Ok so here are the stats:
Realtime hours played: 180
VB: 94
VC: 76
Buried: 30
Oldest: 91
Max: 65
Food Harvested: 274526
Crabs: 1333
Tech: 1149042
Levels: 12
Events: 16
Puzzels: 10 of 12

I have the GC. But now what. I have done everything I could to figure out what the next puzzle would be. I have dragged people all over the island looking for something to pop up that they see and I get NOTHING! I have even dragged the GC around looking for something to happen. People are dying and being born and that DANG rock won't move. I even once had everyone on my island yanking up flowers from the garden and delivering them to the idol and still nothing. Helllllpppppp!!!!!

As with everything, as soon as I posted this msg that darn GC moved the rock and we are left with nothing but the #12 puzzle. Now here is a question: what do you do if you have nobody that is skilled (at all!) in construction. Is there somewhere, like the medical plant, that I can drag them to skill someone up. I fear puzzle 12 will never be solved.

No there isn't. You essentially have to hope that some wreckage washes up on your beach.

This issue IS being worked on by LDW for a 1.1 release.

Tina... I'm following in your footsteps waiting for some poor unsuspecting boat to wreck so the Sims can clean up the debris and tackle puzzle 12. Have let things run solo in fast mode for 5 days now. Population has dropped to 53, research has stalled, and there's more food than can ever be used, but otherwise things are peaceful with lots of laundry and dancing going on.

Stats for interest (easy game):
Realtime hours played: 336
VB: 122
VC: 98
Buried: 62
Oldest: 90
Max: 65
Food Harvested: 747244
Crabs: 6644
Tech: 941692
Levels: 12
Events: 21
Puzzels: 11 of 12

Karen, I hate to admit it but I gave up. Well my entire Treo 650 gave up is more like it. I had a bit of a problem and ended up losing everything (and I do mean everything) on my Treo, as well as the backup on my PC. I don't believe that it had anything to do with Village Sim, and so I re-loaded it and started over. I now have the following stats:
Hours played: 69 (hmmmm :> )
VB: 12
VC: 6
Buried: 0
Oldest: 59 (and doing well)
Max Pop: 18
Food:10124
Crabs: 0
Tech: 66266
Tech levels: 6
Island Events: 4
Puzzles: 4 of 12

Well there you have it. Unfortunately the oldest person in my village is also my master builder..I have what I need to look for puzzle 12 but I don't have the necessary tech for it. I am trying to build up another Master builder before I run out of things to build and thus land myself back in the proverbial boat I was in before my Treo up-chucked.

Hoping you are doing better than I am,

Tina

Hi Tina... Nice to meet you! My village is still going strong, but there is no beach debris to be found. Too busy these days to play much so am just letting it run fast, but I'd really like to try again at med or hard difficulty. Here's the latest.

Hours played: 651
VB: 262
VC: 125
Buried: 164
Oldest: 117 (a ripe old age that amazes me - he died when I wasn't looking)
Max Pop: 65
Food: 1048468
Crabs: 8650
Tech: 943449
Tech levels: 126
Island Events: 30 (but not the right one!)
Puzzles: 11 of 12

How on Earth (or Isola) can I make the GC to move the boulder? I've been waiting and I have nothing else to do on the Island (all sciences researched fully, 30000 food, all things built, lagoon, treasure, etc). I just need the GC to move the rock. Some 35 years (game time obviously) have passed since the GC was born and besides the fact that he's eternally 5 years old, he just does random magic around, chases butterflies, and dances, and nothing more! (oh well yes he pees also!). Damnit GC do your trick!!! How can I lead him to the rock moving? What comes after opening the rock?
Thanks!
Martin

The Golden Child will complete the 11th puzzle on his own. You don't need to try to make him do anything (and it won't work if you try). Just give it some more time, and he will take care of it for you. You could just watch him for awhile longer - it's entertaining to see him solve that puzzle, especially when you have a lot of villagers.

I have found that the anticipated event happens sooner if you can leave the game running (rather than leaving it off most of the time and checking periodically). When I leave the game running, I've never seen it take more than a few hours. Some people have reported waiting weeks (if they check on the game somewhat infrequently). Whatever your play style, it will happen eventually.

Yep, as someone said before, just 5 minutes after writing the previous post asking for what to do, the GC took things on his own and did the trick. But now what can they do? They grow bored and all they can do is heal one another and make babies. Is that the point of it all...? Oh goood
Martin