J.J.Guest's game TO HELL IN A HAMPER swept the Inside Adrift Awards and deservedly. You can download the game from The Adrift Network which describes it as follows:

"Professor Pettibone, eminent Victorian balloonist, has a problem. He can't get it up. His balloon that is. If he can't reach an altitude of 20,000 feet, and soon, both he and his mysterious travelling companion Hubert Booby will be burned to a cinder by an erupting volcano!"

The summary doesn't mention that the game's hilarious.

Also, at the site you can try out another excellent game, SELMA'S WILL, online to get a taste of what text adventures are like without downloading anything.

I thought of "attending" the awards ceremonies this morning but chat rooms freak me out. OK. I admit it. I'm old enough to "freak out."