I went to an escape room today. The theme was ‘wild west,’ a bit strange in contrast to the location of Sochi, Russia. We powered through the first half of the puzzles, moving effortlessly from one clue to the next.
Nearing the end, we got stuck on a 4-letter lock. The clues we had didn’t seem to match the combination, and time was ticking away quickly. A Russian voice echoed from the speaker, “you’re not going to get it just by guessing,” so we returned to the unsolved clues. It turns out that we had left a piece of one of the puzzles inside the safe (despite multiple re-checks), which completely halted our progress. In the end we were able to escape, albeit one minute passed the allotted hour time-limit.
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Escape rooms are a growing trend, most likely originating from Japan in 2007 (woot woot represent). Since then, dozens of companies and franchises have popped up globally. Each room is individually designed, following different plots and themes, all with the common goal: escape from the room (and solve the mystery).
Typically, you and your group have about an hour to dissect clues, solve puzzles, and overcome the challenges of the room. Clues/hints can be given if necessary, and all activity is monitored by cameras and microphone by the employees. No phones, cameras, or other equipment is allowed.
I find it to be a enjoyable activity, invigorating the analytical mind in an interactive environment.
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If you plan to visit an escape room near you, consider these do’s and don’ts:
DO go with friends. This is the kind of activity that’s more enjoyable when played with others. Together you can collaborate, have different perspectives on puzzle-solving, and be able to share the enjoyment of solving an intricate challenge. I recommend a minimum of 2.
DON’T go with too many people. The phrase, “too many cooks in the kitchen,” exists for a reason. The rooms themselves are typically small, and it can be hard to think with too many people talking at once. Maximum of 4 for comfort’s sake, and for sanity’s.
DO delegate. With an hour time limit, many of the more-difficult escape rooms will have multiple puzzles that need to be solved. It’s often necessary to have different people tackling different tasks to escape in time.
DON’T overlook anything. Hints can be found anywhere. Wall hangings, on the floor, or even a piece you missed in the box. It’s hard to solve a puzzle with a missing piece, so consider your surroundings and maintain an open mind. It’s so easy to be blind to something hanging right in front of you.
DO keep an eye out for numbers and letters. Escape rooms typically have multiple locks, opened with number/letter combinations or physical keys. Also, if you match up the number of characters of the clue to the number of characters necessary for the lock, it’s easier to match up the clue to the lock. (Since you may be working with multiple clues at the same time).
DON’T focus too much on one thing. Escape rooms include red herrings (information designed to be misleading or distracting). If something seems overly complicated, or distracts from making progress, move on to another puzzle if possible. Remember, there’s a time limit.
DON’T break anything. The companies make great effort to ensure the quality of the environment and user experience. Most objects that aren’t affiliated with the game will usually have a ‘not in game,’ sign or something similar, so respect the rules.
DO go to an escape room! It’s certainly not a common activity, most people have never even heard of it. But it’s quirky and refreshing, and only a matter of time before business starts booming.
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Escape rooms are addicting. The rush of success as you complete a challenging puzzle, or unlock a hidden door is something I’ve only experienced inside of a video game. And believe it or not, it’s becoming quite the lucrative business endeavor.
As of now, there is no single company with a Monopoly over the business, and it’s quite a design effort to make the rooms. It’s an activity that will promote return-customers; although people will not return to the same escape room twice, so creatives will have to work diligently to maintain games with adequate challenge, variety, and novelty.
It’s also a valid testing-ground for new technologies, or an opportunity to reframe the use of pre-existing ones.
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I’ll be back to challenge the other rooms before heading out of Sochi.
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6/31 #YearOfChallenge