No one is born knowing how to play an escape room; just like riding a bike, or playing Monopoly, you have to learn the basics first. There’s a steep learning curve to becoming an escape room expert, and even the most experienced players still falter when put to the test. Since it’s our mission to make sure you have the most fun possible in your next escape room, we’ve put together a list of the top three things that trip people up in escape rooms. Check them out and avoid these common escape room struggles.
Some escape rooms have a divergent design, meaning there are multiple puzzles that are available to be solved at one time. The option of multiple paths can sometimes cause confusion for players. Groups may confuse which clues belong to which puzzles, or even hyperfocus on one puzzle and ignore other vital ones. When playing a divergently designed escape room, it’s important to take stock of what you know and what you need to know. For example, you may need to get through a door with a numbered keypad, that means that you need a clue that leads to those numbers. If after looking around you don’t see a straightforward way to get numbers, you’ll likely have to solve another puzzle first before you can get through the door.
It’s very easy to make logical assumptions when you’re playing an escape room, but just because there are five coloured buttons on a puzzle, doesn’t mean you necessarily need to use all five. Instead of assuming that the solution features all five colours, devote your attention to finding the logic behind the puzzle. Maybe you don’t need that red button at all, or maybe you need it twice, only the solution will tell you for sure. It doesn’t benefit you to assume things about the solution, because if your assumption is wrong, you could find yourself stuck.
Communication is the key to escape room success. Without a group that can openly exchange information, solving an escape room becomes virtually impossible. Consider how many puzzles an escape room has; they inevitably have a ton of information to discover, memorize, and keep track of. Some games even demand the cooperation of multiple players over a large distance to physically trigger puzzles. How can you achieve that without communicating with your teammates? To avoid the pitfalls of communication breakdown, make sure you’re not only speaking your mind, but also listening to your teammates as well, and your strong communication is sure to help you solve the escape room in record time.