Alan Wake 2: All nursery rhyme puzzles in Cauldron Lake Alan Wake 2 guide, walkthrough

Rhymes are collectibles and at the same time optional puzzles from the game Alan Wake 2. In our guide you will find a list of rhymes from Cauldron Lake and instructions on how to get and place drawings and how to unlock new talismans.

Last update: 20 November 2023

One of the optional activities in Alan Wake 2 is solving nursery rhyme puzzles. On this guide page, you'll find a list of nursery rhymes in Cauldron Lake. We have also posted information on how to solve puzzles by correctly placing dolls on the drawings.

• Nursery rhyme at the viewpoint in Streamside
• Nursery rhyme beside the Witchfinder's Station
• Nursery rhyme next to a private cabin
• Nursery rhyme in rental cabins

Nursery rhyme at the viewpoint in Streamside

Nursery rhyme can be found after reaching a sufficient level of advancement in Return 2.

1. You need to defeat the first main boss of the game, which will result in water levels dropping, unlocking new areas, such as the western Cauldron Lake.
2. Crossing the bridge will take you to Streamside area. In the western part of the map, there is a camp with a note and drawings scattered around it. The note is a clue to solving the puzzle.

1. Investigate the table behind the nursery rhyming spot. A crow doll lies on it.

1. Completing the puzzle involves interacting with the drawings and placing the crow doll on the drawing of the Sun (as shown in the picture above).
2. As a reward for completing the puzzle, you'll receive a Hammer charm for Saga. You can place it in the active slot in the inventory. It causes your attacks to stun enemies more often.

Nursery rhyme beside the Witchfinder's Station

This is another nursery rhyme available, but only after defeating the boss as part of the Return 2 playthrough.

1. You have to get to the northwest corner of Cauldron Lake. Witchfinder's Station building is there and the place to complete the nursery rhyme is in front of it. The content of the note is a clue.

1. Enter the building and go to the floor. In the bedroom there are 2 crucial items - it's a hero doll and a wolf doll.

Go back down and interact with the drawings. You need to:

1. place the hero doll on the boat drawing (1 in our picture);
2. place the wolf doll on the tree drawing (2 in our picture).

Go upstairs to the bedroom once again. Now you'll find there Coffee mug charm. Once you place the charm in the active slot, it will shield Saga from death once, but it will be lost afterwards. It's best to put it on before a difficult fight with one of the bosses.

Nursery rhyme next to a private cabin

The earliest you can get to the rhyme is after defeating the boss in Return 2.

1. The private cabin is in the central part of the forest and you can get there by passing under a fallen tree. You can also turn on the generator to convert the cabin into a break room. The nursery rhyme is next to the house.

1. Place the crow doll on the drawing of an egg (2 in our picture).
2. Place the hero doll on the drawing of a heart (2 in our picture).
3. Place the wolf doll on the drawing of a house (3 in our picture).

1. On the map, the charm icon will appear at the Streamside location. Head to the forest northeast of the cabin, but beware of the Taken.
2. There was previously a red birdhouse hanging on the tree, which fell to the ground after completing the rhyme. There, you'll find the Kalevala Knights Charm, which increases the effectiveness of flares.

Nursery rhyme in rental cabins

You will have to wait until Saga obtains Bolt Cutters in Return 5 - we described this on a separate page of the guide. Use the bolt cutters to open the gate to the rental cabins in the eastern part of Cauldron Lake.

1. You can enter house 4, after passing the large fallen tree. There, you'll find a nursery rhyme.

1. Place the monster doll on the drawing of an egg (1 in our picture).
2. Place the crow doll on the drawing of an eye (2 in our picture).
3. Place the hero doll on the drawing of jewelry (3 in our picture).

1. Solving the rhyme will unlock the western house 6, but be careful because there is a Taken with a hammer inside.
2. After the fight, search house 6 to find the Coffee Mug Charm (one-time protection from death).