The BBC and Master Computer Public Domain Library

PADDINGTON'S PROBLEM PICTURE

Professional, Originally Released On Cassette Only

Game Type          : Educational Compendium; Ages 7-9

Author             :

Standalone Release(s)   : 1983: PADDINGTON'S PROBLEM PICTURE, Collins, £9.95

Compilation Release(s) : None

Stated compatibility    : Electron

Actual compatibility    : Electron, BBC B, B+ and Master 128

Supplier            : COLLINS. No further information.

Disc compatibility     : CDFS E00, DFS E00

Instructions

"This pack consists of a Paddington illustrated storybook and a cassette to run on your home computer.

"One morning Paddington's friend Mr Gruber left him in charge of his antique shop while he went out to do some shopping. Paddington felt very important as he stood in the doorway waiting for his very first customer.

"So starts Paddington's adventure in the antique shop. Join him and help Paddington make things work out in the end.

"The programs continue Paddington's adventure and provide practice in basic shapes and colour skills as well as a TV paint box.

"The programs are: MATCH * WORDS * COLOURS * MOSAICS * SORTING"

One morning, Paddington's friend Mr Gruber left him in charge of his antique shop while he went out to do some shopping.

Paddington felt very important as he stood in the doorway waiting for the first customer of the day.

He hadn't long to wait. Mr Gruber had only been done a few minutes when a man stopped to look in the window.

"How much is that?" he enquired, pointing with his cane at a large picture of an old sailing ship.

Paddington peered at the price tag on the back of the picture, and as he did so he nearly fell over backwards with astonishment.

"It SAYS twenty pounds," he began. "But..."

"Good," said the man. "I'll take it, Have it wrapped for me when I get back in about half an hour."

Paddington could hardly believe his ears. Taking a closer look at the picture, he wouldn't have given twenty pence for it, let alone twenty pounds.

It wasn't even a proper paint. In fact, it seemed to be a collection of old bits of china stuck together with cement. He couldn't wait for Mr Gruber to get back so that he could tell him the news.

Paddington decided he had better wrap the picture quickly in case the man came back and changed his mind.

But as he carried it across the shop disaster struck. The picture was so large he couldn't see where he was going and he stepped straight into Mr Gruber's oddments tray.

It felt as though the whole world had turned upside down and was collapsing about his ears.

When he sat up again, Paddington found to his dismay that the picture had broken into thousands of tiny pieces. They were all different shapes, sizes and colours; round ones, square ones, triangular and oval; reds, greens, yellows and blues. It was like sitting in the middle of a giantic jigsaw puzzle.

Doing jigsaws wasn't Paddington's strong suit. Although in the past he had tried his paw at one or two small ones, he had never come across quite such a big one before. There wasn't even a box with a picture on its lid to help him out.

Apart from that the pieces didn't fit together like they did with a normal puzzle. Even sticking them down with marmalade didn't help.

Paddington had to admit that he was in a bit of a mess.

In the end he decided to make some smaller pictures in some old frames he found at the back of the shop.

He made a railway engine, a lorry, two motor cars and a windmill.

He fully expected to be in trouble when the customer came back, but to his surprise the man seemed more pleased than ever at what he saw.

"I'll give you five pounds for each one," he said, shaking Paddington by the paw. "It isn't every day you have the chance to buy a young bear's originals. Especially ones that taste of marmalade."

Paddington thanked the man very much and then added his special paw print to the corner of each of the pictures - just to show they were genuine.

"I think I had better go out and leave you in charge of my shop more often," said Mr Gruber when he returned and heard the news.

"Perhaps I could drop some more of your pictures, Mr Gruber," said Paddington hopefully. "Bears are good at that sort of thing."

"No thank you, Mr Brown," said Mr Gruber hastily. "Besides, it wouldn't happen with a normal picture. That was what we in the trade call a 'mosaic'. It's meant to be made of hundreds of tiny pieces like these."

And to show how pleased he was, Mr Gruber gave Paddington the extra money he had earned on the sale as a reward.

And in return, to show Mr Gruber how grateful he was, Paddington made him a special picture reading 'Thank You VERY Much' with the pieces that were left over.

Instructions' Source   : PADDINGTON'S PROBLEM PICTURE (Collinsoft) Booklet

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