E3M3: The Grinder (No End In Sight)

E3M3: The Grinder is the third map of the Woe episode of No End In Sight. It was designed by Xaser.

Essentials
Head towards the large metal gate in front of you, which will open to reveal two cacodemons. Go through the gate and turn right to enter a room with a red key door (the skull switch below it will raise some steps leading up to a shotgun) then head north down some steps to a circular walkway around a flesh pit which is surrounded by lava. As you step on the walkway a crusher will activate above the flesh pit, and the east wall will lower to reveal some demons; kill the monsters while you wait for another wall in the north-east corner to lower and reveal an armor, then step past this wall and go through the red crucifix behind it to enter a room with some harmful flesh pits. Head north-west along the metal path until you see a lit arrow pointing into a narrow passage, which you can enter to find three radiation shielding suits.

Grab a suit and return to the crusher room then head east through the lava tunnel, pushing past any monsters that get in your way, until you get outside and reach a small marble tower. Step round the tower to find the exit door (requiring the yellow key) and a rocket launcher being guarded by a baron of Hell, then head east until you see some marble steps on your right and go down them to an area with spectres, lost souls and cacodemons. Head west to a curved staircase and follow it up to another outdoor area with more monsters, then head towards the brick tower to find the red skull key between two marble pillars. As you approach the key, some steps will rise on your right leading up to a teleporter; step on this teleporter to return to the red key door inside the tower.

Go through the red door and turn left to find a staircase leading up to a switch, flip it then follow the path west - a set of stairs will rise allowing you to reach a skull door at the top. Go through the door and follow the path past three crushers, then go up a set of fleshy steps to return to the main crusher room, where the circular walkway has risen allowing you to walk round it to an opening in the south-east wall with an imp behind it. After running into this opening, turn left and follow the passage (which will turn into a staircase) past a baron to reach the yellow skull key. After taking the key, drop through the window to return to the red key area then backtrack to the exit door, go through it and climb up to a white teleporter to finish the level.

Other points of interest
There is a water pool on the west side of the main tower that contains a chaingun and a box of bullets. The water is highly damaging, so consider taking a radiation suit before collecting the weapon.

Secrets

 * 1) The northern part of the main tower has damaging flesh pits. The biggest one has an arrow pointing south-west. Instead of directly following this arrow, go along the path just to the right of it. Follow it to a switch, then quickly run back north-east to the flesh pit to notice that the ledge that had imps on it has lowered. Get on this ledge quickly, and when it rises, open the wall at the end to get a computer area map. (sector 271)
 * 2) In the north-east part of the main tower with the damaging flesh pits, a shotgun guy may attack you from behind a fake wall. Go around to where two boxes of bullets are located and face east, then go through the wall to find the secret, which holds a box of rockets. (sector 272)
 * 3) Just before you reach the second tower that holds the exit, look back at the last square column of the lava to find a switch. Press it, then go to where the red key is located. There will be two openings to the north, just above the lava river. Approaching either of these openings opens up the columns and creates a bridge allowing you to cross to the other side. You can collect a plasma gun at the end of this area. (sector 4)
 * 4) The far eastern corner of this level, next to the steps leading to the exit tower, hides a berserk pack. (sector 213)

Current records
The records for the map at the Doom Speed Demo Archive are:

The data was last verified in its entirety on December 21, 2021.

Things
This level contains the following numbers of things per skill level: