The Stardew Valley quest “A Winter’s Mystery” has players chasing a mysterious shadowy figure who is seen doing shifty things near the farm. This quest is almost impossible to miss, given the conditions needed to unlock it, but it can be confusing figuring out where the Shadow Guy runs off to. Furthermore, the Magnifying Glass given as a reward for completing the quest is one of the more confusing items in Stardew Valley.
Where is the shadowy figure in Stardew Valley?
Almost everyone who plays Stardew Valley will unlock A Winter’s Mystery. To start the quest, players just need to leave their farm between 6 am and 4 pm during Winter. When they do so, a cutscene will play in which “Shadow Guy” is seen doing some shifty stuff. He then runs away toward town. After the cutscene plays out, A Winter’s Mystery is added to the journal.
A Winter’s Mystery requires players to find where the shadowy figure is hiding. Directly after the cutscene, a set of footprints can be followed, which lead to him, making the quest very easy. However, it’s easy to overlook the footprints, especially if a player has already made plans for the day (though days should be less busy with how few crops can grow this time of year). If players don’t immediately follow the footsteps, they’ll disappear, and the clue to find Shadow Guy will be gone (and no clues make this quest hard, similarly to “Goblin Problem“).
Fortunately, once the initial cutscene is triggered, players can find Shadow Guy at any point, even years down the road. To find him, examine the bush left of the Community Center next to the playground. He’ll pop out, apologize for his behavior, and give the player a Magnifying Glass. After that, he’ll run away, never to be seen again.
Players can use the Magnifying Glass to find Secret Notes, which can tell a player about an NPC’s likes, start new quests, or lead to treasure. This makes it an essential item for anyone who wants to experience everything Stardew Valley has to offer.
