Escape rooms are designed to be fun whether you win or lose, but at the end of the day we all want to win. These tips have been carefully selected by a collection of escape room designers and enthusiasts to help you and your team defeat any room with ease.
Escape rooms are full of incomplete information. They won’t directly tell you how a puzzle works or even what the puzzle is. Before you jump in head first and start doing stuff, take a step back and figure out what you are supposed to be doing. Once you think know what to do, then take action. If something isn’t working like you expected, take a step back again and look at the bigger picture. You are probably misunderstanding the puzzle or missing information.Â
Information can be hidden in clever ways in an escape room. It could be a small marking, the color of something, a hidden object or even something in plain sight. Make sure you search any drawers, articles of clothing or anything else that might possibly be hiding something. Don’t be afraid to double check, it can be easy to miss stuff. Pay extra attention to the objects you get from solving a puzzle as these will definitely be used at some point.
There are two key ways to work together as a team. First, you should make communication a priority. If your teammates are trying to tell you something, be sure to listen. On the flip side, when you think you might have valuable information, be sure to share it. The second is to divide and conquer. If you find yourself standing around just watching someone, try to find a way to get involved. If the person doesn’t need help see what else you can do around the room.Â
The room will likely be full of different things you can interact with, but there are only certain things you can actually solve at any given time. Sometimes you are given puzzles or information that you will not be able to use until later. Try to distinguish between what you can solve at the time and what you can’t. Even something you are given directly from solving a puzzle may not be needed until later.Â
If you have tried everything and still can’t get it, the best thing you can do is to switch puzzles or get help from a teammate. Each person will be better at different puzzles, so it is important to have the right person on the right thing. Having fresh eyes or a friend to help can be the difference between making it out or not.Â
If you have done everything you can, and you still cannot figure out what to do, it is time for a hint. Even the most experienced players get stumped from time to time. The difference is, a pro can recognize when they have run out of ideas, and use a hint before too much time is wasted. Don’t let your ego or pride get in the way.Â
At the end of the day an escape room is all about having fun. So let go, relax and enjoy the experience! Don’t let puzzles frustrate you or forget the real reason you went. Do this and you have already won!