This seems a very simple problem, but I can't find an answer. I have a location where you can go northwest but not north. If when running the game I type N or NORTH, I actually move northwest - presumably because N is taken as an abbreviation for NW etc. I've tried creating an exit northwards and making it locked and invisible, but that doesn't work. Is there a simple answer?

Well, I didn't even know this was a thing... Just checked it in my game, and you're right, it does exactly that.

An easy way around it is to go into the location, and create an exit north. Tick the box which says "create a look direction" and leave it as is. When you try to move there now, you'll be told you can't. If anyone for any reason tries 'look north" they'll get "You are looking north".

Did that work out alright for you?

Thanks.

Yes, it works fine.

Fantastic. Happy to help!

Yeah, if you type the name of an object or exit that isn't there, it'll look for any object or exit whose alias starts with what you typed. It's the same as letting the player type "kick gene" as a shorthand form of "kick generator", or "drink bottle" instead "drink bottle of wine"