Every Puzzle Has an Answer: Let's Play Professor Layton and Pandora's Box!

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Let's Play! > Every Puzzle Has an Answer: Let's Play Professor Layton and Pandora's Box!

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

So what�s Professor Layton?

The Professor Layton series consists of six puzzle adventure games that involve Professor Layton and his self proclaimed �apprentice� Luke travelling to some strange place and solving a mystery. In doing so, they encounter any number of puzzles which have to be solved to progress. Some are directly related to the plot, whereas others are a bit� random. The Professor Layton games have been well received because of the interesting story and fun puzzles.

Tell me a bit more about this game.

Professor Layton and Pandora�s Box (US: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box) was released in 2007 in Japan and was localized for other regions in 2009. It�s the second game in the series and features quite a few improvements over the first game, Professor Layton and the Curious Village (in particular the Memo function, which I�ll explain when we get to the puzzles proper). The game features over 150 unique puzzles to wrap your head around, and I do mean your head. When possible, I�ll post the puzzles and let you try to solve them in between updates.

Also, because this is the second game in the series, the twists of the first game will be casually spoiled, so if you haven�t either played Curious Village or read this fine LP I highly recommend you do so before reading further.

I have my own puzzle I'd like to share! Can I post it in the thread?

Please do! Just remember that Layton games have a lot of puzzles in them, and there's a decent chance that if you didn't make it up yourself (and even if you did), it'll be in one of the Layton games in some form. As such, you're free to share your puzzles (and I encourage it, because then I get more puzzles to solve), but if you do, please put the answer in spoiler tags.

Oh, and number it based in the format TR##, where ## is the number of the puzzle. So if the most recent TR was TR11, yours is TR12.

Table of Contents:
Prologue
Puzzling Times on the Molentary Express
A Missing Boy
The Search for Tom
Tom's True Identity
DLC Set 1
Puzzling Times in Dropstone
Puzzling Times in Dropstone 2
Mr Anderson
Cow Puns
DLC Set 2
Next Stop, the Plot
Folsense
DLC Set 3

Accursed Walrus fucked around with this message at 03:11 on Mar 7, 2015

# ¿ Jan 16, 2015 02:48

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# ¿ May 22, 2024 18:51

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Last Updated: Puzzling Times in Dropstone

Current Mysteries

Rick the Hamster�s Status

Someone asked for a better explanation of how Rick moves, so here's a wall of text.

It's worth noting that Rick is not a ghost and cannot move through items. If Rick has a house directly in front of him and an apple is behind it, Rick will go to the house (because to get to the apple, Rick would need to go around the house, and that would require four steps).

General Movement Rules

1. If there are special circumstances that force Rick to move to a certain item, he does so. We'll deal with these later. If not, go to step two.
2. If there are any apples that Rick can move to in three moves, Rick moves to it. If there are multiple apples within three squares, go to the multiple items section. If not, go to step three.
3. If there are any non-apple items that Rick is interested in (we'll find items that Rick isn't interested in later) that Rick can move to in three moves, Rick moves to it. If there are multiple, go to the multiple items section. If there are no items that Rick is interested in within three squares of Rick, the workout ends.

Multiple Items Rules

1. Rick will prioritize the closest item. If there are multiple items at the same distance from Rick, go to step two.
Examples:
a. If Rick has a tree stump two spaces in front of him and a house one space behind him, Rick will go for the house.
b. If Rick has a flower one space to his left and one space up from him and a tree stump two spaces to his left and one space down from him, Rick will go for the flower.

2. Rick will prioritize the item that requires the least number of turns (counting turning around as two turns). If the items require identical numbers of turns, go to step three.
Examples:
a. If Rick has an apple one square in front of him and an apple one square to the side of him, he will go for the apple directly in front of him.
b. If Rick has a tree stump two squares in front of him and one to the left and a flower three spaces behind him, he will go for the tree stump.

3. Rick will prioritize the item that requires him to make the latest possible turns. If the items would require turning at identical times, go to step four.
Examples:
a. If Rick (facing downwards) has a house two squares right and one square down from his position and a flower one square right and two squares down from his position, Rick would go for the flower.
b. If Rick (facing rightwards) had items positioned identically to the previous example, Rick would go for the house.

4. Rick will turn anticlockwise, provided 1-3 are met. This only happens when Rick is facing a direction and has two items in front of him, one to his left and another to his right.
Here, have a cheat sheet.
Starting Direction --> Direction Rick Turns To
Right --> Up
Up --> Left
Left --> Down
Down --> Right
Examples:
a. If Rick (facing downwards) has a flower one square down and one square left of his position and a tree stump one square down and one square right of his position, Rick will go for the tree stump.
b. If Rick (facing rightwards) has a house one square right and one square up from his position and a flower one square right and one square down from his position, Rick will go for the house.

Camera Status
9/10 Parts

Tea Status
We have 3/8 ingredients.
1. Oasis Leaf(OL): Refreshing - Refreshing and purifying.
2. Brisk Berry(BB): Sweet - Revitalising and restoring.
3. Citronia Seed(CS): Sour - Great for the skin.
4. ???
5. ???
6. ???
7. ???
8. ???

We have created 2/12 brews.
01. Citrus Classic (Made from OL, BB, and CS) - A classic tea with the added twist of Citronia Seed. This special ingredient gives an unique flavour.
02. Oasis Berry (Made from OL, BB, and BB) - A tea loved by women and children. Its refreshing sweetness is the secret of its popularity.
03. ???
04. ???
05. ???
06. ???
07. ???
08. ???
09. ???
10. ???
11. ???
12. ???

Accursed Walrus fucked around with this message at 01:30 on Feb 6, 2015

# ¿ Jan 16, 2015 02:48

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Prologue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga-HBKp71ig

Music: Suspense

Music: London

: What�s that, Professor?

: Is everything all right?!

: Of course, it is more commonly known as �Pandora�s Box�, in reference to the famous myth.

: This nickname would appear to be well deserved, since it is rumoured to kill whoever opens it. I�m dubious of this reputation, of course, but when my interest is piqued I simply must investigate. That�s why I�m pleased as punch to tell you that the elusive item is finally in my possession. What�s more, I believe I�m on the cusp of unravelling a great mystery tied to this box. For the moment, let�s just say I have a theory, though I haven�t been able to prove it yet.

: Initially, it was my intention to finish my research before daring to open its lid. But I must confess that my curiosity is simply overpowering. In the unlikely event that anything should happen to me, please finish the work I�ve started here.
Your friend,
Andrew Schrader

Personally, if a box killed my mentor, I�d probably stay as far away from it as possible.

Music: London

: I just can�t shake the feeling that something awful has happened�

: Well, your intuition�s usually spot-on! I say we head out right away!

This is our first of several mysteries throughout the game, with what it says when you tap it.

: They�re in one of the drawers in that desk.

: Will do, Professor! Erm�

: If there�s something you wish to interact with, Luke, you need only reach out and touch it.

I know this is a tutorial, but this back and forth makes it seem like Luke has forgotten how to interact with things.

Just tap on this desk drawer here and�

: Oh, here they are, Professor!

: Many thanks, Luke. Now, let�s get moving!

Here, Layton would remind Luke how to move. Touch the shoe in the lower-right, touch an arrow direction, and you move in that direction.

: I couldn�t agree more, Professor. Now, shall we be off?

Not much of interest here, but as soon as we try to leave�

: During one of his visits some time ago, he was kind enough to leave me a map to his home. The map itself, however, is a rather unusual piece of cartography. Look here, Luke.

Huh.

: Professor, do you mind if I take a crack at it? I just know I can solve this one!

Music: Puzzle

Our first puzzle of many! You can see that this puzzle is worth 10 Picarats, which is a sort of scoring mechanism needed to unlock stuff later in the game. If you make a mistake on a puzzle, the amount of Picarats you earn will go down. The number of Picarats a puzzle is worth is also roughly indicative of its difficulty.

One thing that Pandora's Box does better than Curious Village is that it takes a bit more advantage of the fact that you�re using a DS and not just a book of puzzles. It includes that handy new Memo feature, which allows you to draw on the puzzle as well as the returning Hints feature, which will give you hints on the puzzle you�re working on.

For your convenience, the hints will be provided in spoiler tags below the puzzle.

Including the one piece that�s in the middle of the map from the start, you have six pieces to move around. ...And only five places to place them in. That means one of those pieces won�t be used in the solution.
Take a close look at each individual piece of the map, as well as the set portion of the map. As long as you make the roads on each piece fit cleanly into the larger framework, you�ll find the answer sooner or later.
You may have already noticed, but the piece positioned in the center of the map at the start of the puzzle isn�t used in the solution.

That looks about right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wwIGG6N6nk

Music: London

: But which flat is his?

: That, I�m afraid, I don�t know. But come to think of it, the letter I received did mention something about this place�

Music: Puzzle

The sort of puzzles that you can do with just the screenshot are still quite common though. So that you can solve these puzzles, I'll repost all the puzzles that you can solve with the relevant hints at the end of the post. The solutions to those puzzles will be shared in the next update.

Since the doctor mentions hearing music from a nearby flat, you can rule out the window the music is coming from.
As the doctor makes special mention of being able to see the sunrise, it�s likely his apartment is one of the ones higher up in the picture.
The doctor talks about seeing the flag outside his window move in the breeze from his seat inside. There appears to be only one flat in the bunch where you could accomplish this feat.

Music: London

: Now follow me, Luke. We�re going up.

Layton would take a while at this point to explain to us the trunk in the upper-right corner. It's just a menu, containing Layton's Journal (a summary of most major events in the game), Mysteries (which just shows the current list of mysteries), Puzzle Index (a list of all previously solved puzzles with the option to replay them), and Save. There are three more options in the trunk, though we don't know what those are yet.

So instead of going up, let�s talk to this random bystander.

: All right. See that postbox over there? Try touching it with your stylus for me, will you?

All right?

: Ever been stuck trying to solve a puzzle? It�s times like those when I bet you�d fancy a hint, yeah? Well, when that happens, you can trade in those shiny hint coins for hints. They�re scattered all over the place, which means you should always be on the lookout for �em. Use your stylus to touch anything that looks suspicious, OK? Good, well, that�s all I had to say. You take it easy, mister.

Damon here just did most of my job in explaining hint coins. It's worth noting that if you're playing along, there are a finite number of hint coins in the game.

Anyways, to Schrader's flat!

Examining the door to Schrader�s flat gives us this exchange.

*knocking*

: Dr Schrader? Are you home? It�s Hershel Layton. I came as soon as I read your letter.

*louder knocking*

: Hello? Are you there? Doctor?

: I don�t hear anyone in there, Professor. What if he�s�

: This is no time for idle speculation, Luke. We must get this door open first. Hmm, it seems to be locked�

: So without a key, there�s no way to get in!

: Ah, of course! How could I have forgotten? These keys were enclosed in the envelope, along with the doctor�s letter to me.

Why would Schrader send a ring of keys? Is his flat triple locked or something?

: Huh? That�s strange. It doesn�t seem like any of these keys work on the lock.

Oh. I guess Schrader sent the wrong set of keys. I suppose that makes sense, he is getting on in his years...

: Luke, don�t you see? The doctor has set us yet another puzzle to solve.

Or that.

Music: Puzzle

In the US version this puzzle is called "The Right Key." I have no idea why this name was changed.

As you can probably tell by looking at this puzzle, it�s another one that takes advantage of the DS hardware. You drag the key up to the lock, and it tries to unlock the door. Dragging any of the three keys to the lock currently does nothing, as you can see above.

At a glance, the ends of the keys seem too intricate when compared with the simple shape of the keyhole. Concentrate on finding a key with a shape that matches the structure of the lock.
Who�s to say one end of a key is any better than the other?
Turn each key around and try inserting the part you�d normally call the grip.

I�ll admit that this was actually the first Layton game I played, and I got stuck on this puzzle for a good seven minutes or so. The game doesn�t tell you you can rotate objects.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCSc8nij2LY

Music: Suspense

: This is terrible, Professor. Do you suppose the Elysian Box did this to Dr Schrader when he opened it?

: I honestly don�t know Luke. But that can wait. Right now we need to notify the police!

: Of course, Professor!

: Look at this, Professor. There�s no destination written on the ticket. I�ve never seen a ticket that didn�t say where it was taking you. How strange!

: Yes, very strange indeed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS8NGIcKuKo

Music: Suspense

: I�m so sorry, sir! I didn�t mean it! I, um, was sure we had another imposter on our hands.

: What in the world is this child talking about?! I swear, young ones these days have no manners!

Luke is referring to the events of Curious Village. Don Paolo, Layton�s self proclaimed rival, disguised himself as Chelmey.

: I�m a professor of archaeology at Gressenheller University.

: And I�m his apprentice, Luke!

: Not at all, sir. In truth, he�s-

: Professor Layton�s apprentice, like I said!

: Hmm.

: Well, it�s really none of my concern. I have a crime scene that needs my attention. Clear a path, will you?

: But of course.

: You got it, Professor.

: A murder? Or was the crime self-inflicted?

: Inspector, I should tell you that the door was locked before Luke and I came in.

: I see. So this door, the sole entry point in and out of this eighth-floor flat, was shut tight. Then the doctor was holed up in here, completely apart from the outside world, yes?

: What?! How did you come to that conclusion, sir?

: Use your noodle, laddie. What other explanation could there be?

: Still, I�d hesitate to say that this room was completely closed off from the outside.

: Is that so? Please elaborate.

: Isn�t it obvious? There�s something quite unusual about our crime scene that�s been overlooked.

: Eh?

: It�s as plain as the nose on your face, Inspector.

: I tell you, nowadays it seems like everybody and their mum thinks they can do my job. Now, as I was saying, the cause of death was heart failure, plain and simple. And there�s what caused it.

Okay, yeah, I can see your reasoning there Chelmey. That thing does look scary.

: I reckon that ugly mug would give anyone nightmares. Here�s what probably happened. The old fellow turned on a light, took one look at the beast, and then keeled right over.

: People have a way of becoming forgetful with age. Not that you�d understand, boy.

: Well, you�re right about that. I don�t understand it at all�

: The scenario you paint certainly isn�t out of the realm of possibility. But considering the lights were off when we entered the room, I don�t think we�ve found our answer yet.

: Oh, really.

: Furthermore, look around you, Inspector. Doesn�t anything strike you as odd?

: What do you mean, Professor?

: Study your surroundings, Luke. I�m sure you can see it too.

Music: Puzzle

Normally, you�d use the arrows to flip through the four sides of the flat. I�ve instead provided all four sides below.

So what is off about Schrader�s apartment, goons?

Take a good look at all the views. You�re looking for something unusual. There are lots of odd objects in the room, but while many may be strange, they aren�t the brand of unusual you�re searching for.
You won�t find the answer in the areas that Professor Layton and Inspector Chelmey are examining.
The object in question is often found in pairs.

Puzzles in this Update:

Music: Puzzle

Since the doctor mentions hearing music from a nearby flat, you can rule out the window the music is coming from.
As the doctor makes special mention of being able to see the sunrise, it�s likely his apartment is one of the ones higher up in the picture.
The doctor talks about seeing the flag outside his window move in the breeze from his seat inside. There appears to be only one flat in the bunch where you could accomplish this feat.

Accursed Walrus fucked around with this message at 23:10 on Jan 16, 2015

# ¿ Jan 16, 2015 02:48

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Dragonatrix posted:

You, uh, you feeling all right there, Layton?

Some people get a bit twitchy when they don't have their morning coffee. Layton gets a bit twitchy when he hasn't had his morning puzzle.

# ¿ Jan 16, 2015 17:58

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Waffleman_ posted:

It's worth noting that in America, this game was released as Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box.

I knew I forgot something! I was originally going to use the US version, but it was suggested that I use the UK version since the game takes place in the UK.

On that note, I am American, so if any UK goons see a cultural thing, feel free to point it out.

Waffleman_ posted:

Also, if something doesn't seem right to the Americans in the videos, it's probably Luke's voice. Luke actually has a different voice actress in the European versions of the games, since his American voice didn't test well with British audiences. However, you probably already know this voice from the English versions of the movie The Eternal Diva and Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright, since they didn't bother to get Lani Minella for those.

I'm still getting used to UK Luke. Compare this US cutscene to the last one in the previous update:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQKEhXOjoIs

# ¿ Jan 16, 2015 19:47

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Dr. Fetus posted:

I know that the US and UK versions of these games have some different puzzles in some places. Are you gonna post the US versions too?

When we get around to those, yes, I'll post both versions.

# ¿ Jan 16, 2015 21:44

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Puzzling Times on the Molentary Express

Firstly, we should solve the puzzle from the last update.

Music: Puzzle

Music, flag, and sunrise. Looks good to me!

Now, back to the story.

As many of you stated, the ripped curtain is what we're looking for here.

Something that I forgot to mention last update - Layton and Luke have slightly different versions of the �CORRECT� screen. Luke�s is blue, and Layton�s is brown. It�s a nice touch I didn�t notice until now.

Music: Suspense

: Hmph! So, it is. But what exactly does this have to do with my crime scene?

: Well, er, yes, sound as a pound! I was just about to propose the same idea myself.

: Liar!

I took this screenshot because Layton is whispering to Luke while Chelmey is still on-screen. I find this funnier than I probably should.

: What say you and I conduct a little investigation of our own?

: Professor, look! There�s something in Dr Schrader�s hand.

Kind of short for a mystery, isn�t it? I�d imagine Dr Schrader probably kept some tape around here. It shouldn't take long to put back together.

: What is this anyway? Hmph, not that it matters. I�ll be holding on to that. Now, out with the both of you.

Music: London

: Yet there was nothing resembling such an artifact in his home.

: Maybe the person who did this to him was after the box?

: An interesting theory, Luke, but for the moment that�s all it is. However, we do have one clue to understanding today�s events. Namely, that ticket.

: Are you thinking what I�m thinking, Professor?

: Indeed I am, Luke. I believe a trip aboard the Molentary Express is in order.

Music: Molentary Express

: Dr Schrader did his best to point us toward the Molentary Express should something happen to him. Sure as fog on a London morning, I know that this train will lead us to the answers we seek.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0KTG8V-BKM

Music: Molentary Express

: Ha ha! Quite so, Luke. Every fixture and fitting is the very height of decadence. I�d wager the rest of the train is just as grand. How about a little exploration?

Sure! Let�s start with this suitcase.

The nice big red �!� indicates that you�re about to get thrown into a puzzle.

: Oops! So they are!

: You should put your things away before we start exploring the train.

Music: Puzzle

You can use little items like the harmonica and book to fill in the small gaps later, so pack up the big items first.
That unwieldy frying pan and spatula set go in the lower-left corner. Luke�s teddy bear belongs in the upper-right corner.
Luke�s book should be placed in the upper-left portion of the trunk. By this point, you should be most of the way toward solving the puzzle, so try working the rest out on your own.

As per before, puzzles and hints will be reposted at the bottom of the update.

Music: Molentary Express

: We were in rather a hurry, so I suppose you didn�t really have time to pack properly.

: I do feel better with everything put away. Come on, Professor, let�s do some exploring.

Yes, let�s explore the train. Starting with� these teapots.

: Oh, dear. I�ll have to remember to get sugar for my tea elsewhere. Curious though, isn�t it? How did they get here? Speaking of ants, try this one on for size, Luke.

If you were disappointed by only having two puzzles to solve last update, you�ll enjoy this update.

