9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek Trophy Walkthrough

Trophy Roadmap

Difficulty: 1.5/10
Estimated time to Platinum: 1.5 – 2 hours
Trophies: 18. 1 / 9 / 6 / 2
Missable trophies: None, with the walkthrough (Otherwise, several)
Glitched trophies: None
Difficulty related: None
Playthrough: One

Introduction

Welcome to the 9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek trophy walkthrough!
It’s 1950, and your friend Helen has gone missing! Travel to the small coastal town of Coastal Creek to search for her – and uncover a sinister plot to revive a terrible serpent god in the process.

Video guides of this walkthrough are fine as long as I am credited in the video and the guide linked!

Tips and Strategies

DO NOT SKIP PUZZLES. DO NOT USE HINTS IN HO SCENES until you unlock Unaided

Since we’re playing on Casual, you can click around like crazy in HO scenes if you don’t feel like actually looking for stuff.

There are two sets of collectibles in this game: question marks and newspapers. There aren’t many of either. You actually only need three of the newspapers for that trophy, but you do need all nine of the question marks, so make those a priority to remember.

There is one timed trophy in the game – there are three lockpicking puzzles, and you need to do all three in under a combined three minutes. Providing you read the solutions prior to starting the puzzle (and I’ve pointed out these moments in the walkthrough), you’ll probably do all three in under two minutes. You have plenty of time.

There is a GAME-BREAKING BUG at a certain point in the game, in both the PS4 and PS5 versions (and I presume the Xbox versions as well, but I have no confirmation yet). It is explained more in the walkthrough when you reach that part.

A full written text walkthrough is provided below, and if you enjoy my work, please consider donating to my Ko-fi.

If you liked this guide, you’ll find more on our site.
You can also chat to our writers and friends by joining us on Discord with this link – Discord Invite

Trophy Walkthrough

New Game – CASUAL

Outside Rattlesnake
Click horn
R3 to skip tutorial
Click man
Pick up orange bottle (inhaler fluid), use it with the empty tube, grab it, and use it with the man
Zoom on cat (by bike)
Click cat until Cat Lady unlocks (5-10 times) (if you forget, you have another shot at this later)
Click bike horn
Pick up gear, then back out
Exit to Reception

Reception

Newspaper (1/3) – on chair – click it, click the headline, then back out
Clue (1/9) – on the painting above the stairs

Click open book x3 (you will get a map while doing so) – get room 8 key
Exit upstairs to Hallway

Hallway
Zoom on paper under luggage cart, click it, then back out
Zoom on back left door (room 6)
Pick up gear, then back out
Zoom on left door (room 8)
Use key with door, click it, then exit to Room 8

Room 8
Zoom on note in door, then back out
Zoom on desk
Pick up paperclip, then back out
Click bedsheet and pick up key
Zoom on cupboard
Use key with cupboard, then click
Walk up to suitcase
Solve HO scene – get Helen’s box key – It’s Something unlocked
Zoom on desk
Use Helen’s box key with box, then click until you get firecracker
You will automatically obtain hotel gate card
Exit back x2 to Outside Rattlesnake

Outside Rattlesnake
Click figure
Zoom on gate (back left, in front of the truck)
Use gate card with slot, then click the area above it
R / U / L / Dx3 / U / Rx2 / U / Lx2 / U / Rx2 / DL / R / D / R – Puzzle Solver unlocked
Exit to Main Street

Main Street
Talk to man in the middle of the street
Zoom on big snake in street, then use firecracker with it
Zoom on the big open crate you saw the monster come out of
Pick up gear, then back out
Exit to Garage

Garage
Click the big question mark

This is a detective puzzle.  They’re basically HO puzzles without a word bank – think of them like investigating crime scenes.  You can just click around like crazy like you do with the regular HO scenes.  After you’ve found everything, you’ll be walked through what happened – you can safely skip the talking bit.  Freshman unlocked.

You’re about to do the first lockpick puzzle.  Read the solution below before starting it.

