Welcome to my Secret of the Old Clock walk-through. (-: If you're new to my series of low-spoiler computer game walkthroughs, the idea is to point players
towards things they might not have tried in each game rather than giving away puzzle solutions or offering step-by-step instructions.
These Nancy Drew games are structured a little differently than most graphic adventure games, though. In particular, you can solve most of the game's puzzles in
any order you feel like, making a chronological walkthrough of little use. The physical area Secret of the Old Clock is played in is much
smaller than it looks, because although the town gives the impression of being quite large, there is only one puzzle area and one enterable room in the entire place--
for game purposes, the whole town is significantly smaller than Emily's house.
For this reason, it makes more sense to use a CRPG-style area guide rather than breaking the game down into chronological chapters.
I've included a checklist of important tasks at the
beginning and one of optional tasks at the end. Note that I don't tell you how to solve any of the puzzles--just where they are. If you've found a puzzle
but just can't seem to get it right no matter what you do, UHS is a good place to go for a
single hint that won't spoil the rest of the game for you.
Secret of the Old Clock: Key Tasks
If you find yourself getting stuck in the game, keep in mind that plot advancement is often arbitrary.
If nothing is happening, you need to make sure that you have spoken to everyone until they have nothing
more to say, looked around every area to see if there are any objects you haven't noticed,
and used every object in your inventory. If all those things fail, take a look at this checklist of important tasks you will need to complete to solve the game
(the order is largely up to you):
1) Talk to all the NPC's. Repeatedly. Having certain conversations with them is necessary for the plot to progress. Topham will require you to
solve a word puzzle before talking to you for the first time.
2) There's a puzzle called "Bard Bounce" in the inn parlor which you need to solve for a clue.
3) Also in the parlor, there's a puzzle in the clock on the mantel you need to solve.
4) In Topham's house, there's another clock with a puzzle in it for you to solve.
5) By the golf course outside, there is a "Mastermind" game set up, which you need to beat for a clue.
6) You can also play a golf mini-game here, and will win an object if you beat par.
7) In the banker's office, there is a third clock with a puzzle in it for you to solve (though you'll need to find the key first.)
8) To get inside the carriage house, you must first solve the puzzle on the door. (You'll have to have finished #2 and #6 before you can do this.)
9) Inside the carriage house, you can find and solve the fourth puzzle clock.
10) Solve a dominoes puzzle and a mirrors puzzle to access the second floor of the carriage house.
11) But before you can open the fifth clock, you will need to do a lot of favors for people. A) You will have to help Topham with a telepathic
exercise (this is the most fun); B) You will have to deliver some stupid telegrams to earn enough money to get the crystal polished;
C) You will have to hem a dress for the banker; D) You will have to sort some pies for Jane; E) To get Josiah's trivet back, you
will have to drive around town doing several trivial errands for people.
12) You must figure out how to open two secret passageways and solve a picture puzzle in the second to get an important plot object.
13) Once you've finished all these things, you can solve the password on Josiah's journal.
14) You will still need to solve one more inventory puzzle in Topham's house to get the Shakespeare book you need.
15) Once you have finished all 14 previous tasks, you will have everything you need to get the answer to the fifth puzzle clock from
Josiah's ham radio.
16) Do this, solve the puzzle in the clock, follow the instructions to get the key, and go to the bank to trigger the endgame sequence.
*Looked at Topham's calendar while he's teaching?
*Played with the robot, gong, triangle, and clapper in Topham's house (preferably NOT while he's teaching)?
*Played with the spinning movie machine in Topham's house?
*Run out of gas or gotten a flat tire when you didn't have enough money to pay for it?
Secret of the Old Clock Spoilers
