Rosetta Escape

By grinnyp | September 29, 2010

Currently 4.7/5
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Rating: 4.7/5 (179 votes)

Platform: Flash

Categories: browser, escape, flash, free, game, japanese, linux, mac, otousan, pointandclick, puzzle, rating-g, windows

Comments (83) | Views (11,522)

Grinnyp Room escape games are some of the best things in the world, at least I think so. However, when you've played enough of them, things start to feel a bit...well, samey, don't they? After all, how many shaky pictures have we knocked off of walls? How many left/right directions for buttons (or cranks) have we deduced from pictures/dolls/figurines, whatever? How many times have we searched for keys, screwdrivers, wrenches, or other helpful bits of hardware? Wouldn't it be nice to have an escape game with some unique and original puzzles? Well, dear readers, we do now. Welcome to Rosetta Escape by Otousan.

Rosetta Escape, in fact, has many of the usual conventions. Screwdrivers? Check. Keys? Check. Finding objects? Check. But what lies at the heart of this amusing little game are a series of unique, original, heavily color-based puzzles that infuse a breath of fresh air into the stale, standard escape. Even better, many of the puzzles are randomly generated, so they change each time you play the game.

Rosetta Escape begins in a basic, four-walled room. There's no set up (and no musical accompaniment) to let you know what's going on. You're in a room, and of course you want to get out. Move around using the arrows at the sides (or bottom) of the screen, click on things for a close up or to pick them up, and bend your mind sideways to escape this amusing little puzzle. Finding things is pretty easy, due to the wonderful changing cursor that lets you know where the hot-spots are. Solving the puzzles? Well, that might take a while. Pull up a chair and prepare to spend some time solving your way out.

Although Rosetta Escape is a Japanese game, no knowledge of the language is needed. Any letter puzzles are in English, and everything else is a complicated code of colors, tiles, symbols, and funky drawings which, if interpreted correctly, will help you get out of the stark space. Otousan (which means "father" in Japanese) has created a fun, challenging little world in which to get lost for a few minutes (or hours, depending). The only complaint is that a save feature of some sort would have been nice, especially if you get hung up and want to walk away for a while.

The backgrounds are pretty basic and somewhat cartoony, but the heart of the game is in the puzzle solving. Original, enjoyable, and in some respects different from many of the room escape games out there, Rosetta Escape is a fantastic way to while away your time in the middle of the week. I only wish my dad made escape games this good.

Play Rosetta Escape

Rosetta Escape Walkthrough now available!

Walkthrough Guide

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Archaeologist's Notes

Posted by: SonicLover | September 29, 2010 7:43 AM

Rozetusta Escape Walkthrough

General Information

Exploration

You begin facing a couch (in a shade of orange that makes the eyes bleed). There are 3 pictures on the wall behind the couch. Click on the picture on the left for a close up.
This picture appears to be tiles behind a frame and glass. Notice on the right side of the frame there is a small 3 digit code box.
Click on the 3 digit code box for a close up and notice that it is framed in red, and that the digits are letters. Back up twice.
Click on the picture on the right. Again, tiles behind glass and a 3 digit code box. Click on the box to see that it is framed in green and that it is also letters. Back up twice.
Click on the central picture for a close up.
Okay, the first of several strange pictures. The dude in the picture appears to be pointing to two things: (1) a leaf, and (2) a large peg that looks like the old Towers of Hanoi game with two rings on it.
Click on the picture and you will notice that the frame and glass swing away, revealing 3 small blurry dots at the bottom of the picture. Click on those dots for a close up.
In close up you can see a picture of a leaf and the number 2. I'm sure that will make sense eventually. Back up twice.
Click beneath the couch for a close up and take the tile hidden there. Back up.
Turn left and you are facing the door that you will eventually escape from. To the right of the door is a panel in the wall, click on it for a close up.
Looks like we need a key. Back up.
Click on the orange carpet on the floor in front of the door for a close up. This will reveal another tile underneath the right corner of the rug. Take the tile and back up.
Turn left and you are facing a low cabinet with two doors, each needing a two digit code (this time numbers). Above the cabinet is a picture on the wall, and there are three items on top of the cabinet.
On the left is a yellow bird with a design similar to the one being worn by the dude in the central painting. In the middle is a gray grid that is empty.
Click on the item on the right and you will see two posts with rings, each ring having a symbol on it.
You can click on the posts again for a closer close up if need be, but you will see that, from top to bottom, you have the symbols for: a sun, a bird, a snake, a chick (baby bird), a fish, a flower, a leaf, and an egg (or just a circle).
Back up and turn left.
You are now facing a desk with two gray slabs (or papers) on the wall above it. Click on the gray slabs for a close up.
The slab on the left has a series of symbols, each line having 5 symbols. Most of these symbols are ones seen on the posts on the cabinet, but there are a few unfamiliar ones as well. The slab on the right is incomplete. Back up.
Click on the desk for a close up.
Open the bottom drawer and take the circle with what looks like eyeholes.
Open the middle drawer and take the tile (you should now have 3).
Notice the notebook on top of the desk? Click on the notebook to pick it up.
Click on the notebook again to open it. Notice on this page the red birds facing left and the green chicks facing right.
Click on the page to turn it and you will see some instructions. These are basically instructions for a jumping peg puzzle. Each character can move one move in the direction it is facing, or can jump over one other character to an empty space. Characters cannot move backwards or jump over 2 characters.
Click on the notebook again to turn the page and you will see a jumble of colors. Note the symbol in the lower right of the page, it looks like the circle (mask) that we just picked up in the desk drawer.
Back up twice and turn right to face the cabinets.
Puzzle solving time!