Walk up to lockers
Use paperclip with other paperclip
R1x2 / L1x2 / R1x4
Click locker to open it
Zoom on man’s jacket pocket
Pick up key, then back out
Exit back x3 to Outside Rattlesnake

Outside Rattlesnake
Zoom on truck
Use key with handle
Click sheets until you pick up tow rope, car jack handle, and look at a letter about a monster, then back out
Exit to Main Street, then Garage

Garage

Newspaper (2/3) – on a green box in front of some tires – click the headline, then back out

Walk up to desk
Solve HO scene – get car jack
Exit back to Main Street

Main Street
Walk up to lamppost
Use car jack, then handle, with base of lamppost
Click car jack x2
Exit to Town Square

Town Square
Clue Finder unlocked
Exit left to Stalls

Stalls

GAME-BREAKING BUG: it is possible to click between the left and middle stalls on this screen.  DO NOT DO IT.  Doing so before required risks a game-breaking bug later on in the game.  DO NOT CLICK THAT AREA until specifically told!

Exit forward (between the middle and right stalls) to Street

Street
Click man
Exit via road to Cliffs

Cliffs

Clue (2/9) – in the moon

Pick up gear
Use tow rope with car
Walk up to car
Solve HO scene – get screw – if Unaided unlocks here (and it should, presuming you’ve been avoiding using hints), then you can start using hints in HO scenes.
Exit back x2 to Stalls

Stalls
Walk up to middle stall
Solve HO scene – get screwdriver
Exit to Street

Street

Newspaper (3/3) – left of the stairs to the police station – Avid Reader unlocked.  There are several more newspapers in the game that count towards this trophy, but I will no longer be pointing them out in this walkthrough.

Zoom on mailbox
Click paper until you pick up screw
Zoom on police door, then click button x2
Use screws, then screwdriver, with button, then click button again
Exit to Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff’s Office
Zoom on pictures on back wall
Click calendar, pick up mouse part, then back out
Walk up to table (back right)
Click mouse x4, use mouse part with mouse, and put the mouse together – just match the outlines – get mechanical mouse
Use mechanical mouse with snake
Exit left to Jail

Jail
Pick up metal rod
Click girl, and talk to her
Exit back to Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff’s Office
Walk up to desk
Solve HO scene – get desk bell
Exit back x5 to Rattlesnake, then Reception

Reception
Zoom on book
Use desk bell with broken desk bell, then click it
Exit to Hallway, then Room 8

Room 8
Solve detective puzzle
Zoom on ripped photo
Use metal rod with ripped photo, then pick it up (x2, so it’s actually in your inventory)
Exit back x3 to Outside Rattlesnake, then Main Street, then Town Square, then Stalls

Stalls
Use photo with woman
Walk up to middle stall
Solve HO scene – get Swiss army knife
Exit back x3 to Outside Rattlesnake

Outside Rattlesnake
Zoom on bike
Use Swiss army knife with bike horn, then pick it up
Exit to Main Street, then Town Square, then Stalls

Stalls
Zoom on cat
If you didn’t unlock Cat Lady before, do it now (keep clicking on the cat)
Use bike horn with cat – Shoo! unlocked
Walk up to left stall
Grab a match from the matchbox and light the candles
Number the circle above the $38 (the left-most one) 1 and number clockwise to 8.
Click in order: 1 / 2 / 7 / 3 / 5 / 6 / 4 / 8 – get Helen’s amulet
Exit to Street, then Sheriff’s Office, then Jail

Jail
Use Helen’s amulet with woman
Zoom on back wall
Pick up rag, click the message, then back out
Cutscene – get museum ticket
Exit back x2 to Town Square

Town Square
Zoom on boarded-up door
Pick up gear, then back out
Exit back right to Museum

Museum

Clue (3/9) – on the wall supporting the stairs – put the cursor midway between the manhole cover and the ivy, then slowly move it right and you should land directly on it.  It’s before the pillar holding up the stairway light

Zoom on bottom-right window
Pick up oil can
Use rag with toolbox, then click it
Pick up flashlight and gear
Walk up to museum door
Pick up gear – you should have all seven now
Walk up to gear puzzle
Use gears with puzzle
Starting at the spinning gear, place the gears in the following order: S / L / M / S / M / S / L – Puzzle Addict unlocked
Use museum ticket with slot
Exit to First Floor

First Floor
Click man
Use flashlight with anywhere, then click the yellow electricity box
Pick up code piece from under the screw, then use Swiss army knife with screws
Solve wire puzzle

Exit to Second Floor

Second Floor
Zoom on window
Pick up coin
Use oil can with window lock, click it, then back out
Walk up to display case
Solve HO scene – get gear
Zoom on big head on left wall
Pick up fang
Exit back to First Floor

First Floor
Zoom on left wall painting

Clue (4/9) – on man’s chest

Pick up tweezers, then back out
Zoom on back corner of room
Use gear with slot
Pick up lockpicks and code piece
Exit to Second Floor

Second Floor

We’re about to do the second lockpicking puzzle.  Read the solution before continuing.

