Cracking the Code: Strategies for Acing Escape Rooms

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Ah, the escape room. A thrilling adventure that puts your brain and teamwork skills to the test. 

You enter a room filled with story, puzzles, riddles and hidden clues, and you have just one hour to escape. It's like being in a real-life action movie, except instead of fighting bad guys, you're fighting against the clock. And let's be honest, that's way more stressful.

At Sherlocked, we've seen it all. We've had teams who charge in like headless chickens, teams who deliberate like the Dutch government and teams who refuse to touch anything like our puzzles are made of plutonium. And while each team has their own unique style, we've learned that some strategies are more effective than others.

P.s. If you're planning on doing an escape room in Amsterdam, our Ultimate Escape Room guide can help!

Escape Room Strategies: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Let's have a look at the different strategies for escaping an escape room.

1. The Headless Chicken "strategy"

This strategy involves running around the room like a chicken with its head cut off, touching everything in sight, and hoping something will magically click. Sure, this approach may work in some cases, but more often than not, it just leads to confusion and chaos.

As Mark Rober points out in his video on the subject, this strategy is like playing a game of "Where's Waldo?" with a blindfold on.

2. The Polder Model strategy

Named after the Dutch way of governing, this strategy involves constant deliberation and collaboration among team members. While it's great to have everyone involved, this approach can lead to indecisiveness and a lack of action.

At some point, you just have to take a leap of faith and try something.

3. The Scaredy Cat

This strategy is defined by a reluctance to touch or change anything in the room. While a little caution is understandable, this approach can quickly become a hindrance. As the saying goes, you have to crack a few eggs to make an omelet.

In other words, you have to be willing to take risks and make mistakes in order to progress.

4. The Bruisers

This strategy involves using brute force to open everything in sight. While this approach can be effective in finding hidden clues, it can also lead to a lack of coordination and focus. And let's be real, no escape room owner wants to see their carefully crafted puzzles smashed to pieces.

5. The Organizers

This strategy is favored by experienced players who know what to look for and how to divide tasks among team members. However, this approach can also lead to assumptions and overconfidence, which can be detrimental to progress.

Keep an open mind and don't be afraid to ask for help if you get stuck.

6. The Children

Don't let their youth fool you. Children can be surprisingly effective at escape rooms. They're not burdened by assumptions and are willing to ask "why" when others might just assume they know the answer.

So, next time you're stuck, try channeling your inner child and see where it takes you.

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Honorable Mention: The Consciously Clueless Friends

These teams may not be the most focused or experienced, but they're definitely the most self-deprecating. They're here for a good time, and they're not afraid to make fun of their own cluelessness.

They appear to know the secret of life: it’s not about getting out, it’s all about having a good time while you’re in the room.

Escape Room Tips:

We discussed several strategies. What can we learn from them?

1. At some point, you just have to take a leap of faith and try something.
2. you have to be willing to take risks and make mistakes in order to progress.
3. Keep an open mind and don't be afraid to ask for help if you get stuck.
4. Try channeling your inner child and see where it takes you.
5. It’s not about getting out, it’s all about having a good time while you’re in the room.

Escape Room Success: Combining Strategies for the Ultimate Win

In conclusion, there is no one correct strategy for escaping an escape room. The best teams are often those that combine different approaches and adapt to different situations. Different escape rooms may require different strategies, so don't be afraid to switch things up. And most importantly, have fun! After all, that's what it’s all about.

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