The 3 Tile Puzzle and the Left Cabinet

You should now be facing the low cabinet.
Click on the picture on the wall above the cabinet for a close up.
Notice that there are spaces for 3 tiles in the picture, and that there are red circles and blue bars around the outside, which are clues to the placement of the tiles.

Once the tiles are properly placed you will be directed to the lower left cabinet. Note that the symbols on the tiles correlate directly to the 3 digit code on the cabinet.
Now you just need to figure out what numbers the tiles represent.

Enter the 3 digit code into the door and back up once.
Click on the door handle to open it and take the item (phillip's head screwdriver).
Click on the picture above the cabinet again and notice that the background plate is being held down by phillip's head screws. Use the screwdriver to remove the screws and click on the plate to remove it.
There are now 9 slots in the background for tiles. Notice that the tiles you placed earlier are no longer in the correct places (they don't match the background).
Pick up the 3 tiles and also pick up the 2 red balls in the lower right corner of the picture.
Back up.

The Left Couch Picture

Turn left until you are facing the desk. You should have your 3 tiles back, as well as the mask and the red balls from the picture.
Click on the desk for a close up.
Pull up the mask from your inventory and use the red balls in the eyeholes.
Close down the mask and click on the notebook on top of the desk. Keep clicking until you are at the page with the multicolors and the little mask symbol.
Use the mask from your inventory over the colored mass and three letters will appear: E I A.
Put the mask back into your inventory, back up twice, and turn left to face the couch.
Click on the left picture for a close up and click on the 3 digit code on the right of the frame.
This is the code with the red border, and we just used the red balls (lenses) in the mask to get the code from the notebook.
Enter the code E I A and back up once.
Click on the picture to open the frame and take the six tiles.
You have now uncovered another picture, this one of the strange dude playing with the post and the symbol rings, with five symbols above him.
The symbols are: leaf, lips, egg, ear, and flower.
Notice the 3 fuzzy dots at the bottom of the picture? Click on them for a close up.
Now we have 2 + 1 = 3.
Could the symbols and the math equation be related?

Back up twice and turn right once to face the desk.
Click on the gray slabs on the wall for a close up, then click on the left slab to look closer.
This slab is like the Rosetta Stone, it will help you decipher some simple symbols you haven't seen yet.

Back up twice and turn right once to face the low cabinet.

The 9 Tile Puzzle and the Right Cabinet

The Right Couch Picture

The 15 Tile Puzzle

Click on the picture on the wall above the cabinet for a close up.
You now have to place 15 tiles in the empty spaces. This one is a lot harder because the green is somewhere in the middle.
Remember to match all of the corners. Below is a screenshot of the finished puzzle so you can see where the colors go.
Screenshot.
Once the tiles are placed properly the plate will disappear, revealing a black safe door with more symbols. Now you're solving for 2 digit numbers.
On the left side of the safe is a piece of paper, pick it up.
On the paper is a yellow key, take it.
Notice that the paper is in 9 rows and 9 columns, with numbers in each cell.
Time to solve the math problems on the safe.

