Blue Prince Puzzles: Decoding the Mysteries of the Mansion

Blue Prince is a puzzle game where you explore a sprawling 45‑room mansion and slowly piece together the secrets behind every painting, object, and locked door. Unlike most games that guide you toward a solution, Blue Prince drops you in a drawing room and tells you almost nothing. Every painting, clock, and note might be a clue. In this article, I’ll share what makes Blue Prince puzzles so compelling, how the mysterious picture‑pair meta works, and how to crack the different safes. As a longtime puzzle gamer, I’ve learned that the right mindset and careful observation can turn frustration into the satisfying “aha” moment. If you’re stuck in the Drawing Room or can’t figure out a safe code, this guide will point you in the right direction.

Blue Prince Puzzles and Gameplay Overview

Blue Prince is the debut game from Dogubomb, a studio founded by veteran filmmaker and game developer Tonda Ros. The premise is simple: you inherit a manor and must find the elusive Room 46, but you only have a limited number of “steps” before you must leave and start again. Two design choices make this puzzle game special. 

First, you build the level as you explore; every time you enter a door, you choose a new room from a set of drafts, gradually constructing your own labyrinthine mansion. Second, nothing in the environment can be taken at face value. The developer crafted the house as a giant puzzle box; a journal left in an early room hints that you should take notes. That advice is essential because almost every object has a purpose, whether it’s a painting with mismatched candles, an odd chess piece on a table, or a cryptic letter from “The Baron.” Blue Prince puzzles often reference each other across runs, which forces you to connect clues spread throughout the entire mansion.

As a roguelite, Blue Prince introduces random elements. Rooms appear in a different order on each run, and some puzzles can only be solved after you’ve discovered a particular item or hint. The random nature can be frustrating if you’re hoping to brute‑force a solution, but it keeps the experience fresh. Each run becomes a balancing act between exploring new rooms, which saves steps to reach deeper areas, and remembering which rooms contain essential clues. 

If you enjoy roguelites, this design will feel familiar. The best roguelite games combine high‑stakes gameplay with long‑term progress and use randomized runs to make each attempt feel different. Blue Prince nails that loop because every unsuccessful attempt teaches you something new about the puzzles, which ultimately turns failure into progress.

Another feature that defines Blue Prince puzzles is the absence of conventional logic. The game often blocks obvious actions. Your character can’t climb a knee‑high fence or light a torch with a nearby campfire because you’re expected to follow the internal rules of the mansion. This deliberate restriction forces you to think within the game’s framework. 

You might notice a painting showing a bent candle or a letter describing “small gates.” Those details seem trivial until you realise they hint at a combination lock hidden behind a wall. The key to enjoying Blue Prince puzzles is to suspend real‑world logic and focus on patterns, wordplay, and subtle differences in the environment. That mindset turns the game into a rewarding labyrinth of clues.

If you want a more personal take on how the game blurs reality and puzzles, check out our deep dive into why Blue Prince encourages obsession. That article explores the developer’s design philosophy and explains why seemingly insignificant details often matter more than you think.

Our editorial team has covered Blue Prince extensively. We like to call it a “puzzle box that encourages obsession.” Our article also notes that every room has “blatantly weird things” that must serve another purpose. This obsession is precisely what makes the game engaging. It invites you to draw connections between seemingly unrelated items. When you start noticing consistent themes, like recurring paintings of people walking or repeated references to dates, you’re on the right path.

Understanding the Picture Puzzle Meta

One of the most mysterious elements in Blue Prince is the picture‑pair meta puzzle. As you explore the mansion, you’ll encounter rooms adorned with pairs of paintings. Each pair shares a word where one painting includes an extra letter. For example, a painting of a stag might be paired with a price tag; the words “stag” and “tag” differ by a single letter. When you remove the matching letters, you’re left with an “S.” Collecting these extra letters across 44 painting pairs yields a 44‑letter, 10‑word message. 

The message, revealed in a letter found in the freezer, reads: “If we count small gates, eight dates crack eight safes”.

This line is the cornerstone of Blue Prince puzzles. It tells you two things. First, “small gates” is a pun on “small gaits,” and refers to the stride length of figures in the paintings. Second, there are eight safes in the mansion, and each safe code corresponds to a date. Without understanding this meta, the safe puzzles feel random. Once the message clicks, you realize that every red letter you find in a safe contains a date, and those dates are the codes for other safes. The picture puzzle also teaches you to pay attention to wordplay and letter differences, skills that apply to later puzzles like the Drafting Studio safe.

