On Thin Ice Chapter 4 Walkthrough: Complete Puzzle & Boss Guide

Master every puzzle and defeat Sticks with our definitive On Thin Ice Chapter 4 walkthrough for Adventure Escape Mysteries.

Detectives Kate Gray and Murphy find themselves pushed to their physical and mental limits in the heart-pounding conclusion of Haiku Games' winter thriller. If you are stuck trying to crack the perimeter codes or evade deadly automated defenses, this definitive on thin ice chapter 4 walkthrough delivers every step-by-step solution you need to rescue hostages and expose the mastermind. Navigating the treacherous snowstorms and complex mechanical locks can test anyone's patience, but our on thin ice chapter 4 walkthrough breaks down each clue into straightforward, actionable steps.

Following their harrowing escape from Echo Bay and the devastating ransomware breach back at the station, Kate and Murphy have tracked the syndicate deep into a blizzard-shrouded mountain compound. Below, you will find comprehensive puzzle solutions, patrol movement patterns, inventory checklists, and round-by-round combat tactics to bring Sticks to justice.

Infiltrating Sticks' Mountain Perimeter: Signs and Gate Code

The chapter opens on a frozen bluff outside the syndicate's primary compound. A heavy security tarp blocks the path forward, secured by rusted stakes driven into the frozen earth.

Before you can access the compound's perimeter gate, you must dismantle the outer barrier and analyze environmental markers scattered across the snowdrift.

Step-by-Step Perimeter Clearance

Remove the Spikes: Tap the heavy tarp obscuring the mountain trail. Interact with the iron spikes securing the edges to pull them free. Add these spikes to your inventory, as you will need them later for construction.
Clear the Snowdrifts: Tap the deep snowbanks across the yard to sweep them aside. This action uncovers six wooden warning signs and an abandoned pile of structural rubble.
Salvage the Spirits: Search the uncovered rubble pile to obtain a bottle of high-proof vodka.
Thaw the Gate Lock: Move to the secured metal utility box mounted near the reinforced perimeter gate. The locking mechanism is frozen solid. Pour the vodka over the frozen housing to melt the ice sheet and open the panel, exposing the numeric tumbler lock. Notice the single bullet hole embedded into the metal panel casing.

Cracking the Bullet Hole Cipher

The six road signs scattered outside provide the sequence needed to open the gate. Notice that several signs have distinct bullet impacts. The number of bullet holes on a sign corresponds to its position in the six-digit lock sequence, while the two-digit numbers painted on the signs yield the combination digits.

Sign Number	Bullet Hole Count	Sequence Position	Sign Value	Contribution to Code
Highway Marker A	1 Hole	1st Pair (Digits 1–2)	99	99
Warning Sign B	2 Holes	2nd Pair (Digits 3–4)	12	12
Caution Sign C	3 Holes	3rd Pair (Digits 5–6)	24	24
Unmarked Signs (x3)	0 Holes	N/A (Decoys)	Various	None

Combining the values in order of the bullet hole indicators gives the master gate passcode: 991224. Enter this code into the tumbler lock on the perimeter box to disengage the magnetic latch and open the security gate.

Surviving the Drone Stealth Grid and Breaching the Ice Wall

Once through the security gate, Kate and Murphy are confronted by an automated aerial defense grid. Flying surveillance drones sweep searchlights across a partitioned snowfield. Getting caught inside any drone's cone of vision forces a checkpoint restart.

To demolish the frozen barrier blocking the hideout entrance, Kate and Murphy must coordinate their movements across the grid to recover five demolition markers without crossing the illuminated patrol tiles.

[Start Area] ---> [Safe Waypoints] ---> [Marker Pickups 1 to 5] ---> [Demolition Site]

Drone Grid Strategy and Rules

Drones move along fixed, predictable patrol paths every turn you execute.
Kate and Murphy take turns moving one adjacent grid tile at a time.
You cannot end a turn on an illuminated red scanning tile or directly adjacent to a stationary drone unit.
Natural rock outcroppings and concrete barriers block sightlines and provide safe staging areas.

