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By Iain Wilson published 22 July 22

Where to solve the Safe's Mysterious Password in Stray

The Stray safe code is likely to be the first puzzle you discover in the game, as it's found in The Slums area. This safe with a Mysterious Password digicode attached is tucked away down an alley, and if you want to convert this into those important unlocking digits to get hold of the reward contained within then you'll need to meet someone who can decipher it for you. As all you get from the robot population are vague hints about how to proceed, we're here to explain how to read the Safe's Mysterious Password and get the Stray safe code.

Note that each step of this process is independent, so if you'd rather just skip ahead then you can immediately enter the Stray safe code to open it, and the Mysterious Password item will simply disappear from your inventory.

Once you've arrived in The Slums and have spoken to the Guardian, face the garage full of meditating robots and then go left down the stairs. Head past Morusque the musician, then look in the alleyway to the left of the shutter blocking the entrance to the sewers. Here you'll find the Stray safe code attached to the unit, but when you examine the Safe's Mysterious Password item you'll see it says "follows the numbers" then a binary code that you can't decipher. Don't overlook one of the Stray energy drink locations from the vending machine opposite this alley, as they're important for unlocking collectibles.

Show the Safe's Mysterious Password item to any of the robots around town and they'll tell you that it's a very old binary code and only a real geek can read this, so as with the Stray Notebooks you'll need to find a specific person who fits the bill to process it and reveal its meaning.

The geek who can read the Safe's Mysterious Password is inside Elliot Programming, and you can find this building by translating the signs around The Slums or following the one with strings of binary code on it. When you reach to entrance to Elliot Programming, marked with more binary code, use the interact prompt to perform a Stray Scratch the door and after a brief period of 'knocking' you'll be allowed in. Head upstairs and meet Elliot then show him the Safe's Mysterious Password item, which he will quickly decode as reading "DUFER BAR" – if you find he's shaking and unable to work you may need to use the Stray Poncho first.

Armed with the decoded password, head to the nearby bar with the luminous red signs – when you exit Elliot Programming via the window you'll see it straight ahead of you. Inside you'll find a DUFER BAR neon sign at the end of the bar, so hop up next to it then interact with the picture hanging above. That will shortly fall off the wall, revealing the Stray safe code written behind it: 1283. Make sure you collect one of the Stray Memories while you're in this building by scanning the bowl of food on the table at the top of the stairs.

Now all you need to do is return to the device in the alleyway and enter the Stray safe code 1283, the mysterious password that opens the digicode. Your reward is discovering one of the eight Stray Sheet Music locations, so hand that over to Morusque and you'll get to hear him perform another of his tunes, as well as moving one step closer to being able to collect all Badges in Stray by adding the Music pin to your set.

Iain originally joined Future in 2012 to write guides for CVG, PSM3, and Xbox World, before moving on to join GamesRadar in 2013 as Guides Editor. His words have also appeared in OPM, OXM, PC Gamer, GamesMaster, and SFX. He is better known to many as ‘Mr Trophy’, due to his slightly unhealthy obsession with amassing intangible PlayStation silverware, and he now has over 400 Platinum pots weighing down the shelves of his virtual award cabinet. He does not care for Xbox Achievements.

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