Solving the picture pairs requires patience and careful counting. Because rooms appear at random, it may take several runs to see all 44 pairs. I recommend sketching each pair and writing down the extra letter. You might assume that the message will be obvious once you have a few letters, but the phrase only becomes readable toward the end. 

When I first attempted this meta, I misread “small gates” as “small gates,” which led me to think of physical gates in the orchard. Later, I realised the game was hinting at small gaits, which is the stride length of figures in drawings. This misinterpretation taught me to question my assumptions and look for homophones and puns.

If you love puzzles that make you question every detail, our round‑up of the best puzzle games that make you go “aha!” highlights other titles where wordplay, observation, and creative thinking are at the heart of the experience.

Why the Picture Puzzle Matters

The picture puzzle is not a side quest because it provides context for all the major safes in the manor and ties together disparate clues. For example, the phrase “eight dates crack eight safes” explains why the safe codes are formatted as dates and why there are exactly eight of them. It also hints that you should think about months and days rather than random numbers. 

More importantly, solving this meta makes you appreciate the care with which Dogubomb designed the puzzles. Every painting and letter feeds into a larger narrative. If you’re ever frustrated by a puzzle, remember that the solution is likely hidden in plain sight, waiting for you to connect the dots.

Cracking the Safes: Drawing Room and Other Puzzles

Blue Prince features several safes scattered throughout the mansion. Each safe contains a gem and a red letter that advances the story. Below, I’ll explain the key safes and how to open them, based on the “small gaits” clue and the date‑based pattern.

Drawing Room Safe Code 0415

The Drawing Room is one of the first puzzles players encounter, and it’s a perfect example of how Blue Prince hides its secrets. At first glance, the room looks ordinary, with a portrait of an old man above the mantle and numerous paintings on the walls. The safe is hidden behind a painting, but you won’t see it until you interact with the environment. 

Look closely at the portrait in the centre of the room. The candelabra in the painting has a bent arm, whereas the real candelabra on the mantle is perfectly straight. Bend the left arm of the real candelabra, and the painting will slide aside to reveal a safe. This moment exemplifies the game’s playful use of differences between art and reality.

To open the safe, you need to interpret the “small gaits” clue. In the Drawing Room, there are two paintings that feature figures with particularly short strides: a woman wearing a skirt and a man carrying an umbrella. Each of these figures appears multiple times on the walls. 

Your task is to count how many paintings feature each figure. There are four paintings of the woman and fifteen of the man. Combine those numbers to form the code 0‑4‑1‑5. Enter this code into the keypad, and the safe will open.

When I first tackled this puzzle, I assumed the code would be tied to a date like April 15 (0415). I counted the paintings, but I misidentified one of the figures because of the umbrella’s shadow. It’s easy to make mistakes when some portraits are partially obscured. 

My advice is to use a magnifying glass if you have one, stand back to scan the walls, and double‑check each figure. Once you input the correct code, you’ll receive a gem and a red letter.

Boudoir Safe Code 1225

The Boudoir safe hides behind a curtain and a mannequin. A Christmas postcard in the room serves as your clue. Because the safe codes are dates, a Christmas postcard suggests Christmas Day. The code is 1‑2‑2‑5 if you use month‑day format or 2‑5‑1‑2 if you prefer day‑month. When you input this code, the safe opens, and you’ll find another red letter. This is one of the simpler safes, but it teaches you that holiday dates can be important.

Office Safe Code 0303

The Office safe is more complex and uses a clever combination of wordplay and counting. To reveal the safe, turn the dial inside the desk drawer. Inside the desk, you’ll find a note listing various book titles. All but one title is crossed out; the remaining title is “March of the Counts”. 

This tells you two things. First, “March” is the month (03). Second, “Counts” refers to the busts of counts scattered around the office. Count the number of count busts in the room, excluding the large one above the safe, to get the day. When you count them, you’ll find three busts, which makes the code 0‑3‑0‑3. Entering this code unlocks the safe.

Let me tell you what the Office safe taught me (hint: look for puns). I initially focused on the crossed‑out books and tried to use the first letters of each title. Only after returning with fresh eyes did I realise that “counts” referred to actual busts. The game loves to misdirect you with seemingly irrelevant details, so don’t overlook the obvious.