Music: Puzzle

I have mixed feelings on these sorts of puzzles. I like them because they often require multiple looks at the puzzle, since you need the optimal answer. I dislike them because it's easy to think you have the right answer and lose some Picarats.

When tracing out a path back to the nest, leave as few roads untouched as possible.
Assuming the top of the screen to be north, from the point labeled Start, drag your stylus south and then go west at your first chance. At the next intersection, head north to the top of the map. When you reach a T intersection at the top of the map, head west again. When you hit a wall, take the road leading south.
From the last point mentioned in Hint Two, head east at the first available point, and then take the first road you hit that heads south. If you�ve gotten this far, the rest should be a breeze.

Music: Molentary Express

: While I�m no fan of ants in my sugar, you have to admire their craftiness and work ethic!

: Maybe it�s because even the sugar on the Molentary Express is extra fancy?

: Ha ha, I�m sure those ants are genuine sugar connoisseurs.

Two puzzles later, we actually decide to leave our room.

: You don�t have to tell me twice, Professor. Now, why don�t we start by investigating the train?

A good investigation involves talking to everybody.

: But no one�s allowed in �cept for REALLY rich people. So, misters, are you REALLY rich? �Cause if you are, you can go see the super-duper fancy rooms.

: Super-duper fancy rooms�

: �that none but the extremely wealthy can enter. If our young friend is correctly informed, there must be a set of deluxe rooms in the next carriage.

: Wow! I�d love to see what those look like! I bet they�re simply smashing!

If we opt to talk to Lili again, we get a puzzle.

: We�re actually out looking for something, dear. Sadly, we don�t know where it is. Until we find a clue to point us in the right direction, we�ll simply have to continue looking.

: Ooh, that sounds like lots of work. Here, I�ll tell you a puzzle to take your mind off that stuff.

Music: Puzzle

Think about how much longer one side of the strip was compared to the other one after the first fold.
Remember, you�re being asked to answer in millimetres.
Consider the location of the first fold your starting point. The second fold must have been positioned one centimetre away from this location. Does that clear things up for you?

Music: Molentary Express

: I hope you find whatever it is you�re looking for, misters!

Not much to do other than to advance to the next carriage.

: That reminds me, I believe it�s dindin time for my sweet baby. I�m off to visit the dining car.

: Talk about rich and flashy!

: Quite. This train is full of many well-heeled patrons like the woman we just met. We must watch our deeds and words here. A formal setting demands formal manners, don�t you think?

: Absolutely, Professor!

That�s odd. Someone seems to have left their door ajar. But as British gentlemen, we wouldn�t dare intrude.

Wait never mind I saw a puzzle in there, privacy be damned.

: Who knew that something as ordinary as a pitcher could be so fancy?

: What could be more relaxing than sitting in your suite with a cold beverage and watching the sunset? Not everything that�s served in pitchers is good to drink, however. Look at this puzzle, for example.

: I�m ready for it, Professor!

Music: Puzzle

In the US version, this puzzle is called �Pitchers and Poison.� The puzzle itself is identical if you replace every instance of �vinegar� in the next two paragraphs with �purple poison.�

Even if you don't have a clue, you still have a 50-50 chance

Grab a few water glasses and try the puzzle out for yourself--minus the vinegar, of course. The principle that determines where the vinegar is should soon become obvious.
If you stopped after five pours instead of 55, what would be different?
Isn�t it funny how on every odd-numbered pour, the vinegar ends up in the middle of the three pitchers?

Music: Molentary Express

Once we exit this room and proceed�

We come across the dining car that Babette was talking about. While we�re here, it couldn�t hurt to sample the cuisine.

: What a pity.

: Indeed it is, sir. But while you�re waiting for a table, may I interest you in a puzzle?

Music: Puzzle

This one is just a nice logic puzzle.

The mustachioed Mr. O�Connor is B. Seeing as how both C and F are men, his wife has to be A.
The Joneses are both sitting by the aisle, which means they must be sitting across from each other. Since you know B is Mr. O�Connor, C and G must be Mr. and Mrs. Jones, right?
So, where is Mr. Lambert in all this? We now know A and B to be the O�Connors, so the people sitting across from them must also be a couple. But they can�t be the Lamberts because the Lamberts have to be sitting across from each other� Keep the above in mind, and you should have everything you need to identify all four of the couples.

Music: Molentary Express

: Oh, and it appears a table has just become available. Allow me just a moment to tidy it up and then I will be happy to escort you to your seats.

: Great! I�m starving!

: Madam, please wait just a moment. In truth, these passengers have been waiting long-

: Nonsense! We�ll not hear another word of this! You�d take these people before us? We are insulted!

: I do apologise, madam. It�s simply that these gentlemen arrived before you�

: We will not be kept waiting, do you understand? Not a single second! Now, our of our way!

: Madam!

: Er, I do apologise, sirs. There�s a lovely observation deck in the last carriage of the train. Please feel free to relax there for a few minutes while I prepare a new table for you.

: Maintaining one�s composure while dealing with difficult customers is truly admirable. Come, Luke. Let�s give him some breathing room. We�ll take a look at the deck and return to the dining car later.

I suppose we�ll just have to wait, then.

Some of you may have noticed that there are actually two doors forward - one to the left and another to the right. Let�s take a look inside the left one.

: Yes, it seems that the Molentary Express is a first-class operation, right down to the kitchen.

: Those dirty clothes of yours probably violate all sorts of health regulations, you know.

: Why, I�ll have you know that there�s nothing at all dirty about our clothes!

: Say what you like, short stuff, but that doesn�t change the fact that I�m running a kitchen here. Did you stop to think about what could happen if yucky outside germs made it in here because of you?

: I see your point. Terribly sorry for the intrusion and any worry we may have caused you, good sir.

: Oh� All right. I�m sorry too, sir. Wait, what�s that?

: How arrogant of him to lecture other people about germs!

: Oh boy, I guess the cat�s out the bag now. Listen, I know it�s against the rules to keep a pet in the kitchen. But� He�s my only friend, see? Furry or not, he�s the only pers...er, creature I�ve got to talk to in here.

: Of course he�s a hamster! Their quiet dignity makes them the noblest of all creatures! When I first started working here, I needed someone to keep me company, so I bought him. Thing is, I feed him all the table scraps we take back, which makes for a diet that�s a bit, erm, rich.

: The poor thing!

: I wonder� Could I ask you a favour? Would you mind looking after my friend for a little while? When he�s here with me, I can�t help but feed him. But those scraps of foie gras and pastry soon add up.

: You mean you want us to take care of him and help him get into shape? Sounds like a great idea to me! Erm, I mean, what do you think, Professor? Can we please keep him for a little while?

: We�d be happy to take custody of this hamster until he sheds some of that excess baggage.

: Oh, thank you so much! It�s a real weight off my shoulders. And off his waist, hopefully!

Last update, I talked about how we had three things in the trunk that we didn�t know about. This is one of the three things.

: Since I won�t be seeing the little fellow for a while, could you give him this apple? He loves them so. Oh, I�m going to miss my furry friend! Please look after him!

: Don�t worry, he�s in good hands!

As the screenshot suggests, we need a name for our hamster! Maximum of ten characters. I'll give you all 48 hours from this post or until 9:00pm EST on Sunday to come up with a name.

Puzzles in this update:

Music: Puzzle

When tracing out a path back to the nest, leave as few roads untouched as possible.
Assuming the top of the screen to be north, from the point labeled Start, drag your stylus south and then go west at your first chance. At the next intersection, head north to the top of the map. When you reach a T intersection at the top of the map, head west again. When you hit a wall, take the road leading south.
From the last point mentioned in Hint Two, head east at the first available point, and then take the first road you hit that heads south. If you�ve gotten this far, the rest should be a breeze.

Grab a few water glasses and try the puzzle out for yourself--minus the vinegar, of course. The principle that determines where the vinegar is should soon become obvious.
If you stopped after five pours instead of 55, what would be different?
Isn�t it funny how on every odd-numbered pour, the vinegar ends up in the middle of the three pitchers?

The mustachioed Mr. O�Connor is B. Seeing as how both C and F are men, his wife has to be A.
The Joneses are both sitting by the aisle, which means they must be sitting across from each other. Since you know B is Mr. O�Connor, C and G must be Mr. and Mrs. Jones, right?
So, where is Mr. Lambert in all this? We now know A and B to be the O�Connors, so the people sitting across from them must also be a couple. But they can�t be the Lamberts because the Lamberts have to be sitting across from each other� Keep the above in mind, and you should have everything you need to identify all four of the couples.

Accursed Walrus fucked around with this message at 17:24 on Jan 18, 2015

# ¿ Jan 17, 2015 03:18

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Glazius posted:

Mmm. Not the best adventure game I've seen set on a train, but then this is hardly a last express.

Considering it will be revealed next update, I don't think it's a spoiler to say at the least we won't be spending all of our time on this train.

Astro Nut posted:

...I get that fish and chips might not be so ubiquitous in American understanding, even as a British stereotype, but is it really so obscure that vinegar is better replaced by 'purple poison'?

You tell me. I actually still have the footage from when I was planning to use the US version...

Also, seeing as no one voted on the name of the hamster, I'll just call him Hamster unless anyone wants to give me a suggestion in the next couple hours.

# ¿ Jan 19, 2015 17:24

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Dr. Fetus posted:

Hamster name? Rick.

Sold. I'll get working on the next update. Should be ready around early Tuesday.

# ¿ Jan 19, 2015 18:51

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

A Missing Boy

We begin as usual with last update's puzzles.

Music: Puzzle

This one is just kind of a trial and error puzzle. Put one piece somewhere, then try to fit everything else in.

For this one, you just have to take your best shot, note the route and length, and then try something else. It does help that the solutions to puzzles in Layton tend to be unique, so if you find two routes with the same length, you can probably rule them out.

...And then Mort informs me that there is, in fact, a much better way to do these!

Mort posted:

The trick to these is to work out which parts of the path you don't take. Whenever you have three segments meeting at a point, you can only take 2 of them. Likewise you can only take one segment at the entrance and exit. There are fourteen places where three segments meet at a point, and each segment connects two places, so (counting the entrance and exit too) there are eight segments you won't take. Make sure these are all as short as possible and you solve the puzzle.

If all else fails, grab a piece of paper and try it for yourself.

For this puzzle, it's best to just do as the hints suggest and try it out either physically or with pen and paper. From there, look for a pattern.

This is just logic and process of elimination. Find everyone else's location, and you get Mrs Hadley by default.

Music: Molentary Express

Dr. Fetus suggested Rick as the name for our hamster, and I think Rick is a great name for a hamster.

: Squeak? Squee-Squeak!

Ha ha! It appears that your way with animals has earned you a new friend, Luke!

I think so too, Professor!

Let's check on Rick.

Rick can be found in the Trunk. I'm pretty sure they don't actually keep Rick in there, at least.

The workout ends when Rick can't find any more items.

Above is Rick's "playground". Rick is currently level 5 - "Blobby" and we want to get him all the way down to level 0. You can also see our goal on the left is 008, which means Rick needs to walk 8 steps in a single workout to reach level 4.

Our only item right now is that apple Macaroon gave us, detailed above.

Dealing with this is going to be interesting. I'll bring up Rick's screen each time we get a new toy so that you guys can work out the new optimal workout routine. It will be an ongoing puzzle of sorts, and I'll keep track of our progress in the second post.

We�re finished in the kitchen, so let�s return to the dining car and start heading towards the observation deck like Chester suggested.

There�s another person in the next car, and talking to her yields another puzzle.

Thank you, but I don�t think we need any snacks right now.

Of course you don�t. And I put on my best smile for nothing. Most passengers eat in the dining car. It�s so ritzy, I can�t say I blame them. With competition like that, it�s hard to sell so much as a cup of tea. I�m sooo bored. I�ve got a while until my shift finishes, so help me pass a little time with this puzzle, would you?

Music: Puzzle

This puzzle might seem familiar - it�s a variant on a famous puzzle.

This puzzle isn�t a brain buster, so take a step back for a moment. One way to solve puzzles like these is just to experiment by moving the pancakes around.
If you can get the biggest pancake over to the red plate, you�re within inches of solving the puzzle.
Shift the smallest pancake to the red plate, then place the medium-sized pancake on the middle plate. Next, place the smallest pancake on top of the medium pancake. This will free up the red plate for the biggest pancake.

Music: Molentary Express

So, listen, our next stop is in this dinky little two-cow village called Dropstone, right? There�s, like, nothing there. I wish we could stop somewhere more exciting for a change. But I guess that�s working a job for you. Sometimes you just have to deal with crippling boredom.

This next car has a door open, but there�s nothing of interest in there yet.

Indeed, and the scenery is simply breathtaking. Look, Luke, you can see a lake over there.

The sky is so blue! And just look at those trees fly by! Now, that�s what I call a view!

All this talk of pristine scenery reminds me of a puzzle I once heard. Why don�t you try it?

Music: Puzzle

I�m going to take a moment here and recommend GIMP as an image editing program if you want to do some of these puzzles. Either that, or you can print out the screenshot, I suppose.

You�ll want to separate any two trees of the same type that are adjacent to each other. Why not start by putting some lines down in any place that fits that description?
Let�s see if we can�t find a way to deal with those trees in the lower-left part of the picture. The lines you drew after reading Hint One should give you a little direction to go on. The group of trees you section off down here should take on a sideways L shape.
The tree in the upper-left corner and the one to its immediate right belong to different groups. Additionally, the tree in the upper-right corner and the one directly below it belong to different groups as well. Use these hints as stepping stones to solve the rest of the puzzle.

Music: Molentary Express

Well, did you expect any less, Professor? Heh heh heh! Wow, it feels so nice out here, I almost forgot we�re supposed to be searching for the Elysian Box.

I can�t say I blame you, Luke. But that box led poor Andrew to his death. Come what may, I will solve this mystery.

Of course.

*fade to black*

It�s high time we began our investigation proper.

OK, Professor, let�s get to it!

There�s a puzzle hidden on this screen. See if you can find it.

Yeah, it was a bit of an obvious one.

Some people have got no manners!

Luke, a true gentleman cleans up after himself - and others, should the need arise. What do you say we take care of this mess?

Music: Puzzle

Goodness, that�s a lot of Picarats! I'm sure it can't be that bad, though.

Oh... it�s a sliding puzzle.

I hate sliding puzzles, I really do. Granted, that�s probably because I�m not good at them, but I think a lot of Layton fans would agree that slide puzzles tend to be nastier than other puzzles.

Give this method of starting the puzzle a shot. Stack the four blue blocks on top of each other, with the first one at the bottom of the trash can. Next, find a way to get one of those four blocks into the little indentation in the upper-right corner. Once it�s in place, you�ll never have to move that block again!
Here�s a helpful hint. If you�re feeling stumped, place a blue block in the uppermost, lowermost, and rightmost areas of the puzzle. Then try moving the other blocks around in the remaining space.
Removing the blue block at the bottom of the trash can will be your second-to-last move.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrPWySsHLWE

Music: Molentary Express

Wonderful, isn�t it? Keeping a place tidy really brightens it up.

I don�t believe this man was here on our way to the observation deck. Let�s take a moment to chat with him.

I couldn�t agree more. And there�s no better way to do it than on a train as fine as yours, Mr Beluga.

Hm? So you know my name, do you?

But of course. This train and its owner have quite a reputation in London. I�ve seen your face in the papers more than a few times.

I�m sorry, er...my friend, but I can�t say I know you as well as you seem to know me.

The name is Hershel Layton. I�m a professor of archaeology by trade, but a train enthusiast on the side. I�ve heard tales of this train�s grandeur, so I decided it was time to experience it, first-hand.

Well, isn�t that something. It certainly is a pleasure to meet you, Mr ...Layton, was it? Oh my, just look at how late it�s gotten. I really have to run. Do enjoy your time aboard.

The dining car it is, then.

Great! It�s finally time to eat!

My sentiments exactly.

Wow, look at all these choices! It�s enough to make my head spin!

Oh, look over there. There�s some sort of commotion going on.

I call it slop! Are you telling me you serve this to our customers?

I-I�ll make up some more right away, sir!

Feh! Get that mess out of my sight this instant!

But of course. I-I�m very sorry to have displeased you.

And another thing! Look at these vases and that picture! Talk about tacky! Replace them immediately!

I don�t care if the Queen of England painted it! Replace it and be quick about it!

O-of course, sir. I�ll start making the arrangements immediately.

That was, indeed, Mr Beluga. It�s a shame that picture wasn�t to his taste. I think it�s marvellous. Speaking of pictures, Luke, I have a most intriguing puzzle for you.

Music: Puzzle

There�s no trick here. You might have an easier time if you mark the drawing by using the Memo function.
Why don�t you take a closer look at the corners of the picture?
You can complete most of the drawing using only two colours, but did you notice there�s one pesky area down in the lower-left corner that requires an additional colour?

Music: Molentary Express

After a puzzle like that and a filling meal, I feel a rest is in order. Let�s retire to our room.

As you progress through the story, some puzzles will disappear from their original locations. These puzzles are then moved to Granny Riddleton�s shack, where they can be solved at any time. Here is the first set of puzzles to be sent to the shack. If no puzzles appear on the next screen, it means there are no unsolved puzzles to send right now.

We�ve been thorough in our puzzle hunting, so we won�t see much of Granny Riddleton.

Looks like Chester has another puzzle for us.

Oh, yes. The menu was excellent in both its variety and execution.

You honour us, sir. Professional waiters such as myself live for praise such as yours. Now then, shall I provide you with the bill? Oh� I do apologise, sirs, but I seem to have forgotten your order. Could you enlighten me?

Music: Puzzle

Start by adding up the cost of the entire meal.
Luke�s meal cost twice as much as the professor�s. That means the ratio of Luke�s cost compared to the professor�s cost must be 2:1.
The cost of the entire meal comes out to 105 pounds. This total needs to be split to fit our ratio of 2:1. Therefore, Luke�s meal cost 70 pounds and the professor�s cost 35. What combination of food and drink items can you find that add up to 70?

Music: Molentary Express

Now, as we have some time until our next destination, I invite you to sit back and enjoy the journey.

This glass is also hiding a puzzle.

Even the dishes are first-rate.

I�ll say! Look at this glass!

Yes, the etching is quite impressive. Speaking of glasses, have you heard this one, Luke?

Music: Puzzle

�This design is preposterous!� The owner wasn�t angry because the design in question was hard to assemble. He was upset because one design was physically impossible to replicate in real life.
A and C could probably be pulled off with steady hands and a lot of patience.
One design, while perfectly natural when drawn out in 2-D, stacks the glasses in a way that is impossible to create in reality. On paper, each cup is represented by a single bent line, but real glasses have a rim on the top and walls of a set thickness.

Music: Molentary Express

Let�s check on Macaroon. He seemed a bit down after he got chewed out by Beluga.

If you didn�t expect him to have a puzzle, I don�t know what to tell you.

You mean he always blows up at you like that?

Well, you know, me or someone else on the staff. The boss can be a very hard man to please.

That�s awful. You and the others shouldn�t have to put up with him bullying you like that.

Well, the boss does have a point. After all, he made this railway what it is today. He always says that a first-class train deserves a first-class atmosphere. I mean, even the plates we use in the dining car are custom-made. The craftsmanship is amazing. Take a look at the fine detail on the bottom!

