, Maggie Philbin
  Maggie Philbin
  Maggie Philbin is an English radio and television presenter whose credits include Tomorrow's World and Multi-Coloured Swap Shop.As a child she became interested in science through wanting to become a vet....
  
  , James Burke
  James Burke (science historian)
  James Burke is a British broadcaster, science historian, author and television producer known amongst other things for his documentary television series Connections and its more philosophical oriented companion production, The Day the Universe Changed , focusing on the history of science and...
  
   This group of explorers (narrowly) failed to work out the 'code' for crossing the entrance/exit hall (in ths case White and Circles) and were evaporated - Pat Cater first, followed by Maggie Philbin and James Burke together.

• Episode 4: 14 June 1980, 9:35am–10:04am (repeated 18 October 1980, 4:00pm–4:29pm); 29 minutes; Denise Coffey
  Denise Coffey
  Denise Coffey is an English actress, director, and playwright.After training at the Glasgow College of Dramatic Art, Coffey began a career in repertory at the Gateway Theatre in Edinburgh, then moved to the Palladium Theatre there...
  
  , Dr. Garry Hunt, Toby Freeman [final game not played]

• Episode 5: 21 June 1980, 9:09am–9:54am (repeated 25 October 1980, 3:40pm–4:25pm); 45 minutes; Lesley Judd
  Lesley Judd
  Lesley Judd is an English dancer and TV presenter, best known as a long-serving host of the BBC children's programme Blue Peter. She was educated at the independent Royal Ballet School...
  
   [E], Robert Malos [E], Paul Darrow
  Paul Darrow
  Paul Darrow is an English actor best known for his portrayal of Kerr Avon in the BBC science fiction television series Blake's 7...
  
   [E] This episode is officially missing from the BBC archives (though it is known to exist in private collections.) This group of explorers (at the very last moment) made a final mistake in the 'code' for crossing the entrance/exit hall (in this case Green and Squares) and were all evaporated in one fell swoop (though it is possible a little 'cheating' went on here. At the beginning, these travellers were able to move a 'safe' tile from its position and use it to move safely across various wrong tiles. However, on the way back the tile when put on a wrong square caused the travellers to be evaporated when Lesley Judd tried to cross over.)

Series 2

Originally broadcast in 1981 on BBC2 on Monday early-evenings.

Repeated in 1982 on BBC1 on Friday late-afternoons.

• Episode 1: 2 November 1981, 6:04pm–6:49pm (repeated 28 May 1982, 4:53pm–5:38pm); 45 minutes; Graeme Garden
  Graeme Garden
  David Graeme Garden OBE is a Scottish author, actor, comedian, artist and television presenter, who first became known as a member of The Goodies.-Early life and beginnings in comedy:...
  
   [n/a], Carol Chell
  Carol Chell
  Carol Chell is a British children's television presenter and TV executive. She originally qualified as a teacher, and produced many educational TV shows in the 1960s. She is best known for her work during the 1970s and 80's on BBC's Play School...
  
   [E], Nicolas Hammond [E]
• Episode 2: 9 November 1981, 6:04pm–6:49pm (repeated 4 June 1982, 4:52pm–5:37pm); 45 minutes; Madeline Smith
  Madeline Smith
  Madeline Smith is an English actress and comedienne. She was a model in the 1960s, and appeared in many comedy films Madeline Smith (born 2 August 1949 in Hartfield, Sussex) is an English actress and comedienne. She was a model in the 1960s, and appeared in many comedy films Madeline Smith (born 2...
  
   [E], David Yip
  David Yip
  David Yip is an English actor.Yip, of Asian and English descent, was born in Liverpool and trained at East 15 Acting School, London...
  
   [E], Derek Gale [n/a - evaporated earlier due to being incorrectly identified as the Mole] (This episode is officially missing from the BBC archives, though it is known to exist in private collections)
• Episode 3: 16 November 1981, 6:05pm–6:50pm (repeated 11 June 1982, 5:52pm–6:37pm); 45 minutes; David Singmaster
  David Singmaster
  David Breyer Singmaster is a retired professor of mathematics at London South Bank University, England, UK. A self-described metagrobologist, he is most famous for his solution to the Rubik's cube and his huge personal collection of mechanical puzzles and books of brain teasers. He is also...
  
   [S], Sue Cook
  Sue Cook
  Sue Cook is a British broadcaster and author.-Early life:Her father, William, worked for the Commission on Industrial Relations . She has two younger brothers, and lived on Burnham Avenue...
  
