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Unearthing Secrets: A Comprehensive Guide to Finding Secret Notes in Stardew Valley

Secret Notes are delightful collectibles in Stardew Valley, offering glimpses into the lives of the villagers, revealing hidden locations, and sometimes triggering quests. The key to finding them lies in acquiring the Magnifying Glass, which you’ll receive during winter after a specific event. Once you have the Magnifying Glass, Secret Notes can be found through various activities. They are added to your inventory like any other item, and can be read by selecting them and right-clicking (or tapping on mobile) as if you were going to eat food. The drop rate varies considerably based on the activity you choose.

How to Find Secret Notes in Stardew Valley: A Breakdown

So, how exactly do you unearth these cryptic messages? The key is persistence and diversifying your activities. The rate at which you find Secret Notes varies depending on the task. Here’s a breakdown:

Artifact Spots: These wiggling worms in the ground are your best bet after you obtain the Magnifying Glass and after artifact checks and winter forage checks, offering an 11% chance of yielding a Secret Note. Always keep an eye out for them!
Fishing: Casting your line provides an 8% chance of finding a Secret Note, replacing what would have been trash.
Gathering Resource Clumps: Breaking large stumps, large logs, meteorites, or boulders gives you a 5% chance.
Slaying Monsters: Battling creatures in the mines and elsewhere provides a 3.3% chance. This makes monster hunting a slightly viable, albeit less efficient, way to find notes.
Clearing Weeds: Pulling weeds gives a 0.9% chance. It’s a passive way to potentially find notes while cleaning up your farm, though not particularly efficient.
Picking Up Stones: Collecting stones gives a 0.75% chance. Another low-probability method that is more effective used along with other methods.
Chopping Trees: Each axe hit has a 0.5% chance of revealing a Secret Note. This is a very low chance, meaning that while you can get them from tree chopping, it isn’t recommended as a farming method.

Mastering the Hunt: Essential Tips for Finding More Secret Notes

While knowing the drop rates is helpful, understanding how to maximize your efforts is crucial. Here are some tips:

Get the Magnifying Glass: This is absolutely critical. You will not find any Secret Notes until you obtain it. Walk to the Bus Stop from The Farm during Winter between 6 am and 4 pm to trigger a cutscene involving a Shadow Guy, who grants you the Magnifying Glass.
Prioritize Artifact Spots: Make it a habit to check the entire valley for Artifact Spots daily. They respawn regularly and offer the highest chance of finding a Secret Note.
Fish Strategically: While fishing, focus on areas with higher trash rates, as Secret Notes replace trash catches. You can increase trash rates by using the Trashmaster profession.
Mine Often: Regularly explore the Mines and Skull Cavern, both for resources and for the chance to encounter monsters that might drop a Secret Note.
Don’t Neglect Resource Clumps: Whenever you see a large stump, log, meteorite, or boulder, make sure to break it.
Explore Regularly: Ensure that you’re actively traversing the map each day, clearing Artifact Spots and keeping an eye out for opportunities to engage in the activities that drop Secret Notes.

Deciphering the Clues: What To Do After You Find a Secret Note

Finding a Secret Note is just the first step. Many notes contain clues leading to hidden items or locations. Here’s what to do once you have a note:

Read it carefully: Most notes contain cryptic instructions, drawings, or hints. Pay attention to details like specific locations, times, or required items.
Follow the Instructions: If the note gives instructions (such as a path to follow or a place to dig), follow them precisely.
Experiment: Some notes require a bit of trial and error. Don’t be afraid to try different things based on your interpretation of the clue.
Consult the Stardew Valley Wiki: If you’re completely stuck, the Stardew Valley Wiki is an invaluable resource. It contains detailed information about all the Secret Notes and their solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Secret Notes

Here are some of the most common questions players have about finding and using Secret Notes in Stardew Valley.

1. What is the purpose of Secret Notes?

Secret Notes provide a deeper layer of lore and exploration in Stardew Valley. They can lead to hidden items, reveal insights into the characters’ lives, trigger quests, or simply add to the game’s overall sense of mystery.

