Lost in the eerie halls of Mt. Holly Estate, you might think checking the time and date in Blue Prince would be simple-just glance at a clock or calendar. But in this puzzle-filled adventure, even telling time is a mystery to unravel. Discover how to unlock the secrets of the clock tower, draft rooms with hidden analog clocks, and decode cryptic notes to track the passing days of Simon’s quest. Ready to master time itself in Blue Prince? Here’s your essential guide.
How to tell the time in Blue Prince
To tell the time in Blue Prince, players need to look for analog clocks scattered throughout the Mt. Holly Manor, such as those found in the Entrance Hall, Den, Mail Room, Study, and bedrooms. Time in the game starts at 8:00 a.m. each day and advances faster than real time, roughly five minutes in real life equals one hour in-game. Additionally, a large clock tower outside the manor near the main staircase displays the current time. Since there are no digital clocks, players must read the hour and minute hands on these analog clocks to know the exact time during their exploration.
You can tell the time in Blue Prince by looking at any clock! That’s all there is to it. You just gotta know how to read an analog clock.
Some rooms that have such clocks include the Entrance Hall (where you start each day) and the Den. There are loads of decorative, old-school analog clocks around the house. Just walk around until you find one if you need to check the time.
How to tell the date in Blue Prince
To tell the date in Blue Prince, you first need to find Simon’s start date, which is November 7, as revealed by a note in the Security Room terminal or a calendar in the Drafting Studio. Once you know this, add the number of days you have been exploring (shown on the pause screen) to November 7, then subtract one to get the current in-game date. For example, if you are on Day 22, the date would be November 28. Alternatively, you can draft the Library and check the checkout slip of a requested book, which shows the exact current date without needing to calculate it yourself.
There are several ways to tell the date in Blue Prince. But first, you’ll need to figure out the day Simon started his journey at Mt. Holly.
There are two ways to find Simon’s start date: via the Drafting Studio or on a computer terminal.
- In the Drafting Studio, look around until you see a calendar hanging on the wall. The calendar shows the date Simon started at Mt. Holly with a note that says “First Day.”
- On a computer terminal, you’ll need the terminal password, but once you have it select the option to “Connect to the Network,” then access the menu labeled “Staff Services.” From there, select “Staff Announcements” and you will see a digital announcement addressed to Simon from the Mt. Holly staff. That also contains his start date.
Once you have the start date from either the Drafting Studio or from a computer terminal, you must add the number of days you have been exploring to that start date. We get into more details about how to apply this info in the section below, but bear in mind that it covers the exact start date for Simon – so if you want to figure it out own without that info, don’t read on!
What is the date in Blue Prince?
In Blue Prince, the in-game date is calculated based on the day Simon began his exploration of the Mt. Holly Estate, which is November 7. To find the current date, players need to add the number of days they have been exploring (displayed on the pause screen) to this start date and then subtract one, since November 7 counts as Day 1. For example, if you are on Day 22, the current in-game date would be November 28. This method can be verified by checking a calendar in the Drafting Studio, accessing a note on the Security Room terminal, or looking at a book checkout slip in the Library, all of which reference the start date of November 7, 1993.
Simon started exploring Mt. Holly on Nov. 7. You need to add the number of days you have been exploring (shown on the pause screen) to that start date to figure out the date in Blue Prince.
For example, if you are on “Day 22” of exploration, then the current date in the game would be Nov. 28. If you don’t want to count up the days yourself, you can use a website like Date Calculator to do the math for you. When you use the calculator, you need to subtract one day because Blue Prince includes Nov. 7 in the way it calculates the date.
So in the “Day 22” example, the calculator would say 22 days after Nov. 7 is Nov. 29. Subtract one day to get the correct date, Nov. 28.
If you don’t want to fuss with adding dates and numbers, there’s another way to figure out the date outside of these two options: Draft the Library blueprint and order a book to check out.
The next time you draft the Library, the book you ordered will be there sitting on the main table in the room. You can find the current date in the game by looking at the date listed on the checkout slip next to the name Simon P. Jones. In this case, it’s Nov. 28, 1993.
How can I use clocks to figure out the current time in Blue Prince
To figure out the current time in Blue Prince, you have two main options:
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Check the Clock Tower outside Mt. Holly Estate: Walk outside to the base of the main staircase, turn around, and look up at the large clock tower on the east wing of the estate. This clock shows the current in-game time and is especially useful if you need to track time for time-sensitive events.
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Look for Analog Clocks inside the Mansion: Many rooms inside Mt. Holly Estate contain analog clocks on walls or desks. Common locations include Bedrooms, the Study, the Mail Room, the Office, the Entrance Hall, and the Den. These clocks display the current in-game time, which you must read by interpreting the hour and minute hands since there are no digital clocks in the game.
Additional details:
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Each in-game day starts at 8:00 a.m.
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Time advances faster than in real life, roughly 5 in-game minutes pass for every real-life hour, so keep an eye on the clocks to track time accurately.
By regularly checking these analog clocks or the clock tower, you can effectively keep track of the current time within Blue Prince.
How do I interpret the analog clock hands in Blue Prince to tell the time
To interpret the analog clock hands in Blue Prince and tell the current time, you need to read the hour and minute hands just like a traditional clock, since there are no digital clocks in the game.
How to read the clock:
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The shorter hand indicates the hour.
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The longer hand indicates the minutes.
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Each in-game day starts at 8:00 a.m.
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Time advances faster than real life, roughly 5 in-game minutes pass for every real-life hour, so the clock hands move accordingly.
For example, if the hour hand points slightly past 9 and the minute hand points at 6, the time is approximately 9:30. You can check clocks in rooms like the Entrance Hall, Den, Study, Mail Room, or outside at the clock tower to see the current in-game time.
By regularly observing these analog clocks and interpreting the positions of the hour and minute hands, you can track the current time in Blue Prince accurately.
