The complete Momento Dad's Place puzzle solutions require combining clues from the Study and the Workshop to ultimately unlock the final memory box in the Attic. This full guide provides the step-by-step walkthrough for every puzzle you'll encounter, from cracking the desk lock to inputting the final music box combination that reveals the game's most poignant secret.

Dad's Place is a self-contained memory level focused on logic and observation. Nothing here is a twitch-based challenge; the key is to examine every object and understand how different pieces of Dad's life—his work, his family, his hobbies—connect. This walkthrough is presented in the most efficient order to solve the area without backtracking.

The Study: Unlocking the Desk and Safe

The first room is the heart of the house, containing the main safe and the first set of critical clues. The primary goal here is to open the large wall safe hidden behind a painting of a ship, but doing so requires solving two smaller puzzles first.

The Desk Drawer: Finding the Ornate Key

The large oak desk is locked with a simple tumbler lock. You can't force it. The key is hidden in plain sight, using a classic misdirection.

  1. Examine the Globe: On the corner of the desk is a small globe. Interact with it and rotate it until you find a small, almost invisible seam running along the equator.
  2. Open the Globe: Click the seam to open the globe. Inside is the Ornate Brass Key.
  3. Unlock the Drawer: Use the Ornate Brass Key on the top-right desk drawer. Inside, you'll find a Faded Photograph of Dad and Mom on their wedding day. On the back, the date is written: October 17, 1985. This date is the first part of the safe combination. You'll also find a small Screwdriver, which you should take.

The Bookshelf Cipher: Aligning the Spines

To the left of the desk is a large bookshelf filled with non-interactive books, except for four leather-bound volumes on the middle shelf. These are your next target. Their spines are labeled: The Journeyman (1982), Foundations of Steel (1975), Oak & Iron (1988), and The First Spark (1971).

  1. Identify the Clue: On the desk, a small plaque reads, "Order in all things, from beginning to end."
  2. Arrange the Books: You need to push the four books in chronological order of their publication date. The correct sequence is:
      1. The First Spark (1971)
      1. Foundations of Steel (1975)
      1. The Journeyman (1982)
      1. Oak & Iron (1988)
  3. Reveal the Switch: Pushing them in this order will cause a section of the bookshelf to click and slide back, revealing a hidden switch. Flip it. This restores power to the workshop, which you'll visit next. This is a critical step that many players miss.

The Wall Safe: Using the Birthdate Combination

Now you have everything you need for the safe. The painting of the ship on the far wall can be interacted with. Clicking it will lift it, revealing a four-digit rotary safe.

  1. Find the Combination: The clue is the wedding date from the photograph: October 17, 1985. The safe, however, needs a four-digit code. The game expects you to use the day and the year: 1785.
  2. Enter the Code: Turn the dial to 17, then 85. The safe will click open.
  3. Collect the Contents: Inside the safe, you will find two items: the Silver Locket, a key story item, and a Workshop Fuse. This is the first of three fuses needed for the next area.

The Workshop: Powering the Workbench

With the fuse from the safe and the power restored from the bookshelf, you can now enter the Workshop through the door in the study. This area is more mechanical, focusing on a sequence puzzle at the main workbench.

Finding the Three Fuses

You need three fuses in total to power the old lathe on the workbench. You should already have one from the study safe.

  • Fuse 1 (Study Safe): Already collected from the wall safe.
  • Fuse 2 (Tool Chest): Look for a red metal tool chest in the corner of the workshop. It's locked with a simple latch that is rusted shut. Use the Screwdriver from the study desk to pry it open. The second fuse is inside.
  • Fuse 3 (Ventilation Grate): Above the workshop door is a small ventilation grate held in place by four screws. Use the Screwdriver again to remove the grate cover. The final fuse is tucked inside the duct.
Annotated diagram of the workshop bench and lathe puzzle in Momento.

Annotated diagram of the workshop bench and lathe puzzle in Momento.

The Lathe Sequence Puzzle

With all three fuses, approach the large workbench. There is a fuse box on its side with three empty slots. Place the fuses to restore power to the lathe.

