The Unforgettable Enigma: Skyrim's Most Legendary Puzzle Entwines Gamers Even After a Decade

The Legend of Zelda is considered a pioneer in the open-world adventure genre, with its influence still evident in modern games. It introduced features such as a expansive map with hidden areas, upgradeable weapons and abilities, boss battles, dungeons, and a non-linear storytelling approach. The game's impact is particularly noticeable in Skyrim, where its influence can be seen in the game's approach to puzzles.

Similar to other open-world adventure games, Skyrim incorporates various environmental puzzles. These puzzles range from riddles that lead players to valuable treasures, to navigating through locked doors using rotating pillars. While Skyrim offers a plethora of puzzles, only a select few have truly stood the test of time, with one puzzle in particular becoming the game's most iconic.

The Golden Claw Is Still Skyrim's Most Iconic Puzzle

One of the most memorable puzzles in Skyrim can be found in the Winterhold College questline, specifically in the "Under Saarthal" mission. In a room within the dungeon, players will encounter six pillars that can be rotated. What sets this puzzle apart from others in the game is that it requires players to use either a spell or a torch to illuminate hidden symbols behind each pillar, indicating the correct order. Another notable puzzle in Skyrim is the Destruction Ritual Spell riddle, which challenges players to place a book at various locations on the map, with only vague hints provided.

However, the most iconic puzzle in Skyrim is also one of the first encountered. Introduced by Lucan in Riverwood, the Golden Claw questline leads players to Bleak Falls Barrow, likely the initial dungeon they will come across. Serving as a tutorial dungeon for newcomers, Bleak Falls Barrow offers a few combat encounters, interesting player choices, and most importantly, the game's most iconic puzzle.

The Golden Claw puzzle in Skyrim introduces players to a core game mechanic while also encouraging them to pay attention to the items they find. By inspecting the Golden Claw item in their inventory and correlating the animal symbols on it to the rings on the door, players can progress. This puzzle's simplicity and innovative approach make it accessible to newcomers and showcase the game's mechanics effectively. Even after a decade, the Golden Claw puzzle remains an iconic and memorable part of Skyrim.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - Anniversary Edition is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.