Korok Puzzle — Pinwheel (Shoot the Targets)

Pinwheel Korok puzzles are one of the most satisfying puzzle types in Tears of the Kingdom. A pinwheel spins in place, and when you interact with it (or get close), a set of bullseye targets appears around you. Your job: shoot all of them before the timer runs out. Get them all and a Korok pops out with your seed.

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How Pinwheel Puzzles Work

Setup:

• A pinwheel (windmill-shaped spinning object) is placed at a specific location
• Approaching it triggers the puzzle sequence
• Between 2 and 5 floating targets appear in the air nearby
• All targets must be shot with arrows before they vanish

Timer: Roughly 5–10 seconds depending on the variant. The targets disappear quickly, so you need to be fast.

Trigger range: Step within about 5 meters of the pinwheel to activate it. You can pre-aim before activating by crouching near the edge of the trigger radius.

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Variants

Standard Pinwheel (2–3 targets)

The simplest version — targets are clustered in roughly the same direction, same height. One burst of arrows handles it. Use a multi-shot bow (Duplex Bow, Phrenic Bow) for an easy clear.

Spread Pinwheel (4–5 targets)

Targets appear in multiple directions — some above, some to the sides, one possibly behind you. Requires quick camera rotation. Tips:

• Activate with your back to a cliff so you don't have to swing 180°
• Pre-position near the center of all targets before triggering

Moving Pinwheel (balloon-adjacent variant)

Some pinwheels send targets floating upward or drifting sideways. Aim slightly ahead of a drifting target. These are slower than balloon puzzles but require the same lead-shot technique.

High-Altitude Pinwheel (Sky Islands)

Several sky island Korok puzzles use pinwheels placed on high ledges. Getting into position to shoot all targets without falling off the edge is the real challenge. Use Recall on platforms or Ultrahand-build a temporary floor if needed.

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Bow Recommendations

| Bow | Why It Helps | |-----|-------------| | Savage Lynel Bow | Three-shot spread covers wide angle | | Duplex Bow | Two arrows per shot, doubles hit rate | | Falcon Bow | High speed arrows, better for moving targets | | Silver Bow (fused with Keese Eyeball) | Homing arrows seek targets automatically |

Best tip: Fuse a Keese Eyeball to any arrow. It gives that arrow homing behavior — it will curve toward the nearest target. This almost guarantees clearing pinwheel puzzles even with poor aim.

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Step-by-Step Method

1. Locate the pinwheel (look for the spinning object; they often catch light)
2. Before triggering, survey the area — note where targets will likely appear
3. Equip your bow and enter aim mode (ZR)
4. Step into trigger range while holding aim
5. As targets appear, shoot them in order from nearest to farthest (or widest to narrowest depending on spread)
6. If you miss the timer, walk away and return — the puzzle resets

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Notable Pinwheel Locations

• Dueling Peaks area — classic 3-target pinwheel on the cliffside east of the stable
• Akkala Highlands — 4-target version near the ancient ruins; targets drift upward
• Faron Grasslands — ground-level pinwheel near a lakeside tree cluster
• Hebra Mountains — high-altitude version on a frozen peak, targets scattered wide
• Sky Islands above Eldin — multi-target version requiring sky platform navigation

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Troubleshooting

Puzzle won't reset? Walk far away (30+ meters), wait a few seconds, and return.

Can't see all targets? Zoom out before triggering by moving the camera to a wider angle. Some targets are directly above — flip camera up immediately after activating.

Running out of arrows? Visit any stable or shop before Korok hunting. You need at least as many arrows as targets (ideally double, for misses). Multi-shot bows help significantly.