   [E], Philip Sheppard [S]
• Episode 4: 23 November 1981, 6:05pm–6:49pm (repeated 18 June 1982, 4:54pm–5:38pm); 44 minutes; Tessa Hamp [E], Nerys Hughes
  Nerys Hughes
  Nerys Hughes , is a Welsh actress, known primarily for her television roles.Nerys Hughes was born in Rhyl, . She studied drama at Rose Bruford College. She is best known for the role of Sandra Hutchinson in the enormously successful BBC TV series The Liver Birds which ran from 1969 to 1978 with a...
  
  [E], Derek Griffiths
  Derek Griffiths
  Derek Griffiths is a British actor who appeared in numerous British children's television series in the 1960s to 1980s and more recently has played parts in TV drama.- Career :...
  
  [n/a - evaporated earlier due to being incorrectly identified as the Mole](This episode is officially missing from the BBC archives, and is not currently known to exist on off air recordings)
• Episode 5: 30 November 1981, 6:08pm–6:53pm (repeated 25 June 1982, 4:53pm–5:38pm); 45 minutes; John Craven [E], Bill Green [n/a - 'transported' earlier during the game of finding the Mole and replaced with a member of the Intergalactic Police investigating reports of the use of an unauthorised Evaporator], Kirsty Miller [E]

Series 3

Originally broadcast in 1984 on BBC2 on Thursday early-evenings.

Repeated in 1985 on BBC2 on Thursday early-evenings.

• Episode 1: 2 February 1984, 5:39pm–6:18pm (repeated 5 September 1985, 6:49pm–7:28pm); 39 minutes; Sarah Greene
  Sarah Greene
  Sarah Greene is a British television personality well known for presenting live TV: long-running series e.g. Blue Peter, from 19 May 1980 until 27 June 1983, Saturday Superstore, Going Live for 10 years and big event/awards shows.- Early life and career :Greene was born in London, England, the...
  
  , Anne Miller, Richard Stilgoe
  Richard Stilgoe
  Richard Henry Simpson Stilgoe OBE is a British songwriter, lyricist and musician. He is noted for clever wordplay as much as for his music....
  
  
• Episode 2: 9 February 1984, 5:40pm–6:18pm (repeated 12 September 1985, 6:50pm–7:28pm); 38 minutes; Sue Nicholls
  Sue Nicholls
  Susan Frances Harmar Nicholls is an English actress, best known today for her long-running role as Audrey Roberts in British soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:...
  
  , Duncan Goodhew
  Duncan Goodhew
  Duncan Alexander Goodhew MBE is a British swimming athlete. After swimming competitively in America as a collegian at North Carolina State University, he was an Olympic swimmer for Great Britain and won Olympic gold and bronze medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.-Biography:Goodhew...
  
  , Emma Disley.
• Episode 3: 16 February 1984, 5:39pm–6:19pm (repeated 19 September 1985, 6:49pm–7:29pm); 40 minutes; Adam Tandy
  Adam Tandy
  Adam Tandy is a British television producer and director, perhaps best known for his collaborations with Armando Iannucci. As such, he has worked on The Saturday Night Armistice, The Armando Iannucci Shows, Time Trumpet and most recently The Thick of It. He recently moved into film producing with...
  
   [E], Sandra Dickinson
  Sandra Dickinson
  Sandra Dickinson is an American-British actress. She trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She has often played a dumb blonde with a high-pitched voice in the UK – notably commencing in the St...
  
   [E], Chris Serle
  Chris Serle
  Christopher "Chris" Richard Serle is a former BBC TV presenter, reporter and actor. Serle was educated at Clifton College and Trinity College, Dublin, where he studied modern languages...
  
   [n/a - was evaporated earlier for displeasing the Rangdo by singing a ballad]
• Episode 4: 23 February 1984, 5:40pm–6:19pm (repeated 26 September 1985, 6:50pm–7:29pm); 39 minutes; Paul McDowell, Bonnie Langford
  Bonnie Langford
  Bonita Melody Lysette "Bonnie" Langford is an English actress, dancer and entertainer. She came to prominence as a child star in the early 1970s then she subsequently became a companion of Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy's Doctor Who and has appeared on stage in various musicals such as Peter Pan:...
  
   [E], Christopher Hughes [n/a - was evaporated earlier by the Rangdo when he presented His Royal Highness with an arm band.]
• Episode 5: 1 March 1984, 5:39pm–6:18pm (repeated 3 October 1985, 6:49pm–7:28pm); 39 minutes; Janet Fielding
  Janet Fielding
  Janet Fielding is an Australian actress, known for her role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who as Tegan Jovanka, a companion of the Fourth Doctor, played by Tom Baker, and the Fifth Doctor, played by Peter Davison. She was born in Brisbane...
  
