Hi, everyone!

Nancy has received the Master Sudoku puzzle from George and has completed 2 sections. Does she comment after each section if it's correct, or does she wait until all sections are finished?

Thanks!

Susan

Hi Susie,

Nancy won't comment until the entire 5 sections are completed.

Hi, Rushes!

Thanks for your response! It took me at least an hour (probably more) to complete 2 sections so, if I've made a mistake, how will I know what section is incorrect?

I don't do Sudoku puzzles in the newspaper (I'm a crossword puzzle gal myself) but I'm finding that I'm enjoying them more than I thought I would.

Susan

If Nancy doesn't say anything after you've completed all the sections, then you'll have to go back and check each square individually. Hope you won't need to do that!

Hi, Rushes!

Thanks! I hope I won't need to do that as well. After spending over 3 hours on a puzzle (I'm assuming that's at least how long it will take me), if it's not correct, I don't relish having to recheck each and every square to see where I went wrong.

Susan

Hi, Rushes!

I did it ! I don't know what I would have done if Nancy didn't make a comment, but I would NOT have been a happy camper!

Now if I could only figure out how that pesky Bento puzzle works.

Susan

Phew!

The Bento is a logic problem. The clues are on the black & white diagrams to the right of the grid. The diagonal dissecting lines in some of the boxes aren't an "either/or", btw -- it means that X animal in X food type goes in that square.

Hi, Rushes!

Thanks for sharing my joy (not to mention relief) at solving the Master Sudoku puzzle and for the tip on the Bento puzzle. I also had a problem backing out of the Bento puzzle because I couldn't seem to find the down arrow, but maybe I wasn't looking hard enough.

Now to find a place to send George the completed Sudoku puzzle and see if I can figure out the Bento puzzle using the tips you gave me.

I've gotta say that this is the most difficult ND game thus far and, from the number of posts in the "Hints" section, I'm not alone. I started out playing Senior Detective and ended up switching to Junior, and I've never done that before.

Susan

The back out arrow is (I think) at the bottom right of your screen. Tricky to locate. Good luck. Shout if you need any further help.

Yes, it's definitely a difficult game. We have never had so many requests for saved games as with this one. I think a lot of the game disks have ended up as drinks coasters, to tell you the truth!

Hi, everyone!

I'm now locked in one of the rooms and am faced with a puzzle. Unfortunately, I have no clue what I'm supposed to do.

If someone could point me in the right direction, I would be eternally grateful.

Thanks!

Susan

Hi Susie,

I merged your two threads for this game.

MaG's walkthrough says:
There are 6 wedges in the circle. They are all similar. What you do on one of the wedge - also do it on the other 5.

Select a color from the right and fill the empty areas with the correct color.

There are pieces there already that show what should be placed on those areas.

Hope that helps! This is a timed puzzle, so it needs to be done as quickly as possible. If you need more of a nudge just let us know.

Hi, Rushes!

Thanks for the instructions. And the puzzle is timed? Imagine, if you can, how much that delights me ! Do we know how many minutes are on the clock, or will I be down to my last square when time runs out?

I mentioned in another post that I was unable to back out of the first Bento puzzle I tried to solve. I also couldn't back out of the second one either, and I can't back out of the puzzle I'm working on now. I didn't have that problem with the subsequent Bento puzzles, or any of the other puzzles. Very strange!

Susan

You only get a few minutes, not very long. It may take a couple of attempts until you get familiar with the colour placements. Have a crack at it and see how it goes. Keep us posted!

I had trouble with the Bento puzzles too, until I figured out how to interpret the clues. I also found out I couldn't back out of the first Bento - I had to quit the game and come back, where I got a different assortment of food animals. After I solved one, I was able to back out of the next one if I wanted to.

I'm about 2/3 through the game; don't know if there are any more bentos coming up. I only had to solve one to get Yumi"s key.

I did finish the Master Sudoku - yeah!!! - but it wasn't correct on my first attempt. I did the 4 corners first and saved after each one. So I didn't have to backtrack too far to find my mistake.

There is a third-last bento puzzle close to the ending.

Great on the master sudoku. Have fun.

Hi, Rushes!

I've had several cracks at it, and it's not going well ! To make matters worse, I'm playing Junior Detective, so I would imagine that Senior Detective is even more difficult !

I don't understand why the developers would decide to make a time-consuming puzzle a timed puzzle. They're all masochists!! I guess there are no tricks to stop the timer like there was for the timed sauna puzzle in "White Wolf of Icicle Creek"?

Since it seems as though the puzzles in the Nancy Drew series are becoming increasingly difficult, perhaps they should give some thought to adding a "solve" option.

Susan

Do you want a saved game?

Hi, MaG!

Not yet, but I'm about ready to throw my computer out the window ! I'm gonna keep at it for a while longer because I got down to just a few empty squares before time ran out.

Thanks for the offer. I think I've only ever needed one saved game (and that was for the robot puzzle in "Still Life"), but this may very well be my second !

Susan

If I can do it with my shaky hands - others can definitely do it.
Think of it as a memory puzzle.

If you do it on one wedge - do it on the other wedges.
Do one color at a time as best as you can.

Hi, MaG!

I did it ! I have no idea how I did it but I almost fell off of my chair when the door opened and Nancy was finally free!

I changed strategy and started in the middle and worked my way to the outside.

Thanks for your help!

Susan

Great.

Hi, everyone!

