Silent Hill f Guide | How to Solve Stairwell Puzzle

Here's a guide on how to solve the Stairwell Puzzle in Silent Hill f.

Game Guide by Ragib Rawnak on Oct 03, 2025

As you begin exploring Ebisugaoka Middle School, you’ll see that nearly every door in the building is locked, leaving only the main office and a single classroom accessible. One area in particular, the Stairwell, will be closed and will require a Key.

This guide explains how to solve the Stairwell Puzzle across all difficulty modes, detailing every step needed to find the Stairwell Key and continue your progress in Silent Hill f.

Silent Hill f, Guide, How to Solve Stairwell Puzzle

Story Difficulty

On Story difficulty, the Stairwell Puzzle is a simple fetch quest. Upon entering the main office, you see a desk with a Steel Pipe inside. The Desk Drawer is locked, with a letter from another teacher complaining about the Vice Principal locking the Stairwell Key inside, making it inaccessible when he is absent.

To open the drawer, go to the open classroom, climb out the window into the School Courtyard, and find a Basket containing a Hairpin, often belonging to Sakuko, in the Rabbit Sanctuary.

Taking the Hair Pin awakens hostile creatures, so it’s best to retreat quickly. Use the Hair Pin as a Lockpicking tool to open the desk drawer and find the Stairwell Key in Silent Hill f.

Silent Hill f, Guide, How to Solve Stairwell Puzzle

Hard Difficulty

On Hard difficulty, solving the Stairwell Puzzle requires more exploration. Start in the office and check the shelves for a teacher’s letter criticizing the Vice Principal’s paranoia about the Stairwell Key, noting that he still misplaced it.

Explore the school for clues. Near the Save Point, find a Newspaper clipping about the Vice Principal winning a prize for his Chrysanthemum Garden, which hints that the Key is near the Flowers.

In the Courtyard, search the far right near Chrysanthemums to find the Stairwell Key on the ground. Be prepared for enemies that chase you once you pick up the Key; remember your entrance route as your exit in Silent Hill f.

Silent Hill f, Guide, How to Solve Stairwell Puzzle

Lost in the Fog Difficulty

On Lost in the Fog difficulty, solving the Stairwell Puzzle requires extensive searching for clues around the School. Find a letter indicating the Vice Principal misplaced the Stairwell Key while gardening and left it with his tools.

In the Courtyard, the Key isn't at Ground Level. Go right, follow the path upstairs, and find Gardening Tools and Unplanted Flowers. The Stairwell Key is there. Move quickly to avoid enemies, as the narrow path makes escaping hard in Silent Hill f.

Also, check our Silent Hill f Review and other guides below: