In this blog I will highlight some useful tips about escape rooms and how to tackle them to wow your friends and show off your smarts!
Firstly if you’re reading this you are either really into escape rooms, want to know some more or you are lost in a deep dark click ditch on the internet, whatever the reason may be, welcome, pull up a pew, grab a coffee (or any beverage of your preference) and settle down.
Padlocks. (Stay with me, this is the boring bit.)
There are many types of padlocks in escape rooms. 3,4 or 5 numbers are the most common. 6 number padlocks are ludicrously hard to find, trust me, I’ve tried. You can get them with words, dates, colours, and even symbols; whilst other padlocks require directions or thumb prints! The reason I am boring you with this is because padlocks are one of the biggest clues when it comes to solving puzzles. If you know what you’re looking for, it’s sometimes easier to find it.
When you enter the room, check what, if any, padlocks you can see. Check what they need, words, numbers, directions, colours, symbols, a key? The possibilities are endless. (Well not really endless but I can’t think of anymore right now.) This will give you a starting place. This also leads very nicely to my next point.
Searching.
Once you have figured out what type of codes you need, have a good look around the room. Generally In escape rooms, nothing is above head height or needs excessive force to move. Your games master should clear these rules up with you before you start. You need to look under things, behind them and in things. A great tip is to check if any doors or drawers are already open. Unless you are told otherwise, always check under the rug!
When you feel you’ve searched everything, one of two things will have happened. You will have found a key or a clue, or you’ll be completely at a loss for what to do next. At this point you should…
Look around and take in your surroundings.
If you are playing one of our linear games, It is likely that your search didn’t give you much to start with apart from some things that may or may not help you later. Have a look at the walls. Are there any posters or pictures? Maybe they will help you get started. Remember, like peeling an orange, it’s usually harder to start it off than it is once you’ve broken the skin. So try not to be disheartened at this stage.
By now you should be well on your way to an escape. If you are still stuck however…
Ask for a CLUE.
It is very rare that a team completes a game without any clues or advice. For this reason they are completely unlimited (unless you’re told otherwise before your game)
My staff are highly trained not to laugh at you for being stuck, after all if you knew the game better than them, they wouldn’t need to be there. Around 30% of your game cost is staff… feel free to make use of them! There is very rarely a question they haven’t heard before.
To conclude this rather long blog post, I’ll make the ending short. My final piece of advice for Winning at Escape Rooms For Dummies is; it is important to bring your reading glasses with you. Have fun and let us help you!
Happy Escaping