There are two ways to do this, one using the paper with the grid and one using math.
Basically you are looking at a base 9 math system.
In a base 9 system, the easiest way to get the correct number is to take the number given by the symbols and subtract the first digit from it.
For instance, if you have the egg leaf symbols (1 2), you would subtract the first digit (1) from it. In the base 9 system egg leaf would stand for 11 (12 - 1 = 11).
If you had the leaf sun symbols (2 8), subtract the first digit (2) and you would get 26 (28 - 2 = 26).
If, however, you don't want to do it this way, you can use the paper grid to the left of the safe.
Remember the picture of the dude pointing to the grid?
The symbols there were flower snake (3 6). However, as the dots at the bottom of the picture said, flower snake does not equal 36.
Since we are using a base nine system that runs from 0 (cloud) to 8 (sun), the rows in the grid should be numbered the same.
That would mean that the top (first) row is row zero, the 2nd row is row 1, the third row is row 2, etc.
The columns would be numbered normally from left to right, 1 through 9.
Look closely at the picture and the guy is pointing to row 3 (the 4th row down) and column 6, which corresponds to the flower snake symbols.
Now look at the paper to the left of the safe. Row 3 (4th row down), 6th column has the number 33 in it.
If you solved using the base 9 system, flower snake (3 6) minus the first digit (3) equals 33. In the base 9 system, either using the grid or the math, flower snake represents the number 33.
Look at the safe door. You should have two number symbols, then an math symbol (either the lips or the eye for plus or minus), then a second two digit symbol.
Using either the base 9 math method or the paper grid solve for the two digit numbers, then either add or subtract them to get the 2 digit numbers that go in the code boxes.
For instance, snake snake eye fish bird is a two digit number, a minus sign, and another two digit number.
First solve the two digit numbers. Snake snake (6 6) minus the first digit (6) is 60, so snake snake is 60.
Fish bird is 4 7, minus the first digit (4), gets you 43. So fish bird is 43.
60 - 43 = 17. 17 would be the code to go in the box.
The symbols used changes each time you play, but the underlying math remains the same.

Once you've placed the numbers in the code boxes, click on the yellow handle on the right of the safe to open it.
Take the black key, back up, and turn left.

Getting Out

You should now be facing the desk. Use the yellow key you got from the number paper to open the top drawer of the desk.
When you open the drawer you will find the missing piece of the gray slab that goes above the desk. Back up.
Click on the gray slabs for a close up and use the missing piece on the right slab.
You will see that there are more equations here, 2 digit equations that further demonstrate how to add with the base 9 numbers.
Once you found the yellow key in the paper you could go to the desk, get the slab, attach it, and use that to help you solve the base 9 numbers. However, it is not necessary, and you can complete the game without ever having opened the desk drawer.
Back up and turn left twice.
Click on the panel to the right of the door for a close up and use the black key on it.
Click on the panel to open it and you are confronted with four symbols, 2 chicks facing right and 2 birds facing left.
Remember the drawings in the notebook?

Once you solve the birds/chicks puzzle, back up once.
Click on the door to open it and click on the open doorway to escape.
You've now escaped to a barren desert! Good luck with that!

Posted by: grinnyp | September 29, 2010 2:09 PM

83 Comments

Escapist

• September 29, 2010 1:05 AM

So I've unlocked-

It seems like some hints around the room specifically do not apply to all of the symbols, according to other hints. I have a table set up that is suggested by one of the framed pictures. Any subtle hints from others would be welcome. :)

Escapist

• September 29, 2010 1:10 AM

Trying to figure out what the "1" symbol is:

Not sure where to take that.

Escapist

• September 29, 2010 1:20 AM

At the risk of flooding the comments with only my posts...

Freezair • September 29, 2010 1:24 AM

I liked quite a bit of it (especially the changing cursor; yay!), except...

grinnyp

• September 29, 2010 1:28 AM

Escapist -

You need to think outside the box.

The Logical Ghost

• September 29, 2010 1:29 AM

Actually managed to solve this without a walkthrough or any hints at all. Yay! I loved the use of different codes and a unique number system.

impsun • September 29, 2010 1:30 AM

@escapist look at the full tablet on the wall. the fourth symbol in each is the same. it's an = sign.

the symbols are parts of an equation.

no more hints.

Anonymous • September 29, 2010 1:31 AM

I just beat it, but never opened the locked desk drawer. Hmm. Anyways, here is a hint for the symbols:

Escapist

• September 29, 2010 1:33 AM

Aha! I think I see what you're getting at. Good hint. Thanks, The Logical Ghost!

Escapist

• September 29, 2010 1:34 AM

Err, I meant to thank GrinnyP. =)

Anonymous • September 29, 2010 1:35 AM

@Escapist

I hope that helps?

Andrew • September 29, 2010 1:44 AM

I enjoyed this.

