Secret Notes

See also: Journal Scraps

Secret Notes are collectible notes that can be unlocked by walking to the Bus Stop from The Farm during Winter between 6am and 4pm. The player will see a cutscene in which a "Shadow Guy" (who could be Krobus) startles and runs away. After seeing the cutscene, the quest "A Winter Mystery" is added to the player's journal.

The Shadow Guy's footsteps lead to a bush next to the playground, left of the Community Center. If the player interacts with the bush, the Shadow Guy will pop out of it, apologize for stealing, give the player a Magnifying Glass, then run away. The Magnifying Glass gives the player the ability to find Secret Notes while digging, chopping trees, mining, fishing, or killing monsters.

Once found, a Secret Note can be read by selecting it in the top row of inventory and right-clicking (as if consuming food). This will add the note to the player's collection, and enable the Secret Notes collection tab on the player menu.

Some notes will list "Loved" gifts for certain characters, while others will have images depicting puzzle solutions. Reading notes that list gift preferences will add the gifts to the villager's Gift Log on the Social tab of the player menu.

Secret Notes can be gifted, but they are all universally hated.

The "Shadow Guy" after interacting with the bush on the character's left
Secret Note

Secret Note Sources

The following table lists the different actions that can spawn a secret note.

When the percentage chance is hit, the game tries 3 times to make a note. In each attempt a random number is generated based on the total number of notes. If the number is a note that has not yet been received, the note is spawned and the checks stop.

Activity Chance
Weeds [1] 0.9%
Monsters [2] 3.3%
Chopping trees (Each Axe hit) [3] 0.5%
Fishing [4] 8% to replace trash
Artifact spot [5] 11% (After artifact checks and winter forage checks)
Stone [6] 0.75%
Resource clump * [7] 5%
Giant crop [8] 100%

* Resource Clump = Large Stump, Large Log, Meteorite, or Boulder (inside or outside the Mines).

Secret Notes

Secret Note #1

Note 
It's a page from Abigail's Diary

'Things I love: the smell of carved pumpkin, keeping an amethyst under my pillow, chocolate cake, the thrill of spicy eel, and the comfort of Mom's blackberry cobbler (I like to eat!)'

Secret Note #2

Note 
It's Sam's holiday shopping list

Everyone's favorites


Sebastian: Frozen Tear, Sashimi
Penny: Emerald, Poppy
Vincent: Grape, Cranberry Candy
Mom: Crispy Bass, Pancakes
Dad: Risotto, Roasted Hazelnuts
Me: Cactus, Maple Bar, Pizza

Secret Note #3

Note 
It's written in Leah's handwriting

My idea of a perfect dinner would be salad, goat cheese, truffle, and wine. For dessert I'd need a poppyseed muffin. Yum! If someone gave me one of those things, I'd melt.

Secret Note #4

Note 
It's a note of Maru's

Parts still needed for my greatest invention yet!

*Gold Bar
*Iridium Bar
*Battery Pack
*Diamond
*Strawberries

Secret Note #5

Note 
It's Penny's handwriting:

I want to get everyone something they love!

Mom: Parsnip, Glazed Yams, NO BEER!
Jas: Fairy Rose, Plum Pudding
Vincent: Pink Cake, Grape
Mr. Mullner: Leek, Fried Mushroom
Granny Mullner: Beet, Tulip

Secret Note #6

Note 
Stardrop Saloon Special Orders

Mayor Lewis: Autumn's Bounty
(Double order of high-fiber bread on the side)

Marnie: Pumpkin Pie
(extra whipped cream!)

Demetrius: Bean Hotpot
(Make it spicy)

Caroline: Fish Taco
(she wants triple the sauce! Better throw in a few extra napkins...)

Secret Note #7

Note 
It's a page from someone's diary...

...There are only a few 'older' bachelors in town, and none of them are perfect! Harvey is really anxious and weak, but I know he would make a loyal and devoted husband. He likes coffee and pickles.

Elliott is a bit foppish and melodramatic, but he does have a nice chin. He likes crab cakes and pomegranates.

