Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box/Puzzles 26-50

Caution! This page contains all the hints and solutions for every puzzle from 1 to 25. Scroll carefully or you might spoil the answer of a puzzle for yourself. The solutions are hidden behind spoiler tags, so only take a peek if you're desperate.

Puzzle 026

 * Name: Train Swap
 * Trigger: Talk to Hank/Check left train
 * Location: Outside the train
 * Chapter: 1
 * Picarats: 25

Description: Swap the positions of the two trains along the tracks. Move the cars one at a time and make sure the numbers by the side of the track match the numbers on each car.


 * Hint 1: Your first goal is to get the cars from the shorter train to their assigned places.
 * Hint 2: 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.
 * Hint 3: Apply the method described in Hint Two to move the other cars, and you'll have those trains switched around in no time!

Puzzle 027

 * Name: A Dramatic Farewell
 * Trigger: Check poster
 * Location: Station Platform
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 20

Description: Train stations are an especially good place for dramatic farewells, aren't they? Below is a picture of a man and woman bidding each other a tearful goodbye. Somewhere in this picture is a single unrealistic detail. Find and circle that unusual area.


 * Hint 1: There's nothing wrong with the dog.
 * Hint 2: 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.
 * Hint 3: 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!"

Puzzle 028

 * Name: The Warped Wheel
 * Trigger: Check produce cart
 * Location: Hill to Town Hall
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 20

Description: In the back of the train yard, there's an old, warped wheel lying on the ground, as shown below. A star is pointing to its axle. While no longer functional, the wheel is interesting because, when rolled on a flat surface, its axle traces a funny pattern if you look at it from the side. Of the five diagrams below, which one depicts the actual path of the axle?


 * Hint 1: This wheel's shape is essentially a triangle with the corners rounded off. Since the axle is positioned close to one of the corners, you can expect the pattern it creates to be rather unconventional.
 * Hint 2: The axle is positioned far from the center of the wheel, so you can expect the path it traces to contain an exxagerated up-and-down movement.
 * Hint 3: B and E are not the answer. Choose from the remaining three options, and don't forget what you read in Hint Two!

Puzzle 029

 * Name: The Winning Arrow/Which Arrow?
 * Trigger: Check fairground stall
 * Location: Hill to Town Hall
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 20

Description: A bag of candy dangles from one of the three arrows attached to the wall. Assuming that all three arrows are perfectly straight, which arrow--A, B, or C--is connected to the candy?


 * Hint 1: Don't trust your eyes! This puzzle contains an optical illusion.
 * Hint 2: 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.
 * Hint 3: Here's an interesting bit of trivia. This particular optical illusion is known as the Poggendorff illusion.

Puzzle 030 (US)

 * Name: The Secret Message
 * Trigger: Check the fountain
 * Location: Town Hall Plaza
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 30

Description: On the day Dropstone was founded 50 years ago, the villagers toasted with red wine and danced late into the night. They also built this statue, engraving it with the word RED and the date 8-12. Part of the statue is shaped like a wineglass and can be filled with water from the spout at the top. While the statue describes the villagers' activities on the day of the founding, it can also show where they all found themselves the day after the festivities. Can you figure out where the villagers were? Answer in three letters.


 * Hint 1: 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?
 * Hint 2: Imagine how things would look if you filled the wineglass part of the monument to the brim with water.
 * Hint 3: When the wineglass part of the monument is filled with water, the bottom half of the inscription "8-12 RED" is submerged in water, and the top half casts a reflection on the water's surface. Can you picture what that would look like?

Puzzle 030 (UK)

 * Name: The Wrong Date
 * Trigger: Check the fountain
 * Location: Town Hall Plaza
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 30

Description: Dropstone was founded up to 50 years ago, and the founders commissioned a stone sculpture to commemorate that day. Unfortunately the dozy sculptor managed to engrave the wrong date onto it. The whole village had to live with the erroneous sculpture until some bright spark realised that converting it in a certain way would enable the correct date to be displayed. Think about what the sculpture could have been converted into to display the correct date. On which date was Dropstone founded? Answer in four digits (DD/MM).


 * Hint 1: 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.
 * Hint 2: 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.
 * Hint 3: Though currently dry, the fountain's big bowl is usually filled with water. Why don't you take a moment to...reflect on this?

Puzzle 031

 * Name: Pass the Apples
 * Trigger: Talk to Dorothea
 * Location: General Store
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 20

Description: Johnny and Thomas are each carrying some apples. If Johnny gave Thomas one apple, the two men would each have the same number of apples. Conversely, if Thomas gave Johnny two apples, Johnny would have three times the number of apples that Johnny would have. So, just how many apples is each man holding?