Demolition Marker	Grid Location	Primary Drone Threat	Movement Strategy
Marker #1	Lower Left Quadrant	Short-range rotating drone	Move Murphy along the bottom perimeter wall behind the rock cluster.
Marker #2	Central Left Ridge	Horizontal sweep drone	Wait two cycles until the searchlight sweeps east, then advance Kate.
Marker #3	Center Outcrop	Dual intersecting drones	Alternate movements to draw timing gaps between both rotating lights.
Marker #4	Upper Right Snowdrift	Fast vertical patrol drone	Advance behind the drone right as it heads upward along the eastern edge.
Marker #5	Northern Gate Approach	Stationary sweeping drone	Slip past during its counter-clockwise blind spot to claim the final charge.

Once all five markers are secured, Kate plants the demolition charges against the weak points of the sheer ice wall. Triggering the charges blasts open a hidden entryway into an abandoned mountain lodge serving as the syndicate's forward outpost.

Cabin Infiltration and Bridge Repair to Rescue Murphy

Upon stepping inside the cabin hideout, the floorboards give way under Murphy, leaving him stranded across a treacherous drop inside an unstable interior ravine. To pull your partner to safety, you must gather raw structural materials and construct a temporary footbridge.

Scavenging Construction Materials

Begin by surveying the immediate entrance room:

Pull back the hanging wall curtain on the left side to locate a heavy carpenter's hammer.
Pick up the two wooden support beams leaning against the door frame.
Use the hammer to pry loose two wooden planks from the damaged floor section near the wall.

Head back outside through the breached ice tunnel to salvage the remaining structural lumber:

Pick up the loose wooden sign lying in the snow.
Use the carpenter's hammer to pry off the remaining two wall-mounted signs.
Crucial Clue: Inspect the exposed wall surface where the signs hung. You will uncover etched directional runes and symbols carved into the stone foundation. Note the orientation of these runes, as they are required for the next chamber.

Material / Item	Location Found	Required Tool	Construction Function
Support Beams (x2)	Near cabin entrance door	Bare hands	Forms horizontal bridge rails across the gap
Cabin Planks (x2)	Damaged cabin flooring	Carpenter's Hammer	Bridge decking
Exterior Signs (x3)	Ground and exterior cabin wall	Carpenter's Hammer	Bridge decking (Total: 5 planks)
Iron Spikes	Recovered from opening tarp	Bare hands	Acts as structural nails
Hammer	Behind entrance room curtain	Bare hands	Fastens spikes through planks into beams

Return inside to the ravine. Lay down the two long support beams spanning the gap. Position all five recovered planks across the beams, insert the iron spikes recovered from the perimeter tarp into the wood, and hammer them flush.

Cross the stable makeshift bridge to pull Murphy back to safety. In gratitude, Murphy hands over an ornate gold ring he salvaged while stranded, and points out an ancient stone fireplace mantelpiece featuring three empty circular recesses.

Cracking the Fireplace Ring Puzzle and Secret Hideout Access

The stone fireplace acts as a concealed hydraulic lift leading to the syndicate's subterranean server room. To operate the mechanism, you need three matching engraved rings.

[Locate 3 Rings] ---> [Insert into Mantelpiece] ---> [Align with Exterior Runes] ---> [Reveal 7427]

Locating the Missing Rings

Fireplace Hearth: Look inside the cold fireplace grate to retrieve the second engraved ring.
Mantelpiece Top: Collect the telescoping skylight rod resting on the upper shelf of the mantelpiece.
Ceiling Rafters: Look upward toward the high skylight framework. Use the extended skylight rod to hook and pull down the third engraved ring caught on an iron rafter.

Aligning the Mantelpiece Mechanism

With all three rings in hand, tap the center of the mantelpiece to enter the puzzle interface. Insert the three rings into the circular slots.

Rotate the rings so the carved symbols align with the directional orientation recorded from the exterior cabin wall. When the symbols match the outdoor foundation carvings, the rotating brass rings lock into alignment.

Look closely at the brass "V" indicator framed along the lower perimeter of the mechanism. The intersecting lines reveal a four-digit numeric combination: 7427. Entering this code releases the fireplace latch, causing the back wall to slide open and reveal a vertical steel ladder leading down into the subterranean complex.

