There are 17 Nursery Rhyme locations inAlan Wake 2, and this guide will help you discover both the solutions and the dolls to help you get there.
How to solve the Nursery Rhyme puzzles inAlan Wake 2, and what Charms do
The Nursery Rhymes areone of severalcollectible side distractions for Saga Anderson. You will find rhyme locations in the three major areas she visits. Each one includes a rhyme that acts as a puzzle, along with symbols that must be matched with dolls.
Solving the puzzle rewards in a charm, most of which will apply a passive buff such as increasing your healing item potency or chance to stun enemies. The Coffee Mug charms are the only ones you find multiple of, and they allow you to survive a death blow but shatter in the process. By default, Saga can equip three charms at one time.
Cauldron Lake Nursery Rhyme locations – Dolls and solutions
There are five Nursery Rhyme locations at Cauldron Lake. One of which isn’t accessible until you get the bolt cutters during the chapter, Return 5: Old Gods. The other is the final challenge and isn’t available until you complete all other Nursery Rhymes.
Let’s take care of the first three before heading back to town.
Cauldron Lake 1
Likely the first Nursery Rhyme you’ll discover is at the western campsite after the flooding receded.
Rhyme:
Solution: Place the Crow Doll on the Sun.
Charm: A crow brings theHammer Charmand sets it on the picnic table. It increases your ability to stun Taken enemies.
Cauldron Lake 2
The next location is at the Witchfinders Station to the northwest.
Dolls discovered: Pick up theWolf DollandHero Dollupstairs next to the crib.
Solution: Place the Hero Doll on the boat and the Wolf Doll on the tree.
Charm: Follow the black sludge that appears after you solve the puzzle. It leads you upstairs, where you find theCoffee MugCharmin the playpen.
Cauldron Lake 3
The next rhyme is at the Private Cabin southeast of the Witchfinder’s Station. Use the generator outside to turn it into a Break Room before tackling the rhyme near the fence.
Solution: Place theCrow Dollon the egg, theHero Dollon the heart, and theWolf Dollon the house.
Charm: Leave the cabin and head into the forest. Hear that wolf growl? That’s destiny, friend. Follow the sound of chewing and growling until you find a fallen birdhouse by a pond near a tree with yellow leaves in the ‘Streamside’ area of the map, north of the Private Cabin. Pick up theKalevala Knights Charmand get ready to fight a wolf. The charm increases the duration and area of effect of a Hand Flare.
Cauldron Lake 4
Use the bolt cutters to open up the Rental Cabins area to the east. Locate the rhyme in Cabin 4.
Solution: By this point, you should have many more dolls in your possession — unless you’ve been skipping the rhyme puzzles.Psh. You’ll need theCrow Doll,Monster Doll, andHero Doll. Place the Crow Doll on the eye, the Monster Doll on the egg, and the Hero Doll on the jewelry. If you don’t have the Monster Doll yet, scroll down toBright Falls 2.
Charm: Prepare for a fight! Head outside and a massive Taken with a pipe or something will burst out of Cabin 6. Defeat him and head inside the cabin to find aCoffee Mug Charmto the left of a TV on a cabinet.
Watery Nursery Rhyme locations – Dolls and solutions
There are eight Nursery Rhyme locations along with new dolls to discover in the Watery area ofAlan Wake 2. Three are blocked off until you make enough progress in Saga’s story campaign. You get taken all over the place, so check the map below for the optimal path:
Watery 1
The first Nursery Rhyme location in Watery is along the path you take to get to Coffee World. Take a right at the end of the winding path, just before getting to the area with the save spot. Head south a short way to find the rhyme.
Dolls discovered: Pick up theMoose DollandDeer Dollnext to the rhyme puzzle.
Solution: Place theMoose Dollon the tree. Easy enough.
Charm: Return to the path and walk a short way until you discover that a weird moose statue has appeared from nowhere. Pick up theCoffee MugCharmat its base.
Watery 2
The next rhyme is located south of the Radio Tower in the northern section of the map.
Solution: This somewhat unnerving puzzle can be solved by placing theDeer Dollon the house.