I don't know if it's just me, but I found the number problems pretty easy. It seemed like the designer made sure to show you each concept two ways. I guess my advice would be, don't overthink it.

Andrew • September 29, 2010 1:45 AM

Forgot to say, I was a little puzzled by the ending. Is there more than one?

Alkalannar

• September 29, 2010 1:48 AM

Ok.....what was with the locked drawer on the desk? Never got into it, though I got out.

infeliciter

• September 29, 2010 2:01 AM

First time i didn't need a walkthrough.
@Alkalannar

Julie

• September 29, 2010 2:06 AM

I really liked this escape!! I sure hope we see more from Otousan.

wildflower12

• September 29, 2010 2:19 AM

Ooh, that made my brain hurt -

Is there another ending? I feel like there should have been something more to the gray block in the middle of the table.

Escapist

• September 29, 2010 2:20 AM

Finally got out. LOL Thanks for the hints. I agree that the only weird part was:

Other than that, it was a pretty enjoyable experience. Thanks for humbling me, Otousan!

Grizix • September 29, 2010 2:27 AM

For the lips and eye symbols :

Maybe I will write a walkthrough soon (if nobody has done one yet), but I've never done any (and I don't speak english very well).

GQWeasle

• September 29, 2010 2:55 AM

If you get stuck looking for green 'lenses' like I did:

To calculate easily in your head for base 9:

funnyguts

• September 29, 2010 2:58 AM

Okay, something's wrong. Can someone check my math?

GQWeasle

• September 29, 2010 3:06 AM

funnyguts, redo your flowerbird math

GQWeasle

• September 29, 2010 3:08 AM

sry funnyguts, fishbird is incorrect as well. Your bird is wrong.

grinnyp

• September 29, 2010 3:13 AM

Funnyguts -

funnyguts

• September 29, 2010 3:19 AM

I wish I knew why

Well, I almost beat this one without help...

crashlanding

• September 29, 2010 4:40 AM

Haven't started playing yet, but I thought I might let you know that the Japanese title spells out "Rosetta", not "Rosetsuta". the little tsu doubles the consonant sound of the following t :B.

Kadi

• September 29, 2010 4:56 AM

That one was fun! Only question I have - did the two items on the display desk do anything? The little... chicken-ish thing and the blank stone board?

grinnyp

• September 29, 2010 5:08 AM

Crashlanding -

That makes sense as I thought those gray slabs over the desk resembled the Rosetta Stone.

Kadi -

The little chicken thing had the same symbol as the dude in the pictures, which I thought was a clue that indicated the items on top of the cabinet related to the pictures. As for the blank stone board:

Edd

• September 29, 2010 5:26 AM

What I beautiful escape game! No ridiculous pixel hunting, very clever puzzles, a substantial amount of hints to get you through, but still challenge your mind! Not sure why the reviewer decided there were lots of colour based problems...

grinnyp

• September 29, 2010 5:39 AM

Edd -

Aren't you forgetting the tiles? Each of the tile puzzles depended upon the red, blue, and later green colors in the corners. Those tile puzzles are a large part of the game.

funnyguts

• September 29, 2010 5:53 AM

Kadi: If you mean the chicken-esque thing next to the board under the puzzle space,

SonicLover

• September 29, 2010 7:43 AM

Archaeologist's Notes

Aroz

• September 29, 2010 8:13 AM

This is an excellent game; another great find by grinnyp. The game flows nicely, and the puzzles are logical. Although intimidating at first, the game progresses comfortably with challenging puzzles that can be solved by ingenuity or patient effort. The game does not need a walk through, but if a player should need some hints, SonicLover's Archaeologist's Notes post above is perfect.

Solo escapes are sweet.

hothotpot

• September 29, 2010 10:15 AM

Finished. The only bit I had trouble with was getting the whole base 9 thing. I've never been very good at maths. But other than that I thought it was a fairly easy game, and very nicely paced. Did anyone find a key to that top drawer? Is there more than one ending?

kingjulien86

• September 29, 2010 10:22 AM

Can someone please explain the base nine system without giving too much away? GQWeasle's explanation is confusing me.

Paul Barratt • September 29, 2010 10:42 AM

A very good game. Frustrating at the end though.

Rich W

• September 29, 2010 10:50 AM

I just really don't get this number puzzle.

I can't wrap my brain around base 9 and I'm a programmer. Or else I'm understanding base 9 just fine and the logic in these puzzles is incorrect.

