- The Order of the Sinking Star last puzzle combines all three hero abilities: push, pull, and swap.
- Sequencing is everything: the wrong character entering last can trap or crush another hero.
- Undo and restart freely — the game never punishes experimentation.
- Late-game puzzles merge mechanics from all four starting directions, so mastery of basics pays off.
- Hidden overworld puzzles unlock later; don't force red-block obstacles too early.
Understanding the Last Puzzle in Order of the Sinking Star
Order of the Sinking Star is the new puzzler directed by Jonathan Blow, the designer behind Braid and The Witness. Where The Witness deepened one mechanic, Order of the Sinking Star splits into four mechanically distinct worlds that eventually merge — and that merging is exactly what the final puzzles are built on. The last puzzle of the Heroes of Hauling line is where the game first asks you to combine every hero's ability in a single room, and it's the moment most players hit a wall.
Video Highlights:
- First-blind playthrough of the demo, including the combined-ability finale levels
- Demonstrates how push, pull, and swap heroes interact in one room
- Shows undo and restart tools for recovering from dead ends
- Covers overworld secrets like locked red blocks and side puzzles
The core challenge: three heroes share one space, one crystal block, and a single exit tile — and each hero's power contradicts the others'. The push hero shoves blocks, the pull hero drags any block she walks away from (she cannot choose not to pull), and the swap hero trades places with a block the moment he steps toward it.
Treat the last puzzle as a sequencing problem, not a movement problem. Ask "who must enter last?" before you move anyone — in the combined levels, the swap hero usually needs to be the final piece.
Hero Abilities Reference
Every combined puzzle in the late Heroes of Hauling chain is solvable only by exploiting how these three abilities clash. Memorize the constraints before you touch the final rooms.
| Hero | Ability | Key Constraint | Best Role in Final Puzzles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Push Hero (Izzy) | Pushes up to three crystal blocks | Only pushes, never pulls | Positioning blocks early |
| Pull Hero (Tiff) | Auto-pulls blocks when walking away | Cannot refuse to pull | Retrieving blocks from pits and corners |
| Swap Hero | Trades places with any block he steps toward | Cannot walk back toward it | Escaping traps, final placement |
| Overworld Character | Pushes only one object at a time | Limited strength | Overworld navigation |
Push Hero
- Pushes up to 3 blocks
- Full control over timing
- Can get stuck if over-pushing
- Ideal for initial setup
Pull Hero
- Automatic pull on retreat
- Very strong, very tricky
- Can accidentally drag blocks
- Ideal for extraction plays
Swap Hero
- Instant position swap
- Positioning is everything
- Cannot approach a block twice
- Ideal as the closer
In the final cage levels, if the pull hero retreats while the push hero stands in the crystal's path, he gets crushed and the level resets. Always confirm his tile is clear before she moves.
Step-by-Step Last Puzzle Solution
Follow this general sequence — it applies to the closing levels of the demo's first world, including the three-hero room with a single crystal and the cage-teleport finale.
Scout the Room
Identify every exit tile, pressure plate, and side alcove. Those "useless" small spaces exist specifically as staging pockets for block maneuvering.
Set Blocks with the Push Hero First
Push the crystal into its rough final zone before anyone stands on plates. The push hero has full control, so he does the precision-free heavy lifting.
Extract with the Pull Hero
Use her automatic pull to drag blocks through corridors the push hero can't navigate. Use the side alcoves to park blocks she shouldn't drag along.
Free Trapped Heroes with Swap
If a hero ends up caged or cornered, walk the swap hero toward a block inside to trade places and release them.
Close with Swap as the Last Entry
The swap hero teleports to the final spot last, after everyone else is safely positioned. Never let him be trapped in the ending area with no block to trade with.
Every move can be undone step by step, and the whole level can restart instantly. If a sequence fails, undo to the last stable state instead of restarting from scratch.
Common Mistakes and Fixes
| Mistake | What Happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Pull hero retreats early | Drags an unwanted block, blocks a corridor | Undo one step, park block in alcove first |
| Swap hero enters the exit first | No block left to trade, softlocked | Undo, reposition, enter him last |
| Over-pushing blocks | Push hero pins himself against walls | Push only to staging positions |
| Ignoring side alcoves | No room to maneuver extra blocks | Use small spaces as block parking |
| Forcing red overworld blocks early | Nothing happens | Come back after unlocking later areas |
The green gate and red blocks near the start don't respond yet — they're hooks for later worlds. When mechanics from the four directions merge, these become solvable. Don't burn time on them during your first pass.
Final Puzzle Checklist
Before You Finish the Last Puzzle:
- Scouted all exit tiles and alcoves
- Push hero positioned all blocks to staging spots
- Pull hero path verified — no crush risks
- Swap hero reserved as the final entrant
- All three heroes standing on their required tiles
FAQ
Q: What is the Order of the Sinking Star last puzzle about?
The last puzzle in the first world's chain requires all three heroes — push, pull, and swap — to share one room and reach their exit tiles together. It tests sequencing: the swap hero generally must be the last to enter his final position.
Q: Why does my hero keep pulling blocks I don't want?
The pull hero cannot choose not to pull. Whenever she walks away from an adjacent block, it follows. Use small side alcoves to park blocks she shouldn't drag, and undo single steps when a pull goes wrong.
Q: Can I get permanently stuck in a level?
No. Every move can be undone individually, and the whole level can be restarted instantly, so no dead end is permanent.
Q: When do the four puzzle worlds merge?
The game opens with four mechanically distinct directions. Edge areas between them hint at connections early on, and the mechanics begin merging as you progress through the roughly one thousand puzzles the game contains.