The Witness walkthrough & puzzle guide

Mountain Challenge

If you've activated all 11 lasers around the island (and why wouldn't you?) then a hidden flap will have opened under the box held by the statue at the top of the mountain. Swipe this extra section then follow the newly activated wire down through the mountain complex.

The puzzle by the statue near the pressure pad door is now active, so use the rules you learned from all those stray panels to solve it.

A hidden path has now opened up next to one of the pools in this area.

Unlock the door to access the challenge area.

There are a ton of panels in this area, but ignore them and follow this route to the pillar panel on a ledge.

Note: composite image to show solution from all angles.

Another hidden path will open up nearby, so head in and get the door open.

This is the final challenge area, and it's a really tough one. Once you swipe this panel to start the music playing, you have roughly 6:30 to solve a series of panels, which are completely randomised and change every time. If you try to pause the game the timer will reset, and if you exit to the XMB the timer will continue running in the background. Familiarise yourself with the route below so you know what to expect, and be prepared to come back here and reset the music if things go wrong along the way. Good luck!

Easier Method

If you're playing on PS4, there is an easier method to beat this timed section. You can't pause the game, however if you put your console into Rest Mode then the timer will stop until you resume. Take a picture of the panel(s) on screen then go straight into Rest Mode, allowing you to find the solution at your leisure before resuming and entering it.

Ignore these panels, which appear several times throughout this area, as they are just timers.

Start off by solving these three panels.

Make a note/take a picture of this next panel before and after solving, as you'll need to remember the location of the hexagons and the route through to the other side.

Follow the wire to this next section, where four more panels await - two on the upper level and two below. These activate in a random sequence so look around until you find the next one.

Now head up the steps to the set of three panels, but note that ONLY ONE of these can actually be solved.

The same applies to the next three panels, so find the one solution to move on.

Remember the panel with the hexagons noted earlier? The solution to that was actually the route through this maze, so follow it and stop at each hexagon.

The hexagons represent two further panels to solve, which activate when you stand in front of them.

This brings you to the last area, with two pillar panels to solve.

Finish them before the music runs out and the Challenge trophy is yours - congratulations!

You can now enter the previously closed off room to open the case and receive the final video player blueprint.

Head past the music player and along the tunnel to find a door.

A recording is tucked behind the minecart further up the tunnel.

Unlock the door at the top of the stairs to open up a shortcut to the Town area.

Jump to Section:

Opening Garden
Blue & Green Panels
Pink Trees
Pottery (Symmetry)
Orange Trees (Shady Trees)
Sun Temple (Desert Ruin)
Hedge Maze (Keep)
Pressure Pad Maze
Red Tree Temple (Monastery)
Greenhouse (Bunker)
Marsh
Treehouses
Quarry
Bamboo Forest (Jungle)
Town
Mountain
Mountain Challenge
Secret Rooms
Windmill & Video Player
Secret Ending