Hello fellow adventurers! Welcome back to the Arcadian: the premier blog about all things for Calgary escape rooms! Today, we’re diving into three different types of puzzles you’ll likely encounter in escape rooms, and helpful tips on how to tackle them with style.
Logic Puzzles
Logic puzzles are all about untangling confusing clues to figure out what order the answers are supposed to be in. There’s not a lot of room for guesswork here if you want to complete your escape room quickly – logic puzzles hinge on having each component in an exact order or placement. But, these puzzles don’t have to be daunting! The key to solving a logic puzzle lies in the “keystone” clues within the set of information you are given – that is, the clues that stand alone. A classic example of a keystone in a logic puzzle may be to say that a certain object, say a flag, goes into the second position. Another clue may then say that another object goes to the right of the flag. Thanks to the keystone clue about the flag, we are now able to work from there to solve the rest! Don’t be overwhelmed by all of the information – seek out those nifty keystone clues first!
Pattern Puzzles
If logic puzzles are a bit too left-brain for your liking, you might enjoy seeking out the pattern puzzles in your adventure room! These puzzles sometimes require an open mind and keen eye to seek out potential patterns, as these puzzles can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Numbers, letters, colors, shapes, or even positions on the wall or shelves – nothing is off limits! Repetition can be a key component to figuring out pattern puzzles, as well as simply noticing the opposite – what doesn’t repeat, or what sticks out like a sore thumb in the group of clues?
Don’t just look for the patterns; understand what they’re trying to tell you. Is it a combination for a number lock or a secret sequence for a punch lock? Maybe it’s a visual guide leading you on a wild goose chase with a directional lock. Thinking spatially and pictorially can be your secret weapon against patterns in escape rooms!
Codebreaker Puzzles
Codebreaking puzzles can look like a time-sinking nightmare in an escape room. Finding a seemingly nonsensical message or series of symbols can sometimes be more daunting than inspiring. But, the first step to tackling these headscratchers is to solve a code breaking puzzle is to find the key or legend. Look for matching symbols or letters around the room, or for a grid showing correlations between two different components.
Next, figure out what you’re aiming for with your solution. Does it look like the code’s answer will provide you with a series of numbers? A word or a sentence? Is it more symbols that you will need to use elsewhere in a puzzle? Figuring out where you’re going to before you start traveling is important, and to be efficient in an escape room is no different!
Once the key has been located, figuring out the most commonly used symbols can be a strong start, especially if the codebreaking is around words. Focusing on solving letters like e, a, s, or t can speed up your escape room time. If the code breaking is around solving for numbers or symbols, tackle them in order!
Locked rooms can offer an endless array of challenging puzzles beyond these three puzzle types, and you can even apply these tips and tricks here to a lot of other puzzle types! Embrace every puzzle in an adventure room with an open mind and creative thinking. The most important thing to remember when solving an escape room, however, is making sure to communicate and work together as a team – that’s how real puzzle solving happens. The next step is to find an awesome Calgary escape room to put your new skills to the test! Happy puzzle solving!
Arcadia Adventures Escape Room is Calgary’s premier escape room experience. Our real-life Calgary escape room is an excellent way to have fun, solve puzzles, and improve your team-building skills. Our rooms can host parties, small groups, families, couples, and is great as a team-building activity for Calgary businesses. Book your spot at our one of our Calgary escape rooms online or by contacting us on 587-356-0440.
