- Put together a strong team of people who work well together, are good communicators, and have different strengths and skills across various disciplines.
- Search everywhere for clues, including behind furniture, under tables, in drawers, and in coat pockets or other clothing. Announce any clues as you find them.
- Communicate with your teammates while searching for clues and solving puzzles. Don’t be afraid to try silly or unusual solutions, and remember to have fun.
Working as a Team
Assemble a strong team of people who work well together. The perfect "dream team" has members with varied interests and talents. That way, each person brings a unique approach to solving puzzles. You'll also want great listeners who are open to hearing others’ suggestions. Specific talents and interests could include math, logic puzzles, word puzzles, jokes and puns, literature, history, and foreign languages, to name just a few possibilities. Avoid choosing too many people with the same skill set.
Avoid having too many leaders on your team. Nobody likes having too many cooks in the kitchen. Pick 1-2 leaders who encourage teamwork and keep everyone on task. Having too many strong personalities on a team can cause people to buck heads or struggle to be “in charge.” A strong personality doesn’t automatically make someone a leader, but having multiple strong-willed people on a team can make it hard to work together.
Communicate constantly with each other. Have everyone share what they find whenever they enter a room or find a new item. For instance, someone could say “There’s a safe in this wall with a combination lock,” or “I just found a key.” The rule is: if you see something, say something! Designate one person to take notes on everyone’s observations. Then, have that person read the list of observations out loud in case anything needs to be added.
Offer to help your teammates and be willing to accept their help. The best ideas often come from the people around you. Listen to your teammate’s suggestions for solving puzzles or interpreting clues. If someone is struggling with a puzzle, assist them or offer to take over. Likewise, be willing to hand over a puzzle to someone else if you’re feeling stuck. Sometimes, clues will be vague or open to interpretation, and puzzles will require thinking outside the box. Being open to each other’s ideas makes the game easier and more enjoyable.
Searching for Clues
Search everywhere for clues, both hidden and out in the open. Examine the walls, floor, and ceiling for anything that stands out. Look inside drawers and cabinets, behind furniture, under rugs, between couch cushions, and so on. If you see a coat on a rack, check the pockets and inside the sleeves. Leave no surface or object untouched—unless the rules say otherwise! If it’s allowed, turn the lights off to see if anything is hiding in the dark, like a tiny light or a glow-in-the-dark object. Have at least two people check everything in the room, in case someone misses something.
Look out for written clues. In an escape room, nothing is there by coincidence. Take notice of any text that’s prominently displayed, like on a poster or bookshelf. If you see a group of books, check their titles or authors for any hints. Or if you find a typed note with certain words in bold, those words could point you to a hidden location in the room where you’ll find a key. Any written or typed text could be important, no matter how random or insignificant it appears.
Look for patterns like repeated words, numbers, colors, and shapes. If you see three picture frames colored red, green, and blue, plus a set of three locks with the same colors, then these colors are likely part of a clue. Likewise, if you see a book about whales on a bookshelf and a poster of a whale on the wall, then the word “whale” might be important—maybe it’s a password? Patterns might also be numerical. For instance, the last four digits of a phone number printed on a business card could be the combination for a lock.
Collect and organize loose items that seem important. These can include keys, scraps of paper, pens, cups, and other small objects that could be clues or part of a puzzle. Have a teammate organize the loose items in a central location in the room. That way, everyone knows what's been found so far. Announce new items as you find them. If someone doesn’t know about an item or clue, they can’t use it to solve a puzzle. Don’t put items in your pocket! You might forget about them.
Solving Puzzles
Divide tasks between your teammates. With so many puzzles and clues to find, delegating is a must. Have 2-3 people work on a puzzle while 2-3 others search the room for more clues. If you’re stuck on a puzzle, have it hand it off to another teammate. Give each teammate a task, whether it’s searching the room, solving puzzles, or testing combinations on a lock. In “nonlinear” escape rooms, you can do multiple puzzles at once, depending on the design. In that case, have 2-3 teammates work on one puzzle while another 2-3 work on a different puzzle. In a “linear” escape room, you can only do one puzzle at a time.
