Tangle Tower Complete Walkthrough with Achievements

A comprehensive guide to all puzzles, deductions, and achievements in Tangle Tower. Solutions are spoiler tagged so you can choose exactly how much or how little help you desire.

Introduction

When I saw there were guides covering various aspects of this game but not a complete walkthrough, I got the itch to make one. Enjoy!

A few notes:

• I’ve optimized the route through the house as much as possible, but there’s just no way to avoid some backtracking. For players who proceeded in a different order, I’ve included pointers to the relevant part of the guide.
  
• Puzzles can be solved at the time of first encounter unless otherwise noted.
  
• Missable achievements are listed at the top of each section. You don’t need to grab them on your first visit to a room, but there is a point of no return.

There are two achievements for showing clues to suspects:
Tangle Tower Historian
Show the Tangle Tower painting to all eight suspects.


And...
It's My Case File
Show the Case File to all eight suspects.


I’ll give several reminders about these in the course of the guide, but not eight!

Beginning - Flora's Tower

Missable Achievements In This Section:
Professional Snoop
Examine the family tree in the Grand Hall
(Part 1 of 2)


-Lake’s Edge -
Click on Sally to talk to her.
Move one square to the right, to the Gardens.

-Gardens-
Examine the harp statue. This puzzle cannot be solved until quite late in the game, but look closer anyway to add it to your list of clues.
Examine the water in the pool to find a damaged tape.
Move another square to the right to the Main Entrance.

-Main Entrance-
Examine the red envelope in the bushes.
Move up one to the Grand Hall.

-Grand Hall-
Achievement: Examine the family tree in the center of the hall.
Move to Flora’s Tower, near the top left.

-Flora’s Tower-
Examine the painting.
There's something very strange about how Freya was killed...
Flora’s portrait is holding a knife tipped with blood because it stabbed Freya…

You will get:
An Unfinished Portrait
Begin investigating Flora's tower


Talk to Flora. (A quick note on conversing with suspects: asking the first three questions will allow you to take their "statement". To unlock the final dialog option, "suspicion", you’ll need to do more snooping.)

Achievement: Present Tangle Tower and Case File to Flora. You’ll need to show these items to all eight suspects.

Examine the palette on the ground and the paint bottles sitting on the low chest next to the canvas.

Examine the gramophone. Examine it again to try it. Play the pink tape you just received and then the damaged tape you found in the gardens.

Examine the golden egg on screen left. Look closer to try your first puzzle.
Solution:
You will receive Empty Egg.

(Note: Flora's Suspicion will be covered under "Remaining Suspicions".)

Stone Square - Greenhouse - Fitz's Room

Missable Achievements In This Section:
Chemistry or Alchemy?
Examine the clipboard in the greenhouse
(Part 1 of 3)


Move to the Stone Square (bottom row, right of the Main Entrance).

-Stone Square-
Talk to Hawkshaw.
Examine the clock. Look closer.
Hint: Set each dial to the appropriate time. Turning one dial will also turn adjacent dials.
Solution:
You will receive a Small Lens.
Ask Hawkshaw about the Small Lens.
(Note: Hawkshaw's suspicion is #2 under "Remaining Suspicions".)

Move to the Greenhouse (bottom row, rightmost room.)


-Greenhouse-
Talk to Fitz.
Achievement: Examine the clipboard. Look closer.
Examine the potted pear(?) plant.
Ask Fitz about Hawkshaw.
(Note: Fitz is #3 under "Remaining Suspicions".)
Move to Fitz’s Room – immediately beneath Flora’s Tower.


-Fitz’s Room-
Examine the locked chest under the bed.
Hint: The scraps of paper can be configured in four different ways. After examining the dials, you'll find that only one input order is possible.
Solution:

You’ll receive the Ornate Trowel.


There’s also a lock on the exterior door. This puzzle cannot be solved yet, but players who like to take a crack at puzzles on their own should still take look now. (The solution can be found under "Rooftop Garden".)

