Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

Puzzle 030 (EU): The Wrong Date

Original diagram for Puzzle 030 (EU): The Wrong Date

A sculptor carved the wrong founding date on a village statue, but turning it into a fountain fixes it, so what's the real date?

Chapter
Chapter 2
Location
Town Hall Plaza
Picarats
30 picarats
Type
Placement
Region
Europe / UK · US version: The Secret Message
Hint 1: A gentle nudge. Tap to flip.
Hint 1

The date carved on the statue is definitely wrong, so don't enter it.

Tap to flip back
Hint 2: The key idea. Unlocks after the previous card is flipped.
Hint 2

Look at the sculpture's shape. That big bowl suggests what it was turned into.

Tap to flip back
Hint 3: Almost there. Unlocks after the previous card is flipped.
Hint 3

A fountain's bowl fills with water. Think about reflections.

Tap to flip back
Answer: See the answer. Unlocks after the previous card is flipped.
Answer

The answer is 13/08 (13 August), entered as 1308.

Tap to flip back
Solution, FAQ and sources

Solution

The sculpture was turned into a **fountain**. With water in the bowl, the lower half of the engraving disappears under the surface and the upper half is mirrored in it, so the carved digits read as a different date.

The true founding date shown this way is **13-8**: the 13th of August, entered as 1308.

About this puzzle

Dropstone’s founders commissioned a stone sculpture to mark the day the village was founded, 50 years ago, but the sculptor engraved the wrong date. Years later, someone realised that converting the sculpture into something else would make the correct date appear. On what day was Dropstone founded? Answer in four digits, day then month.

Unofficial fan guide, not affiliated with LEVEL-5 or Nintendo. Puzzle description, hints and solution written by Hint by Hint.

Similar puzzles: Puzzle 030: The Secret Message, Puzzle 027: A Dramatic Farewell, Puzzle 024: A Strip of Paper, Puzzle 037: World's Best Golfer

All Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box puzzles

FAQ

What is the answer to Puzzle 030, The Wrong Date, in Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box?

The answer is 13/08 (13 August), entered as 1308. This is the European (Pandora's Box) version of Puzzle 030.

Where do you find Puzzle 030 in Diabolical Box?

Puzzle 030 appears in Chapter 2, in the Town Hall Plaza area.

How many picarats is Diabolical Box Puzzle 030 worth?

30 picarats.

Is Puzzle 030 the same in the North American version?

No. In the North American version, Puzzle 030 is The Secret Message, which asks where the villagers were the day after the founding party.

Sources

Facts checked on November 14, 2026

Unofficial fan guide. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by LEVEL-5 Inc. Professor Layton, The New World of Steam, and all related names, characters, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.