  1. Activate the Lathe: A small control panel next to the lathe will light up. It has four directional buttons. You need to input the correct sequence.
  2. Find the Sequence: The clue is etched into the side of the wooden vice attached to the workbench. It's faint, but you can see a series of four arrows: Up, Down, Down, Up.
  3. Enter the Sequence: Press the buttons on the control panel in that order. The lathe will whir to life and then stop, ejecting a small, custom-carved Wooden Gear from its chuck.

Retrieving the Hidden Schematic

The Wooden Gear is not a component for the lathe itself; it's a key. Look at the large wooden cabinet against the back wall. On its front, there's a decorative carving of a clock face, but it's missing a gear in the center.

  1. Place the Gear: Insert the Wooden Gear into the slot in the clock face carving.
  2. Unlock the Compartment: Turn the gear clockwise. This will unlock a secret compartment on the side of the cabinet.
  3. Collect the Schematic: Inside is a rolled-up Schematic Fragment. When you examine it, you'll see it's a design for a complex music box mechanism. This is the final piece you need from the workshop.
Comic grid showing the final steps to unlock the music box in Dad's Place.

Comic grid showing the final steps to unlock the music box in Dad's Place.

The Attic: Assembling the Final Memento

Return to the study. The schematic shows a device that matches the Silver Locket's shape. The final puzzle takes place in the small attic, accessible via a pull-down ladder in the ceiling of the hallway connecting the study and workshop.

Combining the Schematic and the Locket

In your inventory, you can now combine the two key items you've found.

  1. Open the Locket: Select the Silver Locket and open it. Inside are two empty, circular indentations.
  2. Examine the Schematic: Select the Schematic Fragment. It shows that two small components need to be placed within a locket-like object to complete a circuit.
  3. The True Combination: This is the game's biggest leap in logic. The schematic isn't for a new device; it's an overlay for the locket itself. The game automatically combines them, showing you that the locket is not just a keepsake but a key. The combined item is now named Dad's Locket Key.

The Music Box and the Final Code

Head to the attic. On a small table under a dusty sheet is an ornate Music Box. It has a keyhole matching the shape of the locket.

  1. Insert the Key: Use Dad's Locket Key on the music box. It won't open. Instead, a small set of four numbered dials appears on the front.
  2. Find the Final Code: This is the last puzzle, and its clue has been hidden across the entire level. You need to find four specific numbers associated with Dad's life.
    • Digit 1: The number of books in the bookshelf puzzle (4).
    • Digit 2: The number of fuses required for the workshop (3).
    • Digit 3: The number of screws on the ventilation grate (4).
    • Digit 4: The number of directions in the lathe sequence (4). The final code is 4344.
  3. Unlock the Memory: Enter 4344 into the dials. The music box will spring open, playing a soft melody. Inside is a single, perfect Gardenia Flower, Mom's favorite, preserved flawlessly. Picking it up triggers the final cutscene and completes the Dad's Place memory.
Poster showing the locations of the three narrative collectibles in Momento.

Poster showing the locations of the three narrative collectibles in Momento.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What's the code for the safe in Dad's Place? The safe code is 1785. It's derived from the wedding date on the back of the photograph in the desk drawer (October 17, 1985), using the day (17) and the year (85).

Where is the last fuse in the workshop? The third fuse is hidden inside the ventilation duct. You need to use the screwdriver found in the study desk to remove the four screws on the grate above the workshop door to access it.

How do I get the "Quiet Reflection" achievement? To unlock the "Quiet Reflection" achievement, you must interact with three optional narrative items in Dad's Place: the rocking chair in the study, the half-finished birdhouse on the workshop bench, and the dusty photo album on a crate in the attic. You must interact with all three before picking up the Gardenia Flower.

A Final Word

Dad's Place in Momento is a masterclass in environmental storytelling. Every puzzle is a reflection of the man who lived there—meticulous, thoughtful, and full of hidden affection. The solutions are never about random chance, but about paying attention to the life story embedded in the rooms themselves. By following these steps, you can uncover the complete narrative and appreciate the full weight of the final memory.