Akity-Bakity

• September 29, 2010 10:55 AM

Darn it. I don't even know what base 9 is, or how it works.
Can someone explain briefly how this puzzle works?

Alix • September 29, 2010 11:28 AM

The answer you seek is easier than base nine

Anonymous • September 29, 2010 11:33 AM

It never crossed my mind that it was a base 9 system. Ignoring that part, you will get the answer if if you directly convert symbols to the numbers (in normal, everyday base 10)
and then subtract the first digit.

Rich W

• September 29, 2010 11:53 AM

OK figured out the whole "base 9" thing...

Julie

• September 29, 2010 12:02 PM

I did NOT use base 9??? What for is base 9??
I solved the last puzzle sort of like this!

Alix • September 29, 2010 12:03 PM

To clarify my earlier comment, the

expired

• September 29, 2010 12:12 PM

This is what a room escape should be like, no pixel hunting and puzzles that make sense. Great game.

cdeanoh

• September 29, 2010 12:14 PM

To open the desk drawer:

Bex • September 29, 2010 12:58 PM

An easy way to do the base 9 puzzles...

I also got out of the room without getting into the drawer. I'll have to go back and try again.

Amy

• September 29, 2010 1:02 PM

Great game - but it felt like there was more to do...

Gabe Puratekuta

• September 29, 2010 1:15 PM

I'm having trouble with the second double-digit combination

It's really stumping me...

Paul • September 29, 2010 1:30 PM

for those that need it,i think a walkthrough is overdue :)

littlefish • September 29, 2010 2:08 PM

Interesting and probably meaningless coincidence: In Swedish, my main language, "�...h tusan" (pronounced o-tusan) means "oh, damn". As in, for example, "Oh damn, I didn't think of looking in the paper bin!"

grinnyp

• September 29, 2010 2:09 PM

Rozetusta Escape Walkthrough

General Information

Exploration

You begin facing a couch (in a shade of orange that makes the eyes bleed). There are 3 pictures on the wall behind the couch. Click on the picture on the left for a close up.
This picture appears to be tiles behind a frame and glass. Notice on the right side of the frame there is a small 3 digit code box.
Click on the 3 digit code box for a close up and notice that it is framed in red, and that the digits are letters. Back up twice.
Click on the picture on the right. Again, tiles behind glass and a 3 digit code box. Click on the box to see that it is framed in green and that it is also letters. Back up twice.
Click on the central picture for a close up.
Okay, the first of several strange pictures. The dude in the picture appears to be pointing to two things: (1) a leaf, and (2) a large peg that looks like the old Towers of Hanoi game with two rings on it.
Click on the picture and you will notice that the frame and glass swing away, revealing 3 small blurry dots at the bottom of the picture. Click on those dots for a close up.
In close up you can see a picture of a leaf and the number 2. I'm sure that will make sense eventually. Back up twice.
Click beneath the couch for a close up and take the tile hidden there. Back up.
Turn left and you are facing the door that you will eventually escape from. To the right of the door is a panel in the wall, click on it for a close up.
Looks like we need a key. Back up.
Click on the orange carpet on the floor in front of the door for a close up. This will reveal another tile underneath the right corner of the rug. Take the tile and back up.
Turn left and you are facing a low cabinet with two doors, each needing a two digit code (this time numbers). Above the cabinet is a picture on the wall, and there are three items on top of the cabinet.
On the left is a yellow bird with a design similar to the one being worn by the dude in the central painting. In the middle is a gray grid that is empty.
Click on the item on the right and you will see two posts with rings, each ring having a symbol on it.
You can click on the posts again for a closer close up if need be, but you will see that, from top to bottom, you have the symbols for: a sun, a bird, a snake, a chick (baby bird), a fish, a flower, a leaf, and an egg (or just a circle).
Back up and turn left.
You are now facing a desk with two gray slabs (or papers) on the wall above it. Click on the gray slabs for a close up.
The slab on the left has a series of symbols, each line having 5 symbols. Most of these symbols are ones seen on the posts on the cabinet, but there are a few unfamiliar ones as well. The slab on the right is incomplete. Back up.
Click on the desk for a close up.
Open the bottom drawer and take the circle with what looks like eyeholes.
Open the middle drawer and take the tile (you should now have 3).
Notice the notebook on top of the desk? Click on the notebook to pick it up.
Click on the notebook again to open it. Notice on this page the red birds facing left and the green chicks facing right.
Click on the page to turn it and you will see some instructions. These are basically instructions for a jumping peg puzzle. Each character can move one move in the direction it is facing, or can jump over one other character to an empty space. Characters cannot move backwards or jump over 2 characters.
Click on the notebook again to turn the page and you will see a jumble of colors. Note the symbol in the lower right of the page, it looks like the circle (mask) that we just picked up in the desk drawer.
Back up twice and turn right to face the cabinets.
Puzzle solving time!