Walk up to door
Use gold lockpicks with door
R1x2 / L1x2 / R1
Exit to Exhibit

Exhibit
Click large painting
Zoom on staff thing in right case
Use heavy fang with case and pick up staff thing – get snake catcher
Exit back to Second Floor

Second Floor
Use snake catcher with snake
Pick up code piece
Walk up to display case
Solve HO scene – get tape
Exit to Exhibit

Exhibit
Zoom on right wall picture
Click eye then use tweezers with it – get code piece
Walk up to broken painting
Use tape with painting, and put it together – pieces will lock in when placed correctly
Click painting, pick up code piece, click the drawing you revealed, then back out
Zoom on left display case
Use code pieces with code – enter the code
Pick up ritual sickle
Exit back to Second Floor

Second Floor
Zoom on window
Use sickle with ladder
Exit Outside

Museum
Click right side of the building
Walk up to museum door
Grab rubber glove and click gear puzzle – get sewer key
Zoom on manhole cover
Use sewer key with manhole cover
Exit to sewers

Sewers
Follow the path: Forward / Rx2 / Forward / L / R
Use sickle with valve (in water) and pick it up
Zoom on pipe
Pick up rope, then use valve with slot and click it
Zoom on back wall
Use rope, then sickle, with pipes on left
Grab sickle and use it with the steps
Exit to Path

Path
Click lighthouse
Exit to Viewpoint

Viewpoint
Zoom on the note that fell, pick up handle, then back out
Zoom on door
Use handle with bottom lock, click it, then back out
Zoom on binoculars
Pick up pliers
Use coin with binoculars and look through them
Exit back x3 to Town Square

Town Square
Zoom on boarded-up door
Use pliers with door, then click it
Exit to Library

Library
Zoom on clock, then use pliers with it – get clock hand
Pick up newspaper (on low table)
Walk up to door
Use newspaper with bottom of door
Zoom on door handle
Use clock hand with keyhole
Pick up key
Zoom on door handle
Use key with keyhole, then click
Exit to Reading Room

Reading Room
Solve detective puzzle
Exit left to Rare Book Collection

Rare Book Collection

Clue (5/9) – between the two boarded-up windows

Walk up to box of scrolls
Solve HO scene – get wheel axle
Zoom on middle bookshelf
Click book and pick up seal
Exit back to Reading Room

Reading Room
Zoom on filing cabinet
Click drawer and pick up play button
Zoom on base of ladder
Use wheel axle with base of ladder, then grab wheel and put it on the ladder
Click ladder then zoom on top of ladder
Pick up slides and seal, then back out
Exit back to Library

Library
Click white sheet, then zoom on projector
Pick up seal, then back out
Zoom on book on pedestal
Use all three seals with the book (if they don’t automatically place, read the folded-up note next to the book)
Click book and pick up bolt
Exit to Reading Room, then Rare Book Collection

Rare Book Collection
Walk up to globe
Use bolt with slot, then click the new slot
From left to right, click in order: 3 / 4 / 5 / 7
Pick up tape, then back out
Exit back to Reading Room

Reading Room
Zoom on machine right of ladder
Use tape with reels
Use play button with slot, then click it
Zoom on top of ladder
Pick up claw
Exit to Rare Book Collection

Rare Book Collection
Walk up to box of scrolls
Solve HO scene – get lens
Walk up to globe
Use claw with wrapped thing and pick it up – get screen
Exit back x2 to Library

Library
Use screen with back wall
Zoom on projector
Use slides and lens with projector
Click projector, and move through the newspaper pages (I don’t think these count towards the trophy)
Cutscenes – you will get Falsen’s key – Clue Seeker unlocked
Exit back x2 to Outside Rattlesnake, then Reception

Reception
Zoom on door behind reception desk
Use key with keyhole, then click
Exit to Falsen’s Room

Falsen’s Room

Clue (6/9) – on the dummy in the back left corner

Walk up to junk
Solve HO scene – get crowbar
Click open book on desk
Pick up pencil

Quit to main menu and BACK UP YOUR SAVE.  There have been reports of a game-breaking glitch happening during the next part.

