As opposed to Maniac Mansion, where you could die if you drained the pool and waited too long to refill it.

(Among many other ways, which you can find here: https://www.maniacmansionfan.50webs.com/waystolose.html)

The server you linked seems to be down, here's an archived version:

https://web.archive.org/web/20240529033339/https://www.mania...

... and then Gilbert saw the light, wrote this article and the rest is history.

I recall you need to do the mug'o'grog-puzzle fast.

I think the criticism is of less self-contained time limits that involve multiple puzzles/locations. You can retry the mug'o'grog puzzle if you're not quick enough, I think.

You sort of do, but you can always get a new mug if i remember well.

Yes, the SCUMM Bar restocks with mugs if you destroy yours.

It's still a bizarrely high-pressure moment built into a game that otherwise has no such mechanics. I always hated coming to it.

It would have been at least as easy to tie the disintegration of the mugs to scene transitions, which would have eliminated the time pressure at no cost to the game.