The 3 Tile Puzzle and the Left Cabinet

You should now be facing the low cabinet.
Click on the picture on the wall above the cabinet for a close up.
Notice that there are spaces for 3 tiles in the picture, and that there are red circles and blue bars around the outside, which are clues to the placement of the tiles.

Once the tiles are properly placed you will be directed to the lower left cabinet. Note that the symbols on the tiles correlate directly to the 3 digit code on the cabinet.
Now you just need to figure out what numbers the tiles represent.

Enter the 3 digit code into the door and back up once.
Click on the door handle to open it and take the item (phillip's head screwdriver).
Click on the picture above the cabinet again and notice that the background plate is being held down by phillip's head screws. Use the screwdriver to remove the screws and click on the plate to remove it.
There are now 9 slots in the background for tiles. Notice that the tiles you placed earlier are no longer in the correct places (they don't match the background).
Pick up the 3 tiles and also pick up the 2 red balls in the lower right corner of the picture.
Back up.

The Left Couch Picture

Turn left until you are facing the desk. You should have your 3 tiles back, as well as the mask and the red balls from the picture.
Click on the desk for a close up.
Pull up the mask from your inventory and use the red balls in the eyeholes.
Close down the mask and click on the notebook on top of the desk. Keep clicking until you are at the page with the multicolors and the little mask symbol.
Use the mask from your inventory over the colored mass and three letters will appear: E I A.
Put the mask back into your inventory, back up twice, and turn left to face the couch.
Click on the left picture for a close up and click on the 3 digit code on the right of the frame.
This is the code with the red border, and we just used the red balls (lenses) in the mask to get the code from the notebook.
Enter the code E I A and back up once.
Click on the picture to open the frame and take the six tiles.
You have now uncovered another picture, this one of the strange dude playing with the post and the symbol rings, with five symbols above him.
The symbols are: leaf, lips, egg, ear, and flower.
Notice the 3 fuzzy dots at the bottom of the picture? Click on them for a close up.
Now we have 2 + 1 = 3.
Could the symbols and the math equation be related?

Back up twice and turn right once to face the desk.
Click on the gray slabs on the wall for a close up, then click on the left slab to look closer.
This slab is like the Rosetta Stone, it will help you decipher some simple symbols you haven't seen yet.

Back up twice and turn right once to face the low cabinet.

The 9 Tile Puzzle and the Right Cabinet

The Right Couch Picture

The 15 Tile Puzzle

Click on the picture on the wall above the cabinet for a close up.
You now have to place 15 tiles in the empty spaces. This one is a lot harder because the green is somewhere in the middle.
Remember to match all of the corners. Below is a screenshot of the finished puzzle so you can see where the colors go.
Screenshot.
Once the tiles are placed properly the plate will disappear, revealing a black safe door with more symbols. Now you're solving for 2 digit numbers.
On the left side of the safe is a piece of paper, pick it up.
On the paper is a yellow key, take it.
Notice that the paper is in 9 rows and 9 columns, with numbers in each cell.
Time to solve the math problems on the safe.

There are two ways to do this, one using the paper with the grid and one using math.
Basically you are looking at a base 9 math system.
In a base 9 system, the easiest way to get the correct number is to take the number given by the symbols and subtract the first digit from it.
For instance, if you have the egg leaf symbols (1 2), you would subtract the first digit (1) from it. In the base 9 system egg leaf would stand for 11 (12 - 1 = 11).
If you had the leaf sun symbols (2 8), subtract the first digit (2) and you would get 26 (28 - 2 = 26).
If, however, you don't want to do it this way, you can use the paper grid to the left of the safe.
Remember the picture of the dude pointing to the grid?
The symbols there were flower snake (3 6). However, as the dots at the bottom of the picture said, flower snake does not equal 36.
Since we are using a base nine system that runs from 0 (cloud) to 8 (sun), the rows in the grid should be numbered the same.
That would mean that the top (first) row is row zero, the 2nd row is row 1, the third row is row 2, etc.
The columns would be numbered normally from left to right, 1 through 9.
Look closely at the picture and the guy is pointing to row 3 (the 4th row down) and column 6, which corresponds to the flower snake symbols.
Now look at the paper to the left of the safe. Row 3 (4th row down), 6th column has the number 33 in it.
If you solved using the base 9 system, flower snake (3 6) minus the first digit (3) equals 33. In the base 9 system, either using the grid or the math, flower snake represents the number 33.
Look at the safe door. You should have two number symbols, then an math symbol (either the lips or the eye for plus or minus), then a second two digit symbol.
Using either the base 9 math method or the paper grid solve for the two digit numbers, then either add or subtract them to get the 2 digit numbers that go in the code boxes.
For instance, snake snake eye fish bird is a two digit number, a minus sign, and another two digit number.
First solve the two digit numbers. Snake snake (6 6) minus the first digit (6) is 60, so snake snake is 60.
Fish bird is 4 7, minus the first digit (4), gets you 43. So fish bird is 43.
60 - 43 = 17. 17 would be the code to go in the box.
The symbols used changes each time you play, but the underlying math remains the same.