Freya's Room - Library - Fifi's Room

Missable Achievements In This Section:
A Souvenir
Examine the snowglobe on the table in the library


Chemistry or Alchemy?
Examine the chalkboard in the library
(Part 2 of 3)

Professional Snoop
Examine the pinboard in Fifi's Bedroom
(Part 2 of 2)


Move to Freya’s Room (left column, center).


-Freya’s Room-
Examine the large red painting and the drawings taped on the wall.
Click the small box on the floor near the plant. Look closer.

Reconstructing the Instructions:

Hint: Each column corresponds to a brush. The ruler symbol indicates height, the second row paint color, the third brush shape, and the fourth, handle color.

Solution:

You’ll receive a Ripped Photograph.



Move to the Library, immediately below Freya’s room.


-Library-
Achievement 1: Examine the snowglobe on the low table.
Achievement 2: Examine the chalkboard.
Talk to Fifi.
Examine the open bird book on the lower left of the screen.
Ask Fifi about Fitz, the bird book, Freya’s paints, and the Small Lens.
Move to (the newly unlocked) Fifi’s Bedroom, directly across from Freya’s Room.
(Note: Fifi's suspicion is #4 under "Remaining Suspicions".)


-Fifi’s Room-
Achievement: Examine the pinboard.
Examine the microscope and look closer.
Hint: Move the lenses to recreate the image of the key. There should be no gaps.
Solution:

You’ll receive the Secret Diary.

Workshop - Astronomy Tower - Attic

Move to the Workshop – far left, directly above Freya’s Room.

-Workshop-
Talk to Felix.
Examine the little statue on the worktable.

Examine the treasure chest on the shelf above the table. Look closer.
Hint: The first two dials are coordinates. The third is the direction you'd need to face to recreate the picture on the box.
Solution: H 6 W
You will receive (more) Painted Models.

Ask Felix about Freya and the Painted Models (from chest).
This will unlock your first "suspicion" dialog.

-----------------------------------------
-Felix Suspicion-
Prerequisites:

1. Ask Fifi about Freya’s Paints
   
2. Ask Felix about Freya
   
3. Ask Felix about the Painted Models (from chest)

What are you accusing me of? Its not your paint pot.
Something to compare it with: Freya’s Paints.
What’s the connection?
Freya’s red paint pot was stolen and replaced with Felix’s red paint pot but the lids were swapped to hide it.
Why is it relevant?
This red paint pot was somehow filled with blood before Freya used it to paint Flora.
-----------------------------------------

Move to the Astronomy Tower (opposite tower, directly across from Flora’s Tower).


-Astronomy Tower-
Talk to Percival.
Examine the solar system model and look closer.
Hint: Position the sun, moon, and planets such that the shadows fill in each of the five segments.
Solution:
You’ll receive the Golden Beetle research.

Examine the telescope. Look closer. Examine the window above Flora’s Room.
Ask Percival about the Golden Beetle.

-----------------------------------------
-Percival Suspicion-
Prerequisites:

1. Examine the telescope
   
2. Ask Percival about the Golden Beetle

I have a theory about you: You’re not really interested in astronomy at all.
Actually researching: Golden Beetle.
Does he really use it?
Pointer’s telescope was actually looking at the crime scene and not up at the sky.
-----------------------------------------

Move to the newly discovered Attic over Flora’s Tower.


-Attic-
Examine the Reel Thingy on the floor, to the right of the largest shaft of light.
Optional: You will get a clearer idea of how the crime was committed if you examine the largest shaft of light.

Music Room - Poppy's Room - Rooftop Garden

Missable Achievements In This Section:
A Poet and a Pianist
Ask Poppy about all other characters



Move to the Music Room, to the right of the Grand Hall.

