Tips for Escape Room Newbies

Escape rooms have been around for quite some time now. They make for wholesome fun with your friends who want to try out something more mentally stimulating. If you want something that’s worthwhile and theme-based (that is, if you won’t mind playing inside a 1930s detective’s office), then escape rooms have all the right stuff.

To play an escape room game, you will need to have impressive problem-solving skills and experience in cryptography. However, most of the time these just involve common sense and simple logic.

Still, when you and your friends are new to the game, you will need to know a few expert tips to unlock the door to your freedom.

Whether you are trying out Indy’s popular Breakout Games or playing Hollywood-themed escape rooms in Los Angeles, these surefire strategies will help you make the most out of the experience.

1. Delegate your tasks

Escape rooms have a timer, which means you will lose the game if you are unable to escape before the time runs out. As much as possible, you will need to make the most of the 60 minutes to spend searching for clues and solving puzzles.

One important strategy is to simply split yourselves into teams. One team can focus on decoding messages, while the other team can survey the room for items that may come in handy later on. This prevents you from focusing on one puzzle, allowing you to move faster in finding a way out.

2. Keep healthy communication alive

Other than problem-solving skills, escape rooms also offer a lesson in teamwork. That lesson is communication.

As much as you want to take the lead in solving puzzles, you will also need to listen to your teammates if they have an idea in mind. Your teammates may have other suggestions that can help you progress.

3. Examine items closely

There are clues that are lying everywhere, so it’s important to keep your eyes peeled for the smallest and yet most critical details. For sure, these are clues that will give your team the boost it needs.

Check the drawers and cabinets and find anything that looks peculiar. Are there any boots lying around? Reach inside them for notes and letters that are important for the next puzzle. Also, make sure to check under the carpet as well as in the pages of the books on the bookshelf.

4. Organize your items

When trying to decode certain puzzles, it’s a good rule of thumb to spread out the items you have found on the floor and make sense of each one. Without effective item management, it’s easier to get lost and, worse, you’ll find yourself going back to the same stages.

Avoid these challenges by simply grouping your items into categories. The best way you can do that is to group related items together. This will make it easier for you to discard items you don’t actually need and increase your problem-solving efficiency.