Let your teammates choose puzzles that play to their talents. That music puzzle you found by the piano? Make sure whoever's doing it knows how to play. Likewise, if you and another teammate are good at math, have them help you with an arithmetic puzzle. If you find a clue related to English literature, like a collection of Shakespeare’s plays, leave it to your teammate who studied English in college. Some puzzles require multiple talents or approaches. If you’re stuck on a puzzle, ask for input from someone with a different skill set.
Work backward to solve multi-step puzzles. Determine the last step of a puzzle, then figure out the previous steps. For example, if the door to the next room has a padlock with a missing key, you know you need the key to open the door. So the previous step is to find where the key is hidden, and the step before that is to locate clues that reveal the key’s location. Working backward breaks multi-step puzzles into smaller, manageable problems.
Look for simple solutions. Not every puzzle in an escape room is complicated, and sometimes the simplest idea is the best one. Try something obvious, like checking if a door is unlocked, or checking behind a picture frame for a hidden safe. Simple solutions can save time and help rule out wrong solutions to puzzles. Even if a simple solution is wrong, the process of trying it could reveal clues or point you toward the correct solution.
Let your team know when you solve a puzzle. Remember how we said communication is important? If you solve a puzzle and don’t tell anyone right away, your teammates may waste time searching for more clues or thinking of solutions. Keep them informed so they move on to the remaining puzzles. If you’re faced with multiple puzzles at once, keep a list of which ones have been solved. Check in with your teammates periodically to keep the list updated.
Tell your teammates if you find a use for an object. For instance, if you use a key to open a lock, let everyone know right away. This helps your teammates understand how the puzzles work and notifies them that the object you found has a specific purpose. It could also give them a clue about how to solve other puzzles, such as by finding more keys. If possible, keep the object available after you use it, in case it has an additional function. Place it back in a central location and let your teammates know it’s there.
Locks, Combinations, & Codes
Familiarize yourself with common lock types. Look out for combination locks, key locks, dial locks, and directional locks. You’ll find some or all of these in most escape rooms. Each kind opens differently, and many puzzles will require you to figure out how to open them. Key locks require one or more keys to open. The keys will usually be hidden. Combination locks open with a specific set of numbers or letters (or both). You’ll usually need to find the combination or figure it out using clues. Dial locks have a spinning plate with numbers, which twists clockwise and counterclockwise. A dial lock is opened by twisting the dial and stopping on the correct numbers. Directional locks have a “joystick” that moves up, down, left, and right. To open one, you’ll need to find the correct sequence of these movements. There are also digital locks, which can be opened with combinations of numbers or letters. These function similarly to other combination locks.
Be familiar with common codes, especially Morse code and braille. Morse code is made of up dots and lines, with particular combinations representing specific letters or numbers. Braille is a writing system where letters and numbers are represented by clusters of 1-6 dots—specifically, two columns of 0-3 dots, side by side. Cracking these codes can provide lock combinations or reveal other clues. Since braille is designed to allow visually impaired people to read, you’ll usually find it etched into hard surfaces where it can be sensed by touch. But you’ll sometimes see braille printed on paper. Morse code can be transmitted in writing, sound, or flashes of light. Written Morse code is made up of lines and dots. With sound, it’s a combination of long beeps (for lines) and short beeps (for dots). With light, it’s long flashes and short flashes. If you hear beeps or see a flashing light, it may be Morse code.
Test multiple combinations on each lock. For instance, if you come up with a few possible 4-digit combinations, try them all. If you only know the first 3 digits, input those digits and cycle through 0-9 for the fourth digit, since you only need to check ten numbers. Try any combinations that seem plausible. Unlike your phone, a physical lock won't lock you out for guessing the wrong code too many times! Test words on combination locks that use letters, especially if that word is suggested by clues. For example, if you see pictures of whales on the walls and a copy of Moby Dick on a bookshelf, the 5-letter combination for a lock could be W-H-A-L-E.
