How to solve the Indiana Jones Snake in the Garden bookshelf puzzle

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How to solve the bookshelf puzzle for Snake in the Garden in the Great Circle

indiana jones bookshelf snake in the grass
(Image credit: Bethesda)

The Indiana Jones Snake in the Garden bookshelf puzzle is easy to solve but only once you know where to look. It can be very confusing however, mainly because the first note you find doesn't have all the information and there are two notes mentioned in the journal summary. That might make you think there's more to find but once you have the first note you already have everything you need to solve it, even if it isn't clear. Here's how you can work out what to do.

Indiana Jones bookshelf puzzle solution

indiana jones bookshelf location map

(Image credit: Bethesda)

The Indiana Jones Snake in the Garden bookshelf puzzle is found in the Apostolic Palace, in Father Ventura's office, shown here on the map. You'll find a note on the desk that says the bookshelf has been redesigned and certain books must be pulled from the shelf alphabetically. For reasons...

indiana jones bookshelf note 1

(Image credit: Bethesda)

If you then check the bookshelf just in front and to the left of the desk you found the note on, you'll discover four books you can pull out. However, they only have symbols on them so there's no way to work out an alphabetically order. Pull them out at random and you'll here a wrong sounding donk before they all reset in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

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At this point, the information the the Snake in the Garden mystery will say you'll have one of two notes in your journal. I made the mistake of thinking that the second note must have the alphabetical information on it and went looking for it. However, the information you need to solve Snake in the Garden is actually on the back of the first note. So turn it around to see these symbols and names:

indiana jones bookshelf alphabetical order

(Image credit: Bethesda)
  1. Francorum (crown symbol)
  2. Logicae (triangle)
  3. Philosopiae (wheel)
  4. QDD (star)

This list gives you the book names, letting you alphabetize them. As a result to solve the Snake in the Garden puzzle in Indiana Jones you pull the books from the shelf in this order:

indiana jones bookshelf book order

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Inside you'll find ₤120 and the second note, a letter to Father Ventura from Benito Mussolini indicating the pair have more scheming lined up. You'll also get 100 adventure points for completing the mystery.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PS5 will be coming in spring 2025.

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Leon Hurley
Leon Hurley
Managing editor for guides

I'm GamesRadar's Managing Editor for guides. I also write reviews, previews and features, largely about horror, action adventure, FPS and open world games. I previously worked on Kotaku, and the Official PlayStation Magazine and website.