Neutralizing Colt and Winning the Final Bridge Combat

Climbing down the ladder brings Kate and Murphy into the central operations hub. Colt, an armed syndicate enforcer, is actively monitoring data terminals near a roaring diesel backup generator. Dan's captured daughter, Caspia, is bound to a chair on the far catwalk.

Sabotaging the Generator

Direct confrontation will get Kate shot, so you must create a tactical distraction:

Search the lower staging area to secure a steel cold chisel.
Climb back up the ladder to the upper cabin floor. Locate the decorative round globe on the side table.
Use the chisel and carpenter's hammer to crack open the globe casing. Inside, retrieve a jar of thick maple syrup and a broken glass bottle neck.
Return down the ladder to the server room. Pour the thick syrup directly into the fuel intake of the roaring backup generator.
The thick syrup chokes the engine, causing the generator to sputter and backfire violently. Colt rushes over to inspect the smoking engine.

Subduing the Guard and Freeing Caspia

While Colt's back is turned to inspect the engine, sneak up behind his equipment stash:

Grab the tactical taser and the hand-to-hand fight manual from Colt's unzipped backpack.
Equip the taser and stun Colt before he turns around.
Search Colt's unconscious body to recover a set of handcuff keys.
Rush over to the holding platform and use the keys to unlock Caspia's restraints.

The Final Showdown: Defeating Sticks on the Bridge

Before Kate and Murphy can extract Caspia, the syndicate leader Sticks intercepts the team on the catwalk suspension bridge, holding Caspia at knifepoint. To eliminate the threat, Kate must cross the bridge and engage Sticks in close-quarters combat.

The battle consists of three tactical rounds. In each round, Sticks telegraphs a stance, and you must select three sequential combat techniques from your fight manual to counter her moves, deflect her weapon, and neutralize her guard.

Combat Phase	Sticks' Stance / Attack	Player Turn Action 1	Player Turn Action 2	Player Turn Action 3	Outcome
Round 1	High Knife Slash & Forward Lunge	Parry Left / Deflect	Wrist Lock	Body Blow	Disarms knife from primary hand
Round 2	Low Sweep & Reversal Attempt	Dodge Back / Jump	Leg Sweep Counter	Elbow Strike	Breaks balance; forces Sticks to bridge railing
Round 3	Desperation Tackle & Guard	Side Step	Arm Bar Takedown	Disarming Pin	Subdues Sticks permanently

Once the final round concludes, Kate successfully pins Sticks against the suspension railing, allowing Murphy to secure the suspect in flex-cuffs and lead Caspia to safety. For players following our comprehensive on thin ice chapter 4 walkthrough, this climactic victory wraps up the storyline, closes the ransomware investigation, and clears Detective Kate Gray's squad of all internal suspicion. To explore the developer's full catalog of mystery titles, visit the official Haiku Games portal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the gate code in Chapter 4 of On Thin Ice?

The gate code is 991224. You deduce this code by brushing snow off the six warning signs and matching the number of bullet holes on each sign to its sequence order. The sign with 1 bullet hole displays 99, the sign with 2 bullet holes displays 12, and the sign with 3 bullet holes displays 24.

Where do I find all three rings for the fireplace mantelpiece?

The first ring is handed to you by Murphy after you rebuild the bridge using five wooden planks, two beams, and iron spikes. The second ring sits inside the cold fireplace hearth. The third ring is lodged in the high ceiling rafters and must be retrieved using the skylight rod found on top of the mantelpiece.

How do I open the locked globe in the upper cabin?

To open the decorative globe, pick up the cold chisel from the lower staging area near the server room ladder, return to the upper room, and use the chisel together with the carpenter's hammer on the globe. This cracks the casing, rewarding you with syrup to sabotage Colt's generator.

What should I do if I keep losing the fight against Sticks in this on thin ice chapter 4 walkthrough?

If you fail the bridge fight, refer to the fight manual looted from Colt's backpack. Sticks attacks in three distinct phases. To win, counter her high slash with a parry, lock, and body strike in Round 1; dodge her low sweep with a jump, leg sweep, and elbow strike in Round 2; and sidestep her final lunge with an arm bar and pin in Round 3. Following this precise sequence prevents damage and ends the fight successfully.