   [E], Nigel Crocket [S], Neil Adams [n/a - was evaporated earlier by the Rangdo when he presented His Royal Highness with salt, which annoyed him.]
• Episode 6: 8 March 1984, 5:40pm–6:25pm (repeated 10 October 1985, 6:49pm–7:34pm); 45 minutes; Fern Britton
  Fern Britton
  Fern Britton is an English television presenter, known as the former main co-presenter on the ITV magazine programme This Morning alongside Phillip Schofield. She left the show on 17 July 2009, her 52nd birthday.- Early life :...
  
   [E], Noel Edmonds
  Noel Edmonds
  Noel Ernest Edmonds, is an English broadcaster and executive, who made his name as a DJ on BBC Radio 1 in the UK. He has presented many light entertainment television programmes, including Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, Top of the Pops, The Late, Late Breakfast Show, Telly Addicts, Noel's Saturday...
  
   [E], Ray Virr [S]

Series 4

Originally broadcast in 1986 on BBC2 on Tuesday early-evenings.

Repeated in recent years on the digital TV channel Challenge.

• Episode 1: 7 January 1986, 6:49pm–7:28pm; 39 minutes; Sheelagh Gilbey [S], Roy Kane [E], Ian McNaught-Davis
  Ian McNaught-Davis
  Ian McNaught-Davis is most recognised nowadays for presenting the BBC TV series The Computer Programme, Making the Most of the Micro and Micro Live in the 1980s. However, he is also a well-known mountaineer and alpinist...
  
   [S]
• Episode 2: 14 January 1986, 6:50pm–7:29pm; 39 minutes; Johnny Ball
  Johnny Ball
  Johnny Ball is a British television personality, a great populariser of mathematics and the father of BBC Radio 2 DJ Zoë Ball.-Early life:...
  
   [E], Barbara Lott
  Barbara Lott
  Barbara Dulcie Lott was a British actress probably best remembered as Ronnie Corbett's character's mother, Phyllis Lumsden in the comedy series Sorry!...
  
   [E], Liz Hobbs [E]
• Episode 3: 21 January 1986, 6:49pm–7:28pm; 39 minutes; David Sandeman [E], Fiona Kennedy
  Fiona Kennedy
  Fiona Kennedy is a Scottish singer, actress and broadcaster, and the daughter of Scottish and Gaelic singers Calum Kennedy and Anne Gillies. As a child she appeared with her parents as they performed as a family, and this developed into a successful solo career.Kennedy has moved on to other areas...
  
   [E], Ian McCaskill
  Ian McCaskill
  Ian McCaskill is a former BBC weatherman. His Scottish accent, manner of speech, and relentless enthusiasm for severe weather made him popular with viewers . He became the most imitated weather presenter in the UK...
  
   [S]
• Episode 4: 4 February 1986, 6:52pm–7:30pm; 38 minutes; Prof. Heinz Wolff
  Heinz Wolff
  Professor Heinz Wolff BSc. FIEE. FIBES FRCP FRSA is a German-British scientist, and television and radio presenter who was born in 1928. He is popularly known for his television and radio work, including the TV series The Great Egg Race....
  
   [S], Deborah Leigh Hall [E], Ruth Madoc
  Ruth Madoc
  Ruth Madoc is a British actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Gladys Pugh in the 1980s BBC television comedy Hi-de-Hi!, and as Daffyd Thomas's mother in the second series of Little Britain.-Early life:...
  
   [S]
• Episode 5: 11 February 1986, 6:50pm–7:28pm; 38 minutes; Joanna Munro [S], Val Prince [S], George Layton
  George Layton
  George Layton is an English actor, director, screenwriter and author. He was educated at Belle Vue Boys' Grammar School in Bradford and later studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts where he won the Emile Littler award. He went on to leading parts at Coventry and Nottingham and...
  
   [S]
• Episode 6: 18 February 1986, 6:49pm–7:28pm; 39 minutes; Heather Couper
  Heather Couper
  Heather Anita Couper CBE CPhys is a British astronomer who popularized astronomy in the 1980s and 1990s on British television. She is a former president of the British Astronomical Association from 1984 to 1986.-Early life:...
  
