We're a quarter of the way there! What fun writing this story is, let's keep it that way.
ThinkRANDOMLY: Sometimes hints in blatant puzzles are bare bones because they can't think of anything "big" to help get you to understand the obvious picture.
Maict: It's actually very possible to find out his score, it just takes tedious trial and error.
Sakya-Chan: It's a mutual pain then.
Sicomba: Thank you! I always try my hardest!
The Mocking J: I use them rarely.
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Spoilers?: No.
Location: Just outside the Convenient Office/Flat of Hershel Layton, London.
Timeline: After Last Specter but before Azran Legacy.
Track Listened to While Writing: Puzzles from Professor Layton and the Last Specter.
Word Count: 357 words.
Tip NO. 025: Cats
"Luke my boy, cats are a gentleman's second best friend. After canines, of course."
"Professor! Look!"
"Oh?" Layton turned to his right, finding his young apprentice on his knees, bottom comically stuck up in the air, peering into the crawlspace of the his front porch stairs.
"Luke, what are you doing?"
Luke pauses his observation to look back at his mentor, "O-Oh! Nothing much professor, it's just that I heard a noise coming out from the crawlspace, and I thought it was somebody!"
Admittedly Layton was in no rush to get to the Laytonmobile, but being tardy to his class wasn't something on his agenda.
"Hm, I'd suggest against doing that, I don't believe I've cleaned that place in a while. Are you sure you heard someone in there? I doubt anyone could fit aside from a small child..."
"I'm sure of it, professor! Let me just get in there..."
Luke places his hand in there, fidgeting about for whatever that called to him.
An interesting way to start the Monday morning, and the week that followed, sure enough.
After some much needed scavenging, Luke's hand came across a lanky, furry body. As soon as his fingers felt said fur, he knew for a fact that he had found his caller.
The boy ends up pulling out a purple cat.
"Oh, look professor, it's Keats!"
Layton cocks an eyebrow, but then smiles at the revelation, "Well, my word. So it is. Not to be rude, my boy, but do you mind telling him why he was perched under our porch? I do believe he has an owner of his own."
Luke frowns, it seems like everytime he bonds with an animal, it turns out they already belong to someone else. He sucks it up though, and engages the quizzical cat in a conversation.
Afterwards, he turns to the professor, "He said he had a puzzle for you, but then he lost it."
"That sounds disappointing, but nothing too bad to frustrate over. Please give him my condolences. While we're at it, what kind of puzzle was it?"
"A tile puzzle."
Layton frowns, and then covers his eyes with the brim of his hat, "Well then...I suppose there's no harm done."