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Ginger Island in Stardew Valley introduces plenty of unique and interesting puzzles to keep fans engrossed. Many fans notice a rock-bound Mermaid when they get to Stardew Valley’s new area, and some wonder how they can solve her puzzle.

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By figuring out the puzzle correctly, the player will earn some Golden Walnuts from the mermaid herself. Here's how to do it, step by step.

Updated April 27, 2022 by Michael Christopher: We've refreshed this guide to keep it clear, helpful, and up to date.

The Mermaid of Stardew Valley

The Mermaid Puzzle can be found in Pirate Cove, where a line of rocks rests along the shore, one carved with the shape of a musical note. If the player can make music with these rocks, and match the Mermaid’s song from Stardew Valley’s Night Market, they will be rewarded with five Golden Walnuts. In order to solve the puzzle, players will need to have access to Ginger Island and will need to know how to make Flute Blocks.

How to Make Flute Blocks

The Flute Block is a furniture piece in Stardew Valley. They are made from the following materials:

  • 10 Wood
  • 2 Copper Ore
  • 20 Fiber

Players will need to make five Flute Blocks for this puzzle. In order to get the recipe, players will have to level up their friendship with Robin and activate her six-heart event. Players can also earn a single Flute Block by donating the Bone Flute and two other artifacts to the Museum.

Solving the Ginger Island Mermaid Puzzle

Mermaid Ginger Island Flute Block Puzzle

To solve the puzzle, Stardew Valley players must take five Flute Blocks to Pirate Cove on a rainy day. Players can ensure a rainy day with the use of the Rain Totem; with this item, the next day will always bring showers. However, it'll only activates rain where it is used. If it is used in Stardew Valley, it won't cause rain on Ginger Island. Be sure to activate it on Ginger Island so the rain appears there instead.

The key to the puzzle is found in Journal Scrap #9, particularly the line that reads “Aye… stones as big as pennies and stones as big as nickels were they…” The rocks on the shore indicate the number of clicks required to tune each Flute Block to the right note, so this line in the Journal Scrap tells the player that small rocks represent one click (a “penny”), and the large rocks represent five clicks (a “nickel”).

Mermaid Ginger Island Flute Block Puzzle

Fans may notice that a Flute Block automatically begins to play the first note as soon as it’s placed. This counts as “one,” so each pile of rocks requires a number of clicks equal to their clue, minus one.

For example, the first pile has just two “pennies,” meaning the player must lay a Flute Block, then click the block one time. The second has two nickels, and one penny, so the total is 11 clicks, minus the first one, making it ten total hits to tune it to the right note.

The Ginger Island Mermaid's Song

Mermaid Ginger Island Flute Block Puzzle

The solution to the puzzle is as follows:

  1. Place the first Flute block on the 1st pile; give it 1 click.
  2. Place the second Flute block on the 2nd pile; give it 10 clicks
  3. Place the third Flute block on the 3rd pile; give it 8 clicks
  4. Place the fourth Flute block on the 4th pile; give it 4 clicks.
  5. Place the fifth Flute block on the 5th pile; give it 6 clicks.
  6. Walk to the rock Flute Block, located just to the left of Pile 1.
  7. Run straight past all five Flute Blocks.

The Flute Blocks will play the Mermaid's Song as the player runs past them. The Mermaid will smile and wave and then reward the player with five Golden Walnuts!

With the task complete, players are free to return to their farming or to search out more puzzles to tackle. Be sure to check out our guide to the locations of all Golden Walnuts on Ginger Island!

Stardew Valley is available now for PC, Mobile, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS Vita, and Xbox One.

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