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Black Dahlia Hints
How should the gem be assembled?
1 of 21: CAUTION! Save your game before moving anything on this puzzle. Some players have experienced computer lock-ups and other freezes while attempting to solve this puzzle.
2 of 21: There should be a total of 11 sets of runes copied by Jim into the notebook.
3 of 21: On a piece of paper, carefully draw each set. Be especially careful when copying the symbols that look like S, F and X. There are 2 variations of each.
4 of 21: Of particular interest is the set of runes copied from the Dragon Wisdom Book. Make sure there are 2 X's copied there. A slanted X should appear after the upright X. (Some players found that Jim forgot one while copying. This is a game glitch. Just insert the missing X as you copy them.)
5 of 21: Also remember that one of the sets was copied as a mirror image.
6 of 21: There are duplicates in the sets of runes as well as in the tiles that represent them.
7 of 21: The runes in a set must touch each other, but not necessarily in a straight row. Don't limit yourself to just left to right or right to left directions. Since the gem is round, the sets of runes wrap around it to form the complete sets.
8 of 21: Like a crossword puzzle, the rune tiles will interconnect on the gem's frame. Some will read from top to bottom. Others may go from right to left in addition to up and down.
9 of 21: If you start with the non-duplicated runes and put those down first, you should be able to work the rest of the solution by process of elimination.
10 of 21: The gem frame has three rows in 8 columns. Draw a grid of blocks 8 columns wide and three rows down. You will insert a rune into each of these blocks.
11 of 21: Notice that there are three shapes of tiles -- only one shape can go in each of the rows around the gem.
12 of 21: Once you've placed at least one set of runes that doesn't use any duplicated symbols, you should be able to figure out how to place the duplicated runes by finding the right shapes to go next to the runes already placed.
13 of 21: Start with the first set of runes Jim found - the Thule Society Invitation. The three runes in this set are wedge-shaped on the puzzle and fit along the crown of the gem frame. On the frame, insert them in order from left to right on the top row.
14 of 21: Find another set with a similar letter and see which directions the tiles of that set can be placed.
15 of 21: The runes from the floor of Louie's Loft end in the same F. The tiles for this set will only fit in certain spots.
16 of 21: Therefore, on the gem frame, place the N tile on the middle row below the F and the Double-C tile to the left of the N.
17 of 21: Again find a similar rune to connect with the Loft set.
18 of 21: The rune sets from the wall and door of the Nazi Treasure Vault and from the sewer wall have the Double-C rune. Look at the tiles for these sets and insert them on the gem.
19 of 21: The Treasure Vault wall rune set is readable in two directions, when the first letter of that set is place correctly.
20 of 21: On your paper grid, copy the runes you have inserted. Since the placement of the tiles is limited by their shapes, finishing the puzzle is much easier if you have your paper grid handy while viewing the puzzle on your screen.
21 of 21: A graphic solution is contained in the next hint.
