The Nancy Drew series of books have inspired many junior aged sleuths, and more recently the young detective found herself given the videogame treatment in 2004's "The Secret of Shadow Ranch." Gamers guide Nancy through a series of adventures throughout the game, in an attempt to solve the mystery plaguing the denizens of the ranch. A few cheats will help ease the frustration the game's puzzles provide.
Phone It In
The best approach, regardless of the situation Nanny finds herself in, is to consult her trusty cell phone. At the beginning of the game, save yourself some time by calling the Rawleys, Bess, Frank and then Joe. Call them in that order to piece the info together quickly. After opening the blue chest with Dave's key, the three levers you encounter can be positioned according to the clock Nancy studied earlier: set the blue lever to two o' clock, the red to 12, and yellow at seven. The pocket watch puzzle you're awarded with resets its sequence, but remember that only the even numbers are operable, so watch for the sequence. When confronted with the egg basket fabric later on, simply lay out the pattern and click only three times to secure the eggs.
The Answers
Answer Tex's barrage of questions in this order: back legs, bottom of hoof, five feet, gaited horse, lying down and standing up, Bay has black points, Nez Perce, the feet, the cinch, offspring of a female horse and donkey. The three handles in the next trunk answer to the combination of four, nine and 11. Later on, when faced with no cell phone coverage and needing to call the sheriff, cheat by clicking on the Web button and the Directory button on the phone, which automatically allows you dialing privileges. Plug in the appropriate letters in the name "Frances" when the puzzle presents itself, and in the final chase scene with the baddie, switch the stones, putting the red stone above the door where the green one is to make villain choose the wrong path.
Tags: cell phone, Nancy Drew, Secret Shadow, Secret Shadow Ranch, Shadow Ranch