The Talos Principle 2 Sphinx Statue Guide – All Sphinx Puzzles And Stars

The Talos Principle 2 has its fair share of secrets, and chief among them are the special extra puzzles hiding in each of the game’s 12 main areas. Snoop around a big and you’ll find large statues, or monuments, to each of the game’s three spectral characters: Pandora, Prometheus, or the Sphinx. Figuring out how to solve these riddles rewards you with stars, which are essential to unlocking some of the game’s most interesting secrets.

The Sphinx’s puzzles aren’t quite as tough as those tied to the Pandora statues, but they can still be vexing. They generally require you to find specific locations in the area and to do some spatial reasoning. Figuring out exactly where the game wants you to go can be confusing, especially since there’s no overarching map you can use to find your way.

Here’s a complete guide to solving every one of the Sphinx monuments to help you navigate the puzzles and unlock everything the game has to offer.

East 2

Find the Sphinx monument near the no. 3 puzzle room, to the right of the transit system when you arrive. On the front of the monument, you’ll find a plaque with the numbers 2, 4, 7, and 8 marked on it.

If you check the back of any of the signs that mark the numbered puzzle rooms, you’ll find a switch. These are on the backs of every single numbered sign, but you only want to activate the ones mentioned on the monument: 2, 4, 7, and 8. Once you’ve flipped all four switches, return to the monument to claim your star.

East 3

The Sphinx monument here is near the no. 4 puzzle room. The plaque here shows a picture of a huge human statue and the star-shaped tower at the center of the area behind it. An X marks the spot you’re looking for to solve the puzzle.

The human statue is to the left of where you arrive from the transit system, down by the coast of the island. You’re looking for a spot just up the hill from the statue, past the small pond that surrounds it.

Look for a small overlook area with a palm terminal on it. If you’re standing on the hill with the statue at your back and the terminal in front of you, look to the left for another couple of concrete pillars, similar to the ones right beneath the terminal.

You’ll find a switch to flip on one of these pillars that will solve the puzzle for you.

North 1

Look for the Sphinx monument at the top of the mountain behind the no. 7 puzzle room. The plaque on it shows a map of the area. Near three of the areas, you’ll see letters written: T, A, and C. These correspond to cube-like switch patterns you’ll need to find on the outside walls of three puzzle rooms. This particular puzzle is confusing because the map is flipped and not particularly helpful. The top of the map, marked by the C, is actually the south rather than the north, and the icon representing the tower is flipped when compared to the way it’s actually oriented in the area in front of you.

Start with puzzle room no. 7. If you follow the path along the wall to the right as you head down the mountain, you’ll see a series a square shape made up of nine gold cubes that stick out of the wall. Push in all three cubes on the top row and all three cubes in the middle column, forming the letter T. You’ll know you’ve got it right if you aim at any of the cubes and the message “Pattern is already solved” appears on your screen.

Now head toward the no. 8 puzzle, but drop down to the right of the puzzle room, where you’ll find one of the bonus rooms. You’re looking to get around this one to the left, but you’ll have to go around the outside of the puzzle room on the right. Expect to do some jumping over some rocks. This set is 12 cubes total. Activate all three cubes on the top row and left and right columns, and the middle cube in the third row. You’re forming an A pattern here.

The final pattern is at the way to the south on the other side of the tower, on the wall of a bonus puzzle.

Head around to the back of this puzzle, being careful to traverse the rocks while avoiding falling off the sheer cliffs at the back. You’ll find the cube puzzle on the back corner of the puzzle room.

Push all three cubes on the top and bottom rows and the remaining cube on the left column to form a “C” shape and complete the puzzle.

North 2

Your Sphinx monument is right in front of the transit station as you arrive. The plaque on it marks three spots on the map, as usual, and at those spots, you’ll find switches to flip.

The first switch is pretty easy to find. Head to the no. 1 puzzle room and look for a path that swings around along the outer wall on the right side of the room. Follow that path as it heads north and then take the turn to the east toward the water’s edge. At the end of the path is a statue. Flip the switch to complete the first leg of the puzzle.