Study Safe Code 1208

The Study safe appears later in the game and is tied to chess. On the table, you’ll find a chessboard with the king on D8. This suggests a date of December 8 when read as month 12, day 8. Enter the code 1‑2‑0‑8 (or 0‑8‑1‑2 if using day‑month) to open the safe. The puzzle shows how Blue Prince repurposes familiar symbols (in this case, a chess move becomes a date). It also reinforces the idea that numbers can represent months and days.

Drafting Studio Safe Code 1108

The Drafting Studio is a special room that allows you to choose additional rooms for future runs. To open its safe, you need a magnifying glass. Near the entrance, you’ll find a calendar and a document mentioning two dates: Day 1 (November 7) and the current day based on your attempts. 

Use the magnifying glass on the calendar image, and you’ll notice an apple orchard with eight gates. Combine the month (November = 11) with the number of gates (8) to get the code 1‑1‑0‑8. This puzzle ties back to the “small gates” clue; both involve counting gates or gaits and translating them into numbers.

Because the Drafting Studio appears randomly, you may not get it in every run. When you do, make sure you have a magnifying glass to inspect the calendar. If you forget the magnifying glass, you’ll have to leave and hope for another chance.

Other Safes and the Remaining Dates

So far, I’ve covered five safes: Drawing Room, Boudoir, Office, Study, and Drafting Studio. According to the message from the picture puzzle, there are three more safes associated with the inner sanctum, shelter, and the underground red door. These areas are deeper in the mansion and may require special keys or items. 

All of them follow the same pattern: look for clues that point to a specific month and day, often hidden in paintings, letters, or environmental details. For example, one safe code is M‑A‑Y‑8 because the lock shows an “8” on the last dial, and the only month that fits is May. Another safe uses November 8 (1108) as a code because it combines the month with eight gates. As Dogubomb updates the game, there may be more safes or alternative solutions, but the “eight dates” pattern should remain a guiding principle.

Tips for Solving Blue Prince Puzzles Without Frustration

Here are the best tips for solving Blue Prince puzzles without added frustration (assuming that it’s even possible).

Keep a Journal

Early in the game, Blue Prince suggests making a physical journal. I initially ignored this advice and regretted it when the puzzles became more complex. Use your journal to record room numbers, painting differences, and any reference to dates. Being able to cross‑reference notes between runs is vital, especially when rooms appear in a different order.

Pay Attention to Wordplay

The picture puzzle shows that words like “stag” and “tag” differ by a single letter, and the resulting letter is important. Similarly, puzzles like the Drawing Room rely on puns (gates versus gaits). If a clue seems obvious, think about alternate meanings or homophones. Blue Prince loves to hide answers in plain sight.

Count Everything

Many puzzles involve counting objects (busts in the Office, portraits in the Drawing Room, gates in the orchard). Take your time and double‑check your counts. If something doesn’t add up, look around for objects you might have missed. Miscounting is the most common reason players get stuck.

Use the Magnifying Glass

Certain puzzles, such as the Drafting Studio safe, require you to zoom in on details. Always carry a magnifying glass when exploring. If you find a calendar, painting, or document, inspect it thoroughly. You might discover arrows under a figure’s feet in the Drawing Room or small lines indicating movement.

Accept RNG Elements

Because Blue Prince is a roguelite, you won’t see every room or puzzle in a single run. If you’re missing a clue, it might be because you haven’t visited the corresponding room yet. Don’t be afraid to end a run early and start again. Over time, you’ll accumulate enough knowledge to solve the puzzles quickly, even if the layout changes.

Think Like the Developer

Tonda Ros spent years crafting this puzzle box. When faced with an obscure hint, ask yourself what kind of twist a puzzle designer would use. Is there a pun? Does a painting differ slightly from reality? Is a number actually a date? This mindset helps you anticipate the game’s logic and reduces random guessing.

The Enjoyment and Challenges of Blue Prince Puzzles

Blue Prince sits at the intersection of roguelite progression and cerebral puzzle solving. The mansion’s layout changes with every run, yet the underlying puzzles remain fixed, which encourages you to learn the rules and adapt. 

According to our list of the best roguelite games, replay value and the addictive loop of improvement are key to the genre’s appeal. Blue Prince applies these principles to puzzles: each run provides a new combination of rooms and a chance to refine your strategy.