Music: Puzzle

You don�t need to do any kind of special calculation here. In fact, all you need is a little intuition.
How would things look if you rotated the smaller triangle?
By now you�ve tried visualizing what things would look like if you rotated the triangle around, yes? If you�ve done that, you should be able to see how many smaller triangles fit in the larger one. Just count them up.

Music: Molentary Express

Nice as they are, I�m sure Mr Beluga will find a reason to complain about these plates too.

I wouldn�t be surprised� I suppose rich people can just afford to be picky!

And we start our trek back to our own car. I�m sure we won�t be interrupted by anything.

Madam, please calm down so I can understand the situation.

Oh, Inspector Chelmey. I had no idea you were on board.

Well well! If it isn�t Mr Layton! What are the chances, eh? Well, enough small talk. I have other matters to attend to. Namely, a missing child. It seems this woman�s child has gone off somewhere. I don�t suppose you�ve seen him around?

No, I don�t believe I�ve seen any young boys.

My little boy wandered off and he hasn�t returned yet! I�m simply at my wits� end worrying about him! Gentlemen, I demand that you drop whatever it is you�re doing and help me find my boy!

Hrmph, she�s been going on like this from the moment I walked in.

I understand your concern, madam. My assistant and I will be glad to aid you in your search. We�ll have the best chance of recovering your son if we start searching immediately.

It seems the only clues we have to go on are this shoe that the tyke left behind and his name, Tom. I�ve tried to squeeze more details out of the woman, but it�s useless. She just keeps demanding I search the place.

It�s positively tiny, isn�t it?

Yes, I find it quite curious myself, Luke. Very puzzling indeed.

I didn�t think children with feet that size could even walk!

Indeed�

Before we end the update, let�s see if we can get any more information from Chelmey.

During the investigation, we stumbled upon the late doctor�s diary. Its pages detail the doctor�s final days, which led me to this train. But since that investigation is none of your business, that�s all I can tell you, Mr Layton. Besides, finding that lost child is my top priority right now. With only a shoe and a name to go on, though, it�s going to be an uphill struggle to find him.

Luke and I would be glad to offer our assistance in the matter.

Oh, I�m sure your would. I�ve heard about you, Layton. You�ve got quite a reputation for poking your nose into other people�s business. If you want in on my case, why not show me your famous powers of deduction by solving this puzzle?

Music: Puzzle

Had the shoe clerk not gone next door to get change, he might never have realized he lost money.
In the end, the shoe clerk essentially passed back the 50 pounds he got from the shopkeeper next door, so he neither lost nor gained money from these interactions.
The sneaky customer ended up getting away with shoes costing 30 pounds, as well as 20 pounds in change.

We�ll break here for the sake of not dropping too many puzzles at once.

Puzzles in this Update:

Music: Puzzle

This puzzle isn�t a brain buster, so take a step back for a moment. One way to solve puzzles like these is just to experiment by moving the pancakes around.
If you can get the biggest pancake over to the red plate, you�re within inches of solving the puzzle.
Shift the smallest pancake to the red plate, then place the medium-sized pancake on the middle plate. Next, place the smallest pancake on top of the medium pancake. This will free up the red plate for the biggest pancake.

You�ll want to separate any two trees of the same type that are adjacent to each other. Why not start by putting some lines down in any place that fits that description?
Let�s see if we can�t find a way to deal with those trees in the lower-left part of the picture. The lines you drew after reading Hint One should give you a little direction to go on. The group of trees you section off down here should take on a sideways L shape.
The tree in the upper-left corner and the one to its immediate right belong to different groups. Additionally, the tree in the upper-right corner and the one directly below it belong to different groups as well. Use these hints as stepping stones to solve the rest of the puzzle.

Accursed Walrus fucked around with this message at 17:35 on Jan 21, 2015

# ¿ Jan 20, 2015 22:46

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Mort posted:

The trick to these is to work out which parts of the path you don't take. Whenever you have three segments meeting at a point, you can only take 2 of them. Likewise you can only take one segment at the entrance and exit. There are fourteen places where three segments meet at a point, and each segment connects two places, so (counting the entrance and exit too) there are eight segments you won't take. Make sure these are all as short as possible and you solve the puzzle.

Huh, I never noticed that. That method works a lot better than the one I used.

I suppose now is a good a time as any to say that what I put with the puzzle solutions are just the methods I used to solve the puzzles, and by no means are the optimal (or even good) methods. So if I give a method that doesn't work well, please feel free to correct me.

On that note, do you mind if I edit this into the post, Mort?

# ¿ Jan 21, 2015 04:49

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Tax Refund posted:

008: The total price is 105 of whatever currency (picarats?)

Gonna unspoil this part just to say that it is in pounds, even though the puzzle neglects to mention it except for in the hints. I would be curious how a picarat based economy would work, though. Maybe they'd be like bitcoins?

Glazius posted:

...why do I already feel like I know the answer to Lady Poshington's missing baby?

If you did know with the few clues we've been given, I'd be surprised.

On another note, the next update is coming later today.

# ¿ Jan 22, 2015 20:25

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

The Search for Tom

Music: Puzzle

As many of you noted, this is a Tower of Hanoi puzzle. I would say more about how to solve this one, but it's called Piles of Pancakes 1 - we'll be seeing more of this type of puzzle.

A good way to start these puzzles is by drawing a line between any two trees of the same kind that are adjacent, since you know they can't be in the same group.

This sort of puzzle - what is the minimum number of colours to colour a graph without having a colour adjacent to itself - is actually a concept in mathematics. The minimum number of colours to do so is called the graph's Chromatic Number. I could talk a bit more about this, but I don't want to flood this section with so I'll skip it for now.

I don't have anything to add that the solution below doesn't, so I'll just point out that I like that what they order seems believable - Layton orders tea, a sandwich, and a salad and Luke orders a milkshake, stew, steak, and... I think the 17 is fish and chips?

Tax Refund gets points for noting that design B likely wouldn't hold up either, but design D is the only impossible one.

whitehelm said that if you rotate the middle triangle you get a triforce, and I think that's pretty good reasoning.

Surprisingly, no one took a stab at this one. Then I realized that I left it out of the "Puzzles in this Update" section, which might have something to do with it. I did that because I figured that it was at the end of the update and didn't need to be in the section, but I'll fix that for future updates.

Music: Molentary Express

: Nevertheless, this is my case, so I�ll be searching for Tom alone. Conduct your own search if you like, but don�t get your hopes up.

The route we�re taking on this search is just going to be starting at the back of the train, next to Layton�s car, and sweeping up towards the observation deck.

This lady is in front of our car, and she has a puzzle for us.

No, can�t say that I have. There�s no way I�d forget seeing a boy with only one shoe!

: I see. Well, thank you very-

Oh, but while we�re on the topic of shoes, maybe you could help me with a little predicament of my own.

Music: Puzzle

I don�t have much to say about this puzzle other than my game doesn�t render the change in ~~color~~ colour when I tap the squares, so I was very confused when doing this puzzle. I thought I managed to break something.

Working backward from the goal in your head is a great tactic that can help you find the answer.
The solution requires that you take exactly 19 steps from the start point to the goal.
From the start point, begin your walk by taking a step to the right.

Music: Molentary Express

�Bonce�?

�Oxford English Dictionary > British & World English� posted:

Bonce (noun) British informal - A person�s head.

Huh. That�s a new one.

Come to think of it, Layton�s car isn�t the backmost one. Let�s start further back.

Unfortunately, we�re intercepted by this guy.

: What�s the matter, mister?

Wha-? Oh, hey� OK, so I snuck into my uncle�s room and borrowed his camera, right? Think is, then I dropped it. I�ve been here trying to find all the pieces for, like, an hour, but I�ve only found one�

: That�s quite the predicament.

Yeah, and if word gets about this wrecked camera, I�m gonna catch major flak from the bossman. Whoa, brain flash incoming! Dig this. I�m going to give you this busted hunk of junk. You do with it what you want, just get rid of the thing, will ya? OK, catch you on the flipside.

And with that, we�ve got one of ten parts that we need to rebuild the camera. It�s the second of the three hidden things in the trunk. I would show it to you, but there�s no real point in doing so until we get all ten pieces.

After this, we�re booted back to the previous screen. Maybe now that Sammy�s left, we can get into the deluxe carriage?

Hold it right there, man! Sammy Thunder says entrance to this carriage is for VIPs only, capiche? Now, I know you�d like to sneak a peek, but the whole carriage�s been booked, so that�s a no-go.

Wait, you left. Why are you back immediately?

: The people who reserve rooms in this carriage must be super-rich mega tycoons!

: Indeed. I wonder what it must be like to have that much space to yourself on a train of this calibre.

: Well, for now I suppose you�ll just have to keep wondering, eh, Professor? Ha ha ha ha!

: Yes, quite.

But what if we tried asking Sammy a third time?

: What if we just took a reeeeally quick peek?

No can do, little guy. You need a ticket to do that. I�ll tell you what. Your pal Sammy Thunder has a puzzle that�ll take your mind off that door. Check it.

We get a puzzle for our trouble.

Music: Puzzle

Since the puzzle tells you that no one got on the train during the ride, it�s safe to say that the number of passengers on the train never increased.
Since 1/6 of the passengers get off at the first station, you know the number must be divisible by six. Start by choosing a number that�s divisible by six and see what happens. The principle by which this puzzle is solved should become evident soon.
Imagine that 30 passengers are on the train when it embarks. At the first station, the train loses 1/6 of its passengers, meaning five people get off. At the next station, 1/5 of those remaining, or five people, get off. At the next station, 1/4 of those remaining, or five more people, get off. Do you notice a pattern here?

Music: Molentary Express

And that�s how that one goes. Well, now the show�s over, so move it, will ya? If the folks in there find other passengers hanging around outside their door, I�m gonna get an earful.

From here, we sweep through every car up through the dining car, finding nothing of interest. Then we check out the kitchen. Maybe Tom got hungry?

: Maybe the cap belongs to Tom.

: We certainly shouldn�t rule out that possibility.

: Oh, hey, since we�re on the subject of caps, have you ever heard this one, Professor?

Music: Puzzle

The puzzle says that some of the children received red balloons. From that, you can infer that there were no fewer than four children in red hats.
The puzzle says some of the kids received a red balloon. By definition, therefore, not all kids received a red balloon.
If every preschooler had on a red hat, you�d see every single child go home with a red balloon. Remembering that the children aren�t allowed to add their own hat to their total, think about how many children would receive a red balloon if nine kids wore red hats. What about if eight did? Seven? Just keep going down the line.

Music: Molentary Express

: Better luck next time, Luke. For now, we�d better return to searching for that lost little boy.

: Oh, right. Yep, better get back to that. Now that you mention it, how do you suppose Tom managed to worm his way into such a tight space?

: Hmm, good question.

Now, we return to the dining car and decide to visit Babette�s room. Perhaps we might be able to get some more information from her.

Interesting. I see something on the ground.

: Food scraps, if I�m not mistaken.

: Do you suppose Tom wandered into the kitchen to grab something to eat?

: Well, it is possible, though if that�s the case, the child certainly is lacking in the manners department.

This is the reason you're expected to go to the kitchen. I hit the kitchen sooner just to save time.

: Lovely decorations really do wonders for a room, don�t they? Doubly so in the case of flowers. Tell me, Luke, what do you think of flowers like these?

Music: Puzzle

Just spot the differences with a twist.

The black-and-white color scheme of the altered image makes this puzzle a lot more challenging, doesn�t it? However, this change to the image may ends up helping you more than you know. Remember, in the altered image, dark spots are now bright, and vice versa.
If you�ve been looking for what parts of A, B, and C don�t match the black-and-white image, you�ll eventually find an answer. But since there is only a single solution, it may be easier to start by finding how A, B, and C differ from one another.
Pay attention to the circles at the centre of each flower. Also take a good look at the number of dots and their positions in each image.

Music: Molentary Express

Continuing onwards toward the observation deck, we-

: Is everything all right, miss?

I�m fine, thank you. Excuse me.

: Mm, yes, now that you mention it, something about her did seem rather...familiar, as you say.

...Really, Layton? Really?

OK, sure. Now that someone we totally don�t know is gone, let�s talk to Sally.

: Sorry, miss, but we are currently searching for a small child. Have you seen a young boy wandering around by himself in this carriage?

: A little boy, eh? Nope, sorry mister, but that doesn�t ring any bells. Ooh, ooh, what happened? Did he get lost on the train?

: Yes. Unfortunately, we haven�t been able to track down the missing tot.

: You know, I probably shouldn�t start vicious rumours, but� Oh well, I�ve nothing better to do. Did you know that there�s a weird old woman staying in this carriage? What if she kidnapped the little one and has him stowed away in her room? I know it�s probably not true, but what if?! She�s just so bizarre that I can�t help wondering� But I could get in trouble for speaking ill of passengers. Just forget I said anything, OK?

: A strange old woman, eh? I wonder who she could be talking about.

: Your guess is as good as mine, Luke. But it certainly does make one wonder.

I guess it�s time to enter this room then.

I�m going to cut a long explanation here. Granny Riddleton here is usually very useful, since she keeps puzzles that we can�t access anymore. For instance, if there was a hidden puzzle in London and we missed it, it would stay in Granny Riddleton�s shack since we can�t go back to London anymore.

That being said, we won�t miss any puzzles, so this is the first and only time we�ll speak to her over the course of the game.

We finally reach the observation deck, and we find a man who gives us a puzzle.

In the US version of the game, this guy is Hank instead of Steve. There are an awful lot of localization changes that I really don�t get in this game.

: No trouble at all, my good man. I take it you�re not a passenger, then?

Nah, I�m just a mechanic, innit. I come along for the ride in case somethin� goes belly-up. But as you can see, she�s sound as a pound! Makes my job dead easy. In fact, I�ve got so much free time lately I made up a puzzle all by meself. �Ow about it, then?

I�m not the only person who thinks Hank sounds extra British here, right?

Music: Puzzle

There�s a part of this puzzle that I both like and don�t like, but I can�t really discuss it yet.

To start, try tracing your way through the maze. This trick is probably old news to you by now, but in case you forgot, it�s often helpful to try working your way backward from the exit.
Do mazes make your head spin? Take some of the work out of following all those roads by using the Memo function to mark dead ends and the paths that lead to them.
If you�ve already figured out which animals can make it to the exit, congratulations. But think for a moment about the title of this puzzle. All of the animals are free once they leave their cages, but it can be a jungle out there. Just because an animal can find its way to the exit doesn�t mean it�ll make it out alive�

Music: Molentary Express

Our sweeping search turned up a few clues, but we still need more. Come to think of it, if Tom�s hat was in the kitchen, then he would have to pass through the dining car. Let�s head back there and see if Chester saw Tom.

: No, I don�t believe so. But come to think of it, a couple who were just here were talking about a child.

: Interesting. Do you have any idea as to where we might find this couple now, my good man?

: I believe they are staying in the fourth carriage, sir. May I suggest paying them a visit?

: A wonderful suggestion. Thank you for your assistance. Come along now, Luke. Let�s drop in on the couple in the fourth carriage.

: We�re dreadfully sorry to intrude, sir, but we are searching for a lost little one. Did you happen to see or hear anything pertaining to this?

Oh, sweetie, I do believe they might be talking about that darling cutie pie that just passed by. Remember?

: Uh� Oh! Yes, yes! He was a cute one, he was. Small and very clever looking, I�d say.

: So you did see Tom, then? He�s been missing a while now.

: Eh? I didn�t know whether he was a girl or a boy, truth be told. Tom�s a right nice name though.

Oh pishposh, dear. I bet my best tea set that it was a girl who passed by our room.

: Hmm, yes, now that you mention it, I had a feeling that the scamp might have been a girl. But until you flip the thing on its back and get a good long look, you never can be sure, can you?

Now I�m all confuddled. I don�t have the faintest idea who we�re talking about anymore.

: What?!

: On the contrary, Luke, we may have just stumbled on to some extremely valuable information.

: What do you mean, Professor?

: You�ll see. First, let�s return to the scene of Tom�s disappearance.

First, let�s get another puzzle.

: It was nice talking with you, though. Let me give you a puzzle for the road!

Music: Puzzle

�Each time the message is spoken, it can have only one recipient.� What you need to remember here is that any one person can only spread the message to one other person at a time. Try reading the problem again bearing in mind the above.
Every time a given person relays the message to another person, the number of people who know the message will increase by one.
One minute after the game starts, two people will know the message. If each of those people then goes on to spread the message, by the end of the second minute, a total of four people will know the message. Do you see where this is going?

Music: Molentary Express

: Still, don�t get your hopes up about finding that little boy. He could be anywhere.

Goodness, listen to my husband. Sometimes he can be a little negative without realising it. I, for one, am cheering for you. Best of luck finding that little one!

There�s the second of ten pieces.

As soon as we exit this car�

: So you two are still flipping furniture trying to find that tyke, are you?

: Hm? Do you mean to say that the child has been found?

: No, no, not at all. What I�m saying is that the child is no longer on this train. I�ve asked everyone aboard, but no one gave me an answer that suggested they�d seen the lad. This led me to the conclusion that the poor child either got off the train or fell off it.

: Fell off?!

: Yes, it�s entirely plausible given the way children love to run amok. When you combine that with their oversized heads, you�ve got yourself a recipe for disaster. I�ll contact the railway police at the next station, so feel free to give up on your search.

: Just a moment, Inspector. The windows on this train are very high and every exit is manned. Given the situation, don�t you think it�s unlikely a child could have made it off the train unnoticed?

: All right, I�ll humour you. So, tell me, Layton, where do you think this elusive ankle-biter got off to?

: Oh, there�s just no reasoning with you. Fine, keep playing detective. Nothing�ll come of it, I tell you!

Let�s head back again towards our own car.

: What�s on your mind, my boy? You look distracted.

: It�s hard to put my finger on why, but I feel like someone has been watching us for a while.

: You too? I�ve been feeling that same sensation myself.

: It�s certainly possible. Keep an eye out for anything unusual.

I�m not going to insult your intelligence and ask what�s changed since the last time we were here.

: This looks like one of Tom�s shoes, doesn�t it, Professor?

: It certainly does.

: This is strange, though� It�s for the same foot as the shoe the inspector gave us earlier.

: So it is� Aha!

Any goons care to finish Layton�s sentence here?

Puzzles in this Update:

Music: Puzzle

Working backward from the goal in your head is a great tactic that can help you find the answer.
The solution requires that you take exactly 19 steps from the start point to the goal.
From the start point, begin your walk by taking a step to the right.

The black-and-white color scheme of the altered image makes this puzzle a lot more challenging, doesn�t it? However, this change to the image may ends up helping you more than you know. Remember, in the altered image, dark spots are now bright, and vice versa.
If you�ve been looking for what parts of A, B, and C don�t match the black-and-white image, you�ll eventually find an answer. But since there is only a single solution, it may be easier to start by finding how A, B, and C differ from one another.
Pay attention to the circles at the centre of each flower. Also take a good look at the number of dots and their positions in each image.

