Many people believe that being good at escape rooms is a matter of being a great puzzle and problem solver. While this is a helpful skill to have in an escape room, escape rooms are a team game. The real key to escaping is using strategies that will get your team to work together in the smartest, most efficient manner possible.
Escape Rooms can be very difficult if you aren’t aware of the best practices to successfully escape. This post will take you through the main strategies to help you and the rest of your team escape the room.
Strategy #1: Communicate!
It is easy to get in the zone and forget that you have an entire team there to help you. Two brains are better than one, so use as many of them as you can! If you find a clue, make sure to communicate this to the rest of your group. It is very possible they have other pieces of the puzzle that connect to your clue.
Furthermore, if you have been stuck with a specific clue or puzzle, ask the rest of your team for help! Sometimes all you need is another set of eyes that will see things differently. Don’t hesitate to ask your friends for help.
Strategy #2: Search High and Low
In an escape room, anything goes. Hidden doors, safes, and other clues are deceptively hidden throughout every escape room. This means that it is especially important to take a hard look at your surroundings. There is more than meets the eye – turn things around, flip them over, etc. and you may find a pleasant surprise. Just make sure not to take this too far! If you are trying to force something, that means you are veering off track.
Strategy #3: Divide and Conquer
You only have 60 minutes in an escape room, so using your resources effectively is especially important. What are your most precious resources in an escape room? Teammates.
Make your team more efficient by avoiding any duplicate work. Team members should be spread throughout the room looking for different clues and puzzles to solve. If multiple people spend too much time in certain parts of the room, you may be missing out on other important clues.
Strategy #4: Use your Clues When You Need Them
While it is an extremely impressive feat to complete an escape room with zero clues, doing so is very unlikely. Don’t have too much pride to use your clues! In nearly every escape room game, your group will come to a stalemate where you do not know how to proceed. When you need that extra little boost, use a clue! You only get three so make sure to use them wisely.
If you are still waiting on your first successful escape, we hope this post helps get you there. Next time you step into an escape room, keep these strategies in mind and be ready to execute. Time’s ticking. Good luck!
