11 escape room tips to help you make it on time

Escape rooms are very popular and a unique experience. stand out from excursions the movies or museums. They can be an amazing time, but the expectation that you have to solve some puzzles can make them intimidating if you’ve never tried it before And since the puzzles are supposed to be secret, it can be difficult to prepare beforehand.

But I’m here to help. I can’t stress enough how much I love escape rooms. On every trip I take, I strive to try a new room in the area. My partner and I mark everything from birthdaysTo anniversary dinner, too normal Tuesdays with escape room visits. We’ve done dozens together, which makes it such a big part of our relationship that we got engaged to one. i told you i love her

Whether you’re an escape room newbie or a die-hard veteran, I’ve got tips for players of all skill levels.

1. Think about who is in your group

Who you play with is a big part of your time in an escape room will go. I’m a firm believer that almost any group can pull off a win, but you might not jump at the chance to invite that one annoying person who can’t provide direction.

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It’s also important to consider who will be around when deciding which room to lock yourself in. For example, not every room is suitable for children, although most escape room sites wI do not indicate age groups. Although it’s a small minority, I’ve been to escape rooms that require it crawl in tight spaces, climb a bit or slide into another room. Players with disabilities may not be able to tackle every offer, or the company may need to prepare accommodations in advance. Neurodivergent players may also want to think about potential sensory issues. For example, some rooms have a sound that plays every 10 minutes to keep track of time. There are also rooms with flashing lights. For the most part, rooms feel inclusive, or at least should be able to make small changes to be accommodating, but that’s it definitive something to think about.

2. Don’t overlook the theme of the room

Some rooms are scary, some are not scary at all, and many are somewhere in between. Unless horror or fear is your thing, I would avoid this type of room unless you have a lot of escape options. For others, myself included, this will be a huge plus.

I would also urge you to keep an open mind when it comes to general theming. Some escape room spots have a strong tendency to model a room by some sort of IP. I have seen Game of Thrones, Stranger Things, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Resident Evil, and a lot of horror movie space themes. Initially, I was wary of signing up for games based on a show or franchise that I was either unfamiliar with or didn’t like. But I’ve found this to be window dressing and my lack of interest in a property hasn’t diminished my enjoyment. However, if I like what the room nods to, that’s just an added bonus. The rooms are meant to be accessible to all, not a fandom test, so all are welcome.

3. Check reviews on purpose

Yes, of course we’re all trained to look at reviews of things before we try. But I think you should dig deeper when it comes to escape rooms. I sift through people’s opinions on purpose. For example, if you play with children, you might want to see what other groups with children had to say to give you a better idea beyond the general age guidelines. If you’re worried that something is too scary, see what others are saying. If it’s your first time, check out the reviews of other escape room virgins. And if you’re like me and have a full blown escape room addiction, keep an eye out for reviews from fellow veterans. They’re more likely to tell you how one game compares to others in quality or difficulty.

And if you leave a review yourself, please do not spoil any of the puzzles.

4. If in doubt, ask

Escape rooms want you to have a good time, so they’ll often tell you everything you need to know beforehand to make sure you enjoy yourself (without giving away the answers, of course). This is the best way to clarify what disability accommodations might be required. But they can also clarify if a game’s difficulty is based on the puzzles being harder than normal, or if there’s just a ton of things to solve. This way you can determine what group size you need or figure out how to pace yourself.

It’s also important to note that some games are physical restrictions. Each room allows you to leave them freely, but you can too Ask to skip this part entirely.

Continue reading: Escape Room Worker uses Metal Gear Solid sneaking skills to help unsuspecting players

5. Start with a space sweeper

Once you’re inside and heard the talk, go around the whole room and see what’s nearby. Make a note of all the locks and what inputs they accept, and keep an eye out for icons, anything that looks out of place, or anything that’s blinking. We’ll get more into the guys of riddles that are in escape rooms in a bit common.

When you’re thrown into a room, you start with nothing. You should orient yourself as soon as possible to know which puzzles to solve and what to look out for in order to make the most of your time. Just keep in mind that you may not be able to complete all tasks at once.

6. Keep used items in one place

Other Escape Room items are one-time use, which means once you use them, you don’t need them anymore. To avoid confusion and keep your workspace clutter-free, put everything you already use out of the way and keep those items together.

However, if you need to go back to an item, you’ll know exactly where to find it.

Continue reading: When things go wrong as players solve escape rooms

7. Familiarize yourself with escape room tricks

After making a few escape rooms, you’ll quickly find that many follow the same puzzle patterns, tHowever, I would argue that the best ones deviate from the norm as much as possible. A few things to look out for when spotting them are three or four digit codes, color sequences or colors that look out of place, Morse code, or Braille. However, you don’t need to be familiar with Morse code, Braille, or decoding. Everything you need to solve the puzzles will be locked in the room with you.

Some common puzzle types are:

• Combination locks (arguably the most common riddle)
• key locks
• Enter code (codes can be numbers, letters, or symbols, and you will often use a keyboard, keyboard, or physical buttons to enter them)
• Stand or sit in one spot (this is less common, but forgetting it’s an option could mean wasting time on a simple puzzle)
• Magnetism (either to pull a magnet or magnetic item or to place an item in a magnetized spot, which often triggers the next step)
• Pull, push or fish to retrieve an item
• Light patterns (often to indicate order or to indicate a numeric code, where one blink is number one, there is a pause, two blinks dictate number two, and so on)
• And my least favorite: listening patterns (this more often means tuning based on the sound of an object, or attempting to repeat a series of sounds by pressing keys in the correct order).

8. Don’t be afraid to take a different perspective (literally)

Sometimes, a puzzle only give you the answer if you look at them from a little further away. You could create a pattern that spells out numbers or letters, or you have to look at something with glasses that make the answer appear. In any case, a change of perspective can be helpful.

Likewise, it can happen that you have solved 90 percent of a puzzle, but the correct execution is missing. In such cases, it is always a good idea to take a break and think about how else to solve the problem you are facing.

9. Be smart when asking for clues

Many places offer a certain number of clues or let you choose how many you get. That said, they probably won’t leave you dry if you’ve used your assigned number and are really stuck. Even so, you probably want to minimize the number of hints you receive for your own satisfaction. What good is an escape room if it just gives you all the answers? Regardless, you want to know when to swallow your pride and ask for advice. If you ever get stuck on a puzzle and it becomes a time sink, just ask for help. Time is your most valuable resource in an escape game.

10. Keep an eye on the clock

With that in mind, please keep an eye on the time. They have an actual countdown in almost every room, although I’ve seen very few that just give you time markers like a tone that plays every 10 minutes. No matter how you do it, you’re going to want to know where you stand in terms of your total playing time. I would say most games have two to three rooms. In my experience, the third tends to be smaller. If the first room you’re in seems small other than the one you came through has another door or looks like it leads somewhere else, chances are you’re going to a second location. Always try to be second at half time.

11. And finally, don’t break the rules

This feels obvious and they will tell you every time you play, but don’t climb on things, jump around, rap things or pick up furniture. If you Really Do you think some of this is needed, you can talk to your Escape Room Guide and ask. There are a few exceptions i met One playground-themed room had a jungle gym about two feet up to climb on. Another spot asked you to poke a stick through a poster. In both cases, we asked before doing anything out of the ordinary and proceeded with the game. It’s a much better deal than getting fired.

And it would be you shocked at what some players are doing. Finally when they tell you all these things that you can’t or shouldn’t doSo, someone must have tried.