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How to get the Stray safe code and solve the mysterious password

There are many puzzles to solve in Stray, but deciphering the mysterious password for the safe code in The Slums will require the help of a real geek

Stray safe code: The orange tabby that stars in Stray lying down while facing the camera.

Is the Stray safe code eluding you? Annapurna’s cyberpunk cat game is full of collectibles, but some are easier to obtain than others. If you’ve explored the alleyway to the right of the musician in The Slums, you’re guaranteed to have stumbled upon a safe half-buried under a pile of rubbish. It’s locked for the moment, but thankfully whoever was last using it left a clue to open it. The safe’s mysterious password is pinned to the front of the safe, and you’ll be prompted to collect it as you approach.

It’s your first clue to getting the Stray safe code, but viewing the mysterious password in your inventory won’t be of much use – after all, cats can’t read. Thankfully, you’ve got a robot companion that can. Show the mysterious password to B-12, and they’ll tell you the only fragment of the password that they can decipher: follows the numbers.

Solve the mysterious password

If you present the mysterious password to any of the robots wandering around The Slums, they’ll all tell you the same thing: ‘It’s a very old binary code you have here, only a real geek can read this.’ Thankfully, there /is/ a real geek in The Slums: Elliot.

You can find Elliot one of two ways. If you haven’t stumbled across him in your playthrough yet, the only way you’ll be able to reach him is at ground level. Follow the many signposts dotted around The Slums for Elliot’s Programming until you reach a door with two robots swaddled nearby. Scratch on the door to be granted entry, and head up the stairs to find Elliot huddled in front of their computer workstation.

Stray safe code: The robot known as Elliot of Elliot's Programming in the slums who can decipher the mysterious password sitting in a blanket at a workstation that includes seven monitors and a lot of electronic detritus.

Alternatively, if you’ve pulled the curtain down covering the window on a previous visit to Elliot, you can reach him from the roof via the hanging bucket near Swanito, the skygazing robot. If you’re not yet clued up on how scratching at objects in the environment can grant you access to new areas, take a peek at our Stray beginners guide.

Either way, once you reach Eliot, they’ll solve the mysterious password for you: DUFER BAR.

Get the Stray safe code

The Dufer Bar is situated very close to the central part of The Slums, down the stairs directly behind where you first encountered The Guardian. If you’re still unsure, look for the red neon sign above the doorway to the immediate right of Teddy, the robot leaning against a vending machine.

Believe it or not, the mysterious password doesn’t just refer to the building, but also the exact spot you should search inside the bar itself. You’ll find the red neon sign that reads DUFER BAR propped up against the wall on the far left of the bar top.

Scratch at the photograph hanging above the sign to reveal the Stray safe code: 1283.

Unlocking the safe using the Stray safe code will earn you music sheet 8/8. Take it to Morusque, the musician around the corner, to hear them perform Unreadable Sheet Music.

It’s worth mentioning that all codes in Stray are the same in every playthrough, so if you’re gunning for the ‘I Am Speed’ achievement – or simply don’t fancy jumping through so many hoops – you can skip all of the above and type in the safe code immediately to access the safe.

Of course, music sheets are just one of many items that you can uncover in The Slums, and some are trickier to find than others. If you’re still on the hunt for the detergent for the Barterman, check out our guide on how to get into the Stray Super Spirit laundromat. Finally, take a gander at our Stray review to discover how we found life on the mean streets of the Walled City.