Puzzle 108 is Balls and Boxes, a 40-picarat Arrange puzzle that Juggles gives you in Carnival Arcade in Monte d'Or, in Chapter 7. A ball drops into the box on the far left of a magic-box machine, pops out above another box and falls into that one. Where it goes next depends on the box it just fell through. You put four numbered boxes in the empty spaces so that the ball visits every box once and finishes in the clown box on the far right.
This page covers story Puzzle 108 in Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, the 3DS game (US and UK English). The boxes and the answer are the same in the US and UK English versions; quotes use the North American text. If you're after Daily Puzzle 108 or Puzzle 108 from another Layton game, see Wrong Puzzle 108? below.
What Puzzle 108 is
| Name | Balls and Boxes (US and UK) |
|---|---|
| Type | Arrange |
| Picarats | 40 |
| Location | Carnival Arcade, Monte d'Or |
| Chapter | Chapter 7 |
| How you start it | Talk to Juggles |
| Required? | No |
| Previous puzzle number | Puzzle 107, Toppings Up! 3 (Montsarton Gallery) |
| Next puzzle number | Puzzle 109, Fishy Triangle (Knickknack Alley) |
The puzzle reads: "When this magic-box contraption is turned on, a ball drops into the box on the left then emerges above one of the other boxes and falls into that. Where the ball will emerge next is somehow linked to the number on the box it last fell through. Can you arrange the boxes so that the ball will pass through each box once before finishing in the clown box on the far right?" The objective bar says "Arrange the boxes!"
The top screen shows the machine: six boxes in a row, with the orange 4 box fixed on the far left and the clown box fixed on the far right. The four spaces between them start empty. On the touch screen you drag the four loose boxes, a blue 1, a yellow 2, a pink 3 and a green 3, into those spaces, then touch Submit to run the ball.
Puzzle names
| Version | Puzzle name |
|---|---|
| North America | Balls and Boxes |
| UK | Balls and Boxes |
| Japanese | 不思議な箱 (Fushigi na Hako, "mysterious boxes") |
The name is the same in the US and UK versions, and so is the puzzle giver, Juggles. The UK text differs only in punctuation, such as "magic box contraption" without the hyphen.
Wrong Puzzle 108?
- Daily Puzzle 108 is Train 05, from the Trains and Train Spotters set.
- Puzzle 107, Toppings Up! 3, is the puzzle before this one, in Montsarton Gallery. If yours has a pizza with slices face down, that's the one you've got.
- Puzzle 109, Fishy Triangle, is the next puzzle, in Knickknack Alley. If yours has a paper goldfish to cut, that's the one you've got.
- Puzzle 108 in another Layton game is a different puzzle. If yours doesn't show a row of numbered boxes and a clown box, you're in the wrong game.
Where you find it
Chapter 7 opens on the fourth day of the investigation in Monte d'Or. Go to Carnival Arcade, the street that runs under the big striped tent, and talk to Juggles, who stands in the road on the left, in front of the steps by the shop on the left. He's there for all of Chapter 7.
Juggles says, "Hey! I'm taking over for Collette today. I'm trying to get people excited about the show." Luke says, "Juggles, you're good at that!" and Layton adds, "That really is some impressive juggling." Juggles answers, "Aw, come on! You're embarrassing me! But since you're all so sweet, I'll share a special puzzle with you." and the puzzle starts.
Carnival Arcade has four hint coins, all in the normal view: right under the tent, in the bush on the left, and in the windows above the shops on the right and on the left.
Each coin can be collected only once. These are the same four coins as on your earlier visits for Puzzle 002, Puzzle 007 and Puzzle 031, so if you tapped them then, there's nothing left to pick up here.
You don't have to solve it to move on. Juggles keeps offering it for the rest of Chapter 7 and after the story ends.
When the ball won't reach the clown
- You don't know what the numbers do. Put the boxes in any order and touch Submit, as Hint 1 suggests. Watch how far the ball jumps from each box.
- The ball jumps the right distance but the wrong way. The number isn't the only thing on each box. Hint 3 points you at what decides the direction.
- The ball skips a box or lands in one twice. It has to fall through all four loose boxes, once each, before it reaches the clown.
- You can't find the puzzle. Talk to Juggles in Carnival Arcade any time in Chapter 7.
Hints, one at a time
These are the game's own hints, word for word from the North American version and in the same order. Open only the next one you need. In the game, Hints 1 to 3 cost one hint coin each and the Super Hint costs two.
Hint 1: try it out
To get started, just put the boxes anywhere you like and touch Submit to see what happens. Pay close attention to what the ball does!
Hint 2: the numbers
You've probably noticed that when the ball drops into a numbered box, it moves along that number of spaces.