   [E], Keith Chegwin
  Keith Chegwin
  Keith Chegwin is an English television presenter, former child actor and singer.-Early career:Chegwin's early roles were in works of the Children's Film Foundation, appearing as Egghead Wentworth in The Troublesome Double Egghead's Robot . He also appeared as a stowaway in Doomwatch episode...
  
   [E], Adam Gilbey [E] (The broadcast of this episode was postponed from 28 January 1986 due to coverage of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
  Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
  The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members. The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of central Florida at 11:38 am EST...
  
  .)

Signature tune

• Series 1, 3 & 4: Duo In G Opus 34, composed by Ferdinando Carulli
  Ferdinando Carulli
  Ferdinando Maria Meinrado Francesco Pascale Rosario Carulli was an Italian composer for classical guitar and the author of the first complete classical guitar method, which continues to be used today. He wrote a variety of works for classical guitar, including concertos and chamber works...
  
   and performed by Julian Bream
  Julian Bream
  Julian Bream, CBE is an English classical guitarist and lutenist and is one of the most distinguished classical guitarists of the 20th century. He has also been successful in renewing popular interest in the Renaissance lute....
  
   and John Williams
  John Williams (guitarist)
  John Christopher Williams is an Australian classical guitarist, and a long-term resident of the United Kingdom. In 1973, he shared a Grammy Award win in the 'Best Chamber Music Performance' category with Julian Bream for Julian and John .-Biography:John Williams was born on 24 April 1941 in...
  
  
• Series 2: Norwegian Dance Opus 35, composed by Edvard Grieg
  Edvard Grieg
  Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric Pieces.-Biography:Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in...
  
   and performed by a brass band
  Brass band
  A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
  
  

Missing episodes

Following a mass wiping of children's television programmes in the early 1990s no copies of the following episodes are present in the BBC's archives:

• Series 1, Episode 2^^ - Saturday 31 May 1980. Liza Goddard
  Liza Goddard
  Liza Goddard is an English television and stage actress best known for her work in the 1970s and 1980s.-Early life:Goddard was born in Smethwick, West Midlands, England...
  
  , Michael Rodd
  Michael Rodd
  Michael Rodd is a British television presenter and businessman.-Education:Rodd was educated at the independent school Trinity College, Glenalmond near Perth in Scotland, and at Newcastle University.-Life and career:Rodd became a familiar face to millions of television viewers in Britain as a...
  
  , Stephen Cox.
• Series 1, Episode 5* - Saturday 21 June 1980. Paul Darrow
  Paul Darrow
  Paul Darrow is an English actor best known for his portrayal of Kerr Avon in the BBC science fiction television series Blake's 7...
  
  , Lesley Judd
  Lesley Judd
  Lesley Judd is an English dancer and TV presenter, best known as a long-serving host of the BBC children's programme Blue Peter. She was educated at the independent Royal Ballet School...
  
  , Robert Malos.
• Series 2, Episode 2* - Monday 9 November 1981. Madeline Smith
  Madeline Smith
  Madeline Smith is an English actress and comedienne. She was a model in the 1960s, and appeared in many comedy films Madeline Smith (born 2 August 1949 in Hartfield, Sussex) is an English actress and comedienne. She was a model in the 1960s, and appeared in many comedy films Madeline Smith (born 2...
  
  , David Yip
  David Yip
  David Yip is an English actor.Yip, of Asian and English descent, was born in Liverpool and trained at East 15 Acting School, London...
  
  , Derek Gale.
• Series 2, Episode 4 - Monday 23 November 1981. Tessa Hamp, Nerys Hughes
  Nerys Hughes
  Nerys Hughes , is a Welsh actress, known primarily for her television roles.Nerys Hughes was born in Rhyl, . She studied drama at Rose Bruford College. She is best known for the role of Sandra Hutchinson in the enormously successful BBC TV series The Liver Birds which ran from 1969 to 1978 with a...
  
  , Derek Griffiths
  Derek Griffiths
  Derek Griffiths is a British actor who appeared in numerous British children's television series in the 1960s to 1980s and more recently has played parts in TV drama.- Career :...
  
  .

*Off air recordings of these episodes have been returned to the BBC (they would still be interested in obtaining better quality versions).

^^A domestic off air recording of this episode does appear to be in existence, though it has yet (as of August 2011) not been returned to the BBC.

External links

• Interview with the show's creators at OfftheTelly.co.uk
• The Adventure Game at Missing-Episodes.com
• The Vortex an Internet Explorer only Javascript version of the Vortex game where you can play as Keith Chegwin.
• Drogna game on the BBC Micro