The Nine Tails puzzle boxes (often called kitsune puzzle boxes) are a self‑contained scavenger hunt and sliding‑panel puzzle set in Ghost of Yotei’s northern snow region, Teshio Ridge. There are 12 boxes total. Solving all of them awards the Trickster Fox trophy and a mix of coins, resources, charms, and cosmetics.

All 12 are in Teshio Ridge: 1 on a body in the wild, 4 at Kitsune Altars, and 7 at Yotei Six Camps (including 4 hidden hideouts gated by fox statue or lantern puzzles). After picking one up, open it from Inventory > Puzzle Boxes by sliding the panels in the correct order.

Note: box “names” (Interesting, Peculiar, etc.) are assigned in the order you collect them, not by location. Your first box found will always be “Interesting,” second “Peculiar,” and so on. Use the solutions below by box name, not by where you picked it up.

Good news: nothing is missable. Every box remains available in free roam after the story.

All kitsune puzzle box locations (Teshio Ridge)

# Area Type How to reach and what to do
1 Sakura Woods Body (not tied to an altar/camp) Under a small wooden structure around the letter “r” in “Sakura” on the map. Loot the corpse holding the box.
2 Sentinel Forest (Kitsune Altar) Kitsune Altar Between Sentinel Forest and Sakura Woods, slightly southeast of Sentinel Forest Camp. The box sits on the altar front.
3 Shipwreck Shoal (Kitsune Altar) Kitsune Altar Ride the easternmost coastal road; look west below the rocky wall, roughly midway between “Sarufutsu River” and “Shipwreck Shoal.”
4 Sarobetsu Forest (Kitsune Altar) Kitsune Altar Directly above the “su” in “Sarobetsu” on the map, up a snowy slope. The box is on the altar front.
5 Teshio Coast (Kitsune Altar) Kitsune Altar Along the coast; the altar marks itself when nearby. The box is plainly visible at the altar.
6 Crossroads Trading Post Yotei Six Camp Clear the camp; the box is in front of the Altar of Reflection.
7 Snow Drift Springs Hideout Hidden Yotei Six Camp Enter via Snow Drift Springs Shrine (Crimson Forest). Light the correct fox lanterns to open the door (match the fox statues behind the lanterns: left row light the far-left upright fox; right row light the far-right upright fox; climb to the third set and light the middle fox). Clear the hideout. At the end, solve another fox‑lantern set (light leftmost forward‑facing and the second from right crouching fox) to drop a rope to the altar; the box is in front.
8 Snow’s Blight Hideout Hidden Yotei Six Camp Approach Snow’s Blight Shrine (northwest Teshio Ridge). On the left, light two braziers with lit lanterns above them; on the right, rotate fox statues to match wall engravings. Carry both small fox statues to the door; a crawlspace opens to the hideout. Clear it and climb to the Altar of Reflection for the box.
9 Nakajima Ice Cave Hideout Hidden Yotei Six Camp At Nakajima Ice Cave (northwest of Sarobetsu Lake). At the gate, turn the entrance foxes to face away from the door (right fox faces right, left fox faces left). Crawl in; grapple upward through the cave. Use fox statues to reveal ropes and a ladder. In the camp’s back‑right corner, rotate two foxes so they face each other (left fox once to face right; right fox three times to face left); cross the rope to the altar and the box.
10 Deserted Village Yotei Six Camp Clear the camp; the box is at the Altar of Reflection.
11 Soya Port Yotei Six Camp Rescue the prisoner marked in red, then finish the fight. The box appears at the altar.
12 Cape Inari Hideout Hidden Yotei Six Camp At Cape Inari Shrine (northern edge). Use a torch to light two fox lanterns with the “trident” icon in the side caves flanking the door to open a crawlspace. Inside, light two more “trident” lanterns (avoid “!” lanterns). Cross ropes, climb snow‑covered holds, and clear the camp. Light bridge‑side fox lanterns to drop more ropes across two peaks. The altar at the end holds the box.

How box names are assigned (and how to open them)

Each box’s internal puzzle is unique, but the name you see (Interesting, Peculiar, etc.) is assigned strictly by the order you acquire boxes. If your fourth pickup is at Soya Port, that box is still “Curious” because it’s your fourth overall. Use the solutions below by box name.

