Dead Man's Hand

From 1997 to 2006, InQuest magazine printed a Magic puzzle: a board state belonging to Eugene T. Dudley, the world's worst Magic player, and one job you had to do for him before the turn ended. The answer ran in the next issue. These are the puzzles, rebuilt from the magazine scans with real card images.

How to play one

  • Read the setup and the bullets — they carry rules the board can't show.
  • Everything you need is on the page; the puzzles are solvable as printed.
  • They use the rules and wordings of their day. Click a card to read its oracle text on Scryfall, but trust the printed card for anything that has changed since.
  • The solution stays hidden until you ask for it.

15 puzzles · 5 with the magazine's solution

InQuest #130 · February 2006

Untitled

Control as many Saprolings as possible at the end of this turn; you can attack, just this once.

The answer ran on page 103 of this same issue, which the Internet Archive scan does not include.
InQuest #65 · September 2000

This Land Is Dead Land

Help him destroy all of his own lands by the end of the turn. That way, at least, Deadshot will have to earn his victory—at least a little bit.

Solution not available — it ran in InQuest #66, which has not been scanned
InQuest #58 · February 2000

Oldies But Goodies

Transform Eugene's creatures into classic favorites by changing their power and toughness and abilities.

Solution not available — it ran in InQuest #59, which has not been scanned
InQuest #52 · August 1999

Doomsday

Find a way to spend the mana so that he doesn't die this turn. The fate of Eugene's badly battered pride rests squarely on your shoulders.

Solution not available — it ran in InQuest #53, which has not been scanned
InQuest #50 · June 1999

Time Flies

See how many extra turns in a row you can put together.

Solution not available — it ran in InQuest #51, which has not been scanned
InQuest #49 · May 1999

Wake Up!

Trigger all five sleeping sorceries this turn.

InQuest #43 · November 1998

Trick or Treat

Hand out treats by having at least one +1/+1 counter on every creature you control at the end of your turn — without absentmindedly eating counters off of your creatures.

Head Scratcher
Solution not available — it ran in InQuest #44, which has not been scanned
InQuest #41 · September 1998

Mad About Yoo-Hoo

While Eugene is crying over spilt Yoo-hoo, figure out what Eugene has done so far this turn, and which of his cards should be tapped.

Seizure Inducer
Solution not available — it ran in InQuest #42, which has not been scanned
InQuest #40 · August 1998

Queen for a Day

Quickly, before he goes utterly mad, help Eugene get the Sliver Queen into play this turn.

Seizure Inducer
InQuest #39 · July 1998

Tapped Out

Have all of Eugene's permanents untapped at the same time at some point during his turn.

Knuckle Cracker
InQuest #37 · May 1998

Ultimate Chaos

Destroy the Death Star.

Mind Warp
Solution not available — it ran in InQuest #38, which has not been scanned
InQuest #36 · April 1998

Prismatic Protection

Figure out which one of Eugene's creatures can gain protection from all five colors this turn, and how to do it.

Knuckle Cracker
InQuest #34 · February 1998

Learning to Fly

Help Eugene get one creature to fly by the end of the turn. It can be a creature in play, a creature in hand, a creature anywhere, so long as you get one of those suckers airborne before turn's end — or before Eugene dies, whichever comes first.

Chin Stroker
Solution not available — it ran in InQuest #35, which has not been scanned
InQuest #33 · January 1998

New Year's Resolution

To usher in 1998, turn back the clock on the current game: by the end of his turn you must have seven cards in your hand, no cards in play, no cards in your graveyard and exactly 20 life.

Brain Buster
InQuest #26 · June 1997

Just End It

Help Eugene find a way to lose before Dirk's turn so Dirk regrets taunting Eugene for so long.

Knuckle Cracker
Solution not available — it ran in InQuest #27, which has not been scanned
Solutions without their puzzle9 answers from issues whose puzzle was never scanned — all that survives of those months.→

Puzzles transcribed from the InQuest scans in the Internet Archive's magazine collections. Card images from Scryfall. InQuest was published by Wizard Entertainment; the puzzles are reproduced here as a record of an out-of-print magazine.