Notify the host if you’re having difficulty with a code or lock. Worried that dial lock is busted? You might be right! If you think you're convinced you have the correct code or key, but the lock just won’t open, wave to the security cameras to ask for help. Your host can help fix the problem or give you hints if you’re struggling. Your host can always step in if there’s a glitch such as a stuck lock or missing clue. This isn’t usually necessary, but it’s always an option if something goes awry.
Tips for Success
Follow the rules. Some escape rooms have rules like “no climbing on furniture” or “no unplugging anything from the walls.” The rules are in place for your safety to ensure the puzzles work correctly, so be sure to follow them. Make note of the rules when you start, and follow them throughout. If something wasn’t mentioned in the rules, you can assume it’s allowed. For instance, “no unplugging anything from the walls” doesn’t mean you can’t plug something in that’s not already connected.
Ask for hints when needed. Is one puzzle driving you bonkers? Don't sweat: you can always use the escape room’s hint system. Waive to the security cameras to get your host's attention, or ask loudly if there’s a microphone in the room. The staff will point you in the right direction. Some escape rooms allow a fixed number of hints, while others allow unlimited hints. If the escape room only allows limited hints, use them sparingly. Talk to your teammates about when to ask for hints, and keep track of how many you’ve used.
Be open to silly ideas. Don’t hesitate if a solution seems goofy or absurd. Word puzzles, for example, can involve puns, song lyrics, dad jokes, toilet humor, and more. If you see a karaoke machine and an American flag, you might need to belt out the Star Spangled Banner to get to the next room. Anything is possible. Silly ideas can also include drawing, dancing, doing impressions, making fart sounds, and so on. There are no limits, apart from the rules.
Keep an eye on the clock. Most escape rooms only allow you to play for a fixed amount of time, like 60 minutes. Have your teammates keep an eye on the time. Designate someone to periodically announce the time remaining by saying, “45 minutes left,” “30 minutes left,” and so on. If you’re running low on time or a puzzle is taking too long, ask for a hint. It’s sometimes more fun to finish the whole puzzle with a few hints than run out of time halfway through.
Stay relaxed. A good escape room experience is fun and exciting, but it can also be a little nerve-racking since it simulates being “trapped.” Remember that it’s only a game, and you’re not actually trapped in the escape room. You can leave at any time if you need to. Escape rooms aren’t actually locked. You can come in and out as you please, though you may need to use a different door than the one you’re supposed to unlock.
Have fun with it. Escape rooms are like mini-amusement parks. The goal is not to win, but to enjoy a unique activity with close friends. Immerse yourself in this unique experience, and don’t get discouraged if you run out of time before finishing. It's just a game at the end of the day! Take photos at the end, if it’s allowed. Some escape rooms have special areas for taking photos, so be sure to ask the staff. If possible, try doing the same escape room more than once. You might win the second or third time.
Saving Time & Money
Book a spot and add teammates later. If you don’t know how many teammates you’ll have, contact the escape room before booking to ask if you can add teammates at a later date. If they allow it, book a spot, then add more teammates before the day of your appointment. Team sizes may be limited to a certain number of people, so be sure to confirm that your team isn’t too large.
Save time by submitting waivers in advance. If the escape room lets you submit waivers and other paperwork online, do so at least 24 hours before your appointment. Waivers are usually mandatory, especially for minors. Make sure all your teammates submit their waivers as well. If you’re required to fill out waivers in person, give yourself an extra 10-15 minutes early to do so.
Wear a watch, plus glasses or contacts if you need them. You may need glasses or contacts for reading, searching for clues, and seeing properly in dark areas. A watch will help you keep track of time. Mobile phones and cameras are usually not allowed in the room. Wear a facemask if you or a teammate is concerned about COVID-19 or other respiratory illnesses.
Arrive 10-15 minutes early for orientation. Your guide will explain the rules and provide important safety information. They’ll also give an overview of what to expect, and maybe a few pointers on searching for clues. Listen carefully during their presentation, especially if it’s the first time doing an escape room. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Your guide will be happy to help you, especially if you’re feeling nervous.
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