Puzzle 127 is Ace of Diamonds, a 20-picarat Multiple Choice puzzle hidden in the Office at the Reunion Inn, in Chapter 7. Three famous swords hang on the wall, and one of them is the legendary Ace of Diamonds, a name given to it by the people who faced it in battle. You have to work out which one, A, B or C. It's an optional puzzle, and Luke is the one who solves it.
This page covers story Puzzle 127 in Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, the 3DS game (US and UK English). The swords, the name 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 127 or Puzzle 127 from another Layton game, see Wrong Puzzle 127? below.
What Puzzle 127 is
| Name | Ace of Diamonds |
|---|---|
| Type | Multiple Choice |
| Picarats | 20 |
| Location | Office, Reunion Inn, Monte d'Or |
| Chapter | Chapter 7 |
| How you start it | Tap the swords on the wall of the Office |
| Required? | No |
| Previous puzzle number | Puzzle 126, Mystery Room (Front Desk) |
| Next puzzle number | Puzzle 128, Faded Photos (Office) |
The puzzle reads: "Of the three famous swords shown here, one is the legendary Ace of Diamonds. Those who have faced it in battle all call it so. Can you work out which one it is?" The objective bar says "Find the Ace of Diamonds!"
The top screen shows the three swords on the wall, A at the top, B in the middle and C at the bottom. The touch screen has a small picture of each sword with its letter. Touch the one you think is the Ace of Diamonds.
Puzzle names
| Version | Puzzle name |
|---|---|
| North America | Ace of Diamonds |
| UK | Ace of Diamonds |
| Japanese | ダイヤのエース (Daiya no Ēsu, "ace of diamonds") |
The UK text differs only in spelling, such as "colour" and "cross-guard" in Hint 2.
Wrong Puzzle 127?
- Daily Puzzle 127 is Police 05, from The Barking Beat set.
- Puzzle 126, Mystery Room, is the puzzle before this one, at the Front Desk of the Reunion Inn. If yours asks which plates make the 4 in a room number, that's the one you've got.
- Puzzle 128, Faded Photos, is the next puzzle, in the same Office. If yours has four old photos of a horse-drawn carriage, that's the one you've got.
- Puzzle 127 in another Layton game is a different puzzle. If yours doesn't show three swords on a wall, you're in the wrong game.
Where you find it
After Mordy lets you search the Reunion Inn in Puzzle 126, the story takes you to Henry's office, which the game calls the Office. Three swords hang on its wall. You can start the puzzle on your first visit to the Office by tapping the swords.
Luke says, "Whoa. Those swords are really cool!" Emmy points out, "If you inspect the hilts, you'll see they're part of a puzzle," and Luke answers, "You're right! Let me at it!"
The Office has three hint coins: on the shelf on the right, on the box on top of the shelf and on a small bottle.
You don't have to solve it to move on. The story doesn't need it.
When you can't tell the swords apart
- You're comparing the decorations. The red grip, the diamond-shaped trim and the jewel are what Hint 2 asks about, and it asks whether any of them is enough. Look at the shape of each sword as a whole.
- Think about who named it. The puzzle says the name comes from those who faced the sword in battle. Picture what they would have seen.
- You can't find the puzzle. Tap the three swords on the wall in the Office, which you can investigate after Puzzle 126.
- A wrong answer. It lowers the picarats you can get. Read Hint 3 before you try again.
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: where the name comes from
The name Ace of Diamonds isn't based on the sword's history or legends. It's purely about the shape of the weapon.
Hint 2: comparing the swords
Compare the swords carefully.
A's grip is the same red color as the diamond on an ace of diamonds card. B has a diamond-shaped decoration on the cross guard at the base of the blade and a diamond pattern on the handle. C has an actual diamond in the handle.
But are any of these features enough to call the sword the Ace of Diamonds?
Hint 3: when the name was earned
All the swords are hung up on display and out of use now, but at the time the Ace of Diamonds earned its moniker, it would have been used as a weapon.
Perhaps its opponents called it so based on the shape it had from their point of view? In other words, from the end of the blade?
Super Hint: what to look at
Look carefully at the shape of each of the blades as seen from the end of the blade, including the cross guard. One of them must have a shape befitting the name Ace of Diamonds.
The ace of diamonds is a playing card. What shape are playing cards?
Answer and full solution
The answer below names the sword, shows it from the angle that gives it its name and explains why the other two don't fit. Open it when you're ready.
Show the answer
Answer: A, the top sword. Touch A on the touch screen.
The name comes from the view an opponent had, looking straight down the blade at the point. From there, sword A's flat cross guard is a rectangle, the shape of a playing card, and its blade, seen end-on, is a diamond in the middle of it. Together they look like an ace of diamonds: one diamond on a card.
The game confirms it: "Correct! Sword A is the Ace of Diamonds. Anyone who's ever seen it from the pointy end knows why!"
If it still doesn't work out:
- You picked B. B's diamond trim and diamond-patterned handle are decorations. They don't give the sword a card shape from the front.
- You picked C. C's jewel is in the handle, which an opponent wouldn't see from the point, and its rounded guard isn't card-shaped.
- A's red grip. It's red like a diamond card, but that's not the reason either. Hint 2 raises it only to ask whether it's enough.
Picarats, hints and hint coins
Ace of Diamonds shows 20 picarats when it starts. The puzzle can award 20, 13 or 7 picarats. Wrong answers may reduce the picarat value. A wrong answer brings the message "Too bad. That one doesn't have the necessary quality that would lend it the name Ace of Diamonds..." If you quit, Luke says, "I'm not sharp enough for this one." When you come back, he says, "I'll cut right through this puzzle!" before it starts again.
Hints cost hint coins, not picarats. Hints 1 to 3 cost one hint coin each and the Super Hint costs two, five in total. The hints on this page are free to open.
Does it unlock anything?
No. It doesn't give you an item. You get the picarats, and the puzzle counts toward your total.
Versions
- Nintendo 3DS family: this page covers the 3DS game. The swords are on the top screen, and you choose one on the touch screen.
- US and UK English versions: same swords, same answer, same name. The UK text differs only in spelling.
The scene around the puzzle
When it's solved, Luke asks, "Do you think the swords have anything to do with the Masked Gentleman?" Emmy answers, "Doubtful. I'd say they're just souvenirs."
The Office also holds a story puzzle, Puzzle 128, Faded Photos, in the old journal you find while you search the room.
FAQ
Where is the answer to Puzzle 127?
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 127 called?
Ace of Diamonds in both the North American and UK versions. In Japanese it's ダイヤのエース.
Where is Puzzle 127?
In the Office at the Reunion Inn in Monte d'Or, in Chapter 7. Tap the swords on the wall; you can do this on your first visit to the Office.
Do I have to solve Puzzle 127?
No. The story doesn't need it.
How many picarats is Puzzle 127 worth?
It shows 20 picarats when it starts. The puzzle can award 20, 13 or 7 picarats.
Is Daily Puzzle 127 the same as Puzzle 127?
No. Daily Puzzle 127 is Police 05, from The Barking Beat set. Story Puzzle 127 is the sword puzzle in the Office at the Reunion Inn.
More Miracle Mask puzzles
- Puzzle 126: Mystery Room
- Puzzle 128: Faded Photos
- Puzzle 129: A Sweeping Solution
- Puzzle 130: Water, Wood, Fire
- Puzzle 122: Kitty Solitaire 3
For the rest of the game's puzzles, see the Miracle Mask puzzle index.