Top 5 Mistakes People Make in an Escape Room

Published by and copyright, Bryan Sloan @ Legacy Escape Box

1.      Not looking everywhere = Don’t assume someone has already looked in a certain area. If it seems obvious to look inside a desk drawer, then do it. One escape room I was in (with strangers) had a lock that required a key. It took way too much time for us to find the key, which was in the desk drawer. Everyone assumed someone else had already opened the drawer. We won the room, but made it too close, and this was one reason why. Look EVERYWHERE (that’s safe) and leave no stone, drawer, or picture frame unturned.

2.      Not sharing information = When you see something, say something. – This also goes hand in hand with communication. Constantly talk and don’t assume anything. Ask if you’ve searched the specific areas in the room. Ask if there is anything else with the color red in the room. Ask if someone can come look at this puzzle or clue. When you find a new clue or open any new box or treasure, announce it! – If everyone was silent, then vital information wouldn’t be shared.

3.      Not playing to your strengths = Am I stuck? Can someone else work on this or be more efficient with this? Am I good at ciphers? Is this other person good at another type of puzzle? If you don’t understand a puzzle, grab a fresh set of eyeballs to take a look at it. Chances are that someone else can put some effort into it and possibly solve it.

4.      Not staying organized = Use one main area for intel gathering. Put the locks with keys in them together in the same spot. It helps when people need to know information, including which person found which lock and how they pair together. (It also helps with room reset, which is helpful to escape room owners). Put new clues here together. Keep the items together that came together, because that often matters. Try to find a nice big table to put clues on so that everyone knows where our clues are. It becomes the “war room table” where you can find everything you have so far.

5.      Unnecessary quarterbacking = Don’t overwhelm others with taking over the room. An escape room is meant for fun, and it’s meant for multiple people (unless you’re doing it by yourself, which is probably never). If it’s a team effort, then let’s make it a team effort. Sometimes, yes, you may need to take charge and be the operations manager, but sometimes you may need to allow others to contribute because in all honesty, one person is not great at everything. Let others use their skills and abilities in the room so that you can complete it together.