Shane is messy and anti-social. But I think his gruff exterior is a defense mechanism, insulating his softness from the world. He likes Beer, Pizza, and Pepper Poppers.

Secret Note #8

Note 
To Haley and Emily

Hope you two are doing well! We've sent you your favorite gifts: Pink Cake and Sunflowers for Haley, Gemstones and Wool for Emily!

-Love Mom and Dad

Secret Note #9

Note 
Alex's Strength Training Diet:

*Complete Breakfast
*Salmon Dinner

(I've learned to love this food... I can feel the protein!!)

Secret Note #10

Becomes available only after completing the "Qi's Challenge" quest.

Note 
Someone is
waiting for you
on level 100
in
the
skull cavern...
Details 
Reading Secret Note #10 adds the "Cryptic Note" quest to the journal. To fulfull the quest, reach level 100 of the Skull Cavern. Once there, a cutscene will play, during which Mr. Qi will either congratulate you for reaching level 100 using fewer than 11 Staircases or say you are "clever" but not "honorable" for using 11 or more. In either case, he rewards you with an "Iridium Snake Milk", which permanently increases your Health by 25.

Bug: Under circumstances which are not clear, it is possible to obtain Secret Note #10 and then read it (on the same game day), yet the saved game files do not record that it was received, nor read, and the quest is not added to the Journal. The game may behave as designed the next time you get Secret Note #10.

Secret Note #11

Note 
SecretNote11.png

Secret Note #12

Note 
I've found some good things by looking in the garbage cans, on lucky days.

Sometimes you'll find the 'dish of the day' behind the saloon... usually fresh!

For dessert, I'll check the Mullners' can for cookies.

For treasures, check the cans by the blacksmith and museum.

Secret Note #13

Note 
12 o' clock noon SHARP. Last day of the season. Check the bush above the playground.
Solution 
At 12:00 PM, on day 28 of any season, interact with the bush located above the playground to obtain a Junimo Plush.

Secret Note #14

Note 
I hid something behind the community center.
Solution 
Behind the Community Center, hidden by the roof, against the wooden fence to the right there is a Stone Junimo statue which can be obtained with a pickaxe or a hoe.

Secret Note #15

Note 
Mermaid Show: 1-5-4-2-3
Solution 
During the Night Market, enter the boat at the far right to start the Mermaid Show. After the show, click on the shells in the order indicated (numbered left-to-right) to earn a Pearl.

Secret Note #16

Note 
SecretNote16.png
Solution 
Dig one space to the right of the large boulder north of the Railroad tracks to get a Treasure Chest.

Secret Note #17

Note 
SecretNote17.png
Solution 
Head to the area north of JojaMart next to the river and dig the farthest north tile on the Eastern side to get a Strange Doll (green)

Secret Note #18

Note 
SecretNote18.png
Solution 
Go to the Calico Desert and use a hoe on the area to the South West of the bench on the South East area of the map to dig up a Strange Doll (yellow).

Secret Note #19

Note 
SecretNote19.png
Solution 
This is a depiction of 1 Willow Lane with a series of arrows. Starting at the green square depicted, which is directly in front of the door to the house, follow each arrow until your character cannot move anymore. First, walk left until you hit a permanent obstacle. Then walk up until you hit an obstacle, and so on.

The path will lead you around the house, through town, and ultimately to a secret Solid Gold Lewis statue hidden behind Mayor Lewis' house. To find the statue and take it into the player's inventory, simply stand on the destination tile and right-click on the ground.

Placing the statue anywhere in Pelican Town will result in an additional secret.

Additional Secret 
The Solid Gold Lewis statue can be placed anywhere in Pelican Town. If the statue is not destroyed by a villager walking through it, the next day it will be replaced with a Rotten Plant, and the player will receive an unsigned letter in the mail containing Gold.png750g:
“In the future, I'd appreciate it very much if you refrained from placing my PRIVATE belongings in town for all to see!

I'm very displeased!

