How to solve the parlor puzzle in Blue Prince

The parlor puzzle is one of the earliest challenges you'll encounter in Blue Prince. It's a great opportunity to get some gems as a reward, but you do need to work for it. You'll find two gems in one of the three boxes to the left as you enter the room, yet you can't just open them all. You have one chance to unlock the correct box containing the reward but as you can imagine, it's not straightforward.

This puzzle is basically a challenge to figure out which boxes are lying so you can unlock the one containing the reward. There's a note on the desk to the right of the boxes which provides a clue, alongside a wind-up key which you'll need to pick up to unlock your chosen box. All that said, here's how to complete the parlor puzzle.

How to solve the parlor puzzle in Blue Prince

Parlor puzzle desk in room Blue Prince — (Image credit: Dogubomb)

You need to read the three statements on top of the boxes to determine which one contains the reward of two gems. These statements are different every day, so you won't be able to rely on memory to solve it should you unlock the parlor the following day too. The note on the desk in the right corner of the room explains the following:

At least one of the statements is true
At least one of the statements is false
Only one of the boxes has a reward

As mentioned, you'll need to take the wind up key to the boxes in order to unlock them. It's important to remember that just because a box has a true statement, that doesn't mean it contains the gems. Here's an example of one of the first puzzles I faced in the parlor, and how I came to the conclusion. You might be able to use a similar approach if you're stuck.

Blue box statement: "The black box contains gems"
White box statement: "This box and the blue box are empty"
Black box statement: "All three boxes are empty"

Parlor puzzle riddle sheet explaining what to do in Blue Prince — (Image credit: Dogubomb)

Immediately, the black box statement can be written off as false in this example. We know that one box contains a reward thanks to the note left on the desk. This means that either the blue and white boxes could be true statements, and both hint at the black box containing gems. You may think that there is a chance the statement on the white box could be false, but that would also make the statement on the blue box false. Going back to the note, we know that there is at least one true statement, and both would lead us toward the black box containing gems.

This is just one example of multiple puzzles this room can throw out, but it's the kind of process you'll need to apply to each if you need help solving the puzzle. Generally, I've found that either looking for the obvious lie straight away, like a box saying something we know is incorrect thanks to the information we've found on the note, or alternatively finding a statement that is obviously true, can help to dissect the other statements. It's a lot to think about, especially for a puzzle that seems so simple. But when you're desperate for gems, the reward is well worth the effort.

Kara is an evergreen writer. Having spent four years as a games journalist guiding, reviewing, or generally waffling about the weird and wonderful, she’s more than happy to tell you all about which obscure indie games she’s managed to sink hours into this week. When she’s not raising a dodo army in Ark: Survival Evolved or taking huge losses in Tekken, you’ll find her helplessly trawling the internet for the next best birdwatching game because who wants to step outside and experience the real thing when you can so easily do it from the comfort of your living room. Right?

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