 * Hint 1: "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.
 * Hint 2: "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.
 * Hint 3: Can you think of a number where the result is the same is 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...

Puzzle 032

 * Name: It's a Wrap
 * Trigger: Talk to Laura
 * Location: Tree-Lined Path
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 20

Description: In order to wrap the flower just like the leftmost drawing, how should you begin wrapping? Tap A, B, C, or D to answer.


 * Hint 1: Pay attention to the direction and starting point of each diagrammed fold.
 * Hint 2: Since the green edge of the wrapping paper will be obscured as you roll up the paper in A and D, you can throw out both these answers.
 * Hint 3: 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.

Puzzle 033

 * Name: Fishing Net
 * Trigger: Talk to Gabe
 * Location: Dropstone Pond
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 20

Description: You've cast a large net out in a pond to catch some fish. Every part of the net is in the water, except for the two ends, which you're holding in your hands, as shown below. The pond's surface is small, but it's actually wider underwater, so parts of your net aren't visible from the surface. Assuming that there are no tears in the net and that it's rim is constructed of a single length of rope that ends on the shore, how many fish visible in the pond will you snare when you pull the net back up?


 * Hint 1: Why not try sketching the parts of the net you can't see?
 * Hint 2: When fully drawn out, the net is one strange and complicated shape.
 * Hint 3: 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. There's your answer.

Puzzle 034

 * Name: Trees on an Old Road
 * Trigger: Check the right tree
 * Location: Tree-Lined Path
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 20

Description: The country road you see here is lined with a single straight row of trees, each planted at a different time and each a different distance from its neighbour. Of the five trees labeled A through E here, which two trees here have the greatest distance between them? Study the diagram carefully and draw a line between the letters of the two trees you've chosen.


 * Hint 1: It's a simple question, so try not to overthink it.
 * Hint 2: This puzzle has set a trap for you in its wording. There are no outright lies, but you will need to read carefully.
 * Hint 3: Just draw a line between the trees with the greatest amount of space between them. ...No one ever said you had to choose two trees directly adjacent to each other.

Puzzle 035

 * Name: Which House Where?
 * Trigger: Talk to Parcelle
 * Location: Wheat Field
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 30

Description: Below are houses A, B, C, and D, each of which is a different color. Decipher each house's color from the following clues. Change the color of each house by tapping on it with your stylus.
 * 1) The red house is closer to the pine tree than the blue house.
 * 2) The yellow house is closer to the lake than the green house.
 * 3) The green house is closer to the power lines than the blue house.
 * 4) D is either yellow, blue, or green.


 * Hint 1: If you read clues one through four and are still stuck, try starting from clue foure and working your way backward.
 * Hint 2: The red house is closer to the three than the green house.
 * Hint 3: House C is red.

Puzzle 036

 * Name: The Trapped Bird
 * Trigger: Talk to Laurel
 * Location: Tree-Lined Path
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 35

Description: Oh, no! Laurel's poor little bird has fallen down a long, winding hole in the ground! In front of the bird are three paths labeled A, B and C. Which tunnel should the bird take in order to make it back aboveground?


 * Hint 1: Each tunnel branches of 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.
 * Hint 2: 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.
 * Hint 3: All the paths stemming from from tunnel A take you deeper into the ground or into the snake's den.

Puzzle 037

 * Name: World's Best Golfer
 * Trigger: Talk to Kostya
 * Location: Wheat Field
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 25

Description: A pro golfer has the amazing ability to consistently putt distances of 3, 5, 7, and 11 feet. Strangely enough, though, those are the only distances he can putt. Currently, our golfer stands in the green with his ball 20 feet from the hole. What's the fewest number of strokes he can use to get the ball into the hole? Assume that if the ball is hit farther than the distance remaining to the hole, it will roll over to the other side without going into the cup.


 * Hint 1: The correct solution doesn't involve the golfer overshooting the hole.
 * Hint 2: There's no reason our golfing friend should hit each putt straight toward the hole. Perhaps he could put his ball in a better position with a shot that travels diagonally.
 * Hint 3: Picture the golfer taking a diagonal shot relative to the hole. If he hits the ball exactly 11 feet 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?

Puzzle 038

 * Name: Moving Day/Four Horses
 * Trigger: Check the field
 * Location: Mansion Path
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 35

Description: You have four horses, all of which travel at different speeds. In travelling from point A to point B, these horses take one, two, four, and six hours respectively. One day you decide to move all your horses from point A to point B. However, you can only move a maximum of two horses at a time, and you need to ride a horse back to point A each time you return to move your other horses. Knowing you can only move as fast as the slowest horse you're travelling with, what's the fewest number of hours it will take to complete your move?


