Moses' second practice test in Life is Strange: Reunion looks simple on the surface. There's a locked cabinet, a screwdriver sitting right there, and a mug inside. The problem? Every time you pry the door open, the mug drops and shatters. Rewinding time doesn't prevent it. You need one extra step that the game never spells out, and missing it means watching the same mug break over and over. Here's exactly how to clear it.
What is Moses' locked cabinet test about?
This puzzle is part of the Time Dojo sub-chapter in Chapter 1, where Moses runs Max through three practice tests to gauge how well she has relearned her time-rewinding abilities. The second test involves retrieving a mug from a locked kitchen cabinet. The catch is that the mug is balanced precariously inside, so opening the door sends it straight to the floor.
What makes this trickier than it looks is that rewinding time after the mug breaks does not stop it from breaking again on the next attempt unless you change something in the environment first. The detailed walkthrough on the Life is Strange Wiki confirms the cushion step is the key variable the game expects you to discover through experimentation.
The mug stays in your inventory even after you rewind time to repair the cabinet door. You won't lose it, so don't panic when the timeline resets around you.
How to pass Moses' cabinet test: step-by-step
Here's the full sequence to clear the test without failing:
- Pick up the screwdriver from the bench above the locked cabinet. It's sitting near a toolbox, slightly to the right. If it's not there, rewind time as far as possible and check again.
- Use the screwdriver on the cabinet door to pry it open. The mug will fall and shatter. This is expected.
- Rewind time as far as you can to reset the cabinet to its locked state.
- Cross the room to Moses' computer chair and pick up the cushion sitting on the seat.
- Place the cushion directly below the cabinet door, in the spot where the mug would land.
- Use the screwdriver on the cabinet again. This time, the mug drops safely onto the cushion.
- Pick up the mug, then rewind time once more to repair the broken cabinet door.
- Return to Moses and hand him the mug to complete the test.
If you rewind time before picking up the cushion, you'll need to grab it again. The cushion resets with the timeline, but the mug in your inventory does not.
Why does rewinding time alone not work?
This is the design point that trips people up. Max knows the mug is going to fall, and the game even acknowledges this through her internal reactions. But knowing the outcome doesn't change it. You have to physically alter the environment before opening the cabinet. The cushion acts as a catch, and only by placing it first can you safely retrieve the mug.
This mechanic is intentional. Deck Nine built the test to teach players that rewinding time is a tool for preparation, not just undoing mistakes. The Reunion puzzle walkthrough on Showgamer notes the same principle applies to later puzzles in the game, so learning it here pays off.
Moses' three tests at a glance
What happens after the cabinet test?
Once you hand Moses the mug, he moves on to the third and final practice test. This one is shorter: Moses wants Max to teleport and catch a cup he throws from upstairs, but the kettle next to him catches fire before that can happen. Rewind time to when you're standing on the X on the floor, then head upstairs immediately and unplug the kettle. That clears the last test.
The rewind mechanic has a fixed time limit, so you can't go back indefinitely. If a rewind feels too short, use the rewind option a second time to extend it slightly further back.
Kettle fire during Moses' third test
What if something goes wrong?
A few edge cases worth knowing:
- Screwdriver is missing: Rewind time fully. It should reappear on the bench near the toolbox.
- Mug broke and you can't find the cushion: Rewind time, then grab the cushion from the chair before touching the screwdriver.
- Cabinet door is broken and Moses won't accept the mug: You need to rewind time to repair the door before speaking to Moses. Hand him the mug while the cabinet is intact.
- Rewind didn't go far enough: Use the rewind function a second time to push back further in the timeline.
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