To start, try tracing your way through the maze. This trick is probably old news to you by now, but in case you forgot, it�s often helpful to try working your way backward from the exit.
Do mazes make your head spin? Take some of the work out of following all those roads by using the Memo function to mark dead ends and the paths that lead to them.
If you�ve already figured out which animals can make it to the exit, congratulations. But think for a moment about the title of this puzzle. All of the animals are free once they leave their cages, but it can be a jungle out there. Just because an animal can find its way to the exit doesn�t mean it�ll make it out alive�

# ¿ Jan 22, 2015 22:30

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Tom's True Identity

Puzzles in the Previous Update:

Music: Puzzle

This is the maze of shoes one. I would show the answer before hitting submit, but as I said before, the colour doesn't render on my game for some reason.

Many goons noted that it was easier to work backwards on this, and I agree with them.

0 makes sense. 0/6 = 0, 0/5 = 0, 0/4 = 0, and so on, so 0 passengers get off at the first stop, 0 get off at the second stop, and so on. And unless we deal in negative passengers, it certainly is the lowest number of passengers possible.

Yeah, doesn't count. It's a bit silly, because based on the letter of the puzzle I can't find a problem with 0 as an answer.

6 was the answer most goons came to, and it's what we're looking for.

I've got nothing to add here; it's not a particularly hard puzzle.

We'll see this puzzle type again, so I'll wait on talking more about this puzzle.

Everyone who posted successfully found the wrinkle in this puzzle - that the lion would eat the rabbit, so only the lion would make it out safely.

I like this wrinkle in that it makes it more than just a maze puzzle, but I don't like that you have to assume that the lion will find the rabbit.

No one fell for this trap either.

And now back to our show.

Music: Silence

: Hmm? What exactly do you mean?

: Recall, for a moment, the events as they have unfolded thus far.

: Er, let�s see�

Music: Suspense

: First, that tiny shoe was found on the floor.

: That�s right. A shoe small enough for a baby.

: And then there was the cap we found in the kitchen� But it was lodged in such a tiny corner, I don�t know how Tom could have squeezed in there.

: Correct. In order to get back there, Tom would have to be no more than half your size.

: I don�t think I�ve seen any boys smaller than myself on the train, now that you mention it.

: That was my impression as well. Which is why I began to consider a different line of thought.

: You see, all the while we�ve been searching for Tom, we�ve assumed that he�s a small child. But what if that assumption proves false? What if we�ve been wrong from the start?

: I think I see what you�re getting at, Professor� The second shoe was a left shoe, identical in every way to the shoe the inspector gave us. If that strange pair of shoes means what I think it does, then our friend Tom is�

Music: Puzzle

Oh boy, a slide puzzle. In all fairness, this one isn�t actually all that bad, partially because it�s a story puzzle - meaning that everyone has to be able to solve it.

Those L-shaped pieces are pretty awkward to move around, aren�t they? If only you could change the shape of the pieces into something easier to move around. Say...a square, perhaps?
Pair each L-shaped piece with a small square block, and treat each pair as a single unit to be moved.
By the way, you might be interested to know that this puzzle can be solved in as few as 20 moves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AD1ZiVGVFtU

Music: Molentary Express

Points to Zuzie for being the first one to figure this out.

: Do you recall the girl we saw holding a small dog? I suspect that small dog was our friend Tom.

Bonus points to Zuzie for guessing that the dog we�re looking for was the one that girl was holding.

: So if we track down that girl, we�ll find Tom!

So let�s head towards the observation deck. We also probably ought to tell Chelmey.

: I was just about to head over to Babette�s and inform her that her child is no longer aboard the train.

: Inspector, we are mere moments away from discovering Tom�s location. Could I ask you to give us just a while longer to ponder on the situation?

: Still don�t want to face the truth, eh, Layton? Fine, since you�re so intent on it and seeing as Babette is napping right now, I�ll wait a while longer. The moment she wakes up, though, I�m taking my findings to her. Got it? If you want to prove yourself right, bring the boy back before that.

: Understood. I plan to do just that, Inspector.

: We�d better find the girl with the dog as quickly as we can, Professor.

This man is blocking the way to the observation deck, so let�s chat with him.

: I can�t see how I could dislike a couple of ardent puzzle-solvers like yourselves. Let�s be pals, eh?

This is one of the what I�ll call �puzzle checks.� If you haven�t solved more than 12 puzzles by this point, Grousley would prevent you from reaching the observation deck.

That being said, we�ve been solving every puzzle we can get our hands on and we have 24 puzzles to our name, so we�re fine.

He also has a puzzle.

: Hrm. Hrrrrm? What about�? No. Hmph. This puzzle is going to keep me up all night� Oh, sorry about that. Now, what�s with you two? What can I do you for?

: We�re looking for a young lady with a small do. Have you seen anyone fitting that description?

: Yeah, I remember seeing someone like that pass by. I think she was heading to the back of the train.

: Thank you very much. We�ll just be on our way.

: I see how it is. Get ol� Grousley to answer your question and then scoot off without a word. I told you what you wanted to know, so the way I see it, you should at least lend a man a hand.

: I�m terribly sorry, sir. I didn�t realise you required our help. How may we be of service?

: A friend gave me this puzzle because I love art, but� Maybe you�ll have better luck with it than I�ve had. Fancy giving it a go?

Music: Puzzle

You never know what secrets the area around the window might hide. Try using those studs stuck around the frame of the window to simplify things.
Open the Memo function and, using the studs around the window, divide the picture into 10 squares. There, now doesn�t that make things easier?
Compare each square with the others. By now, perhaps you�ve managed to spot that some of the squares have the same designs as other squares but are inverted in color scheme. Any pair of squares you find like this have the same amount of sky and cloud, right? But you still have to deal with those other squares that are completely blue.

Music: Molentary Express

: Now, as for that girl you were asking about, she�s probably on the observation deck behind me.

There�s the third part.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsbK7zVic9o

Music: Molentary Express

: Quick! Grab him!

: To think we were chasing after a dog all along�!

: Ho ho, right you are, Luke. Now let�s get him back to his owner.

: Of course not. Come along now.

And so we head to Babette�s car.

: THIS is Tom?! We were under the impression that we were searching for a boy, not a mutt with a fancy haircut!

: How dare you compare my darling Tommykins to some common street mongrel?!

: Lost dogs are no matter for Scotland Yard. Next time he goes missing, find him yourself! Blimey, some folks haven�t an ounce of sense. Come on, Barton, we�ve got real cases to solve.

: Don�t you walk away from me! I want to have a word with you about your atrocious manners!

*brief fade to black*

: Well, enough of that. Welcome back, sweetie. Where did my little Tommykins run off to today? He�s such a darling that I feared someone might have kidnapped him and held him for ransom.

: Good idea, my boy.

: Eep.

: I do believe a reward is in order. Here, I know it�s quite, ahem, generous, but I insist!

Only the finest reward for the rescuers of your darling Tommykins, eh Babette?

: How much longer until we get there, Professor? I�m not entirely sure. Why don�t we rest until we get there? That should make the time pass faster.

The Layton symbol over the Mystery indicates that it�s been solved.

And now a brief look at our new hamster toy.

: Well, until I found that little dog I�d just been relaxing in my room.

: Really? You�ve got your own room?

: Sure, I do. It�s the middle one in the third carriage.

: Wow! You do know that�s the room right next to ours, don�t you?

: You were just a wall away from us and I never so much as suspected you were there. It would seem that my powers of observation are rather rusty.

At this point, we get kicked directly to Layton�s car.

: My word! Why has the train stopped?

: What�s going on?

And then we get kicked outside the train.

: Hey boss-man, just chill out. There�s a broken train, like, just sitting on the track. Until we can move that thing out of our way, we�re not going anywhere, man.

: Then get your rear in gear and move it now! I won�t have your laziness tarnishing the Molentary brand!

: But, uh, trains are heavy, man! How am I supposed to move it?

: I will not hear excuses, especially not from a layabout conductor like you who barely earns his keep! I don�t care how you do it! Just get it done!

: OK, OK, I�ll give it a shot. Just turn it down a notch, Unko.

: �Unko�?! I might be your uncle, but I�m also president of this railway and I demand you address me as such!

: OK, all right, sure. Whatever you say, your majesty�

Let�s take a moment to talk to Beluga.

Geez. Let�s move left.

: Oh, sorry, Mr Passenger. See, there�s this giganto freight train parked on the tracks and it�s blocking our way. Clearing the tracks is gonna take some time, so, um, sit back with something fizzy and wait.

: I see. Can I lend you a hand?

: For real? Aw yeah, that�d be way helpful! You think you can find a way to move the train blocking the tracks so we can, like, get moving?

: Step aside now. We�re not going anywhere until that train moves off the tracks.

Tapping Hank gives us the puzzle to fix this train problem.

Music: Puzzle

More slide puzzles. Yay.

Your first goal is to get the cars from the shorter train to their assigned places.
Move the red car marked 1 to the space on the far-right side of the upper track. After that, move all the white cars down to the lower track, and you�ll be able to slide that first red car into its assigned spot.
Apply the method described in Hint Two to move the other cars, and you�ll have those trains switched around in no time!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CEOmDz3SF4

Music: Molentary Express

: Looks like we�re good to go. Gimme just a sec and we�ll be up and runnin� again.

And so we return to our room.

: It shouldn�t be too much longer before we arrive in Dropstone.

: I wonder if we�ll find any useful information there.

: I hope so.

And that makes four.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gzRzmoWRGc

Puzzles in this Update:

Music: Puzzle

# ¿ Jan 24, 2015 04:44

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

DLC Set 1

Alright, I feel bad about giving you a single puzzle to do at the end of that last update.

Let�s check out the Bonuses section for a moment.

Puzzle Index is the same thing as it is in the trunk - it just lets you replay any puzzle you�ve solved before. Layton�s Challenges we won�t deal with for quite a while. Top Secret is, well, top secret. Weekly Puzzles is what we�re here for.

As you can probably tell from the name of this update and the options here, this game featured puzzles released on a weekly basis that you could download over Nintendo WFC.

Let�s see what we have right now.

They give you one without downloading anything. Let�s go ahead and do it.

And it is, of course, a sliding puzzle. Because we haven�t had enough of those lately.

If you think about moving the red vertical bars as a set, you should do just fine.

As a side note, weekly puzzles only have one hint.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34irpdgLYjg

Weekly puzzles reward no picarats. They�re just for fun. Unfortunately, Nintendo WFC no longer exists, so we can�t download these puzzles anymore.

Or can we? It turns out that the DS didn�t actually download the puzzles - they were on the cart to begin with. All we need to do is access them.

I did a bit of searching and found a code for the US version of the game. This screenshot looks a bit messed up, but this will let me access all of the weekly puzzles.

Incidentally, there are no US/UK exclusive weekly puzzles, so you guys won�t miss out on anything other than some extra �u�s.

Er, right. The way the cheat works is by making other puzzles think they�re weekly puzzle number one, so in the interest of not having a lot of weekly puzzle number ones, I broke out MSPaint so we can tell them apart.

Alright, that�s all I have to say. Enjoy the puzzles!

There are plenty of solutions if you were free to make lots of moves, but you need the answer involving the fewest moves. Also, only numbers in the two rightmost columns should move.

The next time the clocks look the same, they won�t be pointing at 12:00. Once you realize that, it�s just a simple calculation problem.

Those two squares that stick out on the far right are part of an edge of the finished piece.

It helps to know that opposite faces on a single die always add up to seven. Use that as the basis for your deduction.

The length of a side of the original square is equal to the diameter of the circle you cut. If you then cut the largest possible square from that circle, what would be the relationship of the circle�s diameter to the new square?

The answers to these puzzles will show up at the start of the next update along with Puzzle 012.

# ¿ Jan 24, 2015 04:44

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Tax Refund posted:

Puzzle TR01:
[snip]

Oh good, I love a good puzzle!

...Wait just a second.

Oh, uh, so this is awkward.

I guess I should make it a rule now. Layton games have a lot of puzzles in them, and there's a decent chance that if you didn't make it up yourself (and even if you did), it'll be in one of the Layton games in some form. This puzzle is actually a variant of Puzzle 119 in this game. As such, you're free to share your puzzles (and I encourage it, because then I get more puzzles to solve), but if you do, please put the answer in spoiler tags.

Oh, and if anyone else posts another puzzle, number it TR02. If we get rolling on this, I'll put a compilation of thread puzzles in the second post.

# ¿ Jan 24, 2015 16:48

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Update coming sometime later today.

# ¿ Jan 27, 2015 18:58

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Puzzling Times in Dropstone

Puzzles in the Previous Update:

Music: Puzzle

Incidentally, Tax Refund found the answer to the bonus puzzle here without knowing it (you can't rotate the tiles, though you wouldn't know that unless you tried. Answer to that is below.

Tax Refund posted:

Swap the 0 and 5 in the top row, then ROTATE the 9 at the end of the top row so that it becomes a 6. Now the equation reads 850+476=1326, which is correct.

I'm sure there's a good way to figure these out without guess and check (and someone should tell me if there is), but that's all I've got for these.

It's worth noting that in most Layton puzzles, you can assume that any six sided die has a normal layout so that opposing sides of the die add up to 7 (1 is opposite 6, 2 is opposite 5, and 3 is opposite 4) unless the puzzle says otherwise.

This comic was posted in the thread, and is very relevant to this sort of puzzle.

Music: Silence

We�ve made it to Chapter 2! For those that are keeping count, we have 26 puzzles to our name out of the ~140 in the main story. That means we�re roughly 20% through the game!

So what have we learned about the Elysian Box so far? Well, we know that� uh� wait poo poo we spent all our time on the Molentary Express dealing with Babette�s dog.

Music: Dropstone

Also, I finally get to post a music link that isn�t Puzzle, London, Molentary Express, or Suspense. It�s a testament to the quality of the soundtrack that we�ve heard the same four tracks for over an hour real time and I still like them.

: We�ve got at least three hours till we�ll be ready to roll, so why don�t you catch the local sights?

: A capital idea! Besides, who knows what information we might stumble upon in the village?

Let�s talk to Sammy again.

: My unc- I mean, the boss is wandering around the village and so is that inspector dude. The village is celebrating its 50th anniversary right now, so I bet there�s tons of stuff to do. If I weren�t stuck working, I�d definitely go check it out myself.

: So the village was founded only 50 years ago? That�s quite young for a settlement in these parts.

: And it�s so peaceful here that I really can�t believe we�ll find any clues about the Elysian Box.

: Oh, I wouldn�t be so sure of that, Luke. Remember, one of the first rules of puzzle solving is that the answer is often in the unlikeliest of places!

The second rule is that, yes, you are overthinking the puzzle. The third is that yes, you are missing the trick to the puzzle.

: Right as always, Professor! I�ll be sure to keep my eyes peeled for clues!

Here�s a poster with a puzzle.

: Yes, yes, it�s quite lovely, Luke. Oh, but there�s something quite odd about the picture.

: Huh? What do you mean, Professor?

Music: Puzzle

There�s nothing wrong with the dog.
The moon hanging in the sky and the lamppost are fine as is. Oh, and don�t bother searching the man in the foreground of the picture either.
The detail you�re searching for has to do with the train car. Once you�ve spotted it, you�re sure to shout, �There�s no way you could move it like that!�

Music: Dropstone

There�s part number five.

Let�s move to the right and talk to Beluga.

: It�s delightful. Every once in a while, it�s nice to leave the city and enjoy the countryside.

: The air is so fresh and clean! It must be nice to live here all the time. I�m so jealous!

: And so you should be, young man! There�s something about this place that makes you feel like a new man.

: And with the village celebrating its 50th anniversary today, our timing couldn�t be better. Come to think of it, your Molentary Express turned 50 this year, didn�t it? Quite the coincidence.

: Still, it could have been fun to have a double anniversary celebration here at the festival.

: Well, we already have a grand 50th anniversary celebration planned at an exclusive venue in London.

: Oh, is that so? Well, I�m sure your party will be on a par with the excellence of your train.

: It will. And on that note, I�m afraid I�ll have to excuse myself. Good day to you, Mr Layton.

: Good day to you, Mr Beluga.

: My, it�s already a year since she passed away. Time truly does just fly by�

: Who do you think he was talking about, Professor?

: I haven�t the slightest idea, Luke.

Let�s move to the right and talk to this guy.

: Indeed we are. We were travelling on the Molentary Express, but we�ve stopped here for repairs.

: If you�re here for repairs, there�s only one place you could be headed, am I right?

: Only one place we could be headed? What do you mean, sir?

: Hmm? Oh, I, um, was just thinking out loud. Yep, just talking to myself. Forget about it. Here, did you notice the festival that�s going on today here in Dropstone? Today marks the 50th year since the founding of our village. Make sure you get in on the fun!

: The sunshine has me in such a good mood, I�m gonna go ahead and tell you a puzzle I�ve had tucked away.

Music: Puzzle

B looks like it should fit together with its other half quite nicely.
D and another piece shaped like it would make a fine cube as well.
You�re down to two possible answers at this point. Choose the one that seems the least likely to fit with its twin.

Music: Dropstone

: While we�re talking puzzles, have you ever heard about that mysterious puzzle-collecting lady? I hear she gathers and stores all the lost puzzles of the world. How she does it is a conundrum wrapped in an enigma-stuffed mystery. Y�know, a mystenigdrum.

Of course, a mystenigdrum. I�m curious how one would pronounce that. Anyways, we head north from here.

: I�ve never been to festival before. It�s wonderful!

: Oh, that�s right, Flora. I�d forgotten how you grew up in that one little village. Well, now�s your chance to make up for lost time. Let�s explore!

: Yes, let�s! Where should we go first?

: Ooh, let�s go look at that booth over there! I want to see what they�ve got!

: Wait for me!

: Ha ha ha! You two watch where you�re running or you�re liable to crash into something.

This cart has a puzzle for us.

Huh. I assume that veg is short for vegetables, but I don�t think I�ve heard it used like that.

: It probably belongs to the person running that little stand.

: Oh, but it looks like one of the wheels is dented. That must make it difficult to move.

: Yeah, I bet it�s a real pain.

: Oh, but you know, that reminds me of a puzzle about a dented wheel�

Music: Puzzle

This wheel�s shape is essentially a triangle with the corners rounded off. Since the axle is positioned close to one of the cornets, you can expect the pattern it creates to be rather unconventional.
The axle is positioned far from the centre of the wheel, so you can expect the path it traces to contain an exaggerated up-and-down movement.
B and E are not the answer. Choose from the remaining three options, and don�t forget what you read in Hint Two!

Music: Dropstone

: If you�ve got any more puzzles, I�ve got answers! I�m impressed you knew a puzzle like that. I�d never heard that one before.

: Well, I try my best to impress the professor! Hehe.

If you haven�t worked it out yet, this is going to be one of those updates where we knock out all the random puzzles lying around a new location.

: Oh, it�s a fairground game.

: I tell you what, since business is so slow right now, the first try is on me.

: Gosh, really mister? Come on, Flora, we can try together!

Music: Puzzle

Don�t trust your eyes! This puzzle contains an optical illusion.
Instead of looking at this one straight on, try rotating your Nintendo DS a little so that you have a diagonal view of the puzzle.
Here�s an interesting bit of trivia. This particular optical illusion is known as the Poggendorff Illusion.

Music: Dropstone

: Really? Gosh, thank you!

How� generous. That�s the sixth part. _{How the hell did parts of Sammy�s camera end up here?}

On the right, we find another person with a puzzle.

: What seems to be the problem, madam?

: My sweet little bird fell down a hole in the ground. I want to help the poor thing, but I just can�t reach her. Do you have any ideas?

: I believe there�s something we can try.

