According to Mr. GER who designs most of the puzzles and clues for Gateway Escape Rooms, the key to a great clue is one that, when the solution is learned or discovered, prompts the player to smack their forehead and ask themselves “why didn’t I see that?”
“I actually want people to figure out the clues and escape the room.” Mr. GER says to guests. “Anybody can make an escape room that cannot be solved, and of course a super-easy escape room would not be much fun. My goal is to create an escape room where I ‘win’ if there is less than 5 minutes on the clock, and the players win if there is 5 minutes or more. For me, that’s the challenge.”
Many of the clues are ordinary objects that have been “encoded” with clues that one may not notice at first glance. Murder in the Man Cave is a good example of a room full of decorative objects that have been subtly – but clearly once you “see” it – made into clues.
We also like to provide clues that go beyond the “laminated inkjet print” variety and allow the materials used to be part of the clue. It may reveal too much to explain, but visit our escape room and it will make sense!
