Stardew Valley's Secret Notes: Unlock All 27 Hidden Messages Like a Pro

Stardew Valley’s Secret Notes: Unlock All 27 Hidden Messages Like a Pro

Secret notes in Stardew Valley are your key to finding hidden treasures, rare collectibles, and villager gift preferences that will transform your gameplay. If you’re stuck trying to find the magnifying glass or solve the cryptic Secret Note 19 map, you’re in the right place. This article covers everything from unlocking the notes system to finding all 27 notes and solving their puzzles. Need an immediate solution to a specific note? Jump to our Complete Guide to All 27 Secret Notes section or our Secret Note 19 walkthrough for the most troublesome puzzle.

Unlocking the Secret Notes System: Your First Steps

Secret Notes are mysterious collectible items containing valuable information about Stardew Valley’s world and inhabitants. They range from simple gift preference lists to complex treasure maps leading to rare items. First introduced in the 1.3 update with 25 notes, the 1.6 update expanded the collection to 27 notes. But before you can start collecting them, you need to unlock the system by completing a special winter quest.

What Are Secret Notes and Why They Matter

Secret Notes serve multiple purposes that can significantly improve your Stardew Valley experience:

• Villager gift preferences: Notes 1-9 reveal loved gifts for various townspeople, helping you build friendships faster
• Treasure maps: Some notes lead to rare items and collectibles you can’t find elsewhere
• Special events: Several notes trigger unique encounters or reveal hidden game mechanics
• Collection completion: Finding all notes contributes to your overall game completion percentage
• Game lore: Many notes provide additional background story for characters and locations

The notes are automatically stored in your Collections tab once read, so you don’t need to worry about inventory space or losing them. You can review them at any time by opening your menu, selecting the Collection tab, and clicking on the Secret Notes icon.

The Winter Mystery Quest: Getting the Magnifying Glass

Before you can start finding Secret Notes, you must obtain the Magnifying Glass - a special wallet item that enables note discovery. Here’s how to get it:

1. Wait for Winter: The trigger event only happens during the winter season
2. Visit the Bus Stop: Between 6am and 4pm, leave your farm and walk to the Bus Stop area
3. Watch the cutscene: You’ll see a shadowy figure (resembling Krobus) who gets startled and runs away
4. Follow the footprints: Go to town and look for footprints leading to a bush near the playground (left of the Community Center)
5. Check the bush: Interact with the bush to find the Shadow Guy, who will apologize and give you the Magnifying Glass

This quest, called “A Winter Mystery,” only becomes available in your first winter or later. If you’re already past winter in your game and missed this, don’t worry - you can trigger it in any subsequent winter.

Pro Tip: The Magnifying Glass is a wallet item, which means it doesn’t take up inventory space. Once obtained, it will automatically allow you to find Secret Notes without needing to equip or use it.

How to Start Finding Secret Notes

Once you have the Magnifying Glass, you’ll begin randomly finding Secret Notes while performing various activities around Stardew Valley. Each activity has a different probability of yielding a note:

Activity	Chance to Find Note
Digging artifact spots	11%
Fishing treasure chests	11%
Chopping trees	0.6%
Breaking rocks	0.6%
Harvesting crops	0.6%
Killing monsters	0.6%
Digging with hoe	0.6%
Harvesting forage	0.6%

When you find a Secret Note, you’ll see a notification similar to finding any other item. To read it, open your inventory, select the note, and right-click (PC/Mac), press Y (Switch), or tap (mobile). This adds the note to your collection and allows you to view its contents.

Important: You should always read notes immediately after finding them. While you can read them later, adding them to your collection as soon as possible ensures you don’t receive duplicate notes and can find new ones more efficiently.

Complete Guide to All 27 Secret Notes

Now that you’ve unlocked the Secret Notes system, let’s examine each note in detail. This section covers what each note contains, how to interpret it, and what rewards or information you can gain.