Music: Puzzle

Each tunnel branches off in a number of directions, so you may have trouble processing everything if you�re relying on your eyes alone. Use your stylus and trace each route to get a better understanding of each tunnel.
The wrong tunnels all split off in a number of directions, but the tunnel you�re looking for will reconverge into a single path before it reaches the exit.
All the paths stemming from tunnel A take you deeper into the ground or into the snake�s den.

Music: Dropstone

: I wish I had some way of thanking you properly� Oh, I know! Here, you can have this tea set and these lovely herbs. Take �em, I insist!

And here�s our final minigame. Making tea. Laurel also gives us three starter ingredients - Oasis Leaf, Brisk Berry, and Citronia Seed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ztJTFfAYY

Here�s the summary: Combine three ingredients to make one of twelve types of tea. How do you find out what combinations make new teas? There are two ways. One - guess. For instance, you might think that since teas take three ingredients and we just got three ingredients, we could make a tea with one measure of each. And you�d be correct, as shown in the video above. This isn�t a good way to do it when we get more ingredients, as there are a lot of possible combinations. The second way will be explained a bit later in the update.

: Well, it�s a bit too sweet for me, but I understand why so many children enjoy it.

: I think I could drink a whole pot of this stuff by myself. Just watch me!

: Ha ha ha! You�ve got quite the sweet tooth, Luke. Just try not to drink it too fast.

This is another tea we can make with one measure of Oasis Leaf and two measures of Brisk Berry.

This is the message you get when you combine three measures of the same ingredient. If you are discovering teas by guessing, it�s useful to know that you can�t make tea using only one ingredient.

: Why not take a sip and find out for yourself?

: Eww! I think I�ll give this one a miss.

: Where did I go wrong? I was so sure I�d brewed something good, too.

Layton and Luke also have some fun commentary when you fail to make a good tea.

After we head back to the trunk, there�s a �HELP!� over the tea set. What�s that about?

You�ll notice that the �Tea Time� in the lower-right has been replaced with �HELP!�

And this is the second method. Over the course of the game, various characters will ask us to brew them some tea. When they do so, they will give us hints about the ingredients of teas in their requests, much like Layton is doing here (though most will be less explicit than this).

We�ll serve Layton the Citrus Classic.

Now that�s good tea! Layton seems restored and in high spirits. You found a hint coin at the bottom of the tea cup!

And Laurel has another puzzle for us.

: See, I�m trying to wrap this flower I grew to give to a friend. I�ve got green fingers when it comes to plants, but I�m all thumbs when it comes to wrapping. Help an old gal out, would you?

Music: Puzzle

Pay attention to the direction and starting point of each diagrammed fold.
Since the green edge on the wrapping paper will be obscured as you roll up the paper in A and D, you can throw out both these answers.
You�re left with only two options at this point, so focus on the direction of the wrapping, and you�ll soon find the solution.

Music: Dropstone

: I�m sure you know the basics of brewing, yes? Put in one measure of each of the three ingredients I gave you to make a nice cup of Citrus Classic tea. However, there�s a lot of room for experimentation. For example, try brewing two parts Brisk Berry with one part something else. Get it right and you�ll make a sweet, crisp tea that is just wonderful. If you happen to pick up any other tea herbs, try creating more blends of your own. There�s a whole world of complex flavours waiting to be discovered. You just to find them.

It occurs to me that I might not have explained the hamster minigame as well as I could have, so now that we can lower our hamster�s level I�ll give a better example.

First, here�s the flower. It�s identical to the house.

And here�s a setup for a nine step workout. There are any number of combinations you could use for this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbFA3EbnJ9g

Even the trees have puzzles here. What a great place to live.

: With a structure like that, it must be quite old. I wonder how long it�s been here. Oh, Luke, our little conversation reminded me of a puzzle I know. Care to hear it?

: Why not?

Music: Puzzle

It�s a simple question, so try not to overthink it.
The puzzle has set a trap for you in its wording. There are no outright lies, but you will need to read carefully.
Just draw a line between the two trees with the greatest amount of space between them. ...No one ever said you had to choose two trees directly adjacent to one another.

Gonna end the update here since we've hit seven puzzles.

Puzzles in this Update:

Music: Puzzle

# ¿ Jan 28, 2015 01:12

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Puzzling Times in Dropstone 2

Puzzles in the Previous Update:

Music: Puzzle

I happen to be awful with spacial reasoning, but A and B are pretty clearly able to form a cube. D might take a few seconds to reason through, but knocking out D leaves C as the one that can't form a cube.

Bonus puzzle: What would the wheels that made the other trails look like?

Answer: I don't know, I'm still terrible with spacial reasoning.

Tax Refund posted:

The fact that B is in a blue circle but points to an arrow with red fletching, while A is in a red circle but points to an arrow with blue fletching, approaches "just plain unfair" levels.

I think this is more of an accident. Scroll back up to the previous puzzle - A is red, B is blue, and C is yellow. I checked a few more multiple choice puzzles and it seemed to be consistent. My guess is that someone drew up the art for the puzzle, the buttons were added with their default colours, and nobody checked to make sure that this made sense with the art.

Get a pencil and get to drawing. The Memo function is pretty useful here.

One of those "how closely did you read the puzzle description" puzzles.

Music: Dropstone

The Tree Stump is functionally identical to the house and flower.

Anyways, we move left back to the place with the arrow game and then left again.

: My memory�s not what it used to be, but you�re not from around here, are you? Waiting for the train? How do I know, you ask? Well, this isn�t the first time it�s happened. As fancy as that train is, it must be in rotten shape. Chin up, sonny. More often than not, the train gets fixed in a few hours. What with the festival and all, there�s plenty to see and do here in the meantime.

There�s something that�s off about this, but I can�t quite put my finger on it�

: Thank you for the information. If I could trouble you for a moment, though, I�d like to ask about a relic known as the Elysian Box. You may also know it as Pandora�s Box.

: Ahem. I mean, oh dear me, I�ve never heard of the dreadful thing. Never, you hear?

: Hm?

: Hmph, well, I�m not sure if I want to talk to you any more. To be frank, I was in high spirits till you came along. Now I�m grumpier than a cat in the rain. If you want to prove you�re sorry for ruining my day, solve this here puzzle.

Music: Puzzle

The correct solution doesn�t involve the golfer overshooting the hole.
There�s no reason our golfing friend should have to hit each putt straight toward the hold. Perhaps he could put his ball in a better position with a shot that travels diagonally.
Picture the golfer taking a diagonal shot relative to the hole. If he hits the ball exactly 11 metres and angles the shot so that this first putt puts him exactly halfway between his starting position and the hole� Do you see where this is going?

Music: Dropstone

: You�ve got a good head on those shoulders, sonny. Mind you, you�d need one to wear that hat.

They�ve finished preparing, so we can head up to the main plaza.

: Ooh, I just love all the hustle and bustle. It�s so wonderful!

: Shall we take in some more of the plaza�s sights then?

: Definitely!

I can't decide if this guy has the thickest glasses ever or the thickest eyebrows ever.

: I heard you�ve been running around Dropstone asking questions, but you haven�t talked to me yet! If you solve this puzzle then I, the king of Dropstone trivia, will answer your questions.

Music: Puzzle

Every time I do this puzzle I always think it should be worth more picarats.

The first portrait you choose should be of a man.
Move ~~counter~~anticlockwise to find your answer.
The first portrait you should remove is the girl positioned at five o�clock.

Music: Dropstone

: OK, ask away. If you�ve got any questions about the village or its history, I�m your man.

: It�s slightly off topic, but do you know anything about a relic known as the Elysian Box? You may have heard people referring to it as �Pandora�s Box� as well.

: Hm, it�s hard to believe, but you�ve gone beyond my area of expertise. I�ve never heard of the thing. What I can tell you is that older people in this village jump at the very mention of the supernatural. From what I gather, it seems they have some connection to the village in the days of its founding. Unfortunately, that�s all the info I can really give you on that subject. Sorry to let you down.

: It appears to be commemorating something. Let�s see what�s written on it...

Music: Puzzle

This is why the update took a while to get out. _{Actually I recently returned to college and so I�ve just been busy. _{Okay actually one of my friends got me playing Skyrim again.}} We�ve got a puzzle that is different between the US and UK versions.

The puzzle text tells you that the sculptor engraved the wrong date into the stone, so you know that 12-8 isn�t the date Dropstone was founded.
Does the sculpture�s shape give you a clue into what it could have been converted? That big bowl and the opening at the top should indicate that this sculpture is now a fountain.
Though currently dry, the fountain�s big bowl is usually filled with water. Why don�t you take a moment to� reflect on this?

The puzzles aren�t very different.

The puzzle asks you to answer with a three-letter word. Say� part of the engraving is the three-letter word RED. That�s not just a coincidence, is it?
Imagine how things would look if you filled the wineglass part of the monument to the brim with water.
When the wineglass part of the monument is filled with water, the bottom half of the inscription �8-12� is submerged in water, and the top half casts a reflection on the water�s surface. Can you picture what that would look like?

And that�s it for UK/US exclusive puzzles!

No, really.

Music: Dropstone

: 50 years sounds like a long time for a person, but I suppose it�s not very long for a village.

: Quite so. But this fact just invites more questions. Why did this settler come here in the first place? It�s hard to believe he or she simply set forth from their old residence to found a new village�

: Yup, but it looks like it�s closed for the day.

: Well, they probably wanted to give everyone a chance to enjoy today�s festivities. Luke, this reminds me of a puzzle set in front of a village hall like this one. Care to give it a go?

: You know I do, Professor!

Music: Puzzle

Think about how many votes exist in the town, excluding the three cast by the candidates themselves.
Even the three candidates themselves have the right to vote. Of course, seeing as how each of them wants to win, it�s a given that the candidates will likely vote for themselves.
Forty votes, minus the three votes cast by the candidates, leaves you with 37 votes. Find the number of votes it takes to gain a majority in a pool of 37 voters, and add one additional vote to that sum to get your answer.

Music: Dropstone

Moving to the right of the plaza gives us�

Cow balloons?

: It looks like the villagers are setting up for the livestock competition.

: Livestock competition?

: That sounds like fun!

: Yes, I�d certainly like to see the competition myself, but it doesn�t appear quite ready to start yet.

: While we�re waiting, can we go and see more of the village.

: Certainly. We can return later when the competition commences.

: Yay!

So we go left (back to the plaza), down (back to the arrow game), and right (back to where we got the tea).

: Don�t just come up to me and start talking like you know me, OK? I was dreaming up the world�s most amazing hat, but you came along and derailed my train of thought!

: Oh, I did? I�m sorry about that.

: Sorry, are you? Well, don�t just say it, prove it! By solving this amazing puzzle I thought up.

Music: Puzzle

Start by placing a rain tile on each day where our friend didn�t wear a hat.
Once you place the rain tiles down as described in Hint 1, you may notice that there are no more places left for your cloud tile. You could place it down on one of the days with a hat if that day was the second day of cloudy weather in a row, but no two days in this week appear to have been cloudy�
If the weather was cloudy on the Sunday of the previous week, he could wear his hat on Monday.

Puzzles in this Update:

Music: Puzzle

The first portrait you choose should be of a man.
Move ~~counter~~anticlockwise to find your answer.
The first portrait you should remove is the girl positioned at five o�clock.

The puzzle asks you to answer with a three-letter word. Say� part of the engraving is the three-letter word RED. That�s not just a coincidence, is it?
Imagine how things would look if you filled the wineglass part of the monument to the brim with water.
When the wineglass part of the monument is filled with water, the bottom half of the inscription �8-12� is submerged in water, and the top half casts a reflection on the water�s surface. Can you picture what that would look like?

Accursed Walrus fucked around with this message at 18:57 on Feb 1, 2015

# ¿ Feb 1, 2015 02:09

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

quote:

Puzzle 047 Chat

I'll go ahead and settle this, actually.

See if you can spot the difference. For reference, the US version was released on August 24, 2009 and the UK (er, EU) version was released on September 25, 2009.

Now you all can go ahead and discuss localization decisions instead.

Carbon dioxide posted:

Secondly, does the third hint for the golfing puzzle really say 'feet' while the question is in meters?

I transcribe everything by hand, so sometimes stuff gets through. Thanks for pointing this out.

Carbon dioxide posted:

First of all, for the hamster game, it seems that he favours the apple over all other items, but the other items are equal. What happens if you have two non-apple items an equal distance away from him?

Right, knew I was forgetting something - give me a few hours and I'll do a more comprehensive write up of Rick's AI.

# ¿ Feb 1, 2015 18:56

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Alright, here's a summary of how Rick's AI works for each move. I'll throw this in the second post as well. If something is unclear, tell me and I'll get screenshots to help explain.

It's worth noting that Rick is not a ghost and cannot move through items. If Rick has a house directly in front of him and an apple is behind it, Rick will go to the house (because to get to the apple, Rick would need to go around the house, and that would require four steps).

General Movement Rules

1. If there are special circumstances that force Rick to move to a certain item, he does so. We'll deal with these later. If not, go to step two.
2. If there are any apples that Rick can move to in three moves, Rick moves to it. If there are multiple apples within three squares, go to the multiple items section. If not, go to step three.
3. If there are any non-apple items that Rick is interested in (we'll find items that Rick isn't interested in later) that Rick can move to in three moves, Rick moves to it. If there are multiple, go to the multiple items section. If there are no items that Rick is interested in within three squares of Rick, the workout ends.

Multiple Items Rules

1. Rick will prioritize the closest item. If there are multiple items at the same distance from Rick, go to step two.
Examples:
a. If Rick has a tree stump two spaces in front of him and a house one space behind him, Rick will go for the house.
b. If Rick has a flower one space to his left and one space up from him and a tree stump two spaces to his left and one space down from him, Rick will go for the flower.

2. Rick will prioritize the item that requires the least number of turns (counting turning around as two turns). If the items require identical numbers of turns, go to step three.
Examples:
a. If Rick has an apple one square in front of him and an apple one square to the side of him, he will go for the apple directly in front of him.
b. If Rick has a tree stump two squares in front of him and one to the left and a flower three spaces behind him, he will go for the tree stump.

3. Rick will prioritize the item that requires him to make the latest possible turns. If the items would require turning at identical times, go to step four.
Examples:
a. If Rick (facing downwards) has a house two squares right and one square down from his position and a flower one square right and two squares down from his position, Rick would go for the flower.
b. If Rick (facing rightwards) had items positioned identically to the previous example, Rick would go for the house.

4. Rick will turn anticlockwise, provided 1-3 are met. This only happens when Rick is facing a direction and has two items in front of him, one to his left and another to his right.
Here, have a cheat sheet.
Starting Direction --> Direction Rick Turns To
Right --> Up
Up --> Left
Left --> Down
Down --> Right
Examples:
a. If Rick (facing downwards) has a flower one square down and one square left of his position and a tree stump one square down and one square right of his position, Rick will go for the tree stump.
b. If Rick (facing rightwards) has a house one square right and one square up from his position and a flower one square right and one square down from his position, Rick will go for the house.

# ¿ Feb 1, 2015 20:11

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Glazius posted:

Man, this hamster minigame is going to have an amazingly convoluted solution, isn't it?

A convoluted solution isn't required to complete the minigame.

The optimal solution, on the other hand...

# ¿ Feb 2, 2015 01:53

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Mr Anderson

Puzzles in the Previous Update:

Music: Puzzle

There was a surprising amount of variance in the answers this time.

It's not hard to realize that 2 is impossible by trying it; 11+11 metres goes over, and any other combination of two strokes will be less than 20 metres. It's also pretty easy to figure out that three strokes is impossible. All the stroke values are odd, and the sum of three odd numbers will always be odd and therefore not equal to 20. Once you knock out 2 and 3 strokes, it's simple to find a combination that will get you 20 metres in four strokes - 5+5+5+5 being the most obvious one.

It's good reasoning, but not what we're looking for.

Answers were all over the place on this puzzle, probably because this puzzle is easy to misinterpret. Things that are easy to miss or make a mistake about - the first portrait counts as one, remembering to skip crossed out portraits, and that movement has to be either anticlockwise or clockwise, but not both.

I went back and forth on how to present this puzzle and its US version, as several posters noted that the US version tells you that the statue is a fountain which helps you solve the UK version. After you find the answer to the UK version, you use the same method to solve the US puzzle. That being said, I didn't want to put the US and UK puzzles in different updates, so astute puzzlers just get a bit of a freebie on this pair.

There was an awful lot of controversy about this puzzle. Most people saw that the candidates would vote for themselves, but there was argument about whether or not the puzzle asked for the lowest number of votes the candidate would need for victory (14) or the lowest number of votes the candidate would need to secure victory with certainty (20). Initially, I was confused about the controversy; I thought it was fairly clear that the puzzle asked for the later. I reread the puzzle description and found it odd - I could have sworn the puzzle stated "with certainty" somewhere in the description. Guess what?

See if you can spot the difference. For reference, the US version was released on August 24, 2009 and the UK (er, EU) version was released on September 25, 2009.

Incidentally, this puzzle is also slightly different in the US version - the week starts on Sunday.

: Besides, two snappy dressers like us shouldn�t fight - we�d get our clothes all dirty.

Next let�s head left of the plaza.

: Since you�re new in town, let me clue you in on a few key facts about Dropstone. I know you�re interested, so don�t act all bashful and reserved on my account! Listen, if you only know one name in Dropstone, make sure it�s Mr Anderson�s. Not only is the man swimming in money, but he basically runs Dropstone. But he�s a top bloke who treats everyone with respect, even the postman. That�d be me, by the way. You can tell a lot about a man by the way he treats his local postie. But even nice guys like him have troubles. I hear he spends all his time worrying about his daughter. That reminds me, I just saw a pair of unusual characters head up towards Mr Anderson�s house. They said they were policemen from London, but something about them seemed awfully fishy to me.

: Two people, huh?

: Are you referring to Inspector Chelmey and his assistant?

: Chelmey, you say? That sounds right. He said he was here on official police business and needed to see Mr Anderson.

: Do you think there�s a connection between this Mr Anderson and the Elysian Box, Professor?

: Well, it seems that Mr Anderson serves as the head of this community. It�s only natural that he�d know about who and what passes through this area.

: He�s a big fish all right. You�re bang on the money about that.

: Yes, I bet those two officers are being waited on like kings at Mr Anderson�s as we speak. But enough chit-chat. We�ve got a festival going on now, so go and have some fun!

There�s a building on the left that we enter.

: Of course. My name is Hershel Layton, professor of archaeology, Gressenheller University.

: Charmed, sir. Welcome to Dropstone, Professor Layton. My name is Dorothea and I am a maid in the service of the Anderson family. Tell me, what brings you to our humble village.

: My companions and I are after an artefact known as the Elysian Box. Have you heard that name before.

: Hmm, can�t say that I have. But the master is quite knowledgeable about curiosities such as that.

: The master, madam?

: Oh yes, excuse my thoughtlessness. I keep forgetting you�re new here. You see, I�d venture there�s not a single resident of our village who doesn�t know Mr Anderson.

: I see. Well, if it�s possible, we�d be very grateful for an audience with Mr Anderson.

: Normally I�d say he�d be glad to receive you, but lately he�s been preoccupied with his daughter.

: I don�t mean to pry, but has there been some issue between Mr Anderson and his daughter?

: Secretly planning a trip alone? I hope she�s not planning to run away�

: What�s worse is that the master has started to suspect something is going on behind his back. But after much discussion, we servants have decided to give her a warm send-off.

