Bottom of the Well Walkthrough

1. Drop into the dry well and crawl through the narrow tunnel at its base.

   #1.1

2. A Skulltula hangs over the corridor beyond. Wait for it to turn and show its soft underside before you strike, or knock it down from range with the Fairy Slingshot.

   #1.2

3. Target the skeleton slumped against the wall. Navi passes on a hint about an 'eye of truth' that can see what is hidden. That's the Lens you came for.

   #1.3

4. The corridor seems to dead-end at a stone wall. It's an illusion: walk straight through it into the main hall.

   #1.4
5. Tip

   Deception is this dungeon's whole theme. Until you hold the Lens, treat every dead end as suspicious and every stretch of open floor as a possible trapdoor.

   #1.5

1. The main hall is a square ring of corridors wrapped around a central block. A shallow water channel runs through the corridors, and deeper pools sit in a few spots, including one just ahead of where you came in.

   #2.1
2. Watch out

   A large flaming green Bubble patrols the channel and burns you on contact. Shoot it with the Slingshot while its flames are out, or just stay ahead of it.

   #2.2

3. Follow the corridor around either side to the back of the hall. Halfway along the far corridor, a Triforce crest is set into the floor in front of a fountain.

   #2.3

4. Stand on the crest and play Zelda's Lullaby. The fountain stops and every pool on this floor drains.

   #2.4
5. Tip

   Shortcut: the wall straight ahead of the entrance is fake. You can cut through the central block to reach the crest, but its floor hides holes around the big X-shaped beams, and a Wallmaster waits above. When its shadow grows under you, move.

   #2.5
6. Watch out

   Any hidden hole drops you to the basement, a pool of poison full of ReDeads. It's not fatal (the Map is down there), but the climb back takes a while.

   #2.6

1. Go back to the pool in front of the entrance, now an empty pit, and drop in. Open the chest for Bombs, then crawl through the tunnel in the pit's wall.

   #3.1

2. A Skulltula drops down beyond the tunnel. Defeat it, climb the wall and go through the door at the top.

   #3.2

3. This is Dead Hand's lair. Pale arms sprout from the floor, and if one seizes you, struggle free quickly.

   #3.3

4. Getting near the arms draws Dead Hand itself up from the ground. It shuffles toward you and bends low to bite. That's your opening: slash its face while it leans down.

   #3.4

5. After a few hits it sinks into the floor and resurfaces elsewhere. Draw it out again and repeat. Jump attacks deal double damage and shorten the fight.

   #3.5
6. Tip

   The arms can't be destroyed, but a hit makes one recoil. Keep space around you so an arm doesn't grab you while Dead Hand closes in.

   #3.6
7. You get

   When Dead Hand falls, a large chest appears. Open it to claim the Lens of Truth. While it's active, it reveals hidden walls, floors, chests and enemies, but it drains magic steadily.

   #3.7
8. Tip

   Try it right away: the Lens reveals an invisible chest in this room holding a Huge Rupee worth 200.

   #3.8

1. Return to the main hall. Sweep the western side of the central block with the Lens to find a fake wall leading into a small cell. Its chest holds the Compass.

   #4.1

2. A hidden hole sits just outside the Compass cell. Step into it deliberately to reach the basement.

   #4.2

3. The basement is a pool of poisonous water crossed by wooden planks, with several passages branching off. ReDeads roam here.

   #4.3
4. Watch out

   A ReDead's scream freezes you so it can latch on. Play the Sun's Song to paralyze every ReDead nearby, then hack away. Stay out of the poison.

   #4.4

5. Take the passage lit by torches. Bomb the boulders that block it, deal with the ReDead beyond, and open the chest for the Dungeon Map. The unlit passages hold only grass and pots.

   #4.5

6. To get out, collect the five Silver Rupees: three float above the planks over the poison, and two sit at the tops of the ladders leading upward. The fifth unlocks the door back to the main floor.

   #4.6
7. Tip

   Silver Rupees you've already grabbed stay collected, so a later fall only costs you the walk.

