My name is Eloise and I have been the Exciting Escapes Branch Manager for Basingstoke for over a year. I have watched over 2,000 teams play our escape rooms and seen some extraordinary things! Below are some escape room hints and tips from all that I have learned;
1) Hunt high and low
It’s really easy to get a bit sucked into the first thing you set eyes on when you get into the escape room. Always give yourself a couple of minutes just to settle in. Have a really good look around and read any information that was given to you.
2) Know when to ask for help
With most escape rooms, there is the option to ask for clues during the mission. You will be told during the briefing how many clues you have allocated for use within the game (and with us at Exciting Escapes there is no penalty for using a clue!)
The method of receiving clues can vary from room to room. In some you have to phone us, or use a Walkie Talkie, whereas others require receiving written clues via a screen.
I really think a sign of good game play is knowing when to use your clues. Be prepared to ask for help, even top spies need intel from time to time! 😉
3) Split up
Don’t be afraid to break away from the pack and work on things separately. By working on multiple puzzles simultaneously you really are maximising your chances of success! However, if you do go down this road make sure you are telling your colleagues what you are finding and solving!!!
4) Communicate
It sounds like a bit of an obvious one but my top tip for teams is to talk to each other! I have watched literally thousands of teams attempt our escape room missions and I can safely say the ones that do well are the ones that communicate well!
I have lost count of the games I have watched where I have seen a team tackle the same puzzle multiple times because half of them didn’t know their team mates had already solved it, or vice versa.
Often, in order to solve a puzzle, you need to combine multiple elements, or information, from within the room. This means it really is vital to let each other know what you are finding, you never know how useful it could be to your team mates!
5) And last but not least, have fun!
After all it is just a game! Forget any minor squabbles you may have had whilst getting stuck in to a particularly tricky puzzle. And definitely don’t bring up that time your team mate put a vital key straight into their pocket and forgot about it!!!!