Alan Wake 2: How to open the Cultist Stash by the house in Cauldron Lake

Cultist stashes are unlockable boxes found throughout Alan Wake 2. These boxes contain useful resources sure to help you throughout your spooky journey through the sequel. 

One of the first stashes you come across—as long as you are willing to venture off of the beaten path a little—can be found at Cauldron Lake. The stash is located in the first area you will be exploring as you begin the game. Playing as the new character Saga Anderson, an FBI agent, you will be tasked with solving a murder that occurred at Cauldron Lake, so you have the chance to look around that particular area as you search for clues.

The stash acts as a good introduction to the others you will come across as you play, as well as an example of the kinds of puzzles you will need to solve to unlock them.

With this in mind, we are going to be looking at how to solve the puzzle that surrounds the cult stash found at the house in Cauldron Lake in Alan Wake 2, as well as where you need to go to find it and what can be found inside once you have cracked the code.

Where is the cultist house stash in Cauldron Lake in Alan Wake 2?

Looking at the map above for reference, the stash can be found around the yellow marker. This marker is where I was standing at the time of finding the box, so you can be sure that you will spot it if you head there.

The long black rectangle on the map that sits between the FBC Buzzer and the circled Murder Site is the cultist house, and the stash box can be found just opposite the house itself. The house is an important part of the puzzle, as you will need to go inside it to solve the clue you are given.

The clue to unlock the stash near the cultist house 

When you approach the stash box, you will see a note on top of it that acts as a clue to help you figure out how to unlock the box. The note advises the player to follow some rather cryptic instructions:

• Wash your hands
• Take the chicken out of the fridge 
• Take a nap

This might seem like a bit of a perplexing clue to figure out at first, but it becomes much simpler to unravel when you look at the lock for the stash box. The lock itself features different kinds of triangle patterns rather than numbers. There are several triangle patterns drawn on various surfaces in the house, so you will need to follow the instructions to find the right patterns for the combination lock.

Solving the clue to find the lock combination for the stash box

Sink Clue

To solve the clue, all you need to do is follow the instructions on the note to find the correct symbol. The first clue is “wash your hands,” so head into the house and go into the bathroom. Look at the wall above the sink and you will find a pattern that features two connected triangles, one upside down one and one right side up. This is the first pattern you will need for the lock, so keep it in mind for when you go back to the stash box later.

Fridge Clue

The next clue is to “take the chicken out of the fridge” and to solve it, you need to go to the fridge, which can be found not too far from the bathroom.

You would have passed it on your way to the sink, so go back the way you came and you will see another triangle pattern on the side of the fridge. This pattern is another that features one right side up triangle and one upside-down triangle, though it is a little different from the first one in that the points of the triangles blend into one another.

As per the note, the fridge pattern is the second symbol needed for the lock.

Nap Clue

The final pattern you will need for the stash combination lock has the clue “take a nap.” From where you are at the fridge, turn around and keep walking past the bathroom until you reach the final room in the house. You will find a mattress on the floor rather than an actual bed and on the wall right next to it will be the final pattern. This pattern features two triangles connected by their bases and facing left and right.

Now you have the third pattern needed for the combination, head back outside.

Opening the combination lock for the stash near the cultist house in Cauldron Lake

Go to the stash box and hover over the combination lock. Click on the lock and then input the symbols in the right order (the sink pattern, the fridge pattern, and then the mattress pattern). The box should immediately open.

What is inside the stash box near the cultist house in Cauldorn Lake?

Despite what the note left by the cultists says—you will find it stuck to the inside of the stash—you’re free to take the supplies inside it.

There is some weapon ammo inside along with medical supplies, which will help you later on in the game. It’s a good idea to start stocking up as soon as you can, especially if you are playing on Normal or Hard difficulty where resources are much harder to come by. Simply hover over them and click them to pick the supplies up and voila, you solved the puzzle and unlocked the cultist stash box found near the house in Cauldron Lake.

Congratulations on solving one of the first stash box puzzles to be found in Alan Wake 2, but there are plenty more to find so keep searching and puzzle-solving to stock up on all the resources you can. There is no doubt you’re going to need them as you encounter various creepy, unnatural enemies during your time with Alan Wake 2.