What’s an escape room? Well, it’s more than just a game to give you a temporary thrill. Escape rooms are full of cryptic puzzles that challenge your problem solving, strategic, and collaborative skills. Fun and entertainment are a joyful bonus! But trust me when I say that escaping one of these rooms is not as easy as you might think. There’s an art to it.
I recently played The Gift and Taken at Red Door Southlake during my visit to Dallas, and to put it simply: #ididnotescape. But my team was very close, plus Taken has the lowest escape rate! Looking back at my experience, I realize a lot of things I could do differently the next time I play an Escape Room and I’d like to share those tips with you for your next attempt at an escape!
Here are 5 tips to master the Art of Escape:
- BE PRESENT
The great thing about escape rooms is you actually get to escape the real world for 60 minutes while you try to escape a fictional one. Feel free to leave any of your worries or distractions in the locker along with your phone to be present. Being focused and in the moment is one of the best tactics for allowing your mind to create its best thoughts. Your team will thank you for it! - EXPLORE
Use what you have: your senses. Yes, all five! Well… unless you brought your own snack to taste, let’s subtract one sense. Actually, I’d be slightly concerned if you smelled something weird too… But touch everything, look at everything, and listen to everything! Feel for loose bricks on the wall, see irregularities in patterns, and hear the click of an opening door when you enter the right code. Awareness and curiosity are key. - COMMUNICATE
Sharing is caring! When you discover a new clue or if you see something move or change, tell your partners about it. They may have found something that relates to what you found, and if you don’t talk to each other you could miss something very important. Everyone’s ideas and comments matter! - BE CREATIVE
Have you been trying the same combination for the last five minutes? Maybe you’ve been reading something over and over again. But have you tried reading right to left instead of left to right? Or top to bottom? Or diagonal? Escape rooms can really stimulate your creativity, but you have to allow your mind to open up to new ideas and methods! - CELEBRATE SUCCESS
Encouragement is so important, especially in any team setting. When your partners have helped you unlock the door to a new room or find the code for the exit lock, celebrate together. After all, we’re all having fun!
Think you’re equipped to take on an escape room now? When you finish your next episode, post a picture and show us you’ve mastered the art of escape with the hashtag #reddoorescape
If you’re looking for a few more tips before conquering your first escape room, check out some of our other posts like 3 Helpful Tips for Beating Any Escape Room!
If you think you’ve had enough coaching and want to try an escape room at Red Door, find a location near you and book an episode today!
