Escape room tips and tricks

👋 Tyler here. I visited an escape room in Grandview Heights with friends a few weekends ago and am proud to say we were victorious. I don’t want to give away too many secrets about our particular room — in case you want to give it a try.

• The room did involve creative use of various props, though I was no help with the simple math needed to win.

How it works: Escape rooms feature a series of puzzles, clues and locks your group must complete to finish — typically in an hour. Our room had a 1920s speakeasy theme, with the goal to escape before getting busted by law enforcement.

Be smart: Here are some general tips for becoming an escape room pro:

• Communicate: Everyone should explore different parts of the room and keep others informed about what is discovered. A clue you find could match up with someone else’s.
• Stay organized: Keep track of which puzzles and locks are finished by putting completed items aside to avoid confusion. You can always go back to them if needed.
• Keep your cool: There will be “Eureka!” moments and other points where you feel stuck. Stress can mount quickly with the clock ticking, but don’t worry — good teamwork ensures these dead ends don’t last very long.

If you go: There are more than a dozen escape rooms in the Columbus area. Double check the difficulty level of a room before booking. Most are designed for all ages and skill levels, but some are meant for advanced players.