Charm: Completing the puzzle causes two wolves to appear and attack you. Take them out, then head to the nearby lamp. Look to the north to see a mutilated deer carcass next to the Radio Tower. That’s sad. Pick up theDeer Charmin front of the body. It increases Saga’s “resilience against being staggered or interrupted.”
Watery 3
You won’t stumble on the next Watery nursery rhyme for quite a while. You’ll need to make your way through Coffee World on your way south toward the trailer park. Before you head there, however, go southeast to the Watery Lighthouse, where you’ll find the third rhyme.
Dolls discovered: Go up the lighthouse steps and pick up theMother Doll, theTrickster Doll, and theWise Elder Doll.
Solution: Place theWise Elder Dollon the eye and theTrickster Dollon the waves.
Charm: Finding this charm is a little tricky. You need to follow the lighthouse trail back to the main road. Turn right, and then go right again just before the speed limit sign. Go into the water, turn left, and keep walking until you reach a sunken boat. TheLighthouse Charmis next to it on a rocky surface. It allows you to gain more health when entering Safe Havens.
Watery 4
The next rhyme is at the end of the Lighthouse Trailer Park dock, which is accessible after the flooding recedes.
Dolls discovered: Pick up theBear Dollat the Fish Cleaning Station near the red truck and theChild Dollon the green bench at the start of the dock.
Solution: Place theWise Elder Dollon the waves and theBear Dollon the candy.
Charm: Get ready because the locals are restless. As soon as you get back to the trailer park, you get attacked by multiple Taken enemies. Defeat them and get theCoffee World Token Charmon the Fish Cleaning Station to the left of the sink. The charm increases the “quality and quantity of resources found.” This is a good one to keep equipped, in my opinion.
Watery 5
The next nursery rhyme you should go to is in the town of Watery itself. Head to the trailer just north of Suomi Hall.Use the screwdriveryou gotin Coffee Worldto casually break in. The trailer is actually an FBC station, and you may find a sheet of how many Nursery Rhyme locations are in Watery and where on the table. The rhyme itself is in the next room in the trailer.
Doll discovered: Before you go to the room with the rhyme, pick up theMaiden Dollon the counter to the left of the fridge.
Solution: Place theMaiden Dollon the house and theTrickster Dollon the jewelry.
Charm: Follow the black sludge that appeared outside. Grab theCoffee Mug Charmon the lid of the open mailbox.
Watery 6
Return to the path leading to Coffee World. Now that the flooding is gone, you can travel to the Ranger Cabin, where you’ll find the Nursery Rhyme behind it.Note: You do not need to unlock the cabin to get to the rhyme. Learn from me.
Solution: This one isn’t as clear since, by this point, you should have multiple beasts. To solve it, place theMaiden Dollon the tree and theBear Dollon the heart. I honestly think a moose has more sway than a bear, but what do I know?
Charm: Follow the black sludge into the cabin (use a screwdriver to get in) and go upstairs. Follow the trail to the room with a bed covered in flowers. TheFBC Charmis sitting on the bed. It increases the “damage dealt while undetected by enemies.”
Watery 7
Continue to Coffee World. With the flooding gone, you’re able to reach the dock for the Latte Lagoon bumper boats. The rhyme location is at the end of the short dock.
Solution: The “Devil” in this puzzle is theTrickster Doll, which you need to place on the jewelry. Next, place theDeer Dollon the boat and theMoose Dollon the waves.
Charm: One of the bumper boats will float toward land. On top is theMr. Drippy Charm, which increases your damage when your health is low.
Watery 8
The final Nursery Rhyme location in Watery can’t be accessed until you get the bolt cutters in the chapter Return 5: Old Gods. With the tool in hand, head back to the Lighthouse Trailer Park and unlock the gate outside of the trailer across the way from “Saga’s trailer.” Find the nursery rhyme in the bedroom, surrounded by hay.
Solution: Place theWise Elder Dollon the eye and theDeer Dollon the heart.
Charm: A Taken cultist appears in the trailer. Take him out and search for the Deerfest Charm on the cabinet across from the entry door. The charm greatly “increases time before Darkness Shields regenerate.”
