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The telephone puzzle in Chapter Five of the Painter's Story is one of the longest in Layers Of Fear. You'll have to navigate narrow walkways and search the environment for clues if you hope to escape the warped office.
Like many of the secrets hidden in the game, the answer is usually right in front of you but not always readily apparent. If you're having trouble finding the correct phone numbers to get out of the nightmare, this guide will take you through the entire puzzle, step-by-step. We hope you're not afraid of heights!
The First Phone Number
When you reach the office with the Babyface portrait in Chapter Five, a phone will start ringing when you approach the desk. Interact with the bookshelf near where the noise is coming from to reveal a secret room. After picking up the phone, you'll need to dial a specific number to proceed.
Return to the main room and look at the Babyface portrait. The note in the subject's hand now shows the number 363; dial it to make another phone ring elsewhere. Go into the office and look up to discover that the ceiling is no♛w very far away.
The Second Phone Number
The secret passage now contains a door; go through, and proceed all the way down the corridor beyond. When you exit at the other side, be careful not to fall, as it leads to the top of a b﷽ookshelf in the office.
Carefully walk to the left, hugging the wall to keep from falling. Enter the door you find and climb the stairs to the next phone. Pick it up, then turn around and walk to the edge. A bookcase will fall from above; when it hits the floor, you'll be able to see the number 853 painted upside-down on it.
As an Easter egg, you can get an Achievement or Trophy by dialing 911 on any of the phones.
Dial 853 on the phone, then turn around; the bookshelf will now be blocking your exit. Push it down to find yourself on a higher level of the office. Once again, stick to the wall and go left.
The Third Phone Number
When you can't go any further, light the candles to reveal stairs, and keep climbing. You'll have to push over a plank to create a bridge acro👍ss the room, the🤡n turn right to reach the third telephone. Answer it, then return to the office.
Look across the room at the paintings. There are five, each with a number drawn on them. Match them to the ones behind the telephone and dial the corresponding numbers from left to right: 354.
Back outside, the platforms will have rearranged themselves; go right and continue upward. Follow the path to the phone, which will fall to the ground as you approach. When you try to leave, you'll fall as well.
When you recover, you'll be back at the desk. Answer the phone one last take, then take the severed finger that it leaves behind when it melts.