-Music Room-
Talk to Poppy.
Achievement: Ask Poppy about all characters. (You’ll have to come back after meeting Penny.)
Examine the frog with trumpet.
Ask Poppy about the Ripped Photo.

Move to Poppy’s Room, directly beneath the Astronomy Tower.


-Poppy’s Room-
Examine the framed sheet music.
Examine the metronome. Look closer.
Solution:

You will receive Ripped Photo #2.


-Getting in to the Rooftop Garden-
Examine the lock on the exterior door.
Solution:




Move to Fitz’s Room.
Examine the lock on the exterior door.
Solution:

Examine the unlocked door (or pull up the map) and move to the Rooftop Garden.


-Rooftop Garden-
Examine the amphibian with headphones.

You will receive...
A Swamp Monster...?
Find three statues of a certain amphibious creature


Examine the feathers on top of the frog statue.
Return to the Music Room.

-----------------------------------------
-Poppy Suspicion-
Prerequisites:

1. Play the pink cassette tape.
   
2. Find both Ripped Photos.

Why not: You used to like these colors.
A clue for comparison: Ripped Photo #2 (from metronome).
What’s the connection?
The pink cassette tape found at the crime scene matches the pink cassette player used by Poppy in this old photo.
The right-hand side: Ripped Photo #1 (from Freya’s Room).
The answer is pretty straightforward: Poppy doesn’t want to look like that anymore.
-----------------------------------------

Aviary - Penny's Room

Missable Achievements In This Section:
Tangle Tower Historian

and...

It's My Case File
If you've been diligently presenting the Tangle Tower painting and your Case File to everyone you come across, this should be your last stop.


A Poet and a Pianist
Drop back by the Music Room to finish this after meeting Penny.




Move to the Aviary, the tall room on the far right.

-Aviary-
Talk to Penny.
(Now that you've collected statements from all eight suspects, you will be prompted to go over them - but we'll do that later.)
Examine the large birdcage next to Penny.
Move across the hall to Penny’s Room.

-Penny’s Room-
Examine the potted plant.
Optional: Examine the wall by the bed for a detail that comes up later (but isn't necessary to proceed).

Examine the birdhouse. Look closer.
Hint: The birds should be arranged to form a plausible family tree.
Solution:

You will receive Crumpled Paper.

Return to the Aviary.


-Aviary-
Ask Penny about the Birds and Cage, the Crumpled Paper, and the Potted Flower.

-----------------------------------------
-Penny Suspicion-
Prerequisites:

1. Find the Four Feathers in the Rooftop Garden.
   
2. Ask Penny about the Birds and Cage.
   
3. Ask Penny about the Crumpled Paper.

About the petals: they’re from red roses.
Evidence: Freya’s Drawings.
How and why?
One of Penny’s birds was used to spy on Poppy and Fitz and steal evidence from them.
Prove its been there: Four Feathers.
What’s the connection?
This yellow feather was left behind by Penny’s yellow bird when it visited the rooftop garden.
-----------------------------------------

Achievement: Return to the Music Room to hear Poppy’s Penny poem.

Remaining Suspicions - Discuss with Sally

Suspicions already covered:

• Felix - under "Workshop"
  
• Percival - under "Astronomy Tower"
  
• Poppy - bottom of "Music Room" section
  
• Penny - bottom of "Aviary" section

If you've been following along, Flora and Hawkshaw's suspicions should already be unlocked; Fitz and Fifi will require a couple more steps.

-----------------------------------------
-Flora Suspicion-
Prerequisites:

1. Ask Felix about Painted Models (from chest).
   
2. Ask Fifi about Bird Book.

So, what’s going on? Its not a knife.
Something which explains it: the Bird Book.
What’s the connection?
The painted knife is actually just a feather from an inkdip bird.
Something to suggest the color: Painted Models.
What’s the deal with her?
The inkdip bird was Flora’s pet, so she kept a single feather to remember it by.
Where she usually keeps it: Empty Egg.
-----------------------------------------
You will receive Flora's Drawings.
(You'll be prompted to discuss the crime scene with Sally - but we'll do that a little later on.)



