You’re staring at a pair of ruby-encrusted candlesticks in the Tomb, wondering why your lighter won't work. Or maybe you've finally reached the Chapel and that piggy bank is just sitting there, mocking you because you can't figure out how to crack it open. If you’ve spent any time in the shifting, architectural fever dream that is the game Blue Prince, you know that lighting candles isn't just about "ambiance." It's about survival, secrets, and basically not losing your mind when the day resets.
Honestly, the way Blue Prince handles light is kinda brilliant and incredibly frustrating. Most people think "light candles" is just a flavor text interaction. It isn't. It’s a mechanical gate. If you don't have the right tool, those candles are just decorative sticks of wax.
The Gear You Actually Need (and How to Get It)
Let’s get one thing straight: you cannot just "click" to light these. You need a heat source. There are two main ways to do this, and one is way more reliable than the other.
First, there’s the Burning Glass. This is the MVP of the mid-game. You can’t just find it lying on a dusty shelf in the Library; you have to craft it. You’ll need to draft the Workshop room (which, protip, only shows up if you have two open doors at opposite ends, so don’t trap yourself against a wall). Once you're in there, combine a Magnifying Glass and a Metal Detector. Boom. You now have a portable laser beam that ignites everything from fuses to those pesky ruby-socketed candles.
The second option is the Torch. You buy this from the Armory. The catch? You can only draft the Armory after you've solved the Chess Puzzle and picked the Knight perk. It's a bit of a grind, but having a Torch feels a lot more satisfying than squinting through a lens.
Why You Should Care About Lighting Candles
Why bother? Because the best loot is hidden behind "fire-walls."
In the Chapel, lighting the two large candles next to the altar is your "get out of jail free" card for your wallet. Every time you walk through the Chapel, it takes a coin from you. It’s a tithe. Lighting those candles reveals the Keeper of Tithes. Smash it. You get all your money back. Just don't do it too early; wait until you've cycled through a few times and the pot is fat.
Then there’s the Tomb. This room is a maze of secrets.
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- To the left of the entrance: Light the two candles to find an Upgrade Disk.
- At the far end: Light the candles near the portrait of Clara Epsen. A wall slides away to reveal her Diary Key and a letter written in Erajan.
If you're stuck in the Abandoned Mine, look for a circular room with eight candles. Lighting all of them opens a shortcut to The Precipice. In a game where your "drafting" energy is a limited resource, shortcuts are the difference between finishing a run and watching your progress evaporate at midnight.
The "Freezer" Strategy
This is the part that trips up even the veterans. The Freezer is arguably the best room in the game because it lets you "freeze" your items so they don't disappear when the day ends. But the good stuff is literally frozen in blocks of ice.
You need your Burning Glass here. You can melt the ice to grab Prism Keys, gems, and letters from the Sinclair family. Just remember: unlike the Tomb doors which usually stay open, the Freezer... well, it freezes back up. If you don't grab what you need, you’ll be melting it all over again tomorrow.
Beyond the Game: The Vibe of Blue Light
If you landed here looking for actual physical candles because you like the color blue—hey, welcome. In the real world, lighting blue candles is usually about tranquility and communication.
If you're using a light blue taper, you're usually aiming for a sense of peace or trying to settle a frantic mind. Medium blue is often tied to focus. If you're trying to study or get through a pile of paperwork, a blue pillar candle might actually help more than another cup of coffee. Brands like Candle-lite (who have been around since the 1840s, fun fact) make great versions of these, but they won't unlock any secret doors in your house. Probably.
Actionable Tips for Your Next Run
- Prioritize the Workshop: Don't waste your drafting turns on random hallways if you don't have a heat source yet. Get the Magnifying Glass and Metal Detector early.
- Check the "Ruby" Sockets: Not all candles are interactive. Look for the red gemstone at the base of the candlestick. If it doesn't have the gem, it's just a prop.
- The "Alt + F4" Trick: If you're hunting for the Tomb to use your Burning Glass and it won't show up in your draft pool, you can quit the game before the day saves to reroll your options. It's cheesy, but the RNG in this game can be brutal.
- Save the Chapel for Last: Don't break the piggy bank until you're ready to head to the Gift Shop or the Trading Post. Once it’s broken, it’s done for that run.
Don't ignore the candles. In a house that changes its layout every time you wake up, a little bit of fire is the only thing that stays consistent. Light them up, grab the keys, and maybe you'll finally figure out what happened to the Epsen family before the clock hits twelve.
Next Steps for Players: Go find the Burning Glass recipe in the Workshop. Without it, you’re missing out on roughly 30% of the game’s hidden lore and economy upgrades. Once you have it, head straight for the Tomb or the Crate Tunnel to start unlocking permanent shortcuts that will make your future runs significantly less stressful.