The second switch is at the far eastern end of the area. Look for the transit system’s monorail track. If you stand beneath the track facing away from the transit system, make your way to the right of the track until you find a path through the woods. Turn left to follow the path south, in the same direction as the monorail track taking you away from the transit system. Follow the path to the water’s edge and you’ll find a statue with a switch on it.

To get to the third switch, you’ll want to finish the puzzles in this area and create the tetromino bridge to get to the tower. When you cross it, look to the right of the tower–you’ll see a small island with a monument tower on it.

Use the sandbar that stretches from the beach you’re on to reach the island.

Look for the switch on a statue.

South 1

Find the Sphinx monument hanging out in the water near the tower, near where you start in this area. The plaque shows a series of cubes, some of which are filled in solid gold, and some are empty.

The puzzle this plaque is referring to can be found by heading down from the transit station along the winding path and heading east through the water. You’re looking for a series of stone pillars sticking out of the ground, standing on a small beach away from everything else.

When you find them, stand with your back to the water facing north to orient yourself with the pillars in the same way they appear on the plaque. Using the plaque image for reference (you can find it saved on your PDA), walk around and “activate” the pillars that are filled in on the plaque image. This will lower those pillars into the ground. In the first row, the northernmost one, that’s the middle pillar; in the second row going south, it’s the first pillar on the left and the third pillar from the left; in the third row, it’s the two right-most pillars; and in the fourth row, it’s the third pillar from the left. When all the correct pillars are lowered, the puzzle will be complete.

South 3

Once again, the Sphinx monument here presents you with a map of locations where you’ll find switches. Look for the monument near the no. 3 puzzle room.

The tough part about this one is orienting yourself to the plaque, which depicts the puzzle rooms scattered around the area pretty accurately but which still has a confusing orientation. The first two switches are on the upper level of the area, while the last is in the valley around the tower itself.

The first switch on the southern side of the exterior wall of puzzle room 1. You’ll see big angled concrete pillars. Look for the switch nestled onto the one on the right as you’re facing toward the puzzle room.

Find the second switch is on the southern exterior wall of the no. 2 puzzle room, and can be tough to spot because of the ridges in its design. It’s at the end of the wall that’s close to the entrance, between two large concrete angles.

For the third switch, you’ll need to take the gravity lift down to the lower section of the area. This one isn’t on one of the puzzle room walls, but instead on one of the big concrete structures connected to the central tower. Look for a palm terminal pushing out into a pond near puzzle room no. 5. Standing on it, you should be able to look straight across the water and spot the switch on the wall.

Pull that and you’ve completed the Sphinx puzzle and can return for your star.

West 1

Head to puzzle room no. 7 to find the monument nearby, obscured by trees. This one has another diagram of cubes on it that are both filled in and left empty.

To find the stone pillars you need to interact with for this puzzle, go to room no. 6. Facing the entrance, walk around behind the puzzle room. The pillars are easy to find, right behind the puzzle room itself.

As before, match the diagram to the pillars, activating the solid ones to lower them, while leaving the empty ones standing. To orient yourself with the plaque image, you need to be facing east. Activate the lone pillar, the one furthest east; of the two to the right of that pillar, activate the one furthest east, closest to the first one you activated; to the left of the first pillar, you’ll find another pair, where you’ll want to activate the one on the right, which is the southernmost of the two; and finally, of the two pillars furthest west, activate the one on the right, which is the westernmost of the two.

West 3

The final Sphinx monument is toward the north end of this area. Look for a pair of big statue hands sticking out of the ground and grabbing onto a ridge. The Sphinx is on top, between the hands. On its plaque, you’ll find an image that marks an X in one of the round areas, near another series of huge statue hands.

That area is fairly easy to find–it’s the section surrounding puzzle room no. 8. From the entrance, turn around and face the way you just came. If you’re looking at the amphitheater-like ring that’s surrounding the puzzle room, you’ll see it’s divided every so often by a large angled piece of concrete that stretches down to the path, creating the look of sections. You want the next section of the ring to your left with the puzzle room at your back.

When you reach the right section, make your way into one of the hollow spaces in the outer ring to find the switch hidden against the wall.

With the final switch thrown, you’ve completed all of the Sphinx puzzles in The Talos Principle 2. There are still more stars to find, however, so check out our Pandora monument puzzles guide for more help. You should also read our review of The Talos Principle 2 while you’re at it.