-----------------------------------------
-Hawkshaw Suspicion-
Prerequisites:

1. Take Percival’s Statement.
   
2. Find Golden Beetle research.
   
3. Ask Hawkshaw about the Small Lens.
   
4. Ask Fifi about the Small Lens.

What Hawkshaw is searching for: Golden Beetle.
I know for a fact: its not a microscope at all.
What’s the problem?
The handheld “microscope” according to Fifi, uses a telescopic lens so Hawkshaw lied about it.
-----------------------------------------




Return to the Greenhouse.
Ask Fitz about the Ornate Trowel and Potted Flower (from Penny's room).
-----------------------------------------
-Fitz Suspicion-
Prerequisites:

1. Ask Fitz about the Potted Flower.
   
2. Ask Fitz about the Ornate Trowel.
   
3. Ask Penny about the Potted Flower.
   
4. Ask Fifi about Fitz.
   
5. Have met Poppy.

What do you think? Fifi did see Fitz but he was holding something else.
What was it: Ornate Trowel.
Is there a reason for him to go up?
An ornate trowel is used by Fitz to look after a potted flower in Penny’s Room.
Connection to Fitz: Potted Fruit.
What’s the connection:
The pot and soil in Penny’s room matches the pot and soil found in Fitz’s Greenhouse.
-----------------------------------------




Return to the Library.
Ask Fifi about the Secret Diary.
-----------------------------------------
-Fifi Suspicion-
Prerequisites:

1. Ask Fifi about the Secret Diary.
   
2. Ask Poppy about Ripped Photo #1 (from Freya’s room)

It doesn’t look unused: It’s somebody else’s diary.
Something to compare it to: Ripped Photo (Fifi and Freya).
What’s the connection?
This blue book is the same thing as the secret diary which proves that it belonged to Freya.
Why would Fifi do this?
Fifi didn’t want anyone to see personal secrets within Freya’s diary.
-----------------------------------------
After reading the diary, you will be prompted to return to the Gardens, but I'd rather wrap up the business with Sally first.

Move to Lake's Edge.

-Lake's Edge-
Ask Sally about "Suspect Statements".
Ask Sally about the "Crime Scene".

Was Freya stabbed by a knife?
Blood from the paint pot was used to paint the red tip of the painted inkdip feather to resemble a bloody knife.

The Harp Puzzle

Return to the Gardens.
Examine the wooden crab sitting by the pool.
This will be used to solve the harp puzzle.


IMPORTANT: Solving this puzzle will unlock a new area. Do not proceed through the door until you have completed the following missable achievements, as you will no longer have free reign of the house!

• Tangle Tower Historian: Present Tangle Tower painting to all suspects.
  
• Its My Case File: Present Case File to all suspects.
  
• A Poet and a Pianist: Ask Poppy about all other characters.
  
• A Souvenir: Examine the snowglobe in the library.
  
• Professional Snoop: Examine the family tree in the hall and the pinboard in Fifi's room.

...as well as the first TWO parts of Chemistry or Alchemy? (clipboard in the Greenhouse, chalkboard in the library).


Hint: Take another look at the symbols on the harp. You need to locate and record four tunes, one to correspond with each symbol.


Bell: Go to the Main Entrance. Ring the bell.
Mouth: Go to Flora’s Tower. Use the gramophone to play the water damaged cassette tape.
Piano: Go to the Music Room. Present the sheet music to Poppy. Ask her to play the tune.
Bird: Go to Lake’s Edge. Examine the birds in the birdbath.



Return to the Gardens and examine the Harp Statue.
What remains is just a matching game:
Solution:

You will not be able to proceed until you have:

1. Discussed statements with Sally
   
2. Discussed the crime scene with Sally
   
3. Completed all 8 suspicions
   
4. Found all 32 clues

Sally can be found at Lake's Edge.
"Suspect Statements" can be discussed after taking all eight statements.
"The Crime Scene" can be discussed after investigating Flora's Tower, completing Flora's Suspicion, and looking through Percival's telescope.

