Escape rooms ask players to solve puzzles in order to find the clues they need to find the key and secure their release. For many, it’s a fun experience, while others worry about their ability to actually solve the puzzles. How difficult are they? What kind of puzzles are in escape rooms? Rest assured that escape room venues want you to win, and they’re looking to test your skills without leaving you too frustrated. Here’s what you can expect from an escape room and how to approach several different types of puzzles.
Word Games and Numbers
Don’t worry if math or literature weren’t your best subjects in school. Escape rooms may ask you to solve a simple Sudoku puzzle, put together equations, finish a crossword, or unscramble a word. Keep an eye out for mathematical symbols, and be prepared to find missing signs that you may need to provide to solve the puzzle. When it comes to words, think of what might be missing in a poem or riddle and use the theme of the room to help you out.
Physical Puzzles
Puzzles that require you to move and reshape items are also common in escape rooms. You may need to untangle a complicated knot to remove a key or puzzle piece. Sometimes, you may need to move an item out of the way or from one place to another. If something doesn’t look like it belongs in a particular area, pay attention. It’s important to remember the rules of your room before attempting to move anything. Objects in escape rooms should be able to be moved without using too much strength. If something won’t budge, leave it alone.
Light and Sound
Just because you can not touch it doesn’t mean it isn’t important. In an escape room, every detail matters — even the lighting and sounds. Listen to ambient noise that might include morse code or whispered words. Even the direction from which the sound is coming can give you a clue. Look for record players, radios, and other musical devices, then pay attention to the words of the song when you hit play. Finally, check out the lighting. Dim spaces are the perfect spot for hiding clues, so find a flashlight and start looking in those corners of the room.
Room Design
Keep an eye out for how the room’s design may actually contain information. Morse code, for example, can be incorporated into paintings or you may find unusual objects in an otherwise lovely statue. The theme of the room can also help you; if your room is space themed, but you find an antique lamp, think about the message (time travel?) it could be trying to convey.
Logic Puzzles
You may have aced history, but your book smarts will only take you so far in an escape room. Critical thinking and logic skills, meanwhile, can be essential. Use your intuition to figure out when something doesn’t seem quite right. Repeated patterns are common in escape rooms and might be pointing you to something important. Look for symbols, themes, and out-of-place objects, and never settle for the obvious answer. Thinking outside the box often provides the right answer, so ask your teammates for their thoughts before rushing towards a solution.
Combo Puzzles
Just when you thought you had it figured out, you realize that the puzzle you just solved tells you nothing at all. Surprise! It’s a combination puzzle, and you’re not quite done yet. Some puzzles simply give you more clues that need to be attached to others to make any sense. Remember this if you encounter an answer that doesn’t quite make sense, and try a different approach. Equations might actually be logic puzzles, and pictures may have distractions that take your attention away from the real clue. Once you have the answer, look at it within the context of the whole room to figure out your next steps.
Hidden Objects
It wouldn’t be an escape room without some hidden clues. Leave no drawer, book, or box unopened in your search for information. Feel for false bottoms and flip through books carefully to make sure you don’t miss anything. If you do find a hidden item halfway through your search, keep looking. You might find even more treasure if you completely search each space before moving on to the next one.
Your Escape Room Adventure
Bond’s Escape Room has dozens of puzzles spread across 10 themed escape rooms to test your critical thinking skills and creativity. Escape from Venus, save the White House, survive a horror movie, or take on another adventure in their carefully conceived rooms. With just 60 minutes to escape, Bond’s creates a thrilling and exciting adventure every time. And with their theater-grade props, you should have no problem living the action!
Speak to Bond’s Escape Room for more information about its escape room puzzles and to book your escape room experience today.