: So you�re in support of allowing this girl to go off on her own? Why is that?

: I see. May I enquire as to what those wishes might have been?

: Well� I myself have only heard scraps of the story from other people, so I can�t say much. But whatever the request, it�s one that the young mistress seems to feel is extremely important. Oh, look at that. Here I am gossiping away when there�s supper to prepare. Please excuse me, Professor Layton. I need to get back to work.

: Oh, wait a second! ...Rats, she�s gone. Is it just me, Professor, or does it sound like Mr Anderson�s daughter is planning to leave home? If she is, doesn�t it seem strange to you that the family servants are cheering her on?

: Yes, very. And think about the consequences should Mr Anderson find out what�s been going on. The servants must have a truly solid reason if they�ve resolved to keep a secret like this.

Indeed. Dorothea in particular has done an excellent job keeping the trip a secret.

: You�re not the only one, Luke. But enough speculation. Let�s go and explore more of the village.

: OK, Professor!

Oh thank god, it�s been way too long since our last puzzle. We haven�t had this many words between puzzles since the prologue.

: Yep, he�s a cute one. Oh, if you like cats, Professor, I�ve got just the puzzle for you!

Music: Puzzle

This puzzle should look familiar.

Comparing A, B, or C with the picture on the far left is a lot of work, and it can be hard to find differences. So why not forget about that black-and-white picture for a moment and just focus on finding the differences between pictures A, B, and C?
Don�t forget to look at those lines in the background.
The eyebrows on each cat are worth a look too!

Back outside, we head up the road.

: I was hoping for a freebie, so I told Mr Beluga one of my puzzles to break the ice. Unfortunately for me, he got all hot under the collar when he couldn�t solve it. Here, maybe you�ll have better luck with it.

Music: Puzzle

Slide puzzle.

There are probably a few boxes you�re dying to move right off the bat, but if they�re stuck in place, start by moving the boxes you can to free up some space.
Start with the two square boxes on the left. Moving them up as far as they will go should help you clear enough space to move one of the rectangular red boxes below.
Move one of those green square boxes down into the space where your luggage will eventually go to help you free up some space.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntTf_25MxE8

: With people like you around, maybe we might actually solve the mystery of the Molentary Express. People say that the train occasionally makes a stop at a phantom town found on no map. Could just be a wild rumour, though. Who knows?

: An uncharted town?! Wow, I wonder if that�s true!

: Yes, and the weather is so nice that even the animals grazing in the field seem to be in a good mood. Hmm, this seems like the perfect time for a quick puzzle. See if you can solve this one.

Music: Puzzle

When crossing back over from B to A, you want to move as quickly as possible, so make sure you put yourself in a position to cross over to A on the one-hour horse when possible. However, if you always make traveling back on your one-hour horse your top priority, you may end up wasting time on other legs of the journey. Don�t assume you always need to return from B to A on the one-hour horse.
In order to move all your horses from A to B in the shortest amount of time, you�ll need to cross over from A to B three times and return from B to A twice. How do you make the most effective use of this limited number of crossings?
First, bring your one-hour and two-hour horses over to B, then return to A on your one-hour horse. Next, bring your four- and six-hour horses over to B and return to A on your two-hour horse. This method minimizes the overall amount of time necessary to move all your horses to point B.

: Of course, Luke. Animals enjoy nature�s glory as much as you and I do, if not more so.

I can only assume that we got this from one of the horses or something. 7/10 parts.

We can�t go up any further, so we�ll head right.

: It is impressive, to say the least. I�m sure that massive manor belongs to Mr Anderson.

: So that�s where Inspector Chelmey and his assistant went, right?

: I�d like to see this place for myself. Can we go and take a look?

: No, for now I think our best course of action is to gather what information we can in the village. Besides, I imagine the Andersons already have their hands full with their current guests.

: Good afternoon. What are you doing there, sir?

: Me? Oh, I�m just doing a little fishing in this here lake.

: Sounds like a lot of work. Have you had much luck?

: Actually, that�s a good question. Now that I think about it, how many have I managed to catch today?

Music: Puzzle

Why not try sketching the parts of the net that you can�t see?
When fully drawn out, the net is one strange and complicated shape.
Since the rim of the whole net is fashioned from a single piece of rope with no tears, take the drawing you did for Hint One and count the number of fish on the inside of the net. That�s your answer.

Nothing else of interest here, so we head back to the left.

: Well look who it is.

: Hello, Inspector. Are you returning from the Anderson estate?

: Hmph, I don�t know where you get your information, Layton, but you�re as sly as a fox. As a matter of fact, I did just come from there, but Mr Anderson himself wasn�t home. Seems he�s off presiding over some livestock competition or other. A likely story, I�m sure.

: I�m curious� Have you found a connection between Mr Anderson and the case you�re investigating?

: Not that it�s any of your business, but perhaps you can be of help. I�d heard rumours that he had tried to find this Elysian Box in the past, so I went to talk to him. But when I got to the house the butler told me he wasn�t home and that I should leave at once! Can you believe it? Mind you, I wouldn�t be surprised if he was just pretending not to be at home.

: But why would Mr Anderson be interested in the Elysian Box in the first place?

: It�s anyone�s guess, Luke. We won�t know more until we can ask him in person.

: In that case, I suppose we should head over to the livestock competition Mr Anderson is judging.

: Hmph, fine! Let his baronship roll around in the mud with his precious cows. I shall be elsewhere! As far as I�m concerned, the whole thing�s nothing more than a frivolous distraction for the rich! I can only assume his obsession with the box stems from the excess of time and money on his hands. If you see anything that might help this investigation, report it to me straight away, you hear?

: We are always happy to cooperate, Inspector. Now, please excuse us.

: Fine, off you go. Come along, Barton. We�ve got work to do.

: All right, we�d better hurry back to the competition grounds!

Nah, there�s a guy with a puzzle.

: Um, Professor? I think this chap here fell asleep standing up!

: Judging by his uniform, he must be a security guard. I certainly don�t approve of sleeping on the job�

: Zzz� Perimeter is secuuure� Please confirm identity by solving this puzzle� Snork!

Music: Puzzle

Carefully study how the ropes are wrapped around each other. In at least a few places, the ropes may appear entangled but can actually be removed easily from the pile with a single tug. You�ve probably experienced this phenomenon before when untangling a mess of appliance wires at home.
Pay special attention to the length of red rope forming a loop, as this portion of the rope will form a knot when pulled and is the key to solving this puzzle. Remember, any loops that aren�t caught within the knot that forms don�t count toward your answer.
Do you see the yellow loop of rope? It may look tangled in with the others, but it turns out that when it�s pulled, this rope will slip free of all the other ones in the pile. Now, what about those other two ropes?

Puzzles in this Update:

Music: Puzzle

Comparing A, B, or C with the picture on the far left is a lot of work, and it can be hard to find differences. So why not forget about that black-and-white picture for a moment and just focus on finding the differences between pictures A, B, and C?
Don�t forget to look at those lines in the background.
The eyebrows on each cat are worth a look too!

Accursed Walrus fucked around with this message at 01:18 on Feb 6, 2015

# ¿ Feb 2, 2015 19:41

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Cow Puns

Puzzles in the Previous Update:

Music: Puzzle

We still have at least one more puzzle of this variety, so I'll wait again on discussing the 'trick' to these (though I'd imagine many of you have worked it out, whether you realize it or not).

Grab a pencil and draw it out.

This one gave the thread the most trouble. Everyone agreed that the blue loop would be free of the knot, but only Added Space got this one correct.

Music: Dropstone

: He must be hopelessly addicted to puzzles if he�s talking about them in his sleep. Even I don�t do that!

I� I don�t believe you, Layton.

: Nyum nyum� Zzzzzz�

Moving back up the road.

I�m starting to realize that these directions probably aren�t very helpful. I�ll draw a map later.

: It�s pretty much useless as it is. Can you think of a way to turn the pieces into a solid square?

Music: Puzzle

Due to me dropping one of the DLC updates before this, this style of puzzle should look familiar.

The final square will be four units tall by four units wide.
You have to cut the board in two separate places to solve this puzzle.
Doesn�t that area around the hole in the board look like a good place to cut?

Music: Dropstone

That makes 8.

No, this isn�t the same screenshot as before. Balsa has two puzzles in a row for us.

Music: Puzzle

How do you even do that? I guess she could have been trying to cut out an S for the sign on her shed or something, but she should have really cut from the edge to minimize waste.

Just like in the first board-splitting puzzle, you need to cut the board in two places to make a second piece. Don�t forget, since you�ll be combining these two pieces into a single rectangle, you need to make sure all the little gaps and protrusions in your two boards fit together snugly.
After you make your cuts, you won�t need to rotate either piece to make them fit together as a rectangle.
When cut properly, the two boards both have a maximum length of four units. To make a piece with that length, try cutting the board below the fourth square down from the upper-left corner. You�ll need to make one more cut, but we�ll leave that one to you.

Music: Dropstone

: Something amazing! I thought I�d have to scrap this board, but now I can use it to build my shed.

Part number 9. One more and we can get on repairing the camera.

And now we actually get back to the competition.

: Whew, we made it back in time to catch the competition!

: If we�ve been informed correctly, Mr Anderson is judging the entries.

: So he should be somewhere around here, right?

: Indeed. I wonder which of the gentlemen walking around here is our man.

: Uh-oh, it looks like the two men over there are getting pretty hot under the collar about something.

: I wonder what the matter is.

: I know what�s going on here. Someone�s swapped my prize cow for this low-class heifer!

: Well, what do you want me to do about it? Can you at least point out which cow is yours?

: Now how do you expect me to do that?

Well, even if you can�t figure out which cow is yours, we could show you each of them in turn and eliminate them. Eventually we�d get the answer.

Then again, the competition is probably about to start, we might not have time for that�

: Oh dear. This is going to get ugly.

: What�s wrong mister?

: This fella here seems convinced someone�s swapped his prize cow for another cow.

: I�m tellin� you, that ain�t no cow of mine. My girl was perfect from horns to tail!

: There�s just no convincing him. We can�t start the contest with him carrying on, but I don�t know how we can clear the situation up.

: I�ll take care of this! The cows are sure to know if any monkey business has gone on.

: Of course, why didn�t I think of that myself? I�ll leave this one to you, Luke.

: I see.

Luke can talk to animals, by the way. I think Curious Village said that Luke had a way with animals, but I believe this is the first time Luke�s been shown to explicitly talk with animals.

: Did you find out anything of use?

: I certainly did. If I had to sum up our conversation, it�d go something like this�

Music: Puzzle

I think you probably understand the name of the update now.

Don�t overthink this one. Assume a variety of possibilities and try each one.
Assign a breed to a cow and then run through all the cows� statements to see if they are consistent with your findings. You should come across the solution soon.
Let�s assume for a moment that cow A is a Troomoo. If you assume this to be true and go through the statements for each cow, you should come to the conclusion that you must have three Troomoo cows and two Nowheys. Since you know this to be false, you know that your original assumption must be incorrect.

Music: Dropstone

: Things should be all sorted out now though!

: Oh, you betcha! Look at that build! That lustrous sheen! That soulful gaze! That�s my cow, no doubt!

: So everything�s OK, then?

: Better than OK, kid! With my darlin� back, I�m a shoo-in for that blue ribbon. Thanks!

: Well, Luke, you certainly have a way with animals.

: Aw, it�s nothing really. Hee hee.

: Look over here, you two. They�re about to announce the winner.

: You shouldn�t have swapped your cow back, Clabber. If you�d kept quiet you�d be the winner, eh?

: I was robbed! Robbed! The competition must�ve been rigged. Rigged, I tell you!

: Yes, I suppose it goes to show that things don�t always go as planned in life.

: Right you are, Professor. Say, shouldn�t Mr Anderson be around here now?

: It�s going to take some effort to find him in a crowd this dense. Let�s look around a bit.

: Well, from the look of your duds, I�d say you�ve got your act together, so try this puzzle on for size.

Music: Puzzle

You know that C�s wearing red pants and isn�t wearing anything he was previously, so his shirt has to be blue.
C�s the only one of the three men not wearing any of the items he was wearing originally.
A and B must both be wearing a single piece of clothing -- shirt or pants -- that they were previously.

Music: Dropstone

: Rule number two? No one can pull off sequins.

The following scene activates as soon as you try to leave the area.

: Yes, what a pity. I had a feeling he�d provide us with a lead on the Elysian Box.

: I heard you chatting about Mr Anderson and thought to myself, �Hey, I can help!�. Here, I�ll point him out.

Music: Puzzle

Keep in mind that all this information is describing Mr Anderson as he was �a minute ago.� Things can change, so don�t rely too heavily on the description.
The wind in Dropstone seems exceptionally strong today.
�Over there! See the guy chasing after his hat? That�s him!�

Puzzles in this Update:

Music: Puzzle

The final square will be four units tall by four units wide.
You have to cut the board in two separate places to solve this puzzle.
Doesn�t that area around the hole in the board look like a good place to cut?

Just like in the first board-splitting puzzle, you need to cut the board in two places to make a second piece. Don�t forget, since you�ll be combining these two pieces into a single rectangle, you need to make sure all the little gaps and protrusions in your two boards fit together snugly.
After you make your cuts, you won�t need to rotate either piece to make them fit together as a rectangle.
When cut properly, the two boards both have a maximum length of four units. To make a piece with that length, try cutting the board below the fourth square down from the upper-left corner. You�ll need to make one more cut, but we�ll leave that one to you.

Don�t overthink this one. Assume a variety of possibilities and try each one.
Assign a breed to a cow and then run through all the cows� statements to see if they are consistent with your findings. You should come across the solution soon.
Let�s assume for a moment that cow A is a Troomoo. If you assume this to be true and go through the statements for each cow, you should come to the conclusion that you must have three Troomoo cows and two Nowheys. Since you know this to be false, you know that your original assumption must be incorrect.

# ¿ Feb 6, 2015 01:29

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Glazius posted:

Good lord this town is just vomiting characters all over us.

Yes, yes it is. I have a theory on why that is, but I can't say right now; give it a few updates.

Here, a quick game to play if you're bored: by my count, 35 named characters have been introduced to us. How many names can you actually recall without looking back through updates?

# ¿ Feb 6, 2015 18:07

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

DLC Set 2

This isn�t a story update, because Real Life^� has kept me fairly busy for a bit. The next story update will be done probably around Thursday.

Instead, enjoy a DLC update. A bit on the short side, but there are 33 weekly puzzles total which I�ve divided into sets of 3, so one of these DLC updates had to be a 3 puzzle one anyways.

If you added B and B together, the digit in the ones place the last digit) of the resulting sum would equal A. Since no two single digit numbers can add up to more than 18, you know the number in the tens place of the sum of B+B must be one. The only other value that influences the tens place in the solution is the A in AB+B. Therefore, A+1 must equal B.

Subtraction? No, that�s not it. You want to add. ADD! ADD! ADD ALL YOU CAN!

Bring down the green upside-down L at the top-left corner to the same level as the top blue gate-shaped block. Once you�ve cleared a path, drag the blue gate-shaped block up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bE_bdA31MI

Answers will be posted with the next update.

# ¿ Feb 9, 2015 23:31

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Exposition Appreciation Station

Puzzles in the Previous Update:

Music: Puzzle

First, the DLC Puzzles.

Then the previous update�s puzzles.

It didn't seem like anyone in the thread had any major issues with these puzzles.

Music: Dropstone

: The one and only, my friend! And with whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?

: The name is Hershel Layton. My friends and I have come to this fine place in search of the Elysian Box. I thought a man of influence such as yourself might be able to offer us some direction.

: The Elysian Box, you say? Why would you want to go chasing after a thing like that?

: I take it you are familiar with it?

*pause*

: I also believe my dear mother once searched for the very box of which you speak.

: Interesting. Please, elaborate.

Music: Iris

: Ah, well, my birth mother died when I was very young. The mother I speak of is actually my mother-in-law, Sophia. She founded this village way back when. The kindest soul I�ve ever met. Sharp, too.

: Since I never knew my own mother, I suppose it would be fair to call Sophia my real mother. Even after my wife passed away, Sophia continued to treat me as one of her own. Sophia looked high and low for that box, but she never could find what she was looking for.

: So she made efforts of her own to search for it. Fascinating. Tell me, where might Sophia be now?

: Sadly, I never found out why she was so intent on getting her hands on that box.

: I see. I�m sorry for your loss.

: Thank you. Well, my mother may have known something about the subject, but she�s gone now. Now you know as much as I do. I regret that I couldn�t be more help to you, sir.

: Not at all, Mr Anderson. I�ve learned a great deal from our conversation. You have my thanks.

: Oh, one thing before you go, Mr Layton. Please take a look around you.

: Sophia built this place from scratch into a village full of warmth and camaraderie. Dropstone must never be allowed to wither and die like so many other villages. After all, this place owes its current prosperity to the many sacrifices she made.

Music: Silence

: Enjoy your time in Dropstone and be well. Good day.

Music: Dropstone

: Oh, I wouldn�t say that, Luke. It would appear this village is inextricably linked to the Elysian Box. I also find Mr Anderson�s choice of words interesting. I wonder what he meant by �sacrifices�. Well, that is something for us to ponder later. For now, let�s make our way to the station.

: All right, professor!

And so we start heading back to the train station. And we won�t stop for anything!

Wait, what�s up with this guy�s hair?

: Everyone�s efforts will have been in vain if she misses her train out of town� Oh my, oh my. Maybe women just need more time to get ready for things like this� Oh, why must she make me worry?

: Excuse me, but are you waiting for someone?

: It�s none of your business! We haven�t even told the master about what we�re doing!

: Luke, perhaps it�s best to leave him be. Sometimes it�s best not to barge into the affairs of others.

: Well, if he doesn�t want us to talk to him, maybe he shouldn�t be thinking out loud!

Sounds like there�s a problem. Let�s go talk to Dorothea, she seemed to know about this.

: Say, that reminds me of a puzzle I once heard. Would you care to hear it, sir?

I swear, if you don�t compulsively check everywhere after story events, you�re probably going to get a few puzzles in Granny Riddleton�s shack.

Music: Puzzle

�If Johnny gave Thomas one apple, the two men would each have the same number of apples.� A little critical thinking applied to the above statement tells you that Johnny must have two apples more than Thomas.
�If Thomas gave Johnny two apples, Johnny would have three times the number of apples that Thomas would have.� You know from Hint One that the original difference in apples between Johnny and Thomas is two. In the above scenario, the gap increases by four to six. We now know that when Thomas loses two apples, Johnny has six more than him, which is also three times more.
Can you think of a number where the result is the same if you add it to six or multiply it by three? That number is how many apples Thomas has after giving two away. So, if we add those two back, Thomas has�

Music: Dropstone

: Once our train is in working order, we�ll be moving onto the next town.

: Oh, then I expect you�ll run into the young mistress. She�s leaving on the Molentary Express today. Should you bump into her, do say hello. Oh, and remember, please keep Miss Katia�s trip a secret from the master.

Heading back to the plaza gives this exchange.

: Careful, Flora. If you don�t watch where you�re going, you�re likely to run right in to someone.

: Oops, sorry. This is all so new to me that I forget to pay attention to where I�m going.

: Understandable. After all, it�s quite different to what you�re used to.

