Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse — How to Solve the Clock Tower Puzzle to Reach Talos

The path to Talos in Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse starts with a switch puzzle. Deep in the Clock Tower, a vertical passage in the Eastern Access Shaft is blocked by three rotating beams, and a giant mechanical fist waits overhead to punch through them. The fist only clears the way when every beam is lined up, so the puzzle comes down to finding three switches and setting each one correctly.

Quick answer: In the Eastern Access Shaft, hit all three gear switches until each beam is vertical, then strike the central trigger switch. The fist smashes through the floor and opens the route down to Talos.

Where the Clock Tower puzzle is

The puzzle sits in the Eastern Access Shaft of the Clock Tower. Open the map and the area is labeled under Clock Tower, with three marker icons showing where the gear switches are. A desk in a lower chamber near the elevator at Daedalus’ Crossing holds a note called Blueprints for the Clock Tower, which points to this same shaft, but you don’t need to read it to solve the puzzle.

You will need the Arcane Whip for the climb. It lets Rose hook onto glowing anchors, and both the shaft and the route beyond it rely on those grapple points.

Controls settings menu listing keyboard and mouse bindings for movement, combat, spells and interaction in an ornate gold-trimmed frame. — The Controls settings tab shows the Keyboard and Mouse bindings, including Move, Jump, Dodge, Attack, Cast Spell, Arcane Whip, Holy Light, Interact, Heal, Map and Equipment.

Clock Tower puzzle solution: set all three gear switches vertical

Each switch is attached to a gear with a long beam. Hitting the switch rotates its beam. The goal is to have all three beams standing straight up and down before you pull the trigger.

Locate the initial gear switch in the central corridor close to your shaft entrance. Strike it to turn its beam. If the beam obstructs your ascent, leave it horizontal for the moment, then return and set it upright before activating the final trigger.

First Switch Alignment — The first gear switch in the central corridor rotates one of the three beams. Shown at 00:16 in Jay Dunna’s video. Image: KONAMI

Climb toward the top of the shaft using the chains and platforms. A large bird enemy patrols this stretch, so kill it before it knocks you off a jump.

Second Switch (Upper Section) — Clear the flying enemy on the way up so it can't interrupt your platforming. Shown at 00:23 in Jay Dunna’s video. Image: KONAMI

At the top, attack the second gear switch until its beam locks vertically. There’s also an item on this upper ledge worth grabbing before you head back down.

Take the left-hand path down toward the bottom of the shaft. Red armored spear guards hold this corridor, so fight or jump past them.

Third Switch (Lower Left Section) — The spear guards in the lower-left corridor stand between you and the third switch. Shown at 00:49 in Jay Dunna’s video. Image: KONAMI

Hit the third gear switch at the bottom of that path until its beam is vertical. If you left the first beam horizontal to climb, return and set it vertical now.

Go back to the main trigger switch in the middle of the shaft and strike it. The overhead fist drops through the three aligned gaps and breaks the stone floor below.

The fist will not break through if any beam is horizontal or slanted. Every one of the three has to be fully vertical when you hit the trigger.

How to tell the puzzle is solved

You’ll know it worked when the fist slams all the way down instead of stopping on a beam, and the barrier at the bottom of the shaft is gone. Drop through the opening and you’ll trigger a short conversation between Rose and Leon in the room below. Leon’s line sets the tone for what’s ahead.

“Dracula has had nothing but time in the abyss. His servants no doubt have much planned for his return.”

Route from the broken floor to Talos

The puzzle doesn’t put you in front of Talos right away. Two trap sections built around slamming stone fists come first.

Clear the enemies in the room after the dialogue. Then move into the corridor lined with overhead stone fists.

Time your movement between fist strikes. Standing right at the edge of a fist’s range and baiting it to slam makes the gap easier to read.

Pick up the ATK UP book in the upper alcove along this corridor. It adds 1 attack, and it’s the only one placed in the Clock Tower.

In the vertical shaft that follows, use the glowing grapple points to cross down. When you reach the final descending crusher, wall-jump off the right-hand wall to slip underneath it safely.

Vertical Shaft Descent — The last crusher in the vertical shaft is easiest to clear with a wall jump off the right wall. Shown at 01:27 in Jay Dunna’s video. Image: KONAMI

Continue to the Central Fuel Reservoir. When its banner appears on screen, the Talos boss room is directly ahead.

Central Fuel Reservoir Entrance — The Central Fuel Reservoir banner marks the last stop before the Talos fight. Shown at 01:35 in Jay Dunna’s video. Image: KONAMI

Talos boss stats and The Builder arcana

Talos is a single fight in the Clock Tower, placed in the Throne of the Builder district. These are his figures.

Talos	Value
Health	5000
Attack	35
XP	900
District	Throne of the Builder
Arcana card	The Builder
Reward	Fist of Talos

Talos is immune to bleed, burn, freeze, petrify, launch into the air and slam down, along with the Chronomantic Dive slow, Freezing Path link and Infernal Pyre launch effects. Whip hook is not on that list, so the Arcane Whip can still latch onto him.

Beating Talos earns The Builder, arcana number 5, which has 2 clues tied to it. The Builder is linked to the Smash ability, which is granted in the Clock Tower’s Final Trap district. Smash is a fast dive to the ground: press down and jump while Rose is airborne to damage enemies below and break destructible blocks.

With the shaft open and the ATK UP book collected, the full route from the Eastern Access Shaft to Talos is one continuous run. If you die in the boss room, you don’t need to solve the gear puzzle again because the floor stays broken.