The three puzzle families
The developers describe building three kinds of puzzle: the box puzzles that carry the story, classic lockpick and combination mechanisms, and environmental puzzles that ask you to read a room.
| Family | Purpose | Missable |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis Configuration box puzzles | Story progress, five in total | No, all mandatory |
| Lockpick and combination puzzles | Loot: resources, ammo, upgrades, weapons | Yes |
| Environmental puzzles | Route progress and area changes | No, they block the path |
Where combination clues come from
Codes and lockpick clues are written into the environment rather than handed to you. Look for anything with text or a diagram on it: books, letters, paintings, graffiti and papers on desks.
The developers describe clues that can be as simple as a diagram left on a desk. The practical habit is to read every readable object in a room before you try a lock, because the code is usually in the same area as the container.
This page does not publish a blanket list of locker codes. The published code lists sit behind spoiler sections on third-party guides, and the values were not captured for verification, so a wrong number would be worse than none.
The five Genesis Configuration puzzles
Each box puzzle works the same way: adjust each half of the box separately, cycling through its configurations, then rotate the whole shape until it seats into the slot in front of you.
| Puzzle | Available when |
|---|---|
| Sunny's pillar | During the Free Sunny's Soul objective |
| Hand statue | After getting the hand statue piece from Bruno's house |
| Head statue | After retrieving the head statue piece |
| Tongue statue | After solving the well puzzle |
| Factory shrine | Final box puzzle |
Shapes need a picture: the half-and-rotation for each puzzle is genuinely a visual answer, and describing it in text invites mistakes. The mechanic, ability unlocks and puzzle order are on the Genesis Configuration page.
None of the box puzzles give resources as a reward, and none of them can be missed, so there is no reason to hunt for them out of order.
The well puzzle
In the well puzzle you place three puzzle blocks at the well in the centre of the area, then rotate them so that they match the painting on the left. Solving it is what makes the Statue’s Tongue available, which in turn opens the next box puzzle.
Thin sourcing: this sequence rests on a single guide description, so treat the order of steps as reported rather than verified.
Environmental puzzles
Environmental puzzles do not use an item; they use a change of behaviour. The developers give three examples from the game that show the pattern.
- Break the loop — in the opening looping room, turning back instead of pressing forward changes the entire setting.
- Read the pursuer — during the Chatterer chase, work out which corridor he does not teleport into and use that one.
- Realign the room — use the box to rotate a giant wheel that shifts the narrow walkways of a spike room into alignment.
The common thread is that the obstacle is a rule about the room rather than a lock. If a route seems impossible, the answer is usually something in the environment you have not interacted with.
What you cannot come back for
There is no chapter select and no post-credits free roam. Every non-story objective, including locked containers and safes, becomes unavailable once you leave its area.
Box puzzles are safe because they gate progress, but combination puzzles and their rewards are not. Clear each area’s locked containers before you follow the objective marker out. The route order that keeps them reachable is on the story walkthrough.
Frequently asked questions
Can I miss the puzzle content?
The five box puzzles cannot be missed because they gate progress. Lockpick and combination puzzles can be missed, since there is no chapter select or free roam.
Where do I find safe and locker codes?
In readable objects around each area: books, letters, paintings, graffiti and diagrams on desks. This page does not publish a blanket code list because the available lists could not be verified.
Is there more than one solution to a puzzle?
The developers confirm that some puzzles have multiple valid solutions, and they deliberately do not publish them.
Do box puzzles give rewards?
No. The box puzzles are unmissable story gates and do not pay out resources. Lockpick and safe puzzles are the ones that reward loot.
Where to go next
Puzzle categories, clue sources, environmental examples, multiple solutions. Source: PlayStation Blog developer interview. Checked .
Five unmissable box puzzles, trigger order, solution mechanic. Source: GamesRadar Genesis Configuration guide. Checked .
Well puzzle blocks and the absence of chapter select. Source: PowerPyx 100% walkthrough. Checked .