: Wow, Flora, you certainly seem to be excited! Just don�t stand around gawking for too long or we might accidentally leave you behind.

*fade to black and back in*

: ...Huh? Professor? Luke? Where did you two go?

: Oh, dear. We must have become separated in the crowd back there. Let�s retrace our steps.

Oh great, Flora probably got herself kidnapped.

: It�s going to be awfully hard to find her with all these people about.

: Now, where could that girl have gone off to?

But� you� sinister hands! And �Eeek!� What :psyduck:

: Flora, where did you run off to?

: Sorry, there were so many people that I must have lost you. I turned to look at something and, before I knew it, you two were gone.

: Well, I�m relieved you found your way back to us. With so many people around, who knows how long it could have taken us to find you.

: I�ll be more careful from now on, I promise. Although, you know, I heard a few interesting things while I was wandering around over there.

: Oh? What did you hear?

: That a man named Romie was asking around after the Elysian Box. If we can track him down, maybe he can tell us something we don�t know. I heard from one person that he�s been wandering around near the station.

: That is interesting news. Let�s head to the station and see if we can find this Romie.

: Good on you, Flora! That�s some top-notch intelligence you gathered out there.

: Hee hee hee. Aww, it was nothing.

: Oh, hi there. Do you, um, need something or something?

: We are currently in search of an item known as the Elysian Box. Does that name ring any bells?

: The Elysian Box? Nope, never heard of it. But I do know a great puzzle about a box! Check it out!

Music: Puzzle

Consider each of the two layers of cubes separately.
Did you notice that shape C fits perfectly into the space available on the bottom layer of the box?
If you read Hint Two, all you have left to do is find shapes that fill the remaining two-by-three cube space on the upper layer.

Music: Dropstone

: Oh, right, what did you want to know again?

: I was wondering if you might know anything about the Elysian Box.

: Let�s see� Let�s see� Nope, I haven�t got a clue. If I were you, I�d try asking someone else.

: I see�

Moving to the left. Why? Puzzles. I�ve kind of given up trying to come up with reasons that you�d go out of your way to talk to people who aren�t plot related unless you�re sweeping the area for puzzles.

: Tell me, how�s the festival treating you? Make sure you enjoy it all while you can, eh? Truth is, I�d like to be out there having fun with you, but I�ve got post to deliver. The directions I received for my deliveries were a bit vague, though. Maybe you could help me?

Music: Puzzle

If you read clues one through four and are still stuck, try starting from clue four and working your way backward.
The red house is closer to the tree than the green house.
House C is red.

Music: Dropstone

: Everyone�s been busting their buns to get Dropstone ready for today�s festivities. Thank goodness you saved the day. It would�ve been a mess if that spat back there ruined the celebration. Yep, everyone�s been working like mad. I spent all day yesterday making flags. I helped put them up, too, and while I worked, I thought up a puzzle. You want to hear it, right?

Music: Puzzle

You have three paints you can use on the flag, but that doesn�t mean those are the only colours at your disposal.
Maybe you�ve noticed that the white colour of the flag�s fabric is another colour your can use in making your designs.
Adding white to the three paints you have gives you four colours you can use to make flag designs. If the leftmost third of your flag is white, you will have a total of nine distinct designs.

Music: Dropstone

: I may be getting older, but I can still cook up a mean puzzle!

Back to the right, then one screen towards the station.

: As you�re new here, let me fill you in on that family.

But Parcelle already gave us the text dump about Mr Anderson. We�ve met the man himself, and he threw a lot of exposition at us. Why do I need a third monologue about the Andersons?

: The Andersons live in the mansion at the north end of town. Makes you turn green with envy, eh? Anyway, Mr Anderson has a young daughter who�s grown up to become quite a beautiful young lady. Her name is Katia and she�s the most unusual combination of both beautiful and sweet. Plus, I hear she�s very respectful towards her father, unlike most youngsters. The only thing kids these days love more than talking back to their parents are those baggy jeans! Oh, sorry, I do believe I�ve gone off on a bit of a rant. Did you need something from me?

: Actually, yes. Tell me, madam, have you ever heard of a rare antique known as the Elysian Box?

: Hmmm� That name�s new to me, hmmm� I can�t help you at all, so will you leave me alone now? Oh, but you know, you did just remind me of a gem of a puzzle I know that concerns a box.

Music: Puzzle

I�m awful at this puzzle.

When you start, you only know the position and orientation of the spade, so suss out where the other tiles should go by examining the second of the two cube images.
The yellow-circle tile goes directly above the spade.
The green-club tile should be placed in the square above the yellow circle.

Music: Dropstone

: You seem like a nice man, so I�ll be straight with you. I wouldn�t talk about that box in these parts.

: But why?

: Well, it�s complicated. Now, I�ve given you my advice, so smarten up and follow it.

Music: Puzzle

Who wouldn�t want to show off their new car or television for a while?
There�s one item in this list that is useless unless two or more of the same item exist.
The item in question could be in perfect working order, but the only way to show it off is if you use it as a pair.

Music: Dropstone

Alright, two screens until we make it back to the Molentary Express.

: Certainly. How may I be of assistance?

: It seems you�ve done a great deal of investigating today. Tell me, during the course of your enquiries, you didn�t hear anything about my daughter, did you?

: Your� daughter, sir?

It�s a bit easier to see in game, but you can see the slight difference in Anderson�s face here. It�s subtle, but I like it.

: Sophia and my daughter were very close, so her death came as a great shock to Katia. If you should see her, would you please tell her that her father wishes she�d come home? If a fine gentleman such as yourself delivers the message, she just might listen.

: Unfortunately, our train is leaving soon, so I may not be able to be much help at all.

: Katia is my - no, our - only child. She means everything to me and I�d be forever in your debt if you could help me.

: Your guess is as good as mine. But judging from her family and upbringing, I�d imagine she�s both beautiful and refined.

: Steady on, Professor!

Alright, what is �Steady on� supposed to mean in this context?

: Oh yeah, that thing. People say it kills whoever manages to prise open its lid. Pandora�s Box, they call it. I just found out about it during the course of my travels. But that box isn�t what I�m really after.

: Well then, if I may be so bold as to ask, what are you looking for, sir?

: A phantom town that�s nowhere to be found on any map! A place only the chosen may visit. The only way in, I hear, is on the Molentary Express. That train, and its many mysteries, have been the subject of my research for years. From what I can tell, this artefact you�re after, this Elysian Box, is also tied to that town.

: Wow! So when can we set out for it? How do we get there?

: Maybe you whisper a password when you�re on the train and WHOOSH, the track goes in a new direction. Anyway, it�s probably something like that. I�ll just have to keep searching until I find a way in.

: Interesting. Thank you for your time. Professor, did you hear that?! I think we�ve finally got a new lead on the Elysian Box.

: It�s a bit early to celebrate, but it looks like our journey on the Molentary Express isn�t over yet. All right, you two. Let�s start making our way back towards the station.

: OK, Professor!

This is the second puzzle check. For reference, we�ve got 54 puzzles completed (including the ones in this update). Puzzle-wise, we�re about 40% of the way through the main game.

: Pretty righteous, huh! This train isn�t ready to move quite yet, so while you�re waiting, I�ll lay this sweet puzzle on you.

Music: Puzzle

The number of links in each small chain is a crucial clue that will help you solve the puzzle.
You haven�t been opening only the links on the ends of each small chain, have you?
Try taking one small chain, popping open each of its seven links, and using those individual open links to connect the other small chains together. Is the answer clearer now?

Next time, we�ll do something other than get exposited at.

Puzzles in this Update:

Music: Puzzle

If you read clues one through four and are still stuck, try starting from clue four and working your way backward.
The red house is closer to the tree than the green house.
House C is red.

When you start, you only know the position and orientation of the spade, so suss out where the other tiles should go by examining the second of the two cube images.
The yellow-circle tile goes directly above the spade.
The green-club tile should be placed in the square above the yellow circle.

# ¿ Feb 13, 2015 04:07

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Next Stop, the Plot

Puzzles in the Previous Update:

Music: Puzzle

If nothing else, you can rule out A and B as the one as the box has a volume of twelve blocks. Two blocks are occupied by white cubes already. 12-2=10, so you need both three block pieces and a four block piece.

The big trick to this puzzle is noticing that white (or no dye) is also an option. From there, it's just making sure you don't miss any.

Music: Dropstone

: Hey, you guys better hurry back to your seats, �cause this train is ready to rock!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw8fnBtj448

: I believe we may have stumbled upon Mr Anderson�s dear daughter.

: That�s a cracking send-off she�s having.

: Considering the size of the party, I doubt she�s just going on holiday.

Music: Molentary Express

: Well, the next stop on this line is the perfectly normal town of Luxenbelle.

A quick Google search for Luxenbelle just returns Professor Layton pages.

: Well then, how do we get to the phantom town?

: That�s an excellent question, but I don�t have the answer, Luke. But if the Molentary Express does indeed head for parts unknown, the crew will know something about it.

Welcome back to the Molentary Express. I hope you didn�t think that Dropstone was our �strange place� I was referring to in the OP.

Chester is first on our list of people to talk to.

: You�re really closed?!

: Yes, you see, on the way to Luxenbelle there�s a long, unlit tunnel we have to pass through. While in the tunnel, none of the scenic views our restaurant affords patrons will be visible. It is Mr Beluga�s wish that all patrons be able to enjoy the scenery while they dine. Hence, our temporary suspension of service.

: Wow, talk about a classy operation. Mr Beluga has really thought of everything, hasn�t he?!

Next, Macaroon.

: I knew it�d be tough without him around, but I didn�t realise how lonely I�d get. Is he happy at least?

: Don�t you worry, he�s doing great! He�ll be as fit as a fiddle before you know it!

: That�s really good to hear. Don�t let me down, OK? I�m actually about to close up the kitchen and rest until we get to Luxenbelle. Most of the train shuts down for this leg of the trip, so you might as well go and rest in your room.

: What do you mean? Didn�t you just finish repairing the train?

: Sort of, but before I can kick back I�ve gotta do- Oops! Um, I mean, nothing! Things are good!

Everyone in Layton is terrible at keeping secrets.

Heading back towards our own carriage�

We run into this guy. I�m curious if we�d get a single update without me having to make a new headshot, but so far we�ve had new characters left and right.

: I�m headed to Luxenbelle, so it seems we�ll be travelling together, for a while at least. Here, have you heard about that long tunnel on the way to Luxenbelle? When the train passes through it, every light on board is switched off. Stranger still, once the train nears the tunnel, all access to the deluxe carriage is cut off. What if someone needs to go to the toilet in the dark?!

: Something very weird must be going on if they shut off access to the deluxe carriage.

: Of course, it all makes perfect sense! Why didn�t I see it before? Luke, I think I�ve worked things out. Quickly, to the deluxe carriage!

: I�m right behind you, Professor!

: Something�s written on that sign on the door. Actually, it appears to be a puzzle of some sort. I have a hunch that if we can solve that puzzle, we can gain access to the carriage.

Music: Puzzle

�The X must be second from the top.� As you know exactly where the X should go, start by placing this symbol. Once it�s filled in, move on to the other conditions.
�The moon must be located two places below the diamond.� If the moon is two places below the diamond, then the diamond must be in one of the top three spots. X already occupies the second spot, so the diamond is either the first or third space from the top, right?
�The circle must be somewhere above the diamond.� If you combine the above statement with the information from Hint Two, it�s clear that the only place you can put the diamond is the third spot from the top. Once you�ve placed the diamond, you should now have enough symbols in place to solve the rest of the puzzle easily.

Music: Molentary Express

: Yes, it�s far more luxurious than the standard carriages. These tickets must cost a pretty penny.

First, Rick.

The block is the item I was referring to in my Rick AI writeup that Rick is not interested in.

Barging into other people�s rooms is the true duty of any gentleman.

: And one and a half times as big as our room to boot! Plus, just look at how super squishy this sofa is! Wheeee!

: Come now, don�t jump on the sofa. Luke, remember that discussion we had about how gentlemen should act in front of ladies.

: Wow, you�re right! It�s sooo squishy! Wheeee!

: �

: Radical surprise, dudes. Anyway, sorry to burst in on the party, but I�m just here to snazz up the rooms. Hmm� Let�s see� Do I put them here? Negative, Sammy, that�s no good. Hmm� Hey, you there. Smart-looking dude! I mean you, man!

: Me, good sir?

: Unko Beluga...erm, I mean the boss, told me to jazz the place up with some flowers. Can you work out where I should put these things to make this whole area smell nice?

: Of course. It shouldn�t be too much trouble to find a spot for flowers as lovely as these.

Music: Puzzle

Here�s a handy hint. Start your work from the corners of the car.
Place a rose in the lower-right corner of the car, then think about where everything else needs to go.
To solve this puzzle, you need to put roses in five different spots.

Music: Molentary Express

: Oh, petalicious. It�s not crazy, but it makes a statement. I�m sure it�ll go down a treat with the boss man.

: �

: Well, anyhow, kick back, relax, and enjoy the rest of your ride on the Molentary Express.

: It smells lovely in here now!

: Mmm, yes, quite nice, I�d say. But back to the task at hand. We�ve given this place a once-over and come up empty handed. A gentleman can�t very well go barging into other people�s rooms, so let�s return to our room.

: Oh, Professor, do we have to? It feels like it�s got so late. Can�t we just stay here for now?

We try to leave.

: All of a sudden, I�m so tired�

: What�s the matter, Flora? Yaaawn� Gosh, all of a sudden I�m sort of sleepy, too�

: All right, you two, this is no time for jokes� Oh dear, I�m suddenly...quite tired myself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNwxvT-RdIk

: Am I...dreaming?

Music: Puzzle

To start, try to get all the cars going to the top track into their designated positions before worrying about the ones headed to the bottom track.
Tuck away the red car in the side track that sits between the top and bottom tracks. Then bring down all of the cars on the top track. Move that red car up into its designated spot on the top track.
You can use the trick highlighted in Hint Two to move any train car from the bottom track to the top track. Just tuck the car of your choice into the side track, and move all the cars out of the way that are blocking your path to the top track. Then it�s just a simple matter of bringing that car out of the side track and up into its designated position.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJqazMY0OVY

Music: Molentary Express

: Hmm� ...Hmm? My word, I must�ve fallen asleep on the sofa. How careless of me. Do you know what happened in that tunnel, Luke?

: Sorry, Professor, but I slept through the whole thing, too. And I had the strangest dream. In my dream, part of the Molentary Express switched tracks while we were in the tunnel.

: Switched tracks? Switched tracks? You mean to say one of the train�s carriages is now riding different rails? It might not have been a dream after all. If one carriage did split off from the train, it would no longer be bound for Luxenbelle.

: Maybe that carriage is how you get to that phantom town!

: I�m beginning to suspect that you�re right on the money, Luke.

: I hope the phantom town isn�t as creepy as it sounds!

I guess we stole a light bulb from the room?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSYB72bSNTU

Music: Puzzle

Right, the instruction booklet. I forgot you even needed it for this game. I�ve scanned it in and timg�ed it for you, because it�s full size.

To find the answer, you have to fold the ticket in a particular way.
First, fold the entire ticked in half lengthwise. Next, fold the ticket lengthwise along the middle of each row of numbers. Fold it just so, and the top half of the top row of numbers will connect to the bottom half of the bottom row of numbers, revealing a string of letters.
The words �FOR FOLSENSE� are written on this ticket. What number must belong in the cut-out portion in order to form an E when the ticket is folded?

Puzzles in this Update:

Music: Puzzle

# ¿ Feb 18, 2015 02:43

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Folsense

Puzzles in the Previous Update:

Music: Puzzle

I'm stealing Added Space's answer for this one, because it's well done:

Something I just noticed - the UK version of the ticket lacks the "FOR" in "FOR FOLSENSE". Obviously, I used the US instruction booklet - hence the discrepancy - but these localization changes continue to baffle me.

For bonus , watch Video 010 from the previous update and take a careful look at that ticket.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd-TduFgdYM

Music: Silence

: But I don�t see Flora, Professor. Where could she be?

: Flora! Where did you get off to?

: I�m sorry, but the carriage was really stuffy, so when we stopped, I went outside for some air.

: You went out alone? Are you crazy?! It�s dangerous out there. Who knows what kind of oddballs could be out lurking around!

: Oh, well, I�ll be more careful from now on.

: Watch your tone, Luke. A gentleman always remembers to treat a lady with kindness and respect. Now, since we�re all back together, why don�t we get off this train and see where we are?

Instead of getting off the train like Layton suggested, let�s take a look at that lightbulb we stole for our hamster.

The lightbulb is one of the more useful items in the hamster minigame if you place it correctly. It�s so useful, in fact, by getting the lightbulb we now have the tools we need to knock our hamster friend down from level four to level two fatness. Feel free to post workouts for Rick - we need one of at least 18 steps total.

It seems that our minigames conspire to keep us from exiting the train.

Now that�s good tea! Luke seems restored and in high spirits. You found a hint coin at the bottom of the tea cup!

Music: A Disquieting Atmosphere

: Yes, I�d second that.

: I�m sticking close to you two.

: Indeed, and old ones from the look of it. Judging by their condition, I�d say they�re at least 30 years old.

: Wow, how do you know? Oh, that�s right, you�re an archaeologist. Of course you�d know!

: Now Luke, don�t tell me you actually forgot! Well, we�d best press on.

Layton, sometimes with the way you act I think you forget you�re an archaeologist.

...how has Layton not been fired yet? He is a professor, but does he actually teach or does he just get TAs to do it and go off on adventures?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLEs6DjNblI
:siren:

This video is pretty important to the plot, you really ought to watch it. :siren:

In case you forgot, chapter three started last update. It�s over now.

Music: Folsense

Get used to this track, it�s what we�re going to be hearing for most of the rest of the game.

: It�s like something from a horror film.

: I find the place unsettling too, but we mustn�t let that keep us from our investigation. Who knows what kind of valuable information we might find here about the Elysian Box?

...Parcelle?

: Hey, you�re�

: The postman, yep. I�ve got post to deliver here, but it�s always dark when I come, so it takes forever. No wonder the people here always seem so on edge. Well, that�s all the more reason for me to bring a little sunshine into everyone�s life with the post.

: Wow, you deliver letters all the way out here?

: I certainly do, and I�ve a schedule to keep while doing it. So on that note, I�ll be off. See you around!

: But how can he cover Dropstone and Folsense every single day? The two towns are so far apart, it would be simply impossible!

: You may think so, Luke, but our world is full of inexplicable phenomena. This is but one of many.

: I suppose so�

Heading north�

: Are you all right there, Flora? You don�t look well.

: I�m not sure. I just started feeling sick all of a sudden.

: You�re as white as a sheet! We�ll find a place for you to rest straight away.

: Despite the lack of advertising, I�d say one of those buildings over there is a hotel.

Clicking any one of the buildings here starts the puzzle. It�s a bit jarring to not have any dialogue before the puzzle screen, though.

Music: Puzzle

Just study the four buildings carefully, and the answer will present itself.
Say, upon second glance, one of these buildings has the word �hotel� written on it. Do you see it?
A close inspection of the scene reveals that one building has letters of the alphabet hidden in its doorways and windowpanes.

We can�t actually make any new brews with this, so I won�t bother bringing up the tea screen yet.

Music: Folsense

: A little bit� I think that with some rest, I�ll be back to my old self.

