Nancy Drew 25: Alibi in Ashes Hints

How do I play the numbers machine in the antique store?

  • 1 of 6: All you have to do is click on the numbers, 1 through 41, in order. If you get a better time than Alexei, the box will open and you'll get a key. Easy peasy, right? Well, not exactly.
  • 2 of 6: If you make a mistake, the box will close and you'll have to start again, and the next time the numbers will be in different places. This means you won't necessarily be faster the second, third, fourth, or fiftieth time you play -- though if you're like me, your cussing will get faster and more fluid.
  • 3 of 6: The numbers you press are slightly darker than the ones you haven't yet pressed. This makes it possible to remember what number you left off at if you get distracted, but it's not easy. I usually mutter the number I'm looking for under my breath just in case.
  • 4 of 6: If you're having trouble beating Alexei's time, there's an easy way to make this game a total snap. It might be considered a bit of a cheat, but it's nice to have a way to move on if you're stuck. Read on!
  • 5 of 6: All you have to do is change the game configuration so you're playing in a window. Once that's done, any time you want to freeze the game, just click outside the window. This stops the timer and lets you find the next number at your leisure.
  • 6 of 6: While the game is frozen, search around till you find the next number, then click on it to start the game going again. My lowest score playing this game the usual way is 1 minute 37 seconds; cheating like this, I got a score of 33 seconds. If only real life had cheats like this ...