Once you've placed the numbers in the code boxes, click on the yellow handle on the right of the safe to open it.
Take the black key, back up, and turn left.

Getting Out

You should now be facing the desk. Use the yellow key you got from the number paper to open the top drawer of the desk.
When you open the drawer you will find the missing piece of the gray slab that goes above the desk. Back up.
Click on the gray slabs for a close up and use the missing piece on the right slab.
You will see that there are more equations here, 2 digit equations that further demonstrate how to add with the base 9 numbers.
Once you found the yellow key in the paper you could go to the desk, get the slab, attach it, and use that to help you solve the base 9 numbers. However, it is not necessary, and you can complete the game without ever having opened the desk drawer.
Back up and turn left twice.
Click on the panel to the right of the door for a close up and use the black key on it.
Click on the panel to open it and you are confronted with four symbols, 2 chicks facing right and 2 birds facing left.
Remember the drawings in the notebook?

Once you solve the birds/chicks puzzle, back up once.
Click on the door to open it and click on the open doorway to escape.
You've now escaped to a barren desert! Good luck with that!

Fritware

• September 29, 2010 2:13 PM

Amy --

I agree.

DJBlayde • September 29, 2010 3:25 PM

GrinnyP, thank you for your VERY well done and detailed explanation of how to get the two digit numbers. That was the only section I was having trouble getting right, got the rest on my own. Fun little escape game.

Nafets • September 29, 2010 3:32 PM

I got a problem with the last puzzle
as first row I got

fattywads

• September 29, 2010 4:23 PM

Great Game. Figured out the

fattywads

• September 29, 2010 4:27 PM

Nafets,
You are doing it wrong!

fattywads

• September 29, 2010 4:29 PM

Amy, etc.
Me too

Stephen • September 29, 2010 4:38 PM

Nice little puzzle escape game. Needed just one hint from the good folks here; I wasn't tuned in at first to the fact that

If it helps in accepting the desert ending as the single one, the message on that screen (in Japanese) says "escape success". I'd guess it's the Egyptian desert, since the game is titled "Rosetta" on the start screen.

BTW, the given "Rozetusta" is clearly a typo in the romanization; it should be "Rozetsuta", but even that is wrong because, as someone else noted above, the small "tsu" here should not be written out, but rather it is used to double the following consonant--thus giving "Rozetta".

mndchisel

• September 29, 2010 4:56 PM

Wow, I guess that says something about my brain type that I managed to figure this one out without help, whereas I almost always get stumped on more "standard" escape puzzles.
I agree with Freezair, though.

Just a small, trivial quirk in an otherwise great game!

Papachabre

• September 29, 2010 6:28 PM

Puzzling but not impossible and with no real pixel hunting. I loved it!

Dave • September 29, 2010 9:59 PM

My brain.... my poor brain... this one was HARD! Even with the walkthrough. Give me one of Tesshi-e's or Neutral's any day!

Paul • September 29, 2010 10:00 PM

question regarding:

thanks.

Mike S. • September 30, 2010 5:15 AM

Maybe this says something of my education, or that some programmers really enjoy math exercises, but I am curious how many people here actually studied base 9.

Consider me unaware of it's practicality in anything other than puzzlework. So, please tell me why base 9 comes up in this escape game when the rest of the puzzles were really straight-forward.

And if you do think that base 9 is basic, then that is probably why you recognized it being used at all in this game. I have this unfortunate liability of counting on my fingers and toes.

Procrastinateher • September 30, 2010 8:09 AM

Finally finished thanks to a little help.

Confused on the Maths puzzle? Hint on how the base9/base10 thing works:

It really bugged me that there was a little statue on the table that didn't seem to be used for anything.

