The Let's Play Archive

Hotel Dusk: Room 215

by 1234567890num

Part 34: Solving the Puzzle



We now need to find a way to read the engraving on this pen. Let's see what's suggested by the thread:

DariusLikewise posted:

Can you wrap a piece of paper around the engraving and shade the pencil over it?

The pencil is available in the suitcase, but the paper isn't available. Kyle won't use the memo since it could've been ripped, which it has in this timeline).

Pyre of Word Salsa posted:

Nah, that'd be too easy. There needs to be more adventure game moon logic in it. Like grabbing a crowbar, prying the letters from the pen, and then holding it 45 degrees to the sun outside to cast a shadow on the ground.

Something like that.

We can't go outside. The door to the roof is locked and Kyle for some reason won't go through the front door. Also, it's dark, based on the restaurant window.



So let's ask Rosa if she can help us.

Music: Hangover Blues
I'm busy! If you need something, you'll have to come back later! Shoo!



Um, maybe Louie can help?

Music: Easy Feeling
You come in here lookin' to chat and Rosa's gonna skin ya alive, brother! You're better off comin' back later.


What the game expects us to do is to find some powder to fill the engraving and read it that way. We can find powder in this hotel in 2 places (as far as I know).




Music: Straight Chaser


Use pen on chalk

There's a piece of chalk here.

There's some chalk powder here, too.

We can use the chalk powder in front of the restaurant or we can use something from the kitchen.





Use pen on flour

I use the flour solution on my first playthrough.

There's a busted bag with flour spilled around it.

...It's flour.

Both solutions converge here.

Here we go...





First, we rub the pen cover it with powder.





Then we just have to blow...



Huh? It didn't work? All the chalk dust just flew away. If at first you don't succeed...
Or
Huh? Well, that didn't work. All the flour just went flying. If at first you don't succeed...

Well that didn't work. Also, no. Blowing softer won't work. So what he have to do is tap the powder to lightly brush it off. (I actually had trouble figuring out this part.)



"To Alan, with love."

...Alan? Who's Alan?

Maybe Louie knows.

Music: Monochrome


Louie has mysteriously gone missing.

Music: Over Easy


And he can be found here. What's the purpose of moving him? Who knows!

Music: Easy Feeling
Hey, Louie. I read the writing on the pen.

You did?

So what's it say, man?

To Alan, with love.

...Alan?

Yeah.

Anyone staying here tonight named Alan?

I dunno. I'll have to check with old man Dunning.

Do it. I want to find who owns this pen. Hold on to it for a bit, will you?

Sure, man.

Hey, Kyle, will you ask Louie to question Dunning about Jenny or December 5th? No? Okay.

Music: Monochrome
Oh, right, we have a doll to return.





Knock

Music: Pink Rabbit


Got a sec, kid?

My dad's not here.

(??? Where'd her dad go? ???)

I'm here to see you.

...What?

You forgot something in the restaurant.

Music: Rainy Night


Read note
Whatcha looking at?
Write note
Whatcha writing?
Show crowbar
What's that thing?

I'll show the doll later. Melissa sadly doesn't have any special response for showing the magazine, which Kevin explicitly told us not to.

Where'd your dad go?

Where'd your old man run off to?

I dunno.

I've been a brat.

I'm sure he went somewhere so he didn't have to see me anymore. He hates me.

I doubt that.

Yeah, but he's always all mad at me and stuff.

Parents have to keep their kids in line. It's part of the job.

Part of the job?

Don't worry about it.

See you later.

Wait! What did I forget?

The last 2 lines only appears if we didn't show Melissa the doll. We can't exit the question screen until we do that.

Show rag doll

This is yours, right?

Oh!

It's OK. Take it.

Th... Thank you.

My mom made this.

Must be pretty important to you.

Uh-huh.

Then maybe you shouldn't throw it at people.

OK. Sorry.

Music: Pink Rabbit
See you around.



What's wrong, kid?

Don't...don't go. Please?

Just stay here until my dad gets back.

...What? Listen, kid, I'm not a babysitter.

C'mon. Pleeeease?

Oh, fine...



Music: Monochrome


We can't examine anything in the room yet, so let's talk to Melissa to see what we're going to do here.

Music: Pink Rabbit
I know! Let's do a puzzle!



Pictured: Kyle voicing most player's thought

The puzzle's on the table. Let's play over there!

NOW we can snoop around examine the room.

Music: Monochrome (Map)
Music: Straight Chaser (Examination)




Mirror The mirror's been cleaned. Rosa's work, no doubt.
Bottles It's a bottle of shampoo.
Sink Sink's clean.
Towel Towels are clean.
Bathtub I don't know how parents keep things clean, but this tub is spotless.
Curtain There's a shower curtain around the tub.
Tissue There's some toilet paper.
Toilet Toilet's clean as a bean. What does that mean, anyway...?





TV The TV's been turned off.
Fridge There's a little fridge under the TV. Maybe I'll raid it later.
Brochure It's a hotel brochure. Same one I have.
Cabinet Next to the refrigerator is a small cabinet.





Painting There's an oil painting on the wall.
Bed I guess there's nothing special about this bed.
Window I can see the road out the window.
Lamp I see a couple of small lamps on either side of the bed.
Table There are a couple of small tables on either side of the bed.
Can There's an empty soda can on the table.
Cup There's a cup on the table.
Phone There's a phone next to the bed. Now Melissa can make prank calls.





Left chair There's a wooden chair. It's pretty boring.
Frame There's a frame on the wall.
Table It's a bookcase. ...No, wait. It's a table. My mistake.
Right chair There's a wooden chair. How fun.
Lamp That's a lamp. It's tall. And I'm the king of the obvious.
Box It's a puzzle box.


Fine, let's do the puzzle.



The puzzle is exactly the same as before, just with all of the pieces removed instead of just 5.







Look how happy Kyle is to finish that puzzle. And I can't tell if Melissa's being serious or sarcastic (both are funny).

That was too easy for you, wasn't it, mister?

A little.

Hey, squirt, you know the name of the rabbit on this puzzle?

Um... Mister Rabbit?

Nope.

Bet you made that up.

Yeah.

Well, if you care, the rabbit's real name is Pinkie Rabbit.

...Pinkie Rabbit?

That's right. Pinkie had his own cartoon when I was growing up. I bet your mom watched it when she was a kid, too.

When my mom was a kid?

Yeah, your mom and dad were kids once, too. Everybody starts out as a kid, you know?

Yeah, I guess.

My mom gave this to me for my birthday.

Yeah? When's your birthday?

June 29th.

June, huh? So was your birthday fun?

(Shakes head)

What? What is it?

That's the day my mom left, so...

Oh.