I seem to be stuck again. I'm inside the baths in the basement and found a large nonogram puzzle on the wall. I have a set of numbers that goes along the top, but Nancy says she needs more numbers. Where might I find them because I've talked to everyone and have no idea where to look next.

Thanks!

Susan

Susan,

That nonogram clue - is that the one you got from the bamboo?

If so - talk to Yumi at the Bento shop now.

Hi, MaG!

I think I got the nonogram numbers from underneath the frog in Yumi's apartment. I've talked to her after finding the nanogram puzzle in the basement but the only dialogue I get is to complete another Bento puzzle. I'm all Bentoed out !

I guess I'm missing the numbers from the bamboo. Where would I find that?

Thanks!

Susan

Have you done an EVP check on the ryokan already?
It will be a cascade of clues from there.

Hi, MaG!

I did the EVP recordings quite a while ago. Most of them were static but one picked up a conversation. I was able to tick that item off on my checklist so I assumed I was through.

I'll go back and check Nancy's notes to see if I've missed something. The only other item I am unable to tick off of my checklist is "Explore the Gardens", but I think I've covered every inch and have no idea what I might have missed.

Susan

Did you follow through that conversation?
That should lead to doing a puzzle under the bridge - which will lead to a puzzle that needs a clue from room 18.

Hi, MaG!

I did find the key that Yumi tossed in the water, but I missed the hollow bamboo post that contained the second (or first, as the case may be ) set of nonogram numbers. That explains why I was unable to tick off "explore the gardens" on my task list. I'm now trying to solve the nonogram puzzle in the underground baths.

Thanks for your help!

Susan

with the nonogram.

Hi, Rushes!

Thanks ... I'm gonna need all the luck I can get ! I tried saving in the middle of the puzzle so I could take a break but, when I restored my saved game, all of the boxes had scrambled and I had to start over again. I guess I'll wait until I have several hours to spare before trying it again.

Susan

Oh no! With such a detailed puzzle as that one, they really should have made it possible to save while solving without losing your progress.

Hi, Rushes!

To say it sucks would be a gross understatement. I was more than halfway through the puzzle when I decided to take a break, so I saved my game (or so I thought) and moved on to something else. When I restored my game, all of the boxes had scrambled and nothing was where it should be.

Oh well. Back to the drawing board.

Susan

Hi, Rushes!

Very strange ! I just tried saving my game again in the middle of the nonogram puzzle and, surprise, surprise, it worked. Perhaps my computer "burped" the first time I tried and that's why the squares wee scrambled, but I'm counting my lucky stars that I don't have to start over.

Susan

That's good news. Hope you're getting on ok with that puzzle now.

Hi, Rushes!

I'm bleary-eyed and seeing double. Does that give you an idea how I'm getting on with the puzzle ?

Susan

It suggests that you're perhaps not having fun times? I like how you're persevering regardless, though!

Hi, Rushes!

I will admit that this particular nonogram puzzle is extremely frustrating, but I'm determined to get it right. At least I now know that I can save it if I want to take a break.

Thanks again for your help!

UPDATE:

I FINALLY solved that blasted nonogram puzzle ! My excitement was short-lived; however, because now I'm underwater and am faced with yet another timed puzzle, so I'm packing it in for the night and will tackle it tomorrow !

I've come to the conclusion that "HerInteractive" has hired a bunch of masochists !

Susan

Susie, when you tackle the under-water timed puzzle, I personally suggest going by the photo in MaG's w/t and going from the bottom up. I had the least amount of trouble if I start at the bottom of the screen and work upward.

Well done on beating the nonogram, Susie! Good luck with the timed puzzle.

Thanks for the tip, NDLVR.

Hi, Rushes and NDLVR!

NDLVR, thanks for the tip. I normally avoid walkthroughs because I don't want to accidentally read something I haven't done yet, but is there a hint somewhere in the game that would tell me where to cut the rope?

Rushes, I honestly didn't think I would ever solve that blasted nonogram puzzle, but I was not going to give up until I did. Nobody was more surprised than I was when the puzzle disappeared and a door opened.

Susan

No, there isn't any clue in-game that helps with knowing which ropes to cut. Look for the path (top to bottom) with the fewest number of ropes you need to cut to free yourself.

Hint:

Hi all I try so hard not to look at walkthroughs like some people do here.... I went through the doors in #38 and on to #33 use-ing the star thingy that was in Rena's cabin ...well anyway I cant get out until I do the mirror painted thing on the door ... well "Please Help Me" I got caught in and cant get out I tried that Puzzle a Gazillion times and last night literally fell aseep near 2 this am Please send me a save ....Rushes I know ya hear me You are the only one that seems to help me TY

That puzzle has tripped up lots of folk, you're not alone, Leeana -- the save's on the way.

Got it I knew I could cont on you

Have fun.

ok Ive encountered another bento box how can I get out of this one???? after I did the the above... Im so sorry to bother you Rushes But Im stuck please I need a save here too TY

Got it Thank You!!!!! Rushes

Hi, Rushes!

FINALLY finished the game. Thanks for your help!

I'm not sure I even want to tackle it in Senior Detective mode, though. I usually play the Nancy Drew games through in Senior Detective mode first, and then Junior. This time, I switched over from Senior to Junior when I encountered the picture frame puzzle. I shudder to think how difficult the last nonogram and mozaic puzzles are in Senior mode since I had so much trouble with them, so I think I'll just leave well enough alone and catch up on the casual games I've been stocking up on .

Susan

Leeana - the save's on the way.

Susie - wonderful! I haven't played Senior level either. I like having that task list around!