 * Hint 1: 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 travelling 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.
 * Hint 2: In order to move all your horse from A to B in the shortest amout of time, you'll need to cross over from A to B three times and return form B to A twice. How do you make the most effective use of this limited number of crossings?
 * Hint 3: First, bring you one-hour and two-hour horses over to B, then return to A on your one-hour horse. Next, bring you four-hour 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.

Puzzle 039

 * Name: A Change of Clothes
 * Trigger: Talk to Lopez
 * Location: Competition Field
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 30

Description: Men A, B, and C each started off with pants and shirts of a single color. A wore red, B wore blue, and C wore white. Then they were blinfolded and swapped items of clothing. After they took off theur blindfolds, here's what they said: Changes their clothing by tapping on them, and assemble their current outfits using the clues given.
 * A : No one's shirt and pants match.
 * B : It looks like C's the only one of us who didn't keep any of his original clothes.
 * C : I don't know if I like these red pants.


 * Hint 1: You know that C's wearing red pants and isn't wearing anything he was previously, so his shirt has to be blue.
 * Hint 2: C's the only one of the three men not wearing any of the items he was wearing originally.
 * Hint 3: A and B must both be wearing a single piece of clothing--shirt or pants--that they were previously.

Puzzle 040

 * Name: The Tiled Box/The Patterned Box
 * Trigger: Dropstone Entrance
 * Location: Talk to Madeline
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 30

Description: The two boxes shown below are actually the same box shown from two different angles. Using the visible faces, reassemble the pattern of the box by placing tiles into the unfolded view of the box. Don't forget, each tile needs to go in the correct square facing the correct direction.


 * Hint 1: 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.
 * Hint 2: The yellow-circle tile goes directly above the spade.
 * Hint 3: The green-club tile should be placed in the square above the yellow circle.

Puzzle 041

 * Name: Cube Halves
 * Trigger: Talk to Wurtzer
 * Location: Dropstone Entrance
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 25

Description: Below are four halves of four seperate cubes. Each of the halves are shaped so that when fitted with an identically shaped piece, these two halves form a whole cube. However, one piece below fails to meet those requirements and doesn't form a cube when joined with another identical piece. Circle the odd piece out from choices A through D below.


 * Hint 1: B looks like it should fit together with its other half quite nicely.
 * Hint 2: A and another piece shaped like it would make a fine cube as well.
 * Hint 3: You're down to two possible answers at this point. Choose the one that seems least likely to fit with its twin.

Puzzle 042

 * Name: Board Splitter 1/Board Cutter 1
 * Trigger: Talk to Balsa
 * Location: Path to Farm
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 25

Description: Here we have an oddly shaped board. Since this board ia rather unwieldy as it is, you've decided to cut it into two pieces and rejoin these pieces to form a square. Assuming you aren't allowed to flip either of the pieces over once the board is cut, where should you make the cut in order to achieve the above?


 * Hint 1: The final square will be four units tall by four units wide.
 * Hint 2: You have to cut the board in two seperate pieces to solve this puzzle.
 * Hint 3: Doesn't that area around the hole in the board look like a good place to cut?

Puzzle 043

 * Name: Board Splitter 2/Board Cutter 2
 * Trigger: Talk to Balsa
 * Location: Path to Farm
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 30

Description: Well, here we have yet another inconveniently shaped board. This one's even more unwieldy than the last, so you need to cut it into two pieces that you can reassemble to form a rectangle. Assuming you aren't allowed to flip either of the pieces over once the board is cut, where should you cut it in order to achieve the above?


 * Hint 1: 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.
 * Hint 2: After you make the cuts, you won't need to rotate either piece to make them fit together as a rectangle.
 * Hint 3: 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 need to make one more cut, but we'll leave that one to you.

Puzzle 044

 * Name: Tangled Ropes
 * Trigger: Talk to Remy
 * Location: Mansion Path
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 25

Description: Three rope loops are tangled together with a single rope. If you were to pull both ends of the red rope, a single knot would form in the middle. Can you figure out how many of the rope loops would get caught in this knot when it forms? Remember, even if a loop appears to have been pulled into the knot, you shouldn't count it in your answer if you can pull the loop free of the red rope with a tug.


 * Hint 1: 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 phenomenom before when untangling a mess of appliance wires at home.
 * Hint 2: 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.
 * Hint 3: Do you see the yellow loop of rope? It may look tangled with the others, but it turns out that when it is pulled, this rope will slip free of all the other ones in the pile. Now, what about those other two ropes?