   #4.7

1. The well holds three Small Keys, one for each locked door. The first is in the coffin room off the west corridor.

   #5.1

2. Midway along the west corridor, a side passage leads to a drained pit. Drop in, take the Recovery Heart from its chest, climb out the far side and go through the door.

   #5.2

3. A Gibdo shambles around the dim coffin room. Freeze it with the Sun's Song and attack, or slip behind it. Its stare paralyzes you like a ReDead's scream.

   #5.3

4. Each coffin opens only when the torch beside it is lit. Light a Deku Stick on a burning torch and carry the flame to the unlit ones.

   #5.4

5. The coffin in the back-left corner, farthest from the door, holds the first Small Key. The others release Keese or Gibdos, so you can skip them.

   #5.5

6. Keys two and three hide behind fake walls near the front of the hall. With the Lens on, check the west end of the front corridor and the lower part of the east corridor. Each fake wall hides a small chest with a Small Key.

   #5.6

1. In the northeast corner of the outer corridor, crawl through a small tunnel and unlock the door at its end. Fire Keese, a Beamos and invisible holes in the floor wait inside.

   #6.1

2. Stay put and shoot down the Fire Keese, then bomb the Beamos. Use the Lens to trace a safe route to the far door. A corner chest holds a Deku Shield.

   #6.2
3. Watch out

   Fire Keese set a Deku Shield ablaze. Equip the Hylian Shield here if you have it.

   #6.3

4. Beyond is a block of cells where a Like Like waits. Stun it with the Boomerang and finish it with your sword. If it swallows you, struggle free; it may keep your shield.

   #6.4

5. A chest in the cells holds a Hylian Shield, a handy replacement if the Like Like took yours.

   #6.5
6. Collectible

   A Gold Skulltula clings to a wall of the cell block. Collect it with the Boomerang.

   #6.6

7. Next, slip into the central block through its fake wall. Two locked doors stand inside, one on each side. Watch the hidden holes and the Wallmaster as you go.

   #6.7

8. West room: a Deku Baba guards the floor and pots launch themselves at you as you approach. Destroy the Baba and block or sidestep the pots.

   #6.8
9. Collectible

   A Gold Skulltula sits on the west room's back wall. Grab it with the Boomerang.

   #6.9

10. East room: Keese flutter over a huge pit. Shoot them down, then turn on the Lens to reveal a narrow invisible ledge running around the pit's right side.

    #6.10
11. Collectible

    Follow the ledge to the east room's Gold Skulltula and take it with the Boomerang. That's all three of the well's tokens.

    #6.11

1. Tip

   A mound of dirt and rubble in the main hall near the entrance can be bombed open. Drop through the hole for a chest of Bombchus, then climb the vines back out.

   #7.1
2. Tip

   A rubble pile in the northwest corner hides a chest of Deku Nuts, and a Skulltula guards another Deku Nuts chest inside the central block.

   #7.2

3. With the Lens in hand, make your way back to the entrance and climb out of the well.

   #7.3

4. Return to the Temple of Time, draw the Master Sword to become an adult again, and play the Nocturne of Shadow to warp to the Shadow Temple.

   #7.4
5. Tip

   Refill your magic before you warp. You'll lean on the Lens and Din's Fire constantly from here on.

   #7.5

Every Gold Skulltula and Piece of Heart you can grab around here as child Link. Checking one off here also checks it off in the full trackers.

Gold Skulltulas (3)

• Like Like Cage, Northeast Room GS-095

  Use a small key on the locked door in the well's northeast corner to reach the room with a Like Like. The Skulltula sits behind bars on the wall; Boomerang it to kill it and bring back the token.

  Child LinkBoomerangLens of Truth

• West Inner Room Wall GS-096

  Find the central chamber hidden behind fake walls (the Lens of Truth reveals them) and unlock its left-hand door. Boomerang the Skulltula crawling on the back wall.

  Child LinkBoomerangLens of Truth

• East Inner Room Wall GS-097

  Unlock the right-hand door of the hidden central chamber. Use the Lens of Truth to find solid floor between the invisible pits, then Boomerang the Skulltula on the wall.

  Child LinkBoomerangLens of Truth