Open boxes from Inventory > Puzzle Boxes. Most moves refer to the visible front/left/right/back/top panels and the black stripes or the full face panel.

All kitsune puzzle box solutions and rewards

Box Solution (panel moves in order) Reward
Interesting Box Front: slide the horizontal black stripe left → Front: slide the whole front panel down → Top: slide the top panel down. Charm of the Wary Opponent
Peculiar Box Front: slide both vertical black stripes down → Top: slide the top panel down. 750 Coins
Fascinating Box Front: slide horizontal stripe right → Front: panel down → Front: stripe left → Front: panel down → Top: panel down. 7 Iron Sand
Curious Box All four sides: slide each vertical black stripe down → Top: slide the top panel down. 1,500 Coins
Intricate Box Front: slide the small top‑left horizontal segment left → Front: slide the small bottom‑right horizontal segment right → Front: slide both vertical stripes down → Top: panel down. 8 Shinobi Steel
Manageable Box Front: panel down → Front: stripe left → Front: panel down → Front: stripe right (stop when it sticks mid‑track) → Front: panel down → Front: stripe fully right → Front: panel down → Top: panel down. Charm of Drunken Adversary
Perplexing Box Front: slide left horizontal stripe left, right horizontal stripe right, and vertical stripe down → Right side: slide horizontal stripe right and vertical stripe down → Left side: slide horizontal stripe left and vertical stripe down → Top: panel down. 1,500 Coins
Devious Box Front: slide top‑left small stripe left, top‑right small stripe right → Front: slide both middle vertical stripes down (they will stop short) → Front: slide bottom‑left small stripe left, bottom‑right small stripe right → Front: slide both middle vertical stripes down again → Top: panel down. 10 Iron Sand
Challenging Box Front: slide horizontal stripe left → Right side: slide horizontal stripe left and the vertical stripe down (it stops) → Front: slide the bottom half of the vertical stripe down → Right side: return the horizontal stripe to the right so it meets the middle piece → Front: slide horizontal stripe right → Left side: slide horizontal stripe right and the vertical stripe down → Top: panel down. 8 Shinobi Steel
Surprising Box Front: panel down → Front: stripe right → Front: panel up one click (it sticks) → Front: stripe further right → Front: panel fully down → Top: panel down. 2,000 Coins
Elaborate Box Front: slide the top‑left small segment left and move the left vertical stripe down (it sticks) → Return the top‑left segment to start, slide the bottom‑left small segment left and move the left vertical stripe down (sticks again) → Return bottom‑left small segment to start, move top‑left segment left and push the left vertical stripe to its final position → Move the right vertical stripe down to match → Top: panel down. 10 Iron Sand
Epic Box Back: slide the top half of the vertical stripe up and the bottom half down → Back: slide the horizontal stripe left → Left side: slide the horizontal stripe left → Front: slide the left half of the horizontal stripe left, then slide the middle vertical stripe down (it sticks), then return the left half to start → Left side: return horizontal stripe to start → Back: slide horizontal stripe fully right (it will now protrude) → Right side: slide the horizontal stripe fully right → Front: slide the right half of the horizontal stripe right and slide the middle vertical stripe down → Top: panel down. War Cry Mask

Quick checklist before you start

  • All 12 boxes are in Teshio Ridge; plan a clockwise loop to hit altars and camps efficiently.
  • Hidden hideouts sit behind fox statue/lantern puzzles at Snow Drift Springs, Snow’s Blight, Nakajima Ice Cave, and Cape Inari—bring a torch when you see braziers and look for symbol hints near statues.
  • Boxes open from Inventory > Puzzle Boxes; if a move “sticks,” that’s intended—continue the sequence.
  • Track your pickup order so you match the correct box name to the solution.

Once you’ve cleared the four altars, the seven camps, and the lone body in Sakura Woods, you’ll have every box in hand. Open each one from your inventory in name order to collect every reward and the Trickster Fox trophy, then decide whether to push deeper into Teshio Ridge’s Reliquaries or mop up the remaining camps.