Puzzle 045

 * Name: Baggage Claim
 * Trigger: Talk to Romie
 * Location: Mansion Path
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 30

Description: What rotten luck. While trying to pick up your luggage, you find that your bag is at the very back of the pile. The baggage porter unloading the luggage claims the boxes in the hold have prevented him from unloading your bag. Use your wits to move all the boxes out of the way and reclaim your luggage.


 * Hint 1: There are probably a few blocks 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.
 * Hint 2: 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.
 * Hint 3: Move one of the green square boxes down into the space where your luggage will eventually go to help free up some space.

Puzzle 046

 * Name: Odd Shape Out
 * Trigger: Talk to Lulu
 * Location: Hill to Town Plaza
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 20

Description: You hava a box as shown below. Using the white blocks as standard units, the box is two cubes wide by three cubes long by two cubes tall. Two white cubes are permanently attached to the floor of the blocks. Now, of the four shapes, A through D, shown below, three of them can be placed together in the box to fill it to the top with no gaps. Find the shape that doesn't fit into the box using the conditions described above and circle the corresponding number.


 * Hint 1: Consider each of the two layers of cubes seperately.
 * Hint 2: Did you notice that shape C fits perfectly into the space available on the bottom layer of the box?
 * Hint 3: 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.

Puzzle 047

 * Name: The Mayoral Election
 * Trigger: Check the town hall door
 * Location: Town Hall Plaza
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 25

Description: Three people at odds with one another are running for mayor in the upcoming town election. Including these three candidates, the town has a voter population of 40 people. In order to win, a candidate must get more votes than any other candidate. If each of the 40 voters cast a single vote and every vote is recognized, what is the fewest number of votes a candidate needs to secure victory with certainty?


 * Hint 1: Think about how many votes exist in the town, excluding the three cast by the candidates themselves.
 * Hint 2: Even the three candidates themselves have the right to vote. Of course, seeing as how each other wants to win, it's a given that the candidates will likely vote for themselves.
 * Hint 3: 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 number.

Puzzle 048

 * Name: Who's Mr Anderson?
 * Trigger: Try to leave after watching competition
 * Location: Competition Field
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 25

Description: "I just saw Mr. Anderson around here a minute ago. He shouldn't be too hard to spot, what with that beard and hat. Yup, he's a real gentleman, and he always looks spiffy with his cane and that dapper little bow tie. Oh, and he doesn't wear glasses, in case you're wondering. Look, there he is now!" Using the clues in the above statement, can you find and circle Mr. Anderson in the crowd?


 * Hint 1: 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.
 * Hint 2: The wind in Dropstone seems exceptionally strong today.
 * Hint 3: "Over there! See the guy chasing after his hat? That's him!"

Puzzle 049

 * Name: A Royal Show-off
 * Trigger: Talk to Madeline
 * Location: Dropstone Entrance
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 20

Description: In a far-off country, there's a king whose favourite pastime is showing off the latest possessions he's collected. The subjects of his kingdom are forbidden to purchase items the king has obtained for a month or so. Only once he's tired of his new purchase can the common folk finally buy that item for themselves. However, the other day, the king bought a new item that had him all but commanding his subjects to buy one of the same item as soon as possible. Circle that item.


 * Hint 1: Who wouldn't want to show off their new car or television for a while?
 * Hint 2: There's one item on this list that's useless unless two or more of the same item exists.
 * Hint 3: 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.

Puzzle 050

 * Name: Misinformootion
 * Trigger: Talk to Oscar or Clabber
 * Location: Competition Field
 * Chapter: 2
 * Picarats: 30

Description: Five cows are grazing at the festival. Two of them are Troomoo cows, a breed that only tells the truth. The ither three are Nowhey cows, a different variety that always lies. Using the following statements for each cow, mark all the Nowhey cows. Tap a letter to mark the cow below it.


 * A: D is a Nowhey, I promise.
 * B: Oh no, C isn't a Troomoo cow.
 * C: A ain't a Nowhey cow. No way.
 * D: E's a Nowhey cow if I've ever seen one.
 * E: B's definately not a Troomoo.


 * Hint 1: Don't overthink this one. Assume a variety of possibilities and try each one.
 * Hint 2: Assign a breed to a cow and run through all the cow's statements to see if they're consistent with your findings. You should come across the solution soon.
 * Hint 3: 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 have three Troomoo cows and two Nowhey cows. Since you know this to be false, you know that your original assumption must be incorrect.