Bright Falls Nursery Rhyme locations – Dolls and solutions
There are four Nursery Rhyme locations in the Bright Falls area ofAlan Wake 2. None of them are located in the town, however. You’ll find them all scattered throughout Bunker Woods:
Bright Falls 1
The first nursery rhyme location is north of the Break Room in the northern section of Bunker Woods.
Solution: Place theChild Dollon the tree and theMother Dollon the house.
Charm: Turn around and follow the trail of black sludge until you find aLantern Charmin the middle of the trailer. I got attacked by Taken and wolves here, so watch yourself.
Bright Falls 2
Go to the Ranger Station for the next puzzle. Unlock the station’s door with the screwdriver and locate the nursery rhyme behind a closed door.
Doll discovered: Grab theMonster Dollin front of the door near the computer desk.
Solution: Place theChild Dollon the house and theMonster Dollon the candy.
Charm: Go back to the door where you found the Monster Doll. There’s a pool of black sludge in front of the door now, which is just fine. Open the door and turn around to see black sludge footprints leading to the stairs, which is also fine. Follow them upstairs to the bathroom, where there’s now a pool of sludge by the tub. New footprints will appear, leading you to a bed, on top of which is aCoffee Mug Charm.Fine.
Bright Falls 3
Head northeast to find the next Nursery Rhyme location on the beach.
Solution: Place theMonster Dollon the waves, theChild Dollon the jewelry, and theMother Dollon the boat.
Charm: Follow the black sludge footprints until you get to some cattails near a rock and holy crap, it’s two of those weird ‘reflection’ Taken! After you burn all your ammo and healing items, grab the Valhalla Nursing Home Charm and heroically limp away. The charm increases the healing effects of trauma pads and painkillers. You probably could have used it earlier.
Bright Falls 4
The fourth Nursery Rhyme location in Bright Falls is at the beginning of the eastern dock at Billie’s Boat Yard, which is southwest of the town.
Solution: Place theMonster Dollon the boat and theMother Dollon the waves.
Charm: Follow the trail of black sludge back to the boatyard, but get ready for a fight against a group of Taken cultists. You’ll find theAnchor Charmnext to a white boat on its side. The charm gives you a chance to stun an enemy when using the Flashlight Boost.
How to solve the final Nursery Rhyme Witchfinder Station puzzle inAlan Wake 2
The final Nursery Rhyme inAlan Wake 2is back at the Witchfinder Station in Caldron Lake. Make your way there, and get ready for one last challenge.
Doll discovered: After you complete the last nursery rhyme puzzle, a box appears containing theFather Doll. You also get a message about not taking said doll to the Witchfinder Station. Well, nuts to that! Let’s cause a ruckus.
When you approach the Witchfinder Station, you’ll hear the voice of someone speaking the rhyme via a radio:
On our Hero, the faraway Father still kept an eye,
And told her not to stand out in the light too bright,
While the loving Mother and her Hatchling only tried to survive.
When a tricky Witch opened a way into the dark lake,
Our Hero, against all caution, did a bold step take,
Away from the Sun which would make, Her blind to all that she could see.
Solution: The drawings for where the dolls need to be placed are scattered throughout the station. You’ll need to track them all down.
Place theFather Dollon the eye next to the desk downstairs. TheMother Dollneeds to go on the heart in the kitchen. Across from the kitchen is a room with two beds. Place theHero Dollon the sun between them. Go upstairs and put theTrickster Dollon the waves in the bathroom and theChild Dollon the egg in the bedroom playpen.
Charm: Once the puzzle is solved, Dr. Campbell reveals himself as the speaker on the radio. You’ll have a short conversation beforesomethingbad happens. Use your flashlight on the dark orb that appears and grab the charm box on the desk. It gives you a fourth charm slot, which means I might finally have a reason to use a Coffee Mug Charm. But let’s face it: That won’t happen.
With that, you have completed all the Nursery Rhyme locations and puzzle solutions inAlan Wake 2. Congrats! Hopefully, you acquired some charms you find useful for the final battles ahead. Good luck.
