You’re sneaking through the Vatican, sweating under a stolen Blackshirt uniform, and you finally find it: the locked chest in the museum garden. You’ve got the notes. You’ve got the cipher. You enter the code 4718 because the paper says so. And... nothing. The lock doesn't budge. Honestly, it’s one of the most frustrating moments in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle because the game essentially lies to you through its own in-game documents.
But that’s the point. Indy isn't just about punching fascists; it’s about being smarter than them. The indiana jones a date to remember code isn't 4718. That’s the "wrong" answer left behind by a confused soldier named Centurione de Luca. If you want the loot inside—and trust me, you do—you have to solve the discrepancy between the calendar and the delivery letter.
The Secret to the Indiana Jones A Date to Remember Code
The actual code you need is 6380.
Why? Because the Nazi guards are terrible at clerical work. When you find the "Secret Delivery Letter" and the "Calendar Page" in the tent, they point to a shipment that supposedly arrived on Wednesday, October 20th. They used the code word DICE and cross-referenced it with the "Code Lookup Table" for Wednesday.
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The problem is the letter itself is dated October 15th.
If you look at the calendar page sitting right there on the desk, October 15th isn't a Wednesday. It's a Friday. De Luca decoded the key for the wrong day of the week. To get the right numbers, you have to look at the Friday (Venerdì) column on that lookup table and find the digits for D-I-C-E.
Breaking Down the Math (The Non-Boring Way)
Basically, the game gives you a grid. It looks like a standard military cipher from the 1930s.
- The "Wrong" Way: Using the Wednesday (Mercoledì) column, D=4, I=7, C=1, E=8. Result: 4718.
- The "Indy" Way: Switch to the Friday (Venerdì) column. D=6, I=3, C=8, E=0. Result: 6380.
It’s a classic "Aha!" moment that makes you feel like a genuine archaeologist instead of just a guy following a waypoint.
How to Even Find the "A Date to Remember" Mystery
You can't just stumble into this puzzle at the start of the Vatican level. The game gates it behind some specific story beats. First, you’ve got to get into the Belvedere Courtyard. This is the heavy military zone. If you try to go in wearing your priest outfit, you're going to get a face full of lead. You need the Blackshirt disguise.
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Once you’re in, head to the northwest corner of the courtyard. There’s a gated-off area with several tents. The mystery actually triggers if you find a "Shipment Report" in a tent in the southwest of this specific zone. But even then, the door to the Museum Wing—where the chest actually sits—is locked tight.
The Gina Factor
You can't pick this lock. You can't whip it open. You have to wait until you progress the "A Nun in Trouble" fieldwork mission. Once you meet Gina in the Sistine Chapel and start following her toward the museum, she’ll be the one to pop that lock.
Once you’re through the door:
- Navigate the indoor path until you hit the garden.
- Look for the lone grey tent in the southeast corner.
- Mind the sleeping guard! You can knock him out, but it's more "Indy" to just creep past him.
- Gather the three documents: The Secret Delivery Letter, the Calendar Page, and the Code Lookup Table (check the desk drawer for that last one).
Is the Loot Actually Worth the Trouble?
Usually, in these types of games, a "mystery" just gives you some flavor text and maybe a collectible. This one is different. Opening this chest is arguably the most important side task in the Vatican City level.
Inside, you'll find:
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- 10 Lira: Not exactly a fortune, but every bit helps for upgrades.
- Giovanni’s Letter: Lore for the completionists.
- Vatican Medicine Map: This is the big one.
The Medicine Map reveals the locations of all 15 medicine bottles hidden throughout the Vatican. You take those bottles to Sister Valeria, and she trades them for Adventure Books. These books are the only way to significantly buff Indy’s health and stamina. If you’re playing on a harder difficulty, trying to finish the Gizeh or Himalayas sections without these upgrades is basically a suicide mission.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
I’ve seen people on Reddit complaining that their game is glitched because "the numbers don't match the letters." They do, but the game is testing your attention to detail.
Another weird thing? Some players try to enter the code from the "Vatican Safe" or the "Borgia Tower" here. Don't do that. Each of these puzzles uses a different cipher. The indiana jones a date to remember code is unique to this specific shipment container.
Also, a quick tip: if you’re struggling to see the documents because the lighting in the tent is moody (thanks, MachineGames), pull out your lighter or use the camera to zoom in. The "DICE" word is usually circled or underlined, making it the obvious key, but the date is the "trick" part.
Actionable Steps for Players
- Wait for Gina: Don't waste time trying to break into the Museum Wing early. Just play the main story until "A Nun in Trouble" kicks in.
- Check the Drawer: Most people find the letter and the calendar but miss the lookup table because it's tucked away in the desk drawer.
- Grab the Map First: As soon as you open the chest, use the Vatican Medicine map to hunt down at least five bottles before leaving the area. Your future self will thank you when you have more health for the boss fights later.
- Don't Forget the AP: Solving this mystery nets you 100 Adventure Points (AP), which you can immediately dump into the "True Grit" or "Lucky Hat" skills.
Ultimately, this puzzle is a perfect example of why The Great Circle works. It doesn't treat you like a tourist; it treats you like a professor of archaeology who happens to be really good with a whip. Crack the code, grab the map, and get out before the patrol comes back.