How to solve the Astronomical Clock puzzle in Alone in the Dark

The Astronomical Clock puzzle is the first major puzzle in Alone in the Dark, and tasks you with finding two Disc Fragments to open up a portal. I found myself trekking across the house on the search for these items, but you won't face the same trouble by following along below.

Here's everything you need to know if you're stuck on the Astronomical Clock puzzle in the game.

How to solve the Astronomical Clock puzzle

To make use of the Astronomical Clock, you need to collect two Disc Fragments from the manor and put the talisman socket back together. After this, you need to figure out the correct code to open the portal and move on to your next objective. 

Finding the disc fragments

Disc Fragment 1

The first of the disc fragments can be found in the Kitchen Garden (marked on the map below) after solving a puzzle involving the well. 

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Here's how to get it:

• Grab the Bolt Cutters in the Parlor after trying to enter the Conservatory
• Head outside to the Kitchen Garden
• Open the locked shed with the cutters to grab the Water Hose Extension
• Take this to the corner with the well and interact with it to place down the extension

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• Now head back to the shed, and use the water tap nearby to start the hose
• Finally, head back to the well to grab the Disc Fragment

A nice bonus after finishing this puzzle is the ladder shortcut next to the shed. I used to get back on the first floor much easier and go hunting for the second fragment. 

Disc Fragment 2

The second fragment is located Perosi's Room (marked below), which is to the west of the Gallery on the second floor.

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Here's the full solution to help you grab it:

• Head to the Reception room next to the Waiting Hall
• Walk into the Clerk's Office and grab Room Key #6 from the desk on the right
• Walk back into the main hall again, head up the stairs, and take the door on the left side
• Unlock Perosi's Room at the end of the hall and enter
• Locate the portraits in the room, and interact with them to turn the ones with the rot on the backside toward you

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• Make a note of the names on these portraits and go to the wall on the right
• You'll find a family tree with numbers attached to each name, so match them with the names you noted down to get 2, 4 and 9
• Match these numbers to the zodiac signs found in Perosi's Journal on the Clues page to get the lock combination of Pisces, Libra, and Taurus
• Input this code on the drawer lock to get the Disc Fragment

Using the Astronomical Clock

With both Disc Fragments in hand, you can head back to the Astronomical Clock in the Gallery to finally finish the puzzle.

Firstly, you'll be required to place the fragments onto the talisman socket and then solve a puzzle by putting the fragments back together. I've put an image of the finished talisman below if you want to skip this part. 

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The final part requires you to figure out the talisman code to open the portal. Luckily this is super simple, as the code is found on the clock faces, with the hands pointing at the relevant numbers. 

You'll also notice the clock face sizes correspond to the sections of the talisman you use to input the code. The code is 6-4-3. 

Once that's been entered, a musical motif will play to confirm you solved it, and an image will appear in the blue part of the talisman. Just walk into the doorway on your left to continue onwards to the next section. 

Check out our Alone in the Dark homepage for more guides. Make sure you also know how to get the Shotgun.