Puzzling Pillar Ruins is an unmarked spot in Whiterun Hold, on the rough path leading towards Sleeping Tree Camp. A ring of standing stones surrounds three Nordic puzzle pillars and a closed grate over a caved-in ruin. Solve the puzzle and you get a quick dip underground for some loot.
What you’ll find
- Three rotating Nordic puzzle pillars in front of standing stones.
- A handle that opens the grate when the pillars are set correctly.
- A spiral staircase down to a skeleton and a chest.
Notable items
The Destruction skill book A Hypothetical Treachery.
Tips
The answer is carved on the backs of the stones behind the pillars – one symbol is still in place, the other two have fallen to the ground. The solution is Whale, Hawk, Snake (left to right when standing by the lever). Line each symbol up with the arrow at the pillar’s base, which points towards the handle, before you pull. According to older reports a wrong combination locked you out until the location reset, so double-check first.
Good to know
The local map labels the area “Barleydark Farm”. Players report the chest is safe for storage, even though the skill book respawns.
Details checked against community wiki articles and the Skyrim game files, summarised in our own words.