Most Escape Rooms only offer private room experiences post the COVID-19 epidemic. The hidden benefit to this is that you know your teammates. Participating in an escape room with strangers can be the wild card preventing you from escaping. If you want to escape the room with time to spare on the clock, we suggest you think about the teammates that you bring along with you to Escape From Mystery Manor. Here are a few escape room tips for picking the best teammates.

Escape Room Tips: Teammates

• BE AT HALF-CAPACITY: While Escape Rooms have a max occupancy of players, filling the room just to fill the room is not your best strategy. If this is your first attempt in an escape room, the extra minds might help. However, if you play the game at half-capacity, each player will have more opportunities, more elbow room, and generally more fun as you attempt to escape the room!
• GO MULTI-GENERATIONAL: Well-designed escape rooms require knowledge and skills from all facets of life. Have you seen that TikTok of teens trying to make a rotary phone work? Don’t let this happen to you! Bring Grandma & Granda along for the ride or your little brother. Each generation thinks differently; use that to your advantage.
• PICK AN TEAM MANAGER: Is there a person on your team that is always on time, can multi-task like a pro, and is organized? This is your team manager. Their main goal should be to keep an eye on the clock, delegate puzzles to teammates, and keep track of solved clues.

Escape Room Tips: Housekeeping

• ARRIVE 5-10 MINUTES  EARLY: Most often, you will need to fill out a participation waiver before beginning your game. Show up a few minutes early to get that done and get in the right mindset to play the game.
• KNOW THE RULES: Every escape room is different and will have its own set of rules. Knowing and understanding these rules before you are ‘locked in’ the room can help your team have a more enjoyable time overall.
• LISTEN TO THE GAME INTRO: Your escape room will likely have a brief introduction before starting the game. Listen carefully to the opening for background information that might give you a clue to more clues once you are in the room.
• THINK INSIDE THE ROOM: Remember that you will have everything you need to escape the room, within the room. Also, it will help if you think about the room’s theme.
• WATCH THE CLOCK: Typically, you will have 60 minutes to beat an escape room. Some games have’ events’ that might take additional time off your clock. For example, if your team is at a standstill and you want a hint from the game masters, you might need to exchange time for that clue. However, that exchange might help your team progress and thus would be worth the time you give up. Keep an eye on the clock and remember, you can always try again.

Escape Room Tips: Communication 

• LISTEN TO YOUR TEAMMATES: An escape room is a group activity. You will need to work as a team to solve the different puzzles and games within an escape room. For this reason, it is important to listen to the ideas and suggestions of each teammate.
• PASS THE TORCH: Each player on your team will have unique skills and perspectives.  If you are not good with word riddles, pass the touch to a teammate who is. If you are great with math and the clues contain numbers, let your teammates know ‘you’ve got this.’
• ASK QUESTIONS AND GET CURIOUS: If you never ask, you will never know! Get curious and work your brain! When you ask all the questions, ideas begin to flow freely within your group.
• CELEBRATE CLUES: Speak up when you think you have found a clue! Whether you are playing a Linear or Non-Linear game, every clue matters. Celebrating clues also helps your teammates stay positive as time quickly disappears.
• ASK FOR A HINT: The goal is to have fun while you escape the room, so if your team gets really stuck, ask for a hint from the game masters. Yes, it will take a few minutes off the clock, but it might just be a missing link to solve the puzzle!

Escape Room Tips: Stay Organized 

• KEYS & LOCKS: Chances are good that you will find different types of keys and locks in your escape room game. This escape room tip is easy to remember; keep the key in the lock! 
• DISCARD PILE: Typically, once you have used a clue, you will not need it again. That might not always be the case, but it is a reasonable assumption.
• CHOOSE A CLUE HOLDER: If you are playing a non-linear escape room game, it would be helpful to have one person responsible for holding onto anything that you might think is a clue. Even if the hint does not help you, it might help someone else, but only if they know it is there. So, hand it off to the clue holder rather than putting it in your pocket for later.

Escape Room Tips: Mindset

• BE POSITIVE: It is good to remember that every escape room that you participate in can be solved! Sometimes it becomes difficult to stay positive when the clues do not seem to come together, but take a breath, turn to a teammate, and don’t forget you are here to have fun!
• GET CURIOUS: Finding clues will be much easier when you are curious and ready to explore! Do not expect the clues to be sitting right in front of you, but don’t be surprised if they are.
• STAY DETERMINED: If you are getting stuck, you have multiple options, you can ask for hints from the gamemasters, you can work backward, or you can take a break and let your teammates carry the torch for a time. Keep in mind that the game will be over in 60 minutes regardless, so do your best and stay determined to finish the room rather than give up.
• SHARE & PLAY FAIR: We will refer you back to the escape room tips for teammates for a minute. You came with a team, so play as a team.
• HAVE FUN: You came to Escape From Mystery Manor for a good time. So don’t forget to do that. If your team cannot escape the room this time, it’s not a big deal; you are welcome to return. The main point is to enjoy this experience with your friends, so have fun!

Test These Escape Room Tips!

Ready to put these Escape Room Tips to the test? Try one of our three ESCAPE ROOM GAMES at Escape from Mystery Manor and see if you and your teammates can escape the room!