Unlocking the Time-Lock Safe in Blue Prince is no ordinary puzzle-it demands patience, precision, and a keen sense of timing. Hidden deep within the Shelter, an Outer Room accessible only after unlocking the West Gate Path, this safe doesn’t respond to keys or codes but to the in-game clock itself. Set the correct date and time on the nearby terminal, wait as the minutes tick by, and you’ll reveal a gem and a mysterious Red Letter that deepens the Manor’s secrets. Ready to crack the code and uncover what lies inside? Here’s your step-by-step guide to mastering the time-lock safe on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.
This guide will show you how to unlock the time-lock safe in Blue Prince plus some tips on how to troubleshoot if it won’t open.
How to unlock the time-lock safe in the Shelter in Blue Prince
To unlock the time-lock safe in the Shelter in Blue Prince, you first need to gain access to the Shelter by unlocking the Garage door and the West Gate, which opens the West Path. Once you draft the Shelter room, descend the stairs to find the safe near a computer terminal. Use the terminal to set an unlock date and time that is at least one hour ahead of the current in-game time and date, which starts on November 7 (Day 1). You can determine the current time by checking clocks around the estate, and time progresses as you explore. After setting the time, wait for the in-game clock to reach the designated unlock time; the safe will then open and remain accessible for four in-game hours. You can wait inside the Shelter or explore elsewhere and return before it closes.
To start, you must draft the Shelter as your Outer Room, which itself requires you to open the Garage door and West Gate, revealing the West Path as a permanent addition.
Once you draft the Shelter, walk downstairs and you’ll see a computer terminal next to a locked safe. Boot up the computer terminal and select the “time-lock safe” option. Click the “Set Unlock Date” option and the computer will now allow you to program the safe so that it opens during a specific time window.
Now all you have to do is schedule a time (at least one in-game hour in advance) for the safe to open on the current in-game date, and the door of the safe will unlock automatically at that time. Our guide on how to tell the time and date can help you figure out what to set as an unlock code.
After it unlocks you can collect one gem and a red letter tucked within a red envelope.
What if the time-lock safe still doesn’t open?
If the time-lock safe in Blue Prince still doesn’t open, first double-check that you have entered the correct date and time, ensuring the date calculation accounts for the game’s start date (November 7 as day one, subtracting one day from your count) and that the unlock time is set at least one hour ahead of the current in-game time. Also, be patient, as in-game time progresses slowly, roughly five minutes per hour, so you may need to wait longer for the safe to unlock. Additionally, if the safe remains locked despite correct inputs, try changing your system’s regional settings to English and relaunching the game, as non-English local time formats can cause issues with the safe opening. Exploring other rooms while waiting can help pass the time until the safe unlocks automatically within the scheduled window.
If the safe is seems like it is still not opening, here are a couple of tips to troubleshoot what could be going wrong:
- You might not have the date correct. Double check you calculated it correctly and try again.
- You might have entered too early of a time. If you enter a time within an hour of the time in the game, the safe won’t accept the scheduled time.
- You might not have waited long enough. Time passes slowly in Blue Prince. You might just need to wait a bit longer until your scheduled time arrives. You might just want to go explore a few rooms first instead of staring at the clock.
What secret clues help me determine the correct unlock time in Blue Prince
To determine the correct unlock time for the time-lock safe in Blue Prince, you need to use several secret clues related to the in-game date and time:
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Check the Current Time: Look for any analog clock within the manor, such as those in the Entrance Hall, Den, or the clock tower outside the Mt. Holly Estate. The game uses vintage analog clocks, so you must read the hour and minute hands carefully to know the exact time.
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Determine the Current Date: The starting date of Simon’s exploration is November 7, as revealed by a note in the Security Terminal under Staff Services > Staff Announcement. To find the current date, add your current Day count (the number of attempts or days passed) to November 7 and subtract one. For example, if you are on Day 8, the current date is November 14 (7 + 8 – 1 = 14).
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Set Unlock Time at Least One Hour Ahead: When programming the safe, set the unlock time to at least one hour ahead of the current in-game time because the safe won’t open if the time is too close or in the past. For instance, if you start early in the morning around 8:10 AM, setting the time to 10 AM works well.
By combining these clues-reading the manor’s clocks for time, calculating the date from Simon’s start date, and setting the unlock time with a buffer of at least one hour-you can successfully unlock the time-lock safe and obtain valuable rewards like a gem and a Red Letter that advance the story.
Which clocks in Blue Prince show the most reliable time clues for puzzles
The most reliable clocks for time clues in Blue Prince are the two clocks in the Clock Tower room that show the current in-game time, as opposed to the fixed central clock set at 1:30. Additionally, the large clock tower outside the Mt. Holly Estate entrance displays the current time and is a dependable reference. Inside the manor, many rooms such as Bedrooms, the Den, the Mail Room, the Study, and the Office contain analog clocks that players can check to track time accurately. These clocks are essential for solving time-sensitive puzzles like the Clock Tower Puzzle and the time-lock safe, as they reflect the accelerated in-game time progression.
