How To Solve The Darts Puzzle In Blue Prince

Do you want to solve the Billiards Room Dart Puzzle in Blue Prince? This activity might seem confusing at first glance. But, once you get the hang of things, you should be able to get the right answers... or at least lessen potential headaches.

How to solve the Billiards Room Dart Puzzle in Blue Prince

The Billiards Room appears as a fairly common drafting option in the manor. Funnily enough, the puzzle you'll find inside isn't related to the billiards table itself, so you won't be playing pool anytime soon. Instead, you need to look at the dartboard. Oh, and you have to use your math wizard skills that you learned in school, too.

If you succeed, then it's possible to get an assortment of randomized goodies. These include all sorts of keys, from common ones used to open locked doors, to more unique variants like the Keycard and Secret Garden Key.

The Blue Prince Darts Puzzle relies on certain concepts. Here's a quick summary:

• The edges/scores on the dartboard are numbered from 1 to 20.
• The smaller sections have colors that represent algebraic processes:
  • Green: Addition
  • Yellow: Subtraction
  • Pink: Multiplication
  • Purple: Division
• In algebra, we're taught about PEDMAS/BODMAS--i.e. division -> multiplication -> addition -> subtraction. In Blue Prince, however, you need to prioritize the innermost colors first, those closer to the center, before those at the edges.

Here's how to solve the example above:

• 4 has the innermost color (green) so you start from there = 4.
• Going outward from the center, you have two with pink colors (multiplication): 4 x 5 x 2 = 40.
• At the edges, you have two purple colors (division): 40 ÷ 4 ÷ 10 = 1.

Here's another example:

• You have two that are in the innermost section and these are green (addition): 20 + 3 = 23.
• There's one in the next section which is yellow (subtraction): 23 - 13 = 20.
• You have a pink color (multiplication): 20 x 2 = 40.
• And, finally, a purple color (division): 40 ÷ 4 = 10.

The Blue Prince Billiards Puzzle gets progressively tougher the more you solve it in your runs. Eventually, you'll have to deal with exponents as well, such as what's shown in the example above.

Exponents are designated by a square symbol in the center of the board. It usually has a color that matches one of the operations. In this case, it's purple, which means we need to find the exponential result from the quotient.

• 12 has the innermost color = 12.
• Next up is subtraction: 12 - 5 = 7.
• Then there's multiplication: 7 x 2 = 14.
• We then need to divide: 14 ÷ 7 = 2.
• But, because the exponent symbol is purple (division), we have to multiply the result of the quotient by itself: 2 x 2 = 4.

For the first few hours, you're going to notice a pattern where operations/colors appear in their respective sections. Things do change much later--i.e. green or yellow might be in the outer edges, which means you need to handle those processes later in the equation.

• We start from 19 since it has the innermost color = 19.
• We then have a yellow color for subtraction: 19 - 9 = 10.
• It looks like we have to divide next: 10 ÷ 5 = 2.
• Ah, but wait, do you see the exponent symbol that's purple? We just finished dividing the result, so we have to multiply the quotient by itself: 2 x 2 = 4.
• Finally, there's a yellow color at the outermost edge, so we have to subtract the numeral there: 4 - 1 = 3.

As mentioned earlier, this activity becomes gradually tougher the more times you complete it in each run. So, later in your playthrough, you might encounter more complex equations--such as squiggly/wavy lines, negative numbers, and fractions--that can lead to headaches. Thankfully, there's a way to make the Blue Prince Darts Puzzle a lot easier.

This method comes from Upgrade Disks, which are used on computer terminals found all over the manor. One of these disks allows you to select a permanent for the Billiards room:

• Pool Hall - Adds the Great Hall, Foyer, and Secret Passage to today's draft pool. This one can be ignored.
• Break Room - Ending the day here lets you begin the next run with a Keycard. This is a viable option, though you could always place down a Utility Closet. The Breaker Box lets you disable Keycard-locked doors.
• Speakeasy - Reverts all operations to simple addition. We feel that this is the most feasible perk to choose. You won't need to worry about exponents, fractions, or other processes anymore. It also helps you get the trophy for this room--which requires you to solve 40 of these puzzles--a lot faster since the math problems become easier again.

That does it for our guide on how to solve the Billiards and Darts Puzzle in Blue Prince. If you managed to snag the Secret Garden Key as a reward, then we suggest heading over to our Secret Garden guide. Also, don't forget to tackle other brain teasers, such as the ones found in the Parlor, Gallery, Laboratory, and Utility Room.