LANDING isn't cleared if you pick up the loose end of the rope

There are two variables to keep track of which staircase the rope is descending:

ROPE-PLACED, which keeps track of which staircase object it is.
LANDING, which keeps track of which landing room it leads down to.

Unfortunately, ROPE-FCN only updates ROPE-PLACED, not LANDING, when handling the PUT and TAKE actions. Which leads to, among other things, this:

>TIE ROPE TO ALTAR
The rope has been tied to the stone altar.

>PUT ROPE IN STEEP STAIRCASE
The rope descends into the steep staircase.

>PUT ROPE IN ALTAR
(free end of rope)
Done.

>NORTH
(down the rope)
Circular Room
You are in a strange, round room which sits in the center of four hallways.
These hallways lead off to the northeast, southeast, southwest and northwest
like the spokes of a wheel. Above your head is a long tunnel which stretches up
and out of sight.
As you peer down the dimly-lit hallways, you see that the doors in all four
hallways are balanced halfway open.
A large golden cluster sits on the floor.
Sitting in the middle of the floor is a large statue, about two feet shorter
than you. It reminds you a little of Miss Ellingsworth.

Normally, that should kill you, but the game thinks the rope is still leading down to the landing.

the-infocom-files / infidel

LANDING isn't cleared if you pick up the loose end of the rope #57