How to Solve Escape Room Puzzles

Puzzles are the lifeblood of escape room games. Players must find and solve a series of puzzles to unlock the final door before time runs out. While escape games are designed to be tough, you can walk out victorious. It’s all about understanding how the escape room puzzles work and how to solve them.

Types of Escape Room Puzzles & Solutions

There are at least 31 types of escape room puzzles according to a 2015 English-language escape room survey (see pages 11-12 of the PDF). Some of the most common escape room puzzles and clues include:

• Hidden objects
• Logic puzzles
• Physical puzzles
• Letter and number puzzles
• Sound-based clues
• Light clues
• Visual design clues

Looking out for these puzzle types when attempting your first escape room could make your experience much smoother and help you advance more quickly through the game. Most escape rooms use a combination of different kinds of puzzles, so practice a few of these puzzle types beforehand to prime your problem-solving skills for a successful escape game.

1. Hidden Objects

Hidden objects are among the most common items found in an escape room experience. These objects can include keys, notebooks, business cards, and photographs, just to name a few examples. In many escape rooms, you’ll need to locate these items as soon as you enter the room and before you can advance to the other puzzles in the game.

These items can appear under rugs, in hollowed-out books, behind bookshelves, inside lamp shades, in secret compartments of drawers and cabinets, and in just about any location that isn’t immediately obvious to the naked eye. Look for loose objects and examine every square inch of the room—except for any areas specifically marked as being off limits. You never know when you’ll find a book safe, a hollow flower pot, or even a false wall panel.

2. Logic Puzzles

The logic puzzles are some of the most challenging to solve in an escape room. You may be presented with seemingly incomprehensible maps, riddles, poems, symbols, books, or televised messages.

The two most important things to remember are:

Nothing is there by accident. **Nothing is as it seems. **

In other words, there are no random objects in an escape room, but the significance of each object will subvert your expectations. For example, if you need to find a three-digit code to open a safe, and you notice the numbers “238” written on the door, the code to the safe is probably not 238. It’s too easy and too obvious. Those numbers, however, may serve as a clue to finding the actual code. The key is to eschew the obvious and think outside the box.

It is important to note that while nothing is there by accident, things are not always equally as important. We value immersion at Quest Room, so a lot of the set design is meant to further immerse you. This adds a new layer to the experience—is that item there because you need it or is it there because it wouldn’t make sense for it NOT to be there in the story?

To solve a logic puzzle, solicit the perspective of everyone in your group (this is where it really helps to have a large team). Search the room for patterns, repetition, and related items or symbols. Consider all of the clues you’ve collected so far, and think of ways that they might relate to the puzzle you’re trying to solve.

3. Physical Puzzles

A physical puzzle is similar to a logic puzzle, but it requires you to physically manipulate objects. You might be required to unravel a difficult knot that’s holding cabinet doors together, or you might need to rearrange a piece of furniture or a series of puzzle pieces to unlock a secret compartment. Some of the more elaborate escape rooms will have floor tiles that you can activate, bookcases with secret entrances, and coffins and sarcophagi that you can unlock by inserting a physical object into a secret compartment.

One common mistake that people make is to move every object in the room. In most cases, the furniture is already right where it needs to be. However, if something is noticeably out of place, or if other clues are drawing your attention to a specific object, it may warrant a closer investigation.

Just remember to be mindful of the rules. If a bookcase has a sign on it that reads “Don’t touch – this is not a clue,” keep your hands off the bookcase. Those signs are there for a reason and are not red herrings. A verbal version such as your game master mentioning it in the rules is just as valid and should be respected.

4. Letter and Number Puzzles

Letter and number puzzles also fall under the umbrella of logic puzzles, but require their own type of critical thinking. You don’t have to be a math wiz or wordsmith to solve these common puzzles, but it does help if you have a penchant for crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and similar puzzle games.

Sometimes the escape puzzle can be solved with no outside information. In other cases, you’ll need to search the room for additional clues in order to fill in the blanks. If it becomes clear that you have insufficient information to complete the puzzle, it might be best to set it aside until additional alphanumeric clues surface.

The puzzle may provide you with the code to a combination lock, the name of an important character within the escape room’s storyline, or a secret codeword required for advancement to the next room. In many cases, the solution to the puzzle is just a clue to an entirely different puzzle. So once you have your letter or number combination, consider how it might factor into other mysteries within the room.

5. Sound-Based Clues

Not all escape room clues are visual. Room designers love to incorporate audio clues, which can come in the form of music and even seemingly random sounds. If you hear the sound of dripping water in one corner of the room, that may be a cue to investigate. If you find a Morse code decoder in a drawer, listen carefully for Morse code patterns in the wall. If a record player continuously repeats the chorus of a song, consider what clues the lyrics might hold.

There are certain instances when sounds are present just to set the mood. This is common in horror rooms, where the right soundtrack can dramatically heighten the tension. But if the purpose of the sound isn’t immediately obvious, you might be onto something. As previously noted, nothing is there by accident. So if your surroundings include any sort of auditory experience, you need to ask yourself why.

In some cases, you might be required to rely on more senses than just sight and sound. Take Perfumer, for instance (available at our Hollywood location). Regarded as one of the best escape rooms in LA, it requires you to utilize all five senses, including smell. Be prepared for all types of sensory clues.

6. Light Clues

When entering an escape room, you want to look for both light and the absence of light. The presence of an isolated spotlight or other illuminated focal points can signify the location of a clue or puzzle. Conversely, if you notice a conspicuously dark area in an otherwise well-lit room, you should probably go and investigate.

There are even cases when the light itself can be part of the puzzle. For instance (and without giving too much away), some escape rooms will be equipped with objects that allow you to bend beams of light for the purpose of revealing shrouded clues or opening new passageways.

7. Visual Design Clues

Finally, consider how the design of the room itself may provide essential clues. Could that gaudy wallpaper pattern be hiding an important message? Does it look like one of the baseboards isn’t exactly flush with the wall? If the escape room is Old West-themed, why is there a renaissance painting on the wall?

When examining the room, look for any design elements that feel out of place. Look for those elements that demand your attention and also those that are trying to avoid attention—both are equally suspect.

Solve the Puzzles in Any Escape Room

The puzzle-solving nature of escape games makes them perfect for a night out with friends, family get-togethers, birthday parties, and team-building events for businesses. They can actually become quite addictive once you get your first taste of victory.

If you’ve never been to an escape room in Los Angeles or you’re tired of those bland, printable escape room kits, now is the perfect time to experience the real deal. Just make sure you have a good escape room game plan and a basic understanding of how the puzzles work. If you do your due diligence, practice a few puzzle types before you come, and follow our escape room tips for beginners, you should have no trouble unlocking that final door.