Stephen • September 30, 2010 11:58 AM

Oh, forgot to mention! The big clue offered here which really helped me get going (besides the number system's base) was the meaning of the non-number symbols on the wall tablet. Thanks!! I saw there was a pattern to them, but didn't catch on that they were

Stephen • September 30, 2010 12:30 PM

@Paul,
If I understand your comment correctly, you need the same hint I did. The first clue is in the picture where you got the batch of six tiles.

The second clue is on the tablet of symbols on the wall which shows similar lines of symbols. If you now think you know what the symbols on the picture mean, you can confirm that by also figuring out what the symbols on the tablet mean. BTW, for the list of number symbols, that is helpfully provided by

Substitute the known numbers into the line of symbols on the picture and the tablet, and you'll shortly recognize what the other symbols mean.

• September 30, 2010 5:51 PM

Pay close attention at the statue, it is one more clue, one which actually explains the whole setup of the game.

The locked drawer is redundant, by the time you have the key you don't really need the clue it provides.

No one really studies base 9 per se, but if you have studied binary, octal or hex you know the drill about positional numbering systems, so managing another one is pretty straightforward no matter the base.

Lily • September 30, 2010 6:18 PM

I did it! Without the walkthrough! YAY xD
And I nee ALWAYS help with room escapes.But this one I managed to do alone.
Love tese kind of puzzles!! No pixelhunting or weird combinations that you just figure out by accident, just poor logic - I hope there will be more games like this one :)

Ewan Whosarmy

• September 30, 2010 6:50 PM

@ Procrastinateher

Yeah i was wondering about that statue too. the only thing i can think, is that it was showing 5 fingers on one hand, and 4 on the other, totalling 9.. i.e. possibly a very obtuse clue that the maths was in base 9.

Paul • September 30, 2010 7:02 PM

nope. if there was a chart that shows what each symbol means, i can do this. But there doesn't seem to be.

Stephen • September 30, 2010 9:19 PM

@Paul,
There is indeed a chart. It is

So on the left-hand picture, where you got the first set of six more tiles, the picture behind the tiles shows 2 beads and 1 bead for a total of 3 beads, and so the symbols on the top say

This should tell you what 'mouth' and 'ear' mean. Then look at the intact tablet on the other wall. You'll figure out from that what 'eye' means, and you'll also find a symbol for '0'.

Paul • September 30, 2010 9:21 PM

Ok i need help on the last one

ray9na

• September 30, 2010 9:26 PM

I have to agree with the others, here. The correct way to write the name of the game in English is Rosetta. I offer as additional evidence the name of the image at the top of the page.

That said, there's one thing that's confusing me about the big number puzzle:

tjm

• October 1, 2010 6:24 AM

yay! I think this is the first room I escaped without hints! Very nice puzzles and no pixel hunting! I got outside without

because it only

Very happy jayer here!

Paul • October 1, 2010 11:43 AM

I need help with the last puzzle. the 9x9 one.

Paul • October 2, 2010 12:22 PM

Figured it out. the problem was here:

so if anyone needs additional help,that should work for you as well.

jigger • October 5, 2010 11:18 PM

Ok, so this is really bugging me - I have

and I tried both ways, subtracty and whatnot

I get the same answer - but it doesn't work.

Glitch, or am I miscalculating?

Xelia

• October 5, 2010 11:57 PM

Grr. *twitchtwitch*

Dear puzzle designers,

Sincerely,
Avetre

Xelia

• October 6, 2010 12:24 AM

Oh, and jigger, your calculation was off by one.

Paul • October 9, 2010 2:36 PM

People, read my post. here it is again, if you are talking about the final 16x16 puzzle.

use this as a guideline.

Bad Dog

• October 10, 2010 4:28 PM

Loved it. One of the most innovative & original escape games in a long while. Did it on my own just fine, but it does require some thinking.

Kudos to the creators. It was a lot of fun.

Reka

• October 28, 2010 1:35 AM

Just want to add to the chorus of "I actually solved this without any hints!" And it's not because it was easy or that I'm particularly brilliant; it's simply a well-designed series of puzzles, always with just enough information to solve the next step if you persevere.

The only part where I thought there were perhaps too many hints was

Marnen Laibow-Koser

• November 17, 2010 12:57 AM

Reka has it exactly right. The puzzles are well designed, with just enough information (occasionally too much) revealed as one progresses. I like the use of

in the puzzles; the alien feel was consistent and logical.

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