: Flora, Luke and I are going back out to learn more about this town. Why don�t you stay here for a while and rest?

: Yes, take it easy for a while, Flora. We�ll be back before long.

: Thanks, Luke. Be careful out there. You too, Professor.

For reference, we�re currently in the hotel lobby.

: I wouldn�t fret too much, Luke. She may just be exhausted from our long journey. I think our best course of action is to gather whatever information we can and hurry back to the hotel. After all, a gentleman never keeps a lady waiting.

We�re returning to our hotel room because there�s a puzzle here.

: And it smells so nice!

: While we�re on the subject of flowers, tell me, Luke, have you ever heard this puzzle?

Music: Puzzle

Start by placing a rose in the lower-left corner of the room, then just take it from there.
If you know where one rose goes, placing the rest shouldn�t prove to be too much of a challenge. Place your other roses so that their scent doesn�t overlap with the rose in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
In total, you need to place seven roses to finish this puzzle.

Music: Folsense

: Nothing creates a feeling of tranquility in a room quite like a fresh bouquet.

: I�ll say! Those flowers in the Molentary Express�s deluxe rooms really relaxed me.

: Ah, yes. The ones that the conductor placed in the rooms were very soothing. Hmm� Of course! It�s so obvious I can�t imagine why I didn�t think of it until now.

: What do you mean, Professor?

: Luke, think back to when that train carriage switched tracks. Can you remember anything?

: Well� Honestly, I don�t remember much. I dozed off during all that, so everything�s a bit foggy.

: Of course it is. The sudden sleepiness we experienced was no coincidence. Furthermore, I don�t believe it was mere chance that we awoke upon our arrival in Folsense� No, I�d say our little nap was part of a larger plan.

: What plan would that be?

: Were I to venture a guess, I�d say Sammy�s roses contained some kind of extra ingredient�

: Which sent everyone to sleep so that one of the carriages could switch tracks!

: Precisely, my boy. I�ll wager that only those riding in the deluxe carriage were taken away to Folsense.

That�s a lot of exposition for an optional puzzle.

Now, we exit the hotel.

: The Elysian Box and the facts we need to solve the mystery of his death are close by. I�m sure of it.

: Do you think whoever stole the Elysian Box might be hiding here as well?

: It�s still too early to tell. But I�ll know more if we can work out why Dr Schrader ventured out here in the first place. For now, our best course of action is to search for anything connected to the Elysian Box.

: Let�s get to it then! Lead the way, Professor.

We move back to where we entered Folsense.

: Want to get stinking rich? In Folsense, making a huge fortune is child�s play! Let me guess, you two came here to get your hands on some of that Herzen money. Am I right?

: What Herzen money?

: You came all the way here and you don�t know about the Herzen fortune? That�s - heh - rich, pal.

Music: Silence

: A long time ago, the big cheese here in Folsense, Duke Herzen, found the mother of all gold deposits. There was so much gold, you couldn�t spend it in a lifetime!

Music: Folsense

: How�s that for an interesting story?

: Quite. However, we�re not here for treasure. Rather, we seek an item known as the Elysian Box. You may also have heard it referred to as Pandora�s Box.

: Pandora�s Box? Isn�t that a novel? I can�t really help you, to be honest.

Turns out, there are novels called Pandora�s Box.

We�re going to move up twice to�

Huh.

: You are to scour every inch of this place and bring it back to me as soon as you find it, OK?

: Aw, come on, Unko! Do you really think it�s everything people say it is? I dunno� It kind of sounds like a load of baloney to me.

: Are my ears playing tricks on me? I could�ve sworn you just told me that my information was wrong! You�re in no position to be lecturing me on this subject. Now, get out there and start looking!

: OK, OK� No need to blow a gasket. I�m going!

: It would appear that they, too, are out on the hunt for something.

: Look, Professor! What on earth could that be?

: Yikes! Take a butcher�s at this crazy symbol on the cover!

: Let�s have a look. The symbol seems to be in the shape of a goat.

: Well, whatever it is, it gives me the heebie-jeebies. But I do wonder what�s written inside.

: It�s hard to tell, these locks mean we can only read the first entry� Still, this symbol intrigues me�

: Say, Professor, maybe somebody in that antique shop over there can tell us something about it?

: Excellent idea, Luke. Let�s begin our investigation there.

We can access one entry now, though we�re not going to look at it right now in the interest of efficiency.

We move into the store on the left.

Music: The History of the Village

...Chelmey?

: Hmph! Took the words right out of my mouth, laddie. Wasn�t expecting to see you two in a place like this. After some fieldwork in Dropstone, I was able to deduce that this town and the Elysian Box are linked. Dr Schrader had stockpiled quite the stack of research on the Elysian Box. The criminal I�m in pursuit of more likely than not killed the doctor to get his hands on the box. So instead of chasing the man, I decided to chase the box. When I find it, I�ll find the culprit.

: Wow, that�s a solid bit of reasoning there! I didn�t think Inspector Chelmey was that sharp.

: Eh? Did you say something, lad?

: Um, no, sir. Not a word.

: Good, because I�ve got no time for idle chit-chat. Come along Barton, we�re leaving.

: I apologise, but we�re not here to shop today. There are a few things we�d like to ask you about, however. Firstly, there�s this book we�ve found. We were also wondering if you�d ever heard of an antique known as the Elysian Box?

: Oh dear, here we go with that box again. You know, you�re the third person to ask about it today.

: The third?

: Those two detectives you saw were just asking about it, and half an hour ago, there was a young lady. She seemed interested in knowing whether anyone had been searching around town for the box.

: Hmm� Can you describe this young lady?

: Ah, and the officers, well, they said they were here on an official police investigation.

I kept writing puzzle investigation here, which amused me to no end.

: I�ll tell you what I�ve told everyone today. I wish I could help, but this box you�re after is news to me. One of my customers, I forget who, mentioned something about the box having quite a history behind it. If the thing was ever in Folsense, it could have been in the Herzen Museum. I suggest you check there.

: Where might we find this museum?

: Just look for the big building in the middle of town, on the north side. The museum houses a wealth of documents celebrating the history of our town.

: This is all extremely useful. Thank you for the suggestion. We�ll be sure to pay the museum a visit.

: Oh, before you run off, did you mention that you�d also found a book?

: Yes, that�s right. Please feel free to take a look at it.

: Would you happen to know anything about this symbol on the book�s cover?

: I must confess what drew my eye to the book was its locks. Old gadgets of this sort always fascinate me. Its construction is very basic, so you might be able to open the locks with any old key you can find. As a matter of fact, here, why don�t we see if this one does the trick? Think of it as my way of thanking you both for showing me something interesting.

: Many thanks, my good man.

You got a diary key! Use it to open a new chapter of the Old Diary.

: It certainly would have been nice, but we�ll have to put the book aside for now. It�s time to pay a visit to the Herzen Museum.

Our final option here is the Old Diary. I can only assume that the locks or keys were borrowed from Zelda, because keys are one use.

I'll keep track of these diary entries in the second post (when I get some spare time _{more focused on trying to get updates out right now)}

Puzzles in this Update:

Music: Puzzle

# ¿ Feb 28, 2015 07:49

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Bruceski posted:

Luke uses rhyming slang in the UK version?
(butcher's hook --> look)

I double checked my transcription, and yeah, looks like Luke does. Learn something new every day.

For the curious: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhyming_slang

InspectorCarbonara posted:

If I had to guess, I'd say this change was so they could print and use one ticket design across Europe, instead of having to make five different designs with each language's equivalent of "for" and then have to change the puzzle to fit that new word.

This is why I'm never going to go into localization - I'd miss this stuff.

On the topic of localization, the spelling 'artefact' is now my default spelling of 'artifact', and I think my anthropology instructor is a bit confused why I seem to randomly inject British spellings into my papers.

# ¿ Feb 28, 2015 19:10

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

Next update should be done tomorrow. I hope you all like tea.

On a related note, does anyone know of a good map making software? I want to put together a map for Folsense since we're going to be here for quite a while.

# ¿ Mar 5, 2015 22:48

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

DLC Set 3

Hey guess what? Hard drive failure, which was where most of my footage was stored!

Shouldn't actually take that long to get everything up and running again, but here's a DLC update in the meantime.

Essentially, this puzzle is asking you where to add a wire in order to create a 3-D shape you could draw without ever lifting your pen from the page or retracing a line. Two of the potential answers let you do this, but only one works when you start from the point under the white arrow.

This puzzle is "John and Bill" in the UK version.

Since both of the boys are younger than 10, there are only so many combinations of ages you need to explore. Don't forget, Bill is the older of the two boys.

Did you notice that point P would be divided into four sections?

In the hidden segment of the formula is something very important.

You're only seeing part of the conversation. Try drawing a picture of the gem's layout.

Statements A and C are incorrect.

# ¿ Mar 7, 2015 03:09

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ May 22, 2024 18:51

Accursed Walrus: Sep 4, 2011; Do The Mario

The Power of Tea

Puzzles in the Previous Update:

Music: Puzzle

Music: Folsense

: Oh, but I just-

: And before you say anything, I don�t care who your old man is. No one�s above the law! In my eyes, anyone out chasing the Elysian Box moves to the top of my list of suspects!

: No, you�ve got it all wrong�

: What is it, Barton? Can�t you see I�m in the middle of something here?

: Um, yes, about that, sir. The criminal we seek killed a man to obtain the Elysian Box, so the villain should have it already. If the young lady was our culprit, she�d have no need to ask around about the box, in my opinion, sir.

: Oh, is that so now, Barton? Hmph! I don�t recall ever asking for your analysis of the situation!

: T-terribly sorry, sir! Please forgive my momentary lapse in judgment! I�ll just be going now.

: Barton! Get back here this instant, you pilchard!

A pilchard?

�Merriam-Webster Dictonary� posted:

a fish (Sardina pilchardus) of the herring family that occurs in great schools along the coasts of Europe � compare sardine

Huh. I�m guessing that pilchard has a different meaning, but I can�t find a non-Urban Dictionary source that would suggest otherwise.

: What was her name? Katie? No, that�s not it�

: I believe you�re thinking of Mr Anderson�s daughter, Katia.

: Yes, that�s the one. I wonder what she�s doing here.

: Hmm...

We�re going to head north to new territory.

Oh no.

This man should look familiar - he was the tutorial man for Curious Village.

: Hey, I know you!

: And I know fate, �cause that�s what brought you, me and that swanky tea set of yours together. Now that we�re all reunited, I say we celebrate with a cup of tea. Brew me something nice, would ya?

: You want us to make tea for you?

: That�s right, whippersnapper, but nothing fancy. A cup of Citrus Classic will do the trick. It�s so easy to make, even a baby could do it. A baby with a magic tea set, that is. Anyhoo, all you need is some Oasis Leaf, a little Brisk Berry and a sprinkle of Citronia Seed.

Brewing tea here is required to continue, so they just give you the recipe.

: Keh heh heh. Not a bad cup of tea you make, shorty. Of course, you couldn�t have pulled it off without my expert direction, so don�t get cocky. You know, this town is filled with thirsty folks. You�ve got the tea set, so the way I see it, it�s your responsibility to help people! If you manage to help everyone out with a tea break, good things will happen. This I promise.

: Oh, a fair bit, Luke. A gentleman never underestimates the power of a hot cup of tea.

: Hmm, well, when you put it like that I suppose it couldn�t hurt to spread some happiness.

You see the little white sweat marks above that man�s head? That�s the signal that someone wants some tea.

: You certainly are. How did you work that out?

I�m guessing that�s a typo and not Luke being incredibly snarky.

: Du-ur! �Cause I am too. Plus, I�ve got a trick for working out who�s local and who�s not.

I mean, Luke was right that this guys is out of town too, so who knows?

: Wow, that sounds handy! Can you teach me how to do it too?

: Dur� sure, why not. But not for free! Tell ya what, I�ve been feeling a bit down lately. If you can make me go �hur hur hur� again, I�ll show you how to do it.

: Well, I imagine we might be able to whip up a classic cup of tea that will excite your tastebuds.

: Ooh, that sounds durlicious. I haven�t had tea in...ur...um� a very long time� Ages!

In case it wasn�t clear, the tea I�m serving is displayed on the bottom screen.

: A hur hur, now that�s the stuff. I tell you, the classics really are the best. That goes for tea, too.

: We�ve held up our end of the deal, so spill the beans. How do you tell outsiders from locals in this town?

: Oh, it�s a piece of, urrr, pudding. Just get up real close...and give �em a sniff. Seems like most people from out-of-town town smell like roses.

Out-of-town town?

: I see�

: Why don�t you rest a while with this puzzle I�ve got here?

Music: Puzzle

Don�t bother thinking about pi. You don�t need it to solve this one!
If you draw straight lines between the four centre points of each of the flower beds, it makes a square!
From the points where the two flower beds touch, draw two diagonal lines that cur through the centre of the diagram and end where the other flower beds touch. These two lines divide that middle space between all four flower beds into four neat sections. What can you learn from those four sections?

Music: Folsense

: You�re just one of those people who does everything, hur? I get tired just thinkin� about it.

Time to brew some tea!

This is Oasis Leaf, Peppercherry, and Peppercherry if it�s not clear.

: Yes, there�s quite a healthy dose of Peppercherry in there. No doubt about it.

: I kind of like it. It makes me feel very chirpy. Next time I�m feeling down, I know what to reach for.

: Yes, a good cup of Cherry Boost can be quite nice every once in a while.

Brisk Berry, Dream Fluff, Peppercherry.

: And sweet at the end as well.

: I especially like how the initial heat helps to balance out the sweetness that comes later.

: I never imagined spicy and sweet could work together so well.

Back on the main screen, we move right.

: No need for alarm, Luke, he�s likely just gathering information about Dr Schrader�s case. It seems that he�s finally worked out that the key to solving it lies here in Folsense.

: Heh heh heh. Maybe the inspector�s almost got a grip of the situation for once.

: No doubt about it?

: Yep, the man in the photograph is the one. I�d remember that face anywhere.

: Hmph, well, that seals the deal. Just as I suspected. My instincts are never wrong! Come along now, Barton! We�re moving on!

: Hmm? Oh yes, sir. Right behind you, sir!

: What seems to be ailing you?

: Every day I stand out here for hours and hours. All that standing makes my knees creak like crazy. I should really start scheduling a mid-shift break or something.

: Being a doorman does sound like an exhausting job. Perhaps a cup of tea would help restore your spirits? I�d be happy to brew you some.

: OK, but I should warn you, working at a five-star restaurant has made me a fussy drinker. But if you can brew up something that tastes mild with a hint of spice, I�ll be a happy camper.

...karate kicks?

: I know good tea when I taste it. This tea, my friend, is simply out of this world! Working as a doorman in the best restaurant in town, I have to be on the ball 100 percent of the time. I mean, back in the day, even the duke�s son and his fiancee used to come here. When you�ve got customers like that, service has to be perfect from the second they turn up.

: Wow, Folsense�s elite, eh?

: That�s right, little man. Come to think of it, I haven�t seen those two for a while now. I really hope they visit us again some time.

: Now, if you�d be so kind as to hand me your hat?

: Very well. You�re saying that we can enter if I give you this hat?

Music: Puzzle

The shape is identical to the example hat, so while you many find that some shapes resemble the hat in question, outlining one of these won�t count as a valid solution. Study the points where the lines of several shapes cross each other to find the exact match to the sample hat.
The hat hidden in the pattern has been turned on its side.
Focus your search on the lower-left section of the picture.

Music: Folsense

: Huh?

: Um, Professor, I don�t think that�s quite what he meant.

: Be that as it may, I�m not taking this hat off. Let�s go, Luke.

: But I was really looking forward to dropping in for a snack!

: It takes a very special occasion for this hat to come off. That�s all I have to say on the matter.

: I think this is too deep for me�

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcZpE9_xt7k

Next we enter the camera shop.

Music: The History of the Village

: But if you look closely, you can see that the pictures aren�t quite in chronological order. Do you think you can work out the order in which the pictures should be displayed?

Music: Puzzle

Start by scanning all four pictures for differences between them. For example, maybe the buildings are different in one or two of the photos�
Photo C is the only one where the stairs aren�t illuminated, because there�s no visible streetlight. Both photos C and D are missing the big, orange building in the background. By contrast, the building and streetlight are visible in photos A and B.
The door to the photo studio is the same colour in all pictures except A. Also, in B, one of the restaurant�s windows is broken. However, the window is patched up in A, so A must have been taken after B.

Music: The History of the Village

: Cor! With enough of these pictures, I bet you could see exactly how the town developed.

: You bring up an interesting point, Luke. But if these photos are that old, why do they look so new?

: Now that you mention it, I suppose they do look quite new.

: Photographs this old normally show some signs of deterioration. I wonder what method this studio uses to keep these photos so immaculate?

That�s the last part.

Going to truncate the tutorial; I�ll explain when it becomes relevant.

: I�m flattered, but really, I take no special measures in that regard.

Exit the camera shop and move up the stairs.

Music: Folsense

: He doesn�t appear to be in a very good mood, Luke.

: Let me see if I can find out what the problem is.

: Growrf! Growrf GROOOWRF!

: Aaaaahhhh!

: Good heavens! Luke, are you hurt?

: Indeed. Let�s find another way through town. Passing through here seems rather difficult.

A step to the left.

: The gate�s shut tight. It must be closed.

: I was hoping we�d find some useful information inside, but there�s no sense in standing around waiting. For the time being, let�s continue our investigation elsewhere.

So, now I get to demo one of the more annoying features of the tea minigame. Notice that the person in this screenshot is not thirsty.

But is in this one. What changed? I went back to the museum entrance and back here a few times. Yes, people are randomly thirsty. It�s nice for realism, but I want to give everyone their tea at the earliest opportunity, so most tea servings from here onwards are preceded by me running back and forth.

: Huh? See what?

: The ghost, of course! One just floated by all oogity-boogitying, I swear!

: Drat. I must have missed it.

: That�s the twelfth time today he�s flown by. This must be the best spot for ghost watching. I�ve been here for hours! It�s all just so fascinating! I�m utterly captivated!

: I�m sure it�s all very exciting, but would you care to take a break and have a cup of tea?

: That sounds great! I screech like a banshee every time I spot a ghost, and boy, is my throat sore! But if I�m going to take a tea break, let�s make it a mysterious one. WooooOOOoooo! Ahem� That means I�d like something sweet and kind of unusual.

: Hey, there really is something a little mysterious about the way this tea tastes. Good job!

: I�m glad you liked it.

: Oh, yeah, it was great. Let me thank you by telling you where all the spookiest ghosts in town hang out. Folsense has got loads of great ghost-watching spots!

: Thanks for the offer, but I�m scared enough as it is!

: Actually, we�re searching for an item called the Elysian Box. Does that name sound familiar?

: Wow, now that�s a fantastic name! Here�s a puzzle for sharing that great name with me!

Music: Puzzle

There�s no need to decipher the relationships of every person in the picture. Just focus on finding the answer to the question at hand.
Who�s married to the eldest sister? Using the clues you�ve been given, you should be able to find the answer to that question almost instantaneously.
While we�re on the subject, finding the husband of the younger sister should be a breeze as well. With those two men identified, this puzzle is as good as solved.

Puzzles in this Update:

Music: Puzzle

# ¿ Apr 7, 2015 23:36

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Let's Play! > Every Puzzle Has an Answer: Let's Play Professor Layton and Pandora's Box!