Spire of Insight puzzle walkthrough in Crimson Desert

The Spire of Insight is one of the many towers scattered around Crimson Desert, and, you guessed it, there’s a puzzle that you’ll need to solve inside.

This riddle-filled tower will lead you to the Abyss, but only if you can solve the four riddles throughout the tower. You’ll need to investigate a giant book, find some items, and possibly even defeat a few goblins.

Here’s how to solve the Spire of Insight puzzle in Crimson Desert, along with the riddles found on each floor.

Spire of Insight puzzle walkthrough in Crimson Desert

The Spire of Insight is located southeast of Glenbright Manor and south of Pororin. It can be found just northeast of the “Steel Mountains” text on the map. It’s also a huge stone tower that can be seen in the distance, so just keep heading towards it when it comes into view.

How to get inside the Spire of Insight in Crimson Desert

Image: Pearl Abyss via Polygon

When you first arrive at the Spire of Insight, you’ll find that the front door is blocked by thorns, and it might be overrun by fundamentalist goblins. First things first, wipe out the goblins, so you can peacefully solve the puzzle in the area. Then, get rid of the thorns by using Blinding Flash by pressing LB/L1 and RB/R1 on the controller or Ctrl and left-click on keyboard and mouse, and then focusing the light onto the thorns by holding RB/R1 and pressing LB/L1 or Ctrl.

Graphic: Johnny Yu/Polygon | Source images: Pearl Abyss via Polygon

Make your way to the door and examine the door, which says, “When the bones of the earth awaken from their long silence and find their place, time begins to flow once more.” To get inside, look at the ground and find a small pebble. Pick up a pebble and place it inside the bowl on the door to unlock the Spire of Insight.

First floor puzzle

After you go inside the Spire of Insight, walk straight ahead to find a giant book with a large bowl in front of it. Once you read it, you’ll receive the clue: “Even after many years have passed, the traces left behind revive forgotten tales.”

Graphic: Johnny Yu/Polygon | Source images: Pearl Abyss via Polygon

While the clue can be a little confusing, if you take a close look at the picture in the book, you’ll see a large gravestone. Just to the right of the platform with the giant book, you’ll find a gravestone on a desk. Pick it up and place it in the large bowl in front of the book, but don’t get off the platform immediately as it’ll turn into an elevator and take you to the second floor.

Second floor puzzle

Interact with the giant book again to get the next clue: “Records filled with wisdom guide us to the past, while tools that look to distant places illuminate the future.”

Graphic: Johnny Yu/Polygon | Source images: Pearl Abyss via Polygon

Similar to the first floor, the pictures will lead the way to the answer. This time, we’re looking for two items. The image on the left is a little unclear, but the one on the right is pointing to a telescope. Turn around and head to the right to find a miniature telescope on the table. Pick it up and put it in the bowl.

Graphic: Johnny Yu/Polygon | Source images: Pearl Abyss via Polygon

For the next object, go the opposite direction (left when south of the platform), where you’ll find a small room with a bunch of knick-knacks. On the table by the window, you’ll find a pen tip, which can be used to write records. Pick it up and drop it into the large bowl. Stay on the platform again as it takes you to the next floor.

Third floor puzzle

On the third floor, the giant book will change again to reveal the clue, “The dance of the heavens, the turning of the Earth, and the march of time all point to a single truth.”

Just like the other two puzzles, we can use the images to find the right items. To the right of the platform, you’ll find a small map rotator, which looks like a mini-globe, on the bookshelf. In the gap between the bookshelves to its left, you’ll find the celestial along with the gold bar recipe just beside it. On the northern side of the room, you’ll find a sundial on the bookshelf.

Take all three items back to the large bowl and ride the platform up to the top of the Spire of Insight. Up here, you’ll find an abyss gate that’ll take you to the Chaos Forest puzzle.

Just starting out in Crimson Desert? We have guides to help you learn the basics and refresh your memory on how some of its systems work. The world of Pywel is huge, so you might have a hard time deciding where to go first, but you can make your journey a little easier with the help of our interactive map. Along the way, make sure to learn a few life skills like fishing, logging, cooking, and mining, all of which can help you make money.

We also have walkthroughs for puzzles in the Abyss like the Root’s End and Precipice of Truth, as well as ancient ruins like the Dragon’s Stone Chamber.