Take this money and never speak of my 'project' to anyone.”

The statue will then appear in Lewis' bedroom (90% chance) or Marnie's bedroom (10% chance).

The statue can be removed and placed in Pelican Town again and again, and each time it will be replaced by a Rotten Plant. The player will receive the unsigned letter only once, however.

Secret Note #20

Note 
SecretNote20.png
Solution 
This is a depiction of the town square. Starting in the center of the eye in town square, follow the directional arrows until your character hits a permanent obstacle. This path will bring you around town, up across the bridge to JojaMart, and ultimately to a truck parked beside JojaMart. Interacting with the truck will allow you to speak to a truck driver who requests a Rabbit's Foot. If you have one in your inventory you can trade it for a Special Charm that permanently increases daily luck.

Secret Note #21

Note 
SecretNote21.png
Solution 
At exactly 12:40 at night, interact with the large bush to the north west of the bridge out of Pelican Town to The Beach. Marnie and Lewis jump out of the bush. Now what were they doing in there!?

(Note: You can do this even on Winter 16, when Marnie is on screen returning from the Night Market.)

Secret Note #22

Note 
Greetings, <Farmer>...

Have you found my 'secret' in the dark tunnel?

I look forward to meeting you!

-Qi

Solution 
Go to the Bus Stop with a Battery Pack, and go west from the bus into The Tunnel. Place the Battery Pack into the box on the wall in the center of the Tunnel to start The Mysterious Qi quest.

Note that finding Secret Note #22 is not required to start the Mysterious Qi quest.

Secret Note #23

Note 
If yoo can reed dis... come to seecrit wuds. Pleez bring may-pal serrup.
Solution 
Reading Secret Note #23 adds the "Strange Note" quest to the journal. To fulfill the quest, go to the Secret Woods between 6am and 7pm with Maple Syrup in inventory to trigger a cutscene in which a Bear shares his special knowledge of berries. This permanently increases the sell price of Blackberries and Salmonberries by 3x.

After viewing the cutscene, a bear's paw icon labeled "Bear's Knowledge" will appear in the player's Wallet.

Secret Note #24

Note 
It's a page from M. Jasper's book:

...the creatures, known by some as "Forest Spirits" or "Junimos", are said to appear in abandoned buildings after they've "gone to seed".

As a general rule...when humans leave, and nature begins to reclaim her territory, the Junimos will undoubtedly appear.

Folk wisdom holds that the Junimos display some kind of resonant affinity with gemstones that are placed inside their little huts...

Of course, all these claims come from dubious, unverified sources...As far as I know, even the mere existence of these creatures has never been proven!

Solution 
Placing a foraged mineral, gem, or geode mineral in a Junimo Hut will alter the color of Junimos that harvest crops. The Junimos will generally match the color of the mineral, including the changing prismatic color if a Prismatic Shard is used.

The game uses the same code to color Junimos as it does to dye clothing at the Sewing Machine. A full table of colors can be found on the dyeing page.

Secret Note #25

Note 
I 'borrowed' a necklace from Mom, but lost it somewhere near the bath house.. She’s going to freak out if she notices it’s missing.
Solution 
Fish in the water outside the Spa during spring, summer, or fall to find an Ornate Necklace. While carrying the necklace, talk to Caroline for 50 Friendship points with her or to Abigail for 100 Friendship points with her.

References

  1. See Object::cutWeed in the game code.
  2. See GameLocation::monsterDrop in the game code.
  3. See Tree::performToolAction in the game code.
  4. See GameLocation::getFish in the game code.
  5. See GameLocation::digUpArtifactSpot in the game code.
  6. See GameLocation::breakStone in the game code.
  7. See ResourceClump::performToolAction in the game code.
  8. See GiantCrop::performToolAction in the game code.

History

  • 1.3: Introduced.
  • 1.4: Fixed bug preventing shadow guy cutscene from triggering if exiting the farm from the bottom tile(s). Added Secret Notes #24 and #25. Reduced drop rate from breaking stones (from 1% to 0.75%).
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