How to get to Cogwork Core Puzzle in Silksong and How to Solve it

What to know

• Location: Found at the top of Cogwork Core in The Citadel, a complex area in Hollow Knight: Silksong.
• Requirements: You need the Clawline skill to navigate the platforming maze.
• Puzzle Mechanics: Align musical notes on four movable pillars to form a continuous melody.
• Rewards: Unlocks the Architect’s Melody, a key part of the Threefold Melody quest.

In Hollow Knight: Silksong, the Cogwork Core Musical Puzzle is a standout moment that tests your precision and problem-solving skills. Located in the intricate Cogwork Core area, this puzzle requires careful navigation and a methodical approach to align musical notes across four pillars. Whether you’re a seasoned Hollow Knight player or new to Pharloom, this guide will walk you through everything you need to conquer the puzzle.

How to get to Cogwork Core puzzle in Silksong

The puzzle is situated at the very top of Cogwork Core, a mechanical hub within The Citadel. To reach it, you’ll need to navigate a challenging platforming maze filled with enemies, sawblades, and moving cogwheels.

The journey starts from the central room in Choral Chambers, where you receive the quest to collect the Threefold Melody. From there, head down a hole to enter Cogwork Core. The path involves descending and ascending through a series of platforms, requiring the Clawline skill to wall-jump and hook onto rings effectively. Resting points, like benches, are available along the way to recover health before tackling the puzzle.

Requirements for accessing the Cogwork Core Musical puzzle

To successfully reach and solve the Cogwork Core Musical Puzzle, you’ll need:

• Clawline Skill: Essential for wall-jumping and clinging to surfaces during the platforming sections. Unlock this skill before attempting the climb.
• Silkspear: Useful for combat and interacting with environmental objects, though not directly required for the puzzle.
• Health and Silk: Ensure you have enough health and silk to handle enemies and hazards on the way up.
• Patience and Precision: The platforming maze demands careful timing to avoid sawblades and enemy attacks.

Without the Clawline skill, reaching the puzzle is nearly impossible due to the verticality and wall-based navigation.

Step-by-step guide to solving the Cogwork Core Musical puzzle

Once you reach the top of Cogwork Core, you’ll find four musical pillars, each with rows of musical notes that can be adjusted by striking them. Your goal is to align the notes so their connecting lines form a continuous pattern from top to bottom. Here’s how to solve it:

1. Start with the Leftmost Pillar (Pillar #1):
   • Climb to the top row of the pillar.
   • Strike the top row until the musical note has no lines extending upward, only downward.
   • Move to the second row and strike it until the note’s lines connect smoothly with the top row’s lines.
   • Repeat for the third and fourth rows, ensuring the bottom row’s note has lines ending without extending further.
   • When aligned correctly, the pillar’s levers will disappear, and it will lower.
2. Move to the Second Pillar:
   • Repeat the same process: adjust the top row’s note to have only downward lines, then align each subsequent row to connect smoothly.
   • Ensure the bottom row’s note ends the pattern.
3. Align the Third Pillar:
   • Follow the same steps, focusing on creating a continuous flow of lines from top to bottom.
4. Complete the Rightmost Pillar (Pillar #4):
   • Adjust the rows as before, ensuring the note lines form a seamless pattern.
   • Once all four pillars are correctly aligned, the puzzle will complete, unlocking the reward.

Visual Tip: Each pillar’s notes should form a single, unbroken line pattern when viewed as a whole. If a pillar doesn’t lower, double-check the connections between rows.

Or, as one Redditor put it succinctly:

A fellow player on the Steam forums also summed it up neatly: “You need to line up all the towers starting from the top, you just have to make sure that all the segments line up with each other and then the tower will work.”

Without that alignment, the melody remains locked—so keeping sharp eyes on line continuity pays off.

Rewards for completing the Cogwork Core Musical puzzle

Solving the Cogwork Core Musical Puzzle grants you:

• Architect’s Melody: One of three melodies needed to complete the Threefold Melody quest, essential for progressing in the “Ascend Pharloom’s Crown” questline.
• Access to New Areas: Completing the puzzle opens pathways to further explore Cogwork Core and adjacent areas like Choral Chambers.

Tips for solving the Cogwork Core Musical puzzle

Navigating to and solving the puzzle can be tricky, so here are some practical tips to make it easier:

• Master the Clawline Skill: Practice wall-jumping and hooking to rings before attempting the ascent. The platforming maze is unforgiving, with sawblades and enemies requiring precise timing.
• Clear Enemies First: Defeat or avoid enemies in the platforming sections to focus on movement. Use the Silkspear or Threadstorm ability to deal with threats quickly.
• Use Resting Points: Benches in Cogwork Core allow you to heal and save progress. Rest before starting the climb to ensure you’re at full health.
• Work Methodically on the Puzzle: Solve the pillars one at a time, starting from the left. If you make a mistake, cycle through the notes again until the pattern clicks.
• Watch for Visual Cues: The puzzle doesn’t provide explicit hints, but the note lines’ continuity is your guide. Take your time to observe how each strike changes the pattern.

What makes Cogwork Core puzzle hard and how to tackle it

The platforming maze leading to the puzzle is often more daunting than the puzzle itself. Here’s how to tackle common obstacles:

• Sawblades and Cogwheels: Time your jumps carefully to avoid moving hazards. Use the pogo move on cogwheels to gain height, and hook onto rings to bypass dangerous areas.
• Enemy Gauntlets: Some rooms feature waves of enemies. Equip abilities like Threadstorm or tools like the Warding Bell to clear them efficiently or shield yourself while healing.
• Puzzle Confusion: If the note alignment feels overwhelming, focus on one pillar at a time and ensure each row’s lines connect logically. Visual references, like in-game screenshots or guides, can help clarify the correct patterns.

Why you need to do Cogwork Core Musical puzzle

The Cogwork Core Musical Puzzle isn’t just a test of skill—it’s a key step in your journey through Pharloom. Unlocking the Architect’s Melody advances the Threefold Melody quest, bringing you closer to the main story’s progression in Act 2. The puzzle also showcases Silksong’s blend of intricate platforming and thoughtful puzzle design, rewarding you with a sense of accomplishment and access to new areas.

Is doing Cogwork Core Musical puzzle a must?

The Cogwork Core Musical Puzzle is a must for anyone progressing through Hollow Knight: Silksong’s main story, especially if you’re aiming to complete the Threefold Melody quest. It’s challenging but manageable with the right skills and patience. If you enjoy puzzles that combine environmental navigation with logical problem-solving, this one will feel rewarding. Take your time, use the Clawline skill effectively, and you’ll unlock the Architect’s Melody with ease.