Zoom on desk drawers
Use crowbar with drawer
Pick up axe and key
Exit back x2 to Outside Rattlesnake, then Main Street, then Town Square, then Stalls

Stalls
Zoom between the left and middle stalls
Use axe with branch – this is the game-breaking bug.  Sometimes the game will not allow you to use the axe.  This is present on both the PS4 (confirmed by myself) and PS5 (reported by others) version of the game.   My personal theory is that as soon as you leave the Stalls area after having entered the branch subwindow, the hotspot turns off.  I also only clicked the area between the stalls when the little squiggles were present, but that’s probably not necessary.  If you are hit by this bug, delete the save from your system and try again with the save I told you to back up.
Exit to Cemetery

Cemetery

Clue (7/9) – on the wall left of the broken lantern

Pick up urn and brick
Zoom on gate
Use key with lock, then click it
Zoom on door
Pick up snake head, then back out
Zoom on top of left gate pillar
Use urn with slot
Zoom on left wall
Use snake head with snake and brick with slot
Zoom on right wall
Click until you pick up skull
Zoom on door
Use skull with slot and click it
Exit to Mausoleum

Mausoleum
Use crowbar with both tombs
Zoom on right tomb
Pick up flare, and click on the note
Use pencil with note, and pick it up
Walk up to left tomb, then zoom on code wheel
Use cipher with numbers, and enter the code
Walk up to left tomb
Solve HO scene – get transformer switch
Click left tomb
Use flare with monster

Jail
Zoom on brick wall
Click the light brick, then back out
Talk to man in window
Pick up lockpicks
Zoom on brick wall
Use lockpicks with brick – get brick
Pick up keys

We’re about to do the final lockpick minigame.

Zoom on jail door
Use brick with panel
Use lockpick with keyhole
L1x2 / R1 / L1 / R1x2 / L1 – Arsene Lupin unlocked, provided you did all three lockpicking puzzles in a combined total of under 3 minutes
Exit left, then exit back to Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff’s Office
Zoom on safe
Use key with keyhole, then click
Pick up valve, then back out
Walk up to desk
Solve HO scene – get wire cutters
D-pad right – Lighthouse, then exit left to Bridge

Bridge
Use transformer switch with slot
Exit back to Path, then Viewpoint

Viewpoint
Zoom on door
Use valve with slot, click it, then back out
D-pad right – Cliffs (the car)
Exit forward to Mansion Gate

Mansion Gate
Pick up rag
Exit to Backyard

Backyard
Use wire cutters with fence
Walk up to cellar door
Pick up ladder, then back out
Use ladder with shed
Zoom on shed roof
Pick up hammer
Walk up to cellar door
Zoom on padlock
Use rag, then hammer, with padlock, then click it
Exit to Basement

Basement
Use flashlight with anywhere, then zoom on light switch (right of stairs) and click it

Clue (8/9) – on the side of the cart on the right

Zoom on wine rack
Pick up pot
Exit back to Backyard

Backyard
Use pot with sand pile – get pot of sand
Exit to Basement

Basement
Use pot of sand with stairs
Click stairs until you exit to Study

Study
Zoom on skull
Pick up duct tape, then back out
Exit back to Basement

Basement
Zoom on barrels
Use duct tape with hose, then pick it up
Exit to Study

Study
Zoom on skull
Use hose with liquid nitrogen tank, then click valve
Pick up liquid nitrogen, then back out
Walk up to desk
Solve HO scene – get scalpel
Zoom on drawers
Use scalpel with drawer, then click it
Pick up syringe and click the papers it was on, then back out – Scrupulous unlocked
D-pad right – Rattlesnake Hotel, then Reception, then Hallway

Hallway
Walk up to man
Talk to man – get loaded revolver, then back out
Zoom on ground in front of Room 7
Pick up metal card
Exit to Room 6

Room 6
Solve detective puzzle – Dick Tracy unlocked
Walk up to cupboard
Click belt x2
Use loaded revolver with snake
Zoom on broken floorboard in front of balcony door
Click board, then use liquid nitrogen on box
Click box, pick up disinfectant and metal card, read the journal, then back out
Zoom on table
Click cloth, then use metal cards with slots
Walk up to table
Pick up cash register handle
Use mamba syringe with green bowl
Use disinfectant with purple bowl
Grab the red and light blue vials from the stand and fill the same-color bowls, then back out
Exit back x2 to Reception, then Falsen’s Room

Falsen’s Room
Zoom on cash register
Use cash register handle with register, then click it
Pick up stabilizer
Walk up to junk
Solve HO puzzle – get funnel
Exit back to Reception, then Hallway, then Room 6

Room 6
Walk up to table
Use stabilizer with blue bowl
Use funnel with empty spot, then add the orange vial from the stand
Click in order (colors refer to the bowls):
O / R / O / P / LB / G / B / P / LB / G
B / P / LB / G / B / (G / LB / P) x3
B / P / B / G / LB / B / G / P
G / B / LB / P / G / B / G
Pick up antidote
Exit back to Hallway

Hallway
Walk up to man
Use antidote with man – get lighthouse key
Exit back x2 to Outside Rattlesnake, then Main Street, then Garage

Garage
Walk up to table
Solve HO scene – get bullets – get loaded revolver
D-pad right – Lighthouse

Path
Zoom on man
Use loaded revolver with light above man
Exit to Viewpoint

Viewpoint
Zoom on door
Use key with lock, then click it
Exit to Lighthouse, then Lighthouse Basement

Lighthouse Basement

Clue (9/9) – on the right machine – it’s just up and left of the two vertical dials – Clue Collector unlocked

Pick up pole (handle)
Exit back to Lighthouse

Lighthouse
Use handle with door, then click it
Exit to Lighthouse Top (x2)
Use loaded revolver with man – Last Stand unlocked
Exit back x2
Click man, then exit back

Path
Pick up rope and sickle
Exit left to Bridge

Bridge
Use rope with electric wire on right

Cliffs
Walk up to car
Solve HO scene – get green horn
Exit to Mansion Gate, then Backyard, then Basement, then Study

Study
Click man
Zoom on dragon head
Use green horn with slot
Pick up painting piece
Zoom on skull table
Pick up painting piece – Clue Master unlocked
Walk up to painting under dragon heads
Use painting pieces with painting
Put the painting together – the pieces will not lock in place when correctly placed.  The cloudy green lines are like the edge pieces – do those first.
Click the button that appears
Walk up to desk
Solve HO scene – get lever
Exit to Tunnels

Tunnels
I’m not sure if this is a randomized maze or not.  Keep an eye on the power lines – whatever ones are glowing are the direction you want to go.  Eventually you will end up in the Lighthouse Basement.

Lighthouse Basement
Use lever with right machine, then click it
Drag the nodes around until all of the ropes are light blue
Puzzle Master and Platinum unlocked

If you want to actually finish the game:

Click grate
Use sickle with wires
Pick up Eye of Gukumatz
Exit back to Lighthouse, then to Lighthouse Top (x2)
Use Eye of Gukumatz with monster
Cutscenes, then ending credits!

Trophy List

Platinum Unlock every Trophy.

It’s Something Finish your first Hidden-Object Puzzle.

Unaided Complete three Hidden-Object Puzzles without using the Hint button.

Arsene Lupin Solve three Lockpick puzzles in less than three minutes.

Puzzle Solver Solve a Puzzle without using the Skip button.

Puzzle Addict Solve five Puzzles without using the Skip button.

Puzzle Master Solve all Puzzles without using the Skip button.

Freshman Complete your first Detective Mode.

Dick Tracy Complete all the Detective Mode scenes.

Clue Finder Find three Clues connected to your investigation.

Clue Seeker Find five Clues connected to your investigation.

Clue Master Find all Clues connected to your investigation.

Avid Reader Read three newspapers.

Scrupulous Gather information on all of the characters.

Clue Collector Find all nine “clue” objects hidden throughout the entire game.

Last Stand Save yourself.

Cat Lady Play with Breebo.

Shoo! Get rid of Breebo for good.

If you enjoyed this trophy guide, why not check out some more we have?
You can also join us in our Discord, Follow us on Twitter & Subscribe to us on YouTube