Now if only there was a way to tell whether it would move to the left or right...
Hint 3: the shapes
The boxes have shapes on them too--some have diamonds and some have circles.
What's the difference?
Super Hint: which way
Boxes with circles will move the ball to the left, and boxes with diamonds will move it to the right.
Now all you have to do is look at the numbers and arrange the boxes to get that ball into the clown box.
Answer and full solution
The answer below gives the order of the four boxes, traces the ball's route and shows the finished machine. Open it when you're ready.
Show the answer
Answer: from left to right, the four empty spaces take the yellow diamond 2, the pink diamond 3, the blue circle 1 and the green circle 3. The full row reads 4, 2, 3, 1, 3, then the clown box. This is the only order that works.
How the ball travels: number the six spaces 0 to 5 from the left, with the fixed 4 box at 0 and the clown box at 5.
- The ball drops into the diamond 4 at space 0 and moves 4 spaces right, into the green circle 3 at space 4.
- The circle 3 sends it 3 spaces left, into the yellow diamond 2 at space 1.
- The diamond 2 sends it 2 spaces right, into the blue circle 1 at space 3.
- The circle 1 sends it 1 space left, into the pink diamond 3 at space 2.
- The diamond 3 sends it 3 spaces right, into the clown box at space 5.
The game confirms it: "Magic! From left to right, the order is: ◆2, ◆3, ●1, ●3. Circles make the ball move to the left, and diamonds to the right, by the number of spaces indicated on the box."
If it still doesn't work out:
- You swapped the two 3s. They look alike, but the pink 3 has a diamond and the green 3 has a circle. The green circle 3 goes in the fourth space, right before the clown box.
- The first jump goes wrong. The 4 box always sends the ball four spaces right, into the last of the four loose spaces, so that's where the green circle 3 belongs.
Picarats, hints and hint coins
Balls and Boxes shows 40 picarats when it starts. A wrong answer brings the message "Too bad." If you quit, Juggles asks, "Was that too hard for ya?" When you come back to try again, he says, "You're back to try my puzzle, right?"
Hints cost hint coins, not picarats. Hints 1 to 3 cost one hint coin each and the Super Hint costs two, five in total. Carnival Arcade's four coins cover the first three hints and half the Super Hint. The hints on this page are free to open.
Does it unlock anything?
Yes. Solving Balls and Boxes opens the eighth course of the Toy Robot minigame in the Professor's trunk. The game calls it Small Town: "The houses may be miniature, but you can still expect a big challenge!"
Versions
- Nintendo 3DS family: this page covers the 3DS game. The machine is on the top screen, and you arrange the boxes on the touch screen.
- US and UK English versions: same boxes, same answer and the same name. The UK text differs only in small details of punctuation.
The scene around the puzzle
When it's solved, Juggles says, "Great job. You guys are so smart! Things have been a little rough since the Masked Gentleman showed up, but folks seem to be enjoying themselves." Luke asks, "How could they not enjoy themselves around you?!" and Juggles answers, "Making people smile is what makes me smile! So I guess everybody wins!"
He adds, "You guys come back for a juggling show anytime you want, ya hear?" and Layton replies, "We'll make a point to come back when our investigation is complete."
FAQ
Where is the answer to Puzzle 108?
It's in the Answer and full solution section above, hidden until you open it. If you only want a push, open the hints one at a time first.
What is Puzzle 108 called?
Balls and Boxes, in both the North American and UK versions. In Japanese it's 不思議な箱.
Where is Puzzle 108?
In Carnival Arcade in Monte d'Or, in Chapter 7, on the fourth day of the investigation. Talk to Juggles in the road on the left of the street.
Do I have to solve Puzzle 108?
No. The story doesn't need it, but it opens a Toy Robot course.
Can I fail Puzzle 108?
You can get it wrong. A wrong order brings "Too bad.", and you can try again as many times as you need.
How many picarats is Puzzle 108 worth?
It shows 40 picarats when it starts.
Is Daily Puzzle 108 the same as Puzzle 108?
No. Daily Puzzle 108 is Train 05, from the Trains and Train Spotters set. Story Puzzle 108 is the magic-box puzzle in Carnival Arcade.
More Miracle Mask puzzles
- Puzzle 106: Confusion Cubed
- Puzzle 107: Toppings Up! 3
- Puzzle 109: Fishy Triangle
- Puzzle 110: Cozy Cabins
- Puzzle 031: Emperor's Throne
- Puzzle 078: Three Clowns
- Puzzle 105: Free Lunch!
- Puzzle 113: Chip Champions
For the rest of the game's puzzles, see the Miracle Mask puzzle index.