Rotating rings
Rotating rings are the second mechanism you meet, from puzzle 2 of the first room. The code is cut into strokes spread across a fixed centre and one or more clear rings that turn. When every ring is back at the right angle, the letters line up and glow gold.
How to play
- Drag the coloured knob on a ring’s edge around the circle; the ring follows your finger and snaps to the nearest notch when you let go.
- Tap a knob once to turn its ring one notch clockwise, ideal for fine adjustments.
- Each ring has its own knob colour (pink, blue, green) so you always know which one you are turning.
As soon as every ring is right, the code lights up; there is nothing to confirm. These puzzles have no arrows showing where a ring should stop; you read it from the letter strokes.
How it gets harder
| What changes | Early game | Late game |
|---|---|---|
| Rings | 1 | 3 nested rings |
| Notches per turn | 4 (90° each) | 12 (30° each) |
Finer notches create more angles that look almost right, and several rings mean you must work out which strokes belong to which ring.
Techniques
The centre is your anchor. Strokes on the fixed centre never move. Work out which letters they could belong to, then turn the rings looking for the strokes that complete them.
Test one ring at a time. Tap a single ring slowly through a full turn and watch which strokes move with it. Those strokes are that ring’s, which separates the rings in your mind.
Look for vertical and horizontal strokes. Most letters have straight vertical or horizontal strokes. If a ring’s strokes sit at odd angles it is not there yet; when everything is straight you are usually close.
Count your taps. On a 12-notch ring, 12 taps bring it back to where it started. If you go one notch too far, tap 11 more times or simply drag it back.
Solve the outer ring first. Its knob is furthest from the others, easiest to grab, and the outer ring often carries long strokes that reveal the letter shapes quickly.
Common mistakes
- Reading a letter too early. Many letters look alike at the wrong angle; an N turned 90° looks like a Z. Wait until every stroke glows gold.
- Tapping the wrong ring. As rings turn, knobs can end up close together. Check the colour before you tap.
What the magnifier does
The magnifier draws gold circles, for three seconds, where each unsolved ring’s knob needs to go.