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There are tons of unique puzzles available for you to complete in Stardew Valley. Some are quite simple to solve, while others take a bit more planning and legwork.
Stardew Valley: How To Visit Ginger Island For The First Time
Looking for a tropical getaway? Here, you can learn how to visit Ginger Island in Stardew Valley for the very first time.In this guide, we are going to go over how to complete the Mermaid Puzzle that is found on Ginger Island. This is a late-game area unlocked after you complete the Community Center. If you have not unlocked Ginger Island yet, then this guide may contain some spoilers.
Updated January 29, 2024 by Jacqueline Zalace: Still trying to create the perfect tune for the Ginger Island Mermaid in Stardew Valley? We've updated the formatting of this guide to ease with navigation, allowing you to quickly find what you are looking for.
The Mermaid Journal Scrap
The Mermaid Puzzle is first mentioned in Journal Scrap 9. If you want an authentic explorer experience, you can seek out the scrap.
This is a piece of paper that can be obtained around Ginger Island, but not in any particular location. As you dig, break rocks, and slay monsters, these scraps will have a chance to drop. To efficiently find journal scraps, dig at any artifact spots that you come across and use bombs in the dungeon to clear large areas of rocks.
You do not need to find this scrap to solve the puzzle! If you do want the scrap, it's important to note that Journal Scraps always drop in order; this will always be the 9th scrap you find.
Journal Scrap 9 describes a mermaid that was spotted near a beach in the rain. The scrap mentions stones on the beach and a song that could prompt the mermaid to lead someone to treasure. This is a beach near Pirate's Cove, which needs to be unlocked first.
How To Unlock The Pirate's Cove
Pirate's Cove is located in the southeast area of the island. To unlock access to this area, you will need to build a few of the features on the island, which can be found below.
|
Task |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Give the parrot in Leo's Hut a Golden Walnut |
Leo's hut is found to the right of the initial beach; inside his hut, you will find a parrot. |
|
Unlock Island West |
Awaken the sleeping turtle with 10 Golden Walnuts to access the western side of the island |
|
Build the Island Farmhouse |
Give 20 Holden Walnuts to the parrot near the unrepaired farmhouse. |
|
Build the Island Beach Resort |
Head over to the central beach and pay the parrot 20 Golden Walnuts. |
Once the Island Beach Resort is built, the southeastern part of the beach will be cleared of debris so that you can go to the southeast area of Ginger Island. Entering this area will lead you into a small clearing with a star-shaped pool.
In total, this process will require you to find 51 Golden Walnuts.
When Does The Mermaid Appear?
The mermaid will only appear when it is raining. In the image above, you can see the mermaid perched on a rock off the shore.
If she seems familiar, it's for a good reason. This is the same mermaid that appears in the mermaid boat during the Night Market.
On the edge of the beach, you will also see five rock clusters next to a rock with a music note on it. Here, you will need to place flute blocks tuned according to the rock clusters.
How To Get Flute Blocks
To get the crafting recipe for Flute Blocks, you will need to participate in Robin's six-heart friendship event. Afterward, you will be rewarded with the recipe. Raising a friendship to six hearts may sound tedious, but you will have plenty of time to do it since Ginger Island isn't accessible at the beginning of the game.
To craft a Flute Block, you will need the following materials.
- 10x Wood
- 2x Copper Ore
- 20x Fiber
As you can see, it's not difficult to craft the Flute Blocks. Once you have all five, head to the Pirate's Cove beach on a rainy day.
How To Get A Free Flute Block
You can get one Flute Block for free from Gunther, the Museum Curator. After donating the Bone Flute to the museum, you will be rewarded with your own Flute Block. If the Bone Flute is the first artifact that you donate, then you will need two additional artifacts.
The Bone Flute is an artifact that can be found in artifact spots in the Moutain Area, Cindersap Forest, or within Pelican Town. There is only a 0.4 to 0.7 percent chance of finding the flute, so be sure to dig in any artifact spots you find in these locations.
How To Solve The Mermaid Puzzle
With the blocks in hand, place each one in front of a rock cluster. To tune the Flute Block, click on it with the cursor. Clicking on the blocks will change the pitch. The rocks will provide a hint as to how you will need to tune each Flute Block.
A small rock is equivalent to one, while a large rock is equivalent to five. These numbers represent the number of times you need to click on a block to tune it. So for example, using the image above, you can see how many times you will need to click on each block just below.
- 2 - 11 - 9 - 5 - 7
Once the blocks have been tuned, stand on the left hand side of the rocks and walk across them. The Mermaid's Song will play, and you will be rewarded.
Rewards For Completing The Mermaid's Puzzle
After finishing this puzzle, you will be rewarded with five Golden Walnuts. This isn't the best reward, but you will need to collect all 130 Golden Walnuts to achieve 100 percent perfection.
