The Return to Monkey Island forest map puzzle is just one of many obstacles you may get stuck on during the main quest in Part 1. To help you get the mop, you’ll need to find a stick found only in the maze-like forest, so you need a map to navigate through the dark trees without getting lost. Getting this particular navigational tool in this pirate game takes a bit of work, but eventually, you’ll slice off a bit of the chef’s mop to give to Wally in his shop so he can make you the forest map.
In a rather predictable twist, the map Wally makes is… less than helpful. On top of being hard to read, the solution for how to solve the Return to Monkey Island forest map puzzle is altered slightly depending on what difficulty mode you choose to play the game. If you are playing the game in casual mode, follow the directions shown by the dotted lines on the parchment Wally gives you. You’ll eventually come across the tree you’re looking for. However, if you play on hard mode, there is an extra logical step.
Return to Monkey Island forest map hard mode solution
The lines on the map are a red herring in hard mode. Instead, you need to look and see if there is a purple flower, mushroom, or venus fly trap at the start of the dotted line, then go down the path with the matching flora. Be especially careful when the map turns a corner, as the icons may be very close together, making it tricky to see which path you should take. Eventually, you’ll come across a clearing with woodland critters gathered around it. Whittle the wood to make the mop handle and use either of the two exits to escape.
That is how to use the Return to Monkey Island forest map. Now all you need to do is slap something onto the end of it to finish making the mop; the item on the small dock where the wooden seagull is in the Scumm Bar will do. There are plenty of other adventure games out there once you finish Return to Monkey Island if you enjoy trying to solve confusing puzzles like this one, and make sure you check out our guide on how to escape the hold in Return to Monkey Island for assistance with the next part of the game.