The slave cages puzzle in REPLACED is one of those moments where the game trusts you to pay attention to details most players will blow right past. You find the control panel, spot the chalk symbols on the nearby column, type them in the obvious order, and get an error. Frustrating. The solution is right there in the terminal message, but it takes a second read to catch it.
What is the slave cages puzzle in REPLACED?
About halfway through Chapter 3, a slave NPC asks you to open all the nearby cages simultaneously. The mechanism that does this is a locked control panel requiring a password. According to the terminal's message, the password hint comes from the Termites leader Bonecrusher, who says the answer is "to the right of the device."
To the right sits a stone column marked with four symbols in white chalk: a knife, a cross, a chain, and an eye, listed from top to bottom. The natural instinct is to read them top to bottom and enter that sequence. That's the wrong call.
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Read every word in Bonecrusher's terminal message before touching the input. The answer is embedded in the text itself, not just the visual symbol column.
REPLACED Guide: How to Solve the Slave Cages Puzzle
How do you decode the Bonecrusher password?
The key is a string that looks like a typo in Bonecrusher's message: "CADB." Given how mangled the grammar is throughout that note, it's easy to dismiss it as nonsense. It isn't.
Each symbol on the stone column corresponds to a letter of the alphabet. The giant "B" carved next to the cross is your anchor point. Working from there, the mapping goes:
With that mapping in place, the password "CADB" translates directly to a symbol sequence.
What is the correct symbol order to open the cages?
Enter the symbols in this exact sequence on the terminal:
- Chains (C)
- Knife (A)
- Eye (D)
- Cross (B)
Once you input them correctly, the terminal confirms the operation is underway and signs off with a polite "good day" message, which is a nice touch given the context. Exit the device and head right to return to the slave leader.
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Do not enter the symbols in the order they appear on the column (Knife, Cross, Chain, Eye). That top-to-bottom reading is the deliberate misdirect the game is built around.
What happens after you open the cages?
After the terminal confirms success, a cutscene plays where the freed slaves thank you and agree to help clear out the remaining Termites if you guide them to the end of the tunnel. It's a meaningful payoff for a puzzle that's easy to get stuck on, and it moves the chapter forward in a satisfying way.
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This puzzle is a good example of REPLACED rewarding players who read environmental storytelling carefully. The chalk symbols and Bonecrusher's note are both part of the same system, not separate clues.
For more puzzles and tips across the game, browse more guides on GAMES.GG to keep your playthrough moving.