If you missed a clue:
Clues are displayed in the exact order they were obtained in the guide

Underneath

Missable Achievements In This Section:
Chemistry or Alchemy?
Examine the papers on the laboratory table
(Part 3 of 3)


When you’re ready, go through the secret door.


-Laboratory-
Achievement: Examine the papers on the table between the “Bugs” book and the butterfly book. (You don’t need to rearrange the papers to get the achievement, though it'll make more sense if you do.)

Examine the bug display case on the table.
Examine the safe. Look closer.
Solution:
You will receive Secret Research.

Talk to Sally. Discuss the “Secret Laboratory”.
There’s a section missing: Golden Beetle.
What are they trying to do?
Pointer has been trying to breed the Golden Beetle in the underground laboratory.

Move to the Lowest Level.


-Lowest Level-
Examine the window.
Discuss "The Lake" with Sally.

Examine the impaled picture frame.
Talk to Sally. Discuss “A Strange Photograph”.
Depicts the man in the photograph: Painted Models (group).
Who is he: Lord Remington.

Examine the book on the table.
Examine the pot with the roll of paper on top of the bookshelf. Unroll it. Examine the study.


Return to the Grand Hall.

-Grand Hall-
Examine the glowing tank. Pull the switch.
Move to the Study.

You'll get...
A Secret
Find your way into the secret room.

The Hidden Heart

-The Study-
Examine the pinboard hanging by the tank, the incinerator, and the notebook on the coffee table.

Discuss "The Study" with Sally.
Taped to the top: Photo of Painting.
Ripped from the board: Freya’s Drawings.

Examine the picture right beneath Sally’s hand.
Discuss "Five People" with Sally.

Examine the crab.
Hint: Arrange the limbs to match the "Soulbearer" in the children’s book.
Solution:
Examine the crossbow.

Discuss "A Weapon" with Sally.
What happened to the rest of it? We found them already.
The front: Metal Rod.
The top: Small Lens.
Underside: Reel Thingy.

The Murder

Discuss "Machinations of Murder".
Where was it fired from? It was fired from above Freya.
It would have missed her: Freya was already lying on her back.
I think so too: She’d fallen unconscious.
Caused by something in the room: the gramophone.
Not by itself: There was something in the gramophone.
What was it: Golden Beetle.
What was affected? Choose Freya’s Paints, the pink cassette, or the gramophone.
They can’t have been much further: They protected themselves.
How? The Lute Statue.

Go to Flora’s Tower.


-Flora’s Tower-
Examine the brush.
Discuss "The Missing Clue".
Where’d it go? We found it somewhere else.
What happened: choose the Burnt Items.
Freya left it for us: It’s in the unfinished painting.

Her intentions: Brush and Palette.
The yellow paint was going to be used to paint this sketch of something sitting in the window.
Note on above: for "this sketch", hover over the outline to Flora’s right.

Something was there: Birds and Cage.

Examine the yellow bird in the window.
Talk to Hawkshaw.

-Penelope Pointer-
A formality: Tie her hands – she’ll insist even if you opt not to.
Something sturdy: Reel Thingy.
What drove you: Any answer.
In your notes: Any answer.
Found what: the study.

-The Era of Mystid Mansion-
Do you know what it is: Either answer.
Answered questions: Group Photo.

-A Lowly Entomologist-
Something from the era: Golden Beetle.

-The Will of Freya Fellow-
Something Freya painted: Photo of Painting.

Wrap-Up

Untangled Tower
Complete the game


Congratulations!

Any mistakes? Find any fiddly suspicion prerequisites I missed? Any place where further explanations or screenshots would be helpful? Let me know in the comments!