Villager Gift Preference Notes (Notes 1-9)

The first nine Secret Notes primarily focus on villager gift preferences. These notes are especially valuable for players looking to build friendships quickly:

Secret Note #1: Abigail’s favorite things

• Content: “Things I love: the smell of carved pumpkin, keeping an amethyst under my pillow, chocolate cake, the thrill of spicy eel, and the comfort of Mom’s blackberry cobbler (I like to eat!)”
• Use: Reveals Abigail’s loved gifts without needing to guess
• Note Type: Diary page

Secret Note #2: Sam’s holiday shopping list

• Content: Lists everyone’s favorites:
  • Sebastian: Frozen Tear, Sashimi
  • Penny: Emerald, Poppy
  • Vincent: Grape, Cranberry Candy
  • Mom (Jodi): Crispy Bass, Pancakes
  • Dad (Kent): Risotto, Roasted Hazelnuts
  • Sam: Cactus, Maple Bar, Pizza
• Use: Multiple villager preferences in one note
• Note Type: Shopping list

Secret Note #3: Leah’s wood carving

• Content: Shows a map leading to a secret spot in Cindersap Forest
• Use: Find the location to receive a Stardrop Salad recipe from Leah
• Note Type: Map/sketch
• Special Instructions: Go to the spot in Cindersap Forest near the lake, between 12pm and 4pm

Secret Note #4: Haley’s photography notes

• Content: Lists items Haley loves (Coconut, Fruit Salad, Pink Cake, Sunflower)
• Use: Build friendship with Haley faster
• Note Type: Personal notes

Secret Note #5: Robin’s preferences

• Content: Shows Robin loves Peach, Goat Cheese, and Spaghetti
• Use: Improve relationship with Robin
• Note Type: List

Secret Note #6: Demetrius’s favorites

• Content: Lists Ice Cream, Bean Hotpot, and Strawberry as his loved gifts
• Use: Build friendship with Demetrius
• Note Type: Personal note

Secret Note #7: Caroline, Clint, and Wizard preferences

• Content: Lists loved gifts for multiple characters:
  • Caroline: Summer Spangle, Fish Taco
  • Clint: Gold Bar, Omni Geode
  • Wizard: Purple Mushroom, Solar Essence
• Use: Multi-character gift guide
• Note Type: List

Secret Note #8: Mayor Lewis and Marnie preferences

• Content: Lists their loved gifts:
  • Lewis: Green Tea, Rabbit’s Foot, Hot Pepper
  • Marnie: Pumpkin Pie, Diamond, Farmer’s Lunch
• Use: Improve relationships with Lewis and Marnie
• Note Type: List

Secret Note #9: Willy, Evelyn, and George preferences

• Content: Lists loved gifts:
  • Willy: Mead, Pumpkin, Octopus
  • Evelyn: Chocolate Cake, Diamond, Tulip
  • George: Leek, Fried Eel
• Use: Build friendship with these villagers
• Note Type: List

Puzzle and Treasure Map Notes (Notes 10-25)

These notes contain maps, puzzles, and clues that lead to special items, events, or rewards:

Secret Note #10: Skull Cavern message

• Content: “Someone is waiting for you on level 100 in the skull cavern…”
• Use: Hints at the quest to reach level 100 of Skull Cavern
• Reward: Meeting Mr. Qi and receiving a Starfruit Seed reward
• Note Type: Mysterious message
• Special Instructions: Only appears after starting the “Cryptic Note” quest

Secret Note #11: Marnie and Mayor Lewis

• Content: Shows a picture of Marnie and Mayor Lewis
• Use: Reveals their secret relationship
• Note Type: Picture
• Special Instructions: No direct gameplay benefit, just lore

Secret Note #12: Trash Can Tip

• Content: “When the light from the full moon casts upon trash cans, things of value may be inside.”
• Use: Suggests checking trash cans during full moon days
• Note Type: Hint
• Special Instructions: Higher chance of good items in trash cans on good luck days

Secret Note #13: Junimo Plush

• Content: Map showing a bush in the northern part of Cindersap Forest
• Use: Find a rare Junimo Plush decoration
• Reward: Junimo Plush (decorative item)
• Note Type: Map
• Special Instructions: Interact with the bush between 12:00am and 12:50am while raining

Secret Note #14: Stone Junimo

• Content: Map showing the back of the Community Center
• Use: Find a Stone Junimo statue
• Reward: Stone Junimo (decorative item)
• Note Type: Map
• Special Instructions: Go behind the Community Center and search the bushes

Secret Note #15: Mermaid Show Puzzle

• Content: Shows a pattern of shells: 5-1-4-2-3
• Use: Solve the mermaid puzzle at the Night Market
• Reward: Pearl
• Note Type: Puzzle solution
• Special Instructions: During Night Market (Winter 15-17), attend the mermaid show and click the shells in this order

Secret Note #16: Treasure Map

• Content: Map showing a location near the blacksmith
• Use: Find a hidden treasure
• Reward: Treasure Chest (sells for 5,000g)
• Note Type: Map
• Special Instructions: Use your hoe at the marked spot

Secret Note #17: Pirate’s Pendant

• Content: Map showing a location in Stardew Valley
• Use: Find a buried artifact
• Reward: Ancient Dolly (museum artifact)
• Note Type: Map
• Special Instructions: Dig at the marked spot with your hoe

Secret Note #18: Bone Flute Location

• Content: Map showing a dig spot
• Use: Find a buried artifact
• Reward: Bone Flute (museum artifact)
• Note Type: Map
• Special Instructions: Dig at the marked spot with your hoe

Secret Note #19: Mayor Lewis Statue

• Content: Map with directional arrows
• Use: Find a hidden golden statue of Mayor Lewis
• Reward: Gold Lewis Statue (can be placed in town for 750g)
• Note Type: Map
• Special Instructions: Follow arrows behind Lewis’s house (detailed guide in later section)

Secret Note #20: Lucky Charm

• Content: Map leading to a truck near JojaMart
• Use: Find a mysterious man
• Reward: Special Charm (permanent luck increase)
• Note Type: Map
• Special Instructions: Bring a Rabbit’s Foot to the man by the truck

Secret Note #21: Secret Meeting

• Content: Map showing Lewis and Marnie’s meeting spot
• Use: Catch Lewis and Marnie during their secret meeting
• Note Type: Map
• Special Instructions: Visit the spot at exactly 12:40am

Secret Note #22: Mr. Qi’s Challenge

• Content: “Greetings… Have you found my ‘secret’ in the dark tunnel? I look forward to meeting you! -Qi”
• Use: Starts the Quest to find Mr. Qi
• Note Type: Message
• Special Instructions: Check the tunnel in the bus stop area

Secret Note #23: Forest Bear

• Content: “If yoo can reed dis… come to seecrit wuds. Pleez bring may-pal serrup…”
• Use: Meet a special character
• Reward: New tea recipe
• Note Type: Message
• Special Instructions: Bring Maple Syrup to the Secret Woods

Secret Note #24: Junimo Lore

• Content: Information about the Junimos
• Use: Game lore
• Note Type: Message
• Special Instructions: No direct gameplay benefit

Secret Note #25: Caroline’s Sunroom

• Content: Hints about Caroline’s sunroom
• Use: Find Caroline’s secret tea garden
• Note Type: Hint
• Special Instructions: Enter the door in Caroline and Pierre’s kitchen

New Secret Notes in 1.6 Update (Notes 26-27)

The 1.6 update added two new Secret Notes to the game:

Secret Note #26: Bigfoot Sighting

• Content: Details about Bigfoot sightings in Stardew Valley
• Use: Hints at the new Bigfoot feature in 1.6
• Note Type: Message
• Special Instructions: Look for Bigfoot in the Secret Woods at night

Secret Note #27: Mastery Room

• Content: “From grandpa! Said he hid a very special secret for you in the valley!!!”
• Use: Leads to the new Mastery system in 1.6
• Reward: Access to the Mastery Room in Cindersap Forest
• Note Type: Message
• Special Instructions: Find the secret room in Cindersap Forest where Robin’s Axe was once located

Secret Note 19: The Most Confusing Note Solved

Secret Note 19 is infamously the most difficult note to decipher, causing frustration for many players. Let’s break down exactly how to solve this puzzle step by step.

Following the Map Behind Lewis’ House

Secret Note 19 shows a cryptic map with a series of arrows. Here’s how to interpret it:

1. Starting point: The map begins at the town square (the circle in the center of the map)
2. Follow each arrow: Move in the direction of each arrow until you encounter an obstacle
3. Next arrow: When you can’t move further, switch to the next arrow’s direction
4. Final destination: The path leads behind Mayor Lewis’s house

While the map is confusing, you don’t actually need to follow it precisely. The key information is simply that there’s something hidden behind Lewis’s house.

Finding and Using the Gold Lewis Statue

Once you’re behind Mayor Lewis’s house:

1. Search the area: Walk around the back wall of the house
2. Interact without tools: Press the action button (right-click on PC, Y on Switch, etc.) while not holding any tools
3. Find the statue: You’ll discover a solid gold statue of Mayor Lewis

Once you have the statue, you have two options:

1. Keep it: Store it in a chest or display it on your farm (sells for 2,000g)
2. Place it in town: Put it in any public location in Pelican Town

If you choose option 2, the next day:

• The statue will be removed and replaced with a Rotten Plant
• You’ll receive a letter from Mayor Lewis with 750g “hush money”
• Lewis will ask you to not display the statue again

Pro Tip: You can repeatedly place the statue in town to keep receiving the 750g payment each time, though this exploit may be considered cheating by some players.

Advanced Secret Note Strategies

Beyond just collecting the notes, there are strategic ways to use the Secret Notes system to enhance your gameplay experience.

Optimizing Your Secret Note Collection

To collect all Secret Notes efficiently:

1. Focus on artifact spots: These have the highest chance (11%) of yielding Secret Notes
2. Check fishing treasure chests: Another high-probability source at 11%
3. Daily activities: Continue normal farming, mining, and foraging as these activities have small but consistent chances
4. Read immediately: Always read notes as soon as you find them to avoid duplicates
5. Check collection tab: Track your progress in the Collections menu
6. Luck buffs: Eat Lucky Lunch or use other luck-increasing items to improve drop rates

If you’re hunting a specific note that hasn’t appeared yet, maximize your daily activities that have drop chances. More actions mean more opportunities for notes to drop.

Using Notes to Max Out Friendships Quickly

The villager preference notes (1-9) are goldmines for relationship building:

1. Target high-value relationships: Focus on characters relevant to your goals (marriage candidates, shop discounts, etc.)
2. Gift coordination: Use the notes to plan your gift-giving on birthdays for maximum friendship points
3. Efficient inventory: Carry common loved gifts like diamonds or chocolate cake that multiple villagers enjoy
4. Gift log tracking: Check your Social tab to see which gifts you’ve already discovered
5. Universal loves: Some items like Prismatic Shards are loved by almost everyone (except Haley)

Combined with the two gifts per week limit, strategic use of loved gifts from the notes can dramatically speed up friendship development.

Secret Notes for Rare Items and Special Events

Several notes lead to exclusive items and encounters:

1. Junimo Plush (Note 13): A rare decorative item only available through this note
2. Special Charm (Note 20): Permanently increases your luck stat
3. Gold Lewis Statue (Note 19): Both a valuable item and a source of repeated income
4. Bear Encounter (Note 23): Unlocks a new tea recipe
5. Pearl (Note 15): Solving the mermaid puzzle gives you this valuable item
6. Treasure Chest (Note 16): Worth 5,000g
7. Mastery Room Access (Note 27 - 1.6 Update): Unlocks the powerful new mastery system

Plan to tackle these special note quests when you have time and resources available, as some (like the Mermaid Show) are only available during specific events or seasons.

Technical Details and Drop Rates

For players who love to understand the mechanics behind game systems, this section delves into the technical aspects of how Secret Notes work.

How Secret Notes are Generated

Secret Notes are generated through a two-step probability system:

1. Initial check: When performing an eligible activity, the game rolls against the base probability for that activity (see table below)
2. Secondary check: If the first check succeeds, the game performs a second check based on how many notes you’ve already found:
   • 80% chance if you have found 0 notes
   • Gradually decreases to 12% chance when you’ve found all but one note

This scaling difficulty ensures new players find notes quickly at first, with the rate slowing as they approach collection completion.

Activity-Based Drop Rate Table

Here’s the comprehensive table of activities and their base chances to generate a Secret Note check:

Activity	Base Chance	Location Restrictions
Digging artifact spots	11%	Not on Ginger Island
Opening fishing treasure chests	11%	Not on Ginger Island
Chopping trees	0.6%	Not on Ginger Island
Breaking rocks	0.6%	Not in mines or Ginger Island
Harvesting crops	0.6%	Farm only
Killing monsters	0.6%	Not on Ginger Island
Using hoe on tillable ground	0.6%	Not on Ginger Island
Picking up forage items	0.6%	Not on Ginger Island
Breaking boxes/barrels in mines	0.6%	Mines only, not Skull Cavern
Harvesting giant crops	1.2%	Farm only

Important Note: Journal Scraps (a related but separate system) follow similar rules but appear exclusively on Ginger Island.

Secret Notes in Multiplayer Mode

In multiplayer games, Secret Notes function with some specific behaviors:

1. Individual collection: Each player has their own Secret Notes collection
2. Shared progress: Some quest rewards (like the Special Charm) affect only the player who completes them
3. Shared discoveries: Items like the Gold Lewis Statue are available to all players once found
4. Event triggers: Some events triggered by notes (like Lewis and Marnie’s meeting) can be witnessed by all players
5. Split-screen considerations: As of patch 1.6.15.1, some visual glitches with Secret Notes on split-screen have been fixed

Farmhands (secondary players) need to trigger their own Winter Mystery quest to start finding Secret Notes, even if the host has already unlocked them.

Modding and Custom Secret Notes

For players interested in modding or creating custom content, this section explores how to work with Secret Notes at a technical level.

The Secret Note Framework

The Secret Note Framework is a mod that allows other mods to add custom Secret Notes to the game without compatibility issues. This framework solves several technical limitations of the vanilla Secret Notes system:

1. ID constraints: Vanilla Secret Notes require specific ID ranges, creating mod conflicts
2. Note type limitations: The framework allows for more flexible note types
3. Collection menu expansion: Automatically handles the collection menu display
4. Compatibility layer: Ensures different mods can add notes without overwriting each other

For mod users, installing the Secret Note Framework alongside compatible mods will seamlessly integrate new custom notes into your game.

Creating Your Own Secret Notes

For modders interested in creating custom Secret Notes, here’s a simplified guide:

1. Install the Secret Note Framework as a dependency for your mod
2. Create a content.json file with your note definitions:

{
  "SecretNoteFramework.Notes": {
    "Action": "EditData",
    "Target": "Mods/ichortower.SecretNoteFramework/Notes",
    "Entries": {
      "MyMod.Note1": {
        "DisplayName": "My Custom Note",
        "Text": "This is a custom secret note with important information!",
        "IsJournalScrap": false,
        "TextColor": "White",
        "BackgroundColor": "Brown",
        "Texture": "Notes",
        "TextureIndex": 0
      }
    }
  }
}

3. Add custom textures if needed for picture-based notes
4. Define spawn conditions for how players will find your notes
5. Add any special actions triggered by reading your notes

The framework handles the complicated parts like collection tab integration and ID management, so you can focus on creating interesting content.

Custom notes can enhance gameplay with new quests, lore expansion, hints for mod-added content, or even completely new gameplay mechanics.

Conclusion: Mastering Stardew Valley’s Secret World

Secret Notes are more than just collectibles-they’re keys to unlocking some of Stardew Valley’s most interesting hidden content. From boosting friendships to finding rare treasures, the notes system rewards curious players who take the time to explore and experiment.

The system has evolved over time, with the 1.6 update adding new notes and fixing various bugs. The attention to detail in how these notes are integrated into the game world shows ConcernedApe’s commitment to creating a rich, rewarding experience for players.

Whether you’re a completionist trying to find every last note, a relationship-focused player using the gift preferences, or a treasure hunter seeking rare items, the Secret Notes system has something valuable to offer your Stardew Valley experience.

Action Steps Recap

To master Secret Notes: Trigger the Winter Mystery quest for the Magnifying Glass, read notes immediately after finding them, focus on high-probability activities like artifact spots and fishing for faster collection, and use the notes strategically to enhance relationships and find hidden treasures.

Further Resources

• Official Stardew Valley Wiki - Secret Notes Page
• Secret Note Framework on GitHub
• Stardew Valley 1.6 Full Changelog
• Secret Notes Collection Tracker (Printable PDF)
• Stardew Predictor Tool (Helps forecast luck days for optimal note hunting)

Patch History: Secret Notes Evolution

Date	Patch	Change	Impact on Secret Notes
August 2018	1.3	Initial Secret Notes System	Added all 25 original Secret Notes and Winter Mystery quest
December 2020	1.5	Ginger Island Update	Added Journal Scraps system, a parallel to Secret Notes for the island
March 2024	1.6	Major Content Update	Added Secret Notes 26 and 27, bringing total to 27 notes
March 2024	1.6	Mastery System	Note 27 now leads to the new Mastery Room feature
March 2024	1.6	Bug Fixes	Fixed several issues with note collection display
November 2024	1.6.9	Quality of Life Update	Minor improvements to collection interface
February 2025	1.6.15.1	Switch Patch	Fixed text display issues in some notes on Switch