NGH
How do I get into Ellie's cell phone? 16 hints left

Hint 1

After you escape from the photo lab --

Hint 2

-- go to the lounge between the two cubicles to find two new objects. One is Ellie's cell phone, which is on the coffee table.

Hint 3

It's got a very odd password, much more complicated than the old enter-your-birthday type my phone has. Read to the end of this hint for the way to break into Ellie's cell phone.

Hint 4

You'll find a hint to this on Ellie's desk --

Hint 5

-- inside the Mark Twain book. Remember that odd note on the last page?

Hint 6

It had a long number, which is her keycard number, along with three connected circles and the note, "Each set = 15" (or 21 for masters). There's something familiar about those three connected circles ...

Hint 7

That's essentially the same pattern of the password program on Ellie's phone. It seems probable, then, that what the hint is saying is --

Hint 8

-- that you need to place the numbers in the circles in such a way that every line adds up to 15 (or 21 for masters).

Hint 9

For amateurs, what you have here is what's known as a Magic Square turned on its side. Every line adds up to 15, and any way that you do this is good.

Hint 10

If you want to do it yourself but are having difficulty getting started, put 5 in the center and build it from there. Don't forget that the edges also have to add up to 15, not just the lines that go through the middle.

Hint 11

For masters, the puzzle is considerably more difficult. This isn't a square; it's a hexagon, and it's a pill, even with three numbers in place.

Hint 12

In addition to the six lines that go through the middle, you also have to consider the six lines around the edge. What a PILL.

Hint 13

Here's a starter hint: put 7 in the middle. That will give you three of the lines through the center, which gives you one number on each of the six sides. If you're a math-oid, which I definitely am not, the rest of it will be easy-peasy. I bet.

Hint 14

And here's the flat-out answer, for the rest of us:

Hint 15

Hint 16

Guide help

This is the low-spoiler guide for "How do I get into Ellie's cell phone?" puzzle in Nancy Drew: The Deadly Device. Unlike in normal walkthrough, you get gradual hints on how to solve the puzzle. Click the big button below to see your first hint. If the hint contains a spoiler, you will be warned about it before clicking.

Progress

Hints written by Lynn S. HendricksBuy me a coffee
Latest articles