As a puzzle game, Blue Prince embraces the joy of the “aha” moment. Every time you decode a painting pair or realize that “small gates” is a pun, you experience that rush of insight. Yet the game also pushes you to think beyond simple logic. 

You must accept that not every puzzle is solvable in one run, that some clues are red herrings, and that the developers love puns and homophones. This blend of challenge and discovery makes Blue Prince puzzles polarizing. Some players find the restrictions maddening, while others, like me, appreciate the careful design and slow drip of information.

Personal Reflections

I approached Blue Prince as someone who enjoys puzzle and roguelite games. At first, I was irritated by the inability to climb small obstacles or use objects logically. But over time, I began to appreciate the internal consistency of the game’s rules. The Drawing Room puzzle was my turning point. 

After failing multiple times, I noticed that the candelabra in the painting looked different. When I bent the real candelabra and the safe appeared, I felt a rush of excitement. Counting the portraits and entering 0415 was deeply satisfying. This taught me to slow down, observe, and trust that the designers had provided enough information. Every safe I opened thereafter felt like a small victory.

If you enjoy games that reward patience and observation, Blue Prince will scratch that itch. Its puzzles are intricate but fair, and the sense of mystery is palpable. For those who prefer faster action, the game may feel slow or frustrating. In that case, I recommend exploring our guides on roguelites and other puzzle games to find something that better suits your style. Either way, Blue Prince stands out as a unique blend of roguelite structure and puzzle game mechanics.

Why Blue Prince Puzzles Are Worth Your Time

Blue Prince puzzles combine roguelite exploration, clever wordplay, and intricate safe codes to create a mystery that lingers. The picture‑pair meta puzzle teaches you to focus on letter differences and puns, revealing the phrase “If we count small gates, eight dates crack eight safes”.

This phrase unlocks the logic behind the safes: the Drawing Room code 0415 is derived from counting portraits, the Office safe code 0303 uses a pun on counts, the Study safe code 1208 comes from a chess position, and the Drafting Studio code 1108 relies on counting orchard gates. Every puzzle in the mansion ties back to this overarching clue, rewarding players who pay attention.

I hope this guide helps you find the right direction and enjoy the process of solving Blue Prince puzzles. For those ready to experience the mystery firsthand, you can grab a Blue Prince Steam key through our marketplace. Owning the game lets you explore the entire mansion, unlock every safe, and uncover the story at your own pace. The challenges may be frustrating, but the payoff is worth it. Happy puzzling! As you delve deeper into the game, you’ll discover numerous Blue Prince secrets that can enhance your gameplay experience. Keep an eye out for hidden clues and unexpected twists that could change everything you thought you knew. Remember, patience and persistence are key to revealing the mansion’s hidden wonders!

FAQs

How do you solve the Drawing Room puzzle in Blue Prince?

To solve the Drawing Room puzzle in Blue Prince, count the paintings featuring a woman with a small stride and a man holding an umbrella. There are four women and fifteen men, which gives the safe code 0‑4‑1‑5. Bend the left candelabra arm on the mantle to reveal the safe, and input this code to unlock it.

What is the office safe code in Blue Prince?

The office safe code in Blue Prince is 0‑3‑0‑3. Turn the dial inside the desk drawer to reveal the safe, note the uncrossed book title “March of the Counts,” and count the busts of counts in the room (excluding the large one) to get the day and month combination.

How does the picture puzzle meta work in Blue Prince?

The picture puzzle meta in Blue Prince works by pairing paintings that share a word where one has an extra letter. Removing the matching letters yields a single letter; collecting all 44 letters forms the message “If we count small gates, eight dates crack eight safes,” which reveals how to approach the safe puzzles.

How many safes are in Blue Prince and what are their codes?

There are eight safes in Blue Prince, each opened by a four‑digit code representing a date. Known codes include 0415 for the Drawing Room, 1225 for the Boudoir, 0303 for the Office, 1208 for the Study, 1108 for the Drafting Studio, and M‑A‑Y‑8 for a lock behind the red door. The remaining safes follow the same date‑based pattern.

Is Blue Prince a roguelite or a puzzle game?

Blue Prince is both a roguelite and a puzzle game. It uses randomized room layouts and limited steps like a roguelite, but its core gameplay revolves around solving puzzles, decoding painting clues, and cracking safe codes. Each run teaches you new information that carries over, blending the two genres.