Hollow Knight Silksong Cogwork Core Guide

The Cogwork Core is one of the most dangerous regions in Hollow Knight Silksong. This area is full of moving saws, gauntlet arenas, and precision platforming challenges that test both your reflexes and patience. It also hides one of the most important rewards in the game, the Architect’s Melody.

This guide will walk you through the full Cogwork Core path, including its map, Mask Shard and Spool Fragment locations, the central gate shortcut, the pillar puzzle solution, and how to reach the Whispering Vaults.

How to Enter the Cogwork Core

You can enter the Cogwork Core after defeating the Cogwork Dancers in the Choral Chambers. Drop through the floor in their arena to reach the machinery-filled depths. This zone connects back to several other Citadel areas, but its main prize is locked at the very top.

Cogwork Core Map Location

After dropping into the Core, move left into the glowing building. Spin the wheel above you until a Bench spawns. Climb the wall, step on the pressure plate, and you’ll unlock the Cogwork Core map.

West Gauntlet and Mask Shard

Drop down the shaft until you reach the left-hand exit. Inside is a combat gauntlet against waves of Cogwork enemies. Platforms shift between each wave, forcing you to dodge saws while fighting.

Clear the gauntlet to earn a Mask Shard, then press the pressure plate shortcut that links back to the Choral Chambers.

Spool Fragment Location

From the central shaft, float past saw traps and take the southeast exit. You’ll face a miniboss called the Cogwork Clapper. It bounces erratically and shoots grenades, but you can bait it by spinning the nearby wheel and hiding in the corridor.

Once it’s defeated, continue through saw-lined passages and steam vents to find the Spool Fragment. Use the lever to open a shortcut back.

Unlocking the Central Gate

Climb the right side of the shaft by pogoing off saws. At the upper ledge, attack the ceiling wheel to unlock the central gate. This makes future trips across the Core much faster.

How to Reach the Top of the Cogwork Core

Keep ascending by pogoing on saws and using Clawline hooks. Activate shortcut wheels along the way to keep progress safe. Eventually, you’ll reach a large trapdoor puzzle room where Clawline hooks move on tracks. Jump, reattach mid-air, and time your swings to avoid obstacles.

At the very top, defeat Cogwork Defenders and Cleanser enemies, then climb through the ceiling exit. This is the summit of the Core.

Pillar Puzzle Solution

At the peak, you’ll find four broken pillars. Each has four rotating sections that must be aligned into matching patterns. Switch the levers until each pillar locks into place and sinks into the ground.

When all four are solved, a pressure plate appears. Stand on it and use the Needolin to learn the Architect’s Melody. This is one of the three melodies required to progress into Act 2’s final region. See the solution here.

Whispering Vaults Entrance

After claiming the melody, descend and take the right-hand lower exit you skipped earlier. Navigate saws, defeat a Vaultkeeper, and unlock a wheel passage that links back to the Choral Chambers.

Press forward to enter the Whispering Vaults, a new Citadel sub-region.

Final Blurb

The Cogwork Core is a brutal but rewarding climb. It hides valuable fragments, shortcuts, and one of the most important melodies in Hollow Knight Silksong. Take your time with the platforming, use Drifter’s Cloak and Clawline effectively, and prepare for tricky gauntlets. With patience, you’ll leave with the Architect’s Melody and a path toward the Whispering Vaults.