Puzzles

Throughout the game, there are several **puzzles** that can be encountered in story mode and the Case Files game mode. For information on ways to solve the puzzles in story mode, please view the walkthroughs for each chapter.

The Case Files game mode uses some puzzles from story mode, though unlike in story mode, the solutions to these puzzles are randomized when the case is generated. For example, while you can solve Light's Out in Chapter 1 by touching three specific tiles, it's unlikely to that you'll get Light's Out in Case Files where touching the same three tiles is the solution. Below we will cover each puzzle you can encounter, with an explanation on how to solve them.

## Light's Out

There are several approaches you can take to solving this puzzle, but this page will just cover one method for simplicity. A video depiction of this guide can be found here:

https://youtu.be/jA-1gJ7DpvI

For those unfamiliar, the goal of Light's Out is to step on the tiles until all of the tiles are lit up. Touching one tile will turn that tile on or off, and will also turn the adjacent tiles on or off.

The first thing to do when approaching Light's Out is to select one row that will be the top row for you. After selecting that, our goal is to light up each row by interacting with the correct tiles in the row below. For example, if the top row has the middle tile and the right tile lit up, we'll need to light up the top left tile. To do so, you'd touch the left tile in the middle row.

When the whole top row is lit up, we now need to light up the middle row. Follow the same logic with the top row by touching the corresponding tiles in the bottom row to light up the tiles in the middle row (e.g. if the middle tile in the middle row is the only one not lit up, touch the middle tile in the bottom row.)

We now need to work on the bottom row. As you might have realized, there aren't any rows below the bottom row! To account for this, we instead need to touch the corresponding tiles in the top row. So if the bottom left and bottom middle tiles are not lit up, touch the top left and top middle tiles. From here, we basically start from the beginning! Get the top row light up, then the middle, then the bottom. Most of the time you won't need to repeat this often, probably once or twice, though if you're unlucky it'll take three or four.

The solution to the "Lights On" Puzzle uses the "Chase the Lights" method. Starting with the second row of tiles, the idea is to walk on every tile that has a light off in the row of tiles above it. This will turn on all the tiles in that row. Continue with each successive row of tiles until the only remaining lights are in the bottom row.

Identify what rows of tiles will be the top and bottom.

* Phase 1: Now we must get all the tiles of the top row lit up.
	+ Touch the tiles in the middle row that are beneath the corresponding tile in the top row starting with the left-most tile and moving across to the right-most tile. At this point the top row should be lit up and now we must focus on the getting all the tiles in the middle row completely lit.
	+ Starting with the left-most tile in the bottom row and moving across to the right-most tile. At this point the middle row of tiles should be completely lit up.

* Phase 2: Take note which tiles on the bottom row are not lit.
	+ Touch the tiles on the top row that correspond to the tiles that are not lit on bottom row.
	+ Repeat Phase 1.

* Phase 3: Repeat Phase 2 and continue repeating it until the puzzle is finished.

If these explanations are a bit confusing, fret not! It takes a couple times to get the hang of it and remember the steps. If you'd like to be able to practice safely, you can always go into Chapter 1 and scramble the puzzle there to work through the steps, or you can use the DDO Vale Puzzle Solver to try it out.

## Cages

In Chapter 2, there's a puzzle in a location marked as "Cages" in a note, leading to the puzzle being colloquially referred to as "Cages". The puzzle is actually a series of eight arrows forming a circle, with the objective placed in the middle. This puzzle is simply a guessing and memory game, where there's a specific order you have to interact with the arrows. If you select the wrong arrow, the puzzle will reset, but there are things you can do to help yourself remember the sequence so far.

Before we begin, select your starting glowstick color. For the sake of this guide, we'll start with green. When the first arrow turns and the tile next to it becomes red, you've got the first arrow in the sequence! Place one green glowstick down next to the tile to remind yourself that it's the first in the sequence, that way if the next arrow is incorrect and resets the puzzle, you can go back to that first arrow to start the sequence again. Once the second arrow turns and the tile lights up, place two green glowsticks down.

You should now have one green glowstick by the first arrow, and two green glowsticks by the second arrow. Keep following this method for arrows three and four. Once you find the fifth arrow however, we're going to change it up a bit to save some time. Instead of placing five green glowsticks down, place one glowstick of another color, such as red.

Now you should have arrows one through four marked with green glowsticks, and the fifth arrow should have one red glowstick. This will save a bit of time and some strain on your eyes having to count and keep track of 5 glowsticks. When you find the sixth arrow, place two red glowsticks down. From now on you don't need to place glowsticks down, since the seventh and eighth arrows are the last two. Try one of the remaining arrows, and if it is incorrect, that's the eighth arrow! Start the sequence over again, and simply select the other arrow before interacting with the final arrow.

## Chase the Lights

This is another floor tile puzzle, not to be confused with Light's Out. Some other names for this puzzle are Follow the Leader and Light's Up, and this puzzle has two variations of it. Similar to Light's Out, the goal of this puzzle is to light up all the tiles. You will always want to be sprinting for this puzzle.

In both the first and second variations of the puzzles, stepping on one tile will begin the puzzle. This will lead to one of the tiles lighting up. Go over to the lit-up tile (if the tile you originally stepped on lit up, step off of it, then step on it again.)

In the first variation, once you step on the lit-up tile, another tile on the puzzle will light up. Run to that tile, step on it, and then this process will repeat until all of the tiles have been lit up and stepped on.

In the second variation of the puzzle, the tiles you step on do not stay lit up, and it's possible you'll touch the same tiles a few times. Continue stepping on the lit-up tiles, and eventually all of the tiles will light up to indicate the puzzle is complete.

## Matching Tiles

This is a puzzle from Chapter 4, where a set of 16 tiles are laid out across a wall, and is only available on the Crypts. Interacting with a tile will show you a rune, which you need to match with a rune on another tile. If you interact with a second tile and the two runes match, the tiles will remain on the wall. If the runes don't match, the puzzle will reset to a blank slate, and you'll need to interact with the tiles for any runes that were matched previously.

## Simon Says

The puzzle is based on the popular game Simon Says where you have 4 diamond-shaped crystals, which light up when being activated in the correct order. The player needs to memorize the correct color in order to advance through the 5 stages of the puzzle. When it’s completed, all crystals light up in their respective color which indicates that the puzzle is successfully completed, granting you access to the painting in the secret room. This specific puzzle can be found on the Manor map.

## Rush Hour

This is a sliding block puzzle and the goal of the game is to get the key block out through the exit of the board by moving the other blocks out of its way. This specific puzzle can be found in Chapter 6 and the Trenches map.

## Drainage Pipe Puzzle

The idea of the puzzle is to properly re-arrange a variety of pipes. The goal is to create a correct single connection and flow off the water from the sewers. By rotating the pipes, you'll need to think logically about the connections and create a proper flow.

When completed, the player can select the main valve and drain the water from the exit. This specific puzzle can be found on the Sewer map.

## Shrine Puzzle

The Shrine presents a time-based puzzle which the player can complete by putting out the fire from the stone pillars. When the player puts off one of the pillars, the puzzle activates and wooden walls rise up through the ground, creating a small labyrinth.

The player has limited time to deactivate all of the pillars in order to successfully finish the puzzle. This specific puzzle can be found on the Bamboo Forest map.