2. Do Secret Notes expire or disappear?

No, once you find a Secret Note, it’s permanently added to your collection. You can read it again at any time from the Collections tab in your inventory.

3. Can I find the same Secret Note multiple times?

No, you can only find each Secret Note once per save file. Once you’ve found all the Secret Notes, they will no longer drop.

4. Is there a way to increase the drop rate of Secret Notes?

There is no way to directly increase the drop rate beyond choosing the best activity. Maximizing your time spent on activities with higher drop rates is the most effective approach.

5. What do I do if I can’t understand a Secret Note?

Consult the Stardew Valley Wiki or online forums for help deciphering the clues. The community is usually very helpful in providing hints and solutions.

6. Does the time of year affect the drop rate of Secret Notes?

The time of year does not affect the drop rate of Secret Notes from most sources, with the exception of the method of obtaining the Magnifying Glass and the location of the Rainbow Shell.

7. Is it possible to find all the Secret Notes in a single year?

Yes, with diligent effort and a focus on high-probability activities like digging up Artifact Spots and fishing, it is possible to find all the Secret Notes within a single in-game year.

8. What is Secret Note 20 and how do I get the Special Charm?

Secret Note #20 contains a drawing of the town square and an “X” over the center. Stand there and interact to trigger a scene. Once this is complete, you can trade a Rabbit’s Foot to the bus driver in the desert. This gives you the Special Charm, which permanently improves your daily luck.

9. Where does Secret Note 19 lead?

Secret Note #19 leads you on a path around town that ends behind Mayor Lewis’s house. Interact with the ground at the end of the path to find a hidden statue.

10. What does Secret Note 21 reveal?

Secret Note #21 reveals that Marnie and Lewis are having an affair! It tells you to go to the bush by the bridge leading to the beach at 12:40 AM.

11. How do I get Secret Note 10?

Secret Note #10 requires you to have completed the quest “Qi’s Challenge,” which involves reaching level 25 in the Skull Cavern. Once you read it, you’ll get the follow-up quest, “Cryptic Note,” to reach level 100 of the Skull Cavern.

12. Where can I find a Rainbow Shell for Demetrius’ request?

Rainbow Shells can be found:

By foraging on the Beach during Summer.
Purchased from the Traveling Cart.
In the Mines, once the Shrine of Challenge is activated.
In the Mines during the Danger in the Deep.
As a gift from Demetrius in the mail.

13. How do I trigger the event to get the Magnifying Glass?

To get the Magnifying Glass, walk from The Farm to the Bus Stop during Winter, between 6:00 AM and 4:00 PM. This will trigger a cutscene where you encounter the “Shadow Guy,” who then drops the Magnifying Glass.

14. What’s hidden behind the Community Center, as indicated in one of the Secret Notes?

Behind the Community Center, hidden by the roof, against the wooden fence to the right, there is a Stone Junimo statue which can be obtained with a pickaxe. You can still get the statue even if you purchased the Joja membership.

15. Why can’t I find any Secret Notes, even though I’m doing everything right?

Ensure you have the Magnifying Glass. You won’t find any notes without it. If you have it, double-check that you are performing actions that can reveal Secret Notes and that you are checking Artifact Spots after artifact checks and winter forage checks.

Games and Learning

As a member of the Games Learning Society, I believe that video games can be both entertaining and educational. The mechanics of Stardew Valley, including the search for Secret Notes, exemplify how games can promote curiosity, problem-solving, and exploration. GamesLearningSociety.org aims to further the understanding of the social, cultural, cognitive, and emotional impact of games and interactive media.

Embrace the Mystery!

Finding Secret Notes in Stardew Valley is a rewarding experience that adds depth and intrigue to the game. By following these tips and tricks, you’ll be well on your way to uncovering all the secrets the valley has to offer. Happy hunting!

How do you find secret notes in Stardew Valley?