Blind Monkey
The Blind Monkey is the only player whose hands touch the bomb. Every cut, press, slide and switch happens through you, and yet you can’t see the colors, the screens or the manual. You perceive the bomb as silhouettes and outlines, you read Braille by touch, and you act on what your teammates tell you. That sounds passive, but it isn’t: on several modules you’re the only source of a clue, and on every Chaos duty you’re the one who has to react.
| Role | Blind Monkey |
| Main job | Carry out every physical input on the bomb |
| Can see | Only outlines and silhouettes – no colors, no screen text |
| Can hear | Yes |
| Can speak | Yes – a microphone is needed |
| Touches the bomb | Yes – the only role that does |
| Special ability | Reads Braille numbers by touch |
The Rule That Defines the Role
One action per confirmed instruction. Whatever the module, the Blind Monkey makes exactly one input – one cut, one press, one slider, one switch – and only after the instruction has been repeated back and confirmed. Most early failures in community guides come from breaking this rule: acting while the Deaf Monkey is still talking, or doing two things because they “obviously” went together.
The reason is simple: you have no way to check an instruction yourself. If the Deaf Monkey says the wrong cable, or you mishear which of two similar instructions applies, the only safety net is the read-back. A few seconds spent repeating “second from the left?” are much cheaper than a mistake.
Where You Lead
On many modules, the team can’t even start without you. Braille is the big one: only you can read it, and several modules depend on it. Other clues depend on hearing, which the Deaf Monkey doesn’t have.
| Module | What you provide |
| Direction | The Braille number |
| Piano | The Braille octave number |
| Switch | The Braille numbers, read left to right |
| Maze | The Braille maze number that selects the map |
| Soundboard | Pressing buttons until one rings, then its Braille number |
| Symbol | Finding the symbol that makes a sound |
| Morse | Listening to the tone sequences |
| Monkey-Says | Pointing at the heated button so the Deaf Monkey can name its color |
Community guides are firm on one point: Braille belongs to you alone. Nobody else should guess a Braille value, even when it seems obvious from context. Read the cell in the same orientation every time, report the digit, and let the Deaf Monkey repeat it so the whole team hears the same number.
Chaos Duties
Because you’re the only player who can touch the bomb, the physical side of every Chaos module falls on you:
- Slider (from Level 4): a slider climbs on its own. Pull it back down every time it rises, until the bomb is defused.
- Pressure (from Level 6): a needle rises. Press the central button repeatedly to push the pressure back down.
- Alarm (from Level 10): when it triggers, press every heated button within ten seconds.
One guide suggests treating the Alarm as an automatic job: react to the alert immediately instead of waiting for a callout. For Slider and Pressure, agree with your team on a short phrase – “Chaos, pressure” – so everyone knows the main module is paused, and announce when you’re back: “Back to Piano.”
How to Give Good Feedback
Your voice is a tool. Describing what you’re touching helps the Mute Monkey, who hears you, catch errors before they happen.
- Report “Braille three. Reading it again: three.”
- Repeat “Second cable from the left – cut?”
- Confirm “Done. Cable cut.”
- Interrupt “Chaos – slider rising. Handling it.”
- Return “Slider down. Back to Switch, which switch was next?”
Common Mistakes
- Acting before the read-out is finished. Wait until the Deaf Monkey has described the module and given one instruction.
- Two inputs from one instruction. If you did one thing, say “done” and wait. Don’t chain the next step on your own.
- Getting a color instead of a position. If you hear “cut blue”, ask “which position?” – a color tells you nothing.
- Not being in the right interaction view. Make sure you’re actually on the module that’s being discussed before acting.
- Letting someone else read the Braille. Your reading is the only reading. Don’t accept a guess, even under time pressure.
- Ignoring Chaos while concentrating. A rising slider or needle doesn’t wait for the current module to finish.
Is This Role for You?
Guides often recommend the Blind Monkey for nervous beginners, because the role doesn’t need to hold any rules in its head – it carries out instructions. That doesn’t make it easy: it needs patience, a calm voice and quick hands during Chaos. The role suits a player who can resist the urge to act early and who’s comfortable being the team’s hands. If your instructions are clean but accidental inputs keep happening, or Braille reporting suffers while you’re busy with the case, try someone else in the seat.
Pre-Run Checklist
- Your microphone works and the Deaf Monkey’s instructions reach you.
- Positions are counted in an agreed direction and from an agreed point of view.
- You’ll make one input per confirmed instruction – never two.
- You’ll repeat every instruction out loud before acting.
- You’ll read Braille in one fixed orientation and report only the digit.
- You know your three Chaos jobs: pull the Slider, press for Pressure, clear the Alarm.
- You’ll announce “Chaos” when you leave a module and “back” when you return.
FAQ
What does the Blind Monkey actually see?
Only outlines and silhouettes. Colors and screen text aren’t visible, so the role depends on teammates’ descriptions and on Braille read by touch.
Can the Blind Monkey hear and speak?
Yes. The Blind Monkey hears teammates and needs a microphone to speak, which is how read-backs and Braille readings reach the team.
Who reads Braille?
Only the Blind Monkey. Other players should never guess a Braille value; they should wait for the reading and repeat it.
Who handles Chaos modules?
Physically, the Blind Monkey, since it’s the only role that touches the bomb. The team should still agree who calls out a Chaos event so the main module can pause safely.
