Grimrock

So you did some Qbasic too. That's pretty cool

You make some good points and background does matter, but I don't think that by itself should necessarily make a gain inaccessible for newer players. And yea my avatar does kind of give my background away lol. I was also exposed to Final Fantasy growing up, too. I remember we had Final Fantasy IV on...

I was originally pretty sure no one was encumbered, but given that when I went back to the puzzle and this time made absolutely sure no one was encumbered (and beat it on my third try), I am forced to conclude that a party member probably was encumbered during my first attempt and I didn't notice it...

Maybe a member was encumbered. I made sure none were and went back
(was still in the Pyramid anyway, just on the 2nd floor).
I did get in after three tries this time.

It just seemed totally impossible earlier.

That's a very good idea

But there is no excuse for anything to ever require players to pull of something right
on the edge of what is possible. That's just plain bad game design.

I've found a couple guides that say you have to open the door, then hit the switch in that corridor a second time to fire energy again so the gate closes and the secret door opens simultaneously. When you do it a second time, you have to run through the gate before it closes. You can hear the secret...