One day in Winter, you will come across a shadowy figure in Stardew Valley. If you exit your farm and head towards Pelican Town, you will spot the figure but it will soon run away from you. It's your job to find out where the shadowy figure has gone and why it seemed to panic when it saw you. So read on as we show you how to solve the winter mystery quest!
Read More: Stardew Valley - How to check quests
How to solve the Winter Mystery quest
After you encounter the shadowy figure and you receive the quest outline, head into Pelican Town. When you are in the town, head up to Pierre's shop and walk past the Doctor's Surgery on the left. Keep walking until you come across the set of steps that lead up to the Community Center area.
If you look at the ground, you should see a set of small footprints in the snow that lead up those steps. Follow the footprint trail up the steps and to the fountain. They will stop because of the fountain but they continue on the other side.
Keep following the footprints up to the playground area. They should lead you straight to a large bush. All you need to do is walk behind this bush and press your action button to get the shadowy figure to jump out.
They will rapidly apologize for stealing something and hand it back to you before disappearing again. This is how you get your magnifying glass, which allows you to read Secret Notes.
So there you have it, that's all you need to know about how to solve the Winter Mystery quest! Gaining access to the magnifying glass means you can decipher any Secret Notes you come across, so it's pretty handy to have! If you're looking to explore all the secrets of Pelican Town with friends, then we have a guide on how to set up a co-op multiplayer farm. Additionally, if you're just starting out in Stardew Valley, then we have some great beginner tips as well as a tier list ranking the best starting farms to pick. Happy farming!