Brain Builders: 10 Games to Improve Your Escape Room Skills

Hey there, future escape room champion! Ready to turn your brain into a puzzle-solving powerhouse? Buckle up because we’re about to dive into some seriously fun games that’ll have you busting out of escape rooms like a pro in no time!

1. Sudoku: Become a Number Ninja!

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Don’t let those little squares fool you — Sudoku is like CrossFit for your brain! Here’s the deal: you’ve got a 9x9 grid, and your mission (should you choose to accept it) is to fill it with numbers 1–9. Sounds easy, right? Plot twist: each row, column, and 3x3 box needs all nine digits without repeats. It’s like playing number Tetris in your head!

How to play: Start with the numbers already there and use your detective skills to figure out where the others go. No guessing allowed — it’s all about logic, baby! Master this, and those numeric locks in escape rooms will be shaking in their boots.

2. Crossword Puzzles: Word Wizardry

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Forget dusty old newspapers — crosswords are your ticket to word domination! These puzzles are like a gym where your vocabulary does the heavy lifting. You’ll be flexing those mental muscles, making connections faster than a speed-dating event.

How to play: You’ve got a grid of empty squares and a list of clues that’ll make you scratch your head (in a good way!). Fill in the blanks by solving the across and down clues. Warning: may cause spontaneous "Aha!" moments and uncontrollable urges to use big words in everyday conversation.

3. Jigsaw Puzzles: Patience and Perception

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Jigsaw puzzles aren’t just for rainy days at grandma’s house anymore. They’re your secret weapon for developing eagle-eye vision and the patience of a saint — both crucial when you’re trying to spot that tiny key hidden in a picture frame.

How to play: Dump out the pieces, roll up your sleeves, and start sorting. Edge pieces first? Color coding? Whatever floats your boat! The goal is to make sense of the chaos and create a masterpiece. It’s like being a detective, but instead of solving crimes, you’re solving... well, puzzles!

4. Chess: Strategic Thinking

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Chess isn’t just a game; it’s a workout for your strategic thinking muscles. It teaches you to plan ahead, consider multiple possibilities, and adapt your strategy. These skills are invaluable when you’re trying to piece together the big picture in an escape room scenario.

Chess isn’t just for fancy gamers. It’s a battlefield where your brain becomes a four-star general! You’ll be planning moves like a boss, outsmarting your opponent, and feeling like a true genius.

How to play: Two armies, one checkered battlefield. Move your pieces strategically to capture the enemy king. Each piece has its own special moves — like a dance party where everyone has their own style. Check and mate, baby!

5. Rubik’s Cube: Spatial Reasoning Rockstar

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Ah, the Rubik’s Cube — that colorful little box that’s been driving people nuts since the ’80s. But fear not! Mastering this twisted puzzle will turn you into a spatial reasoning superhero faster than you can say "algorithm"!

How to play: Twist, turn, and pray to the puzzle gods as you try to get each side to be one solid color. Pro tip: learn some solving algorithms, and you’ll be impressing your friends (and confusing your enemies) in no time!

6. Riddle Books: Wordplay Wonderland

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Dive into a good book of riddles and brainteasers. These word puzzles challenge you to think outside the box and interpret information in unusual ways. Escape rooms often use wordplay and lateral thinking puzzles, so practicing with riddles will give you a serious edge.

Riddles are like a thrilling mental workout for your brain. They twist words, play with meanings, and take you on a journey of creative thinking. They are perfect for deciphering that cryptic poem in your escape room, adding an element of fun and excitement to your experience. In fact, you can try one now from our most recent Riddle of the Week and enjoy the thrill of cracking it!

How to play: Read the riddle, scratch your head, have an existential crisis, and then experience the sweet joy of figuring it out. Warning: This may cause unexpected bouts of wordplay in everyday conversation.

7. Logic Grid Puzzles: Deduction Detective

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Remember those "If Sally likes green and hates cats, but John loves dogs and yellow..." puzzles? That’s logic grid territory! It’s like being a detective, but instead of solving crimes, you’re figuring out who owns which pet. Equally important, right? These puzzles teach you to organize information systematically and draw conclusions from limited data — crucial skills for any escape room adventurer.

How to play: Armed with a grid and a set of clues, eliminate possibilities until you crack the case. It’s like playing Guess Who, but way more intense and with less funny mustaches.

8. Hidden Object Games: Eagle Eye Training

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Whether on your phone or in a good old-fashioned I Spy book, hidden object games sharpen your observational skills. They’ll turn you into a human search engine, able to spot a needle in a haystack... or a key in a room full of random junk. Escape rooms often hide clues in plain sight, so training your eye to spot out-of-place items or subtle details can be a game-changer.

How to play: Scan the cluttered scene like a T-1000 from Terminator, hunting down objects from your list. Pro tip: Don’t forget to blink occasionally. Dry eyes are the hidden object hunter’s weakness!

9. Trivia Games: Knowledge is Power

While escape rooms don’t usually require specific knowledge, having a broad general knowledge base can help you make connections and solve puzzles faster. Plus, trivia games improve your memory and recall skills, which come in handy when remembering a series of clues or codes.

How to play: Answer questions on everything from ancient history to pop culture. The more obscure, the better! Soon, you’ll be spouting facts like, "Did you know the plastic bits on the end of shoelaces are called aglets?" Fun at parties? Debatable. Useful in escape rooms? Absolutely!

10. Cooperative Board Games: Team Player Pro

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Cooperative board games are like escape rooms in a box — minus the actual escaping part. They’ll teach you to work together like a well-oiled machine, communicate like a pro, and handle pressure like a diamond.

How to play: Team up with your friends to beat the game. Coordinate your moves, share info, and try not to panic as the clock ticks down. It’s like being in a heist movie but with less danger and more snacks.

Ready to Put Your Skills to the Test?

There you have it, future escape room legend! Play these games, and you’ll be solving puzzles faster than you can say "Is this the final room?" Remember, every failed attempt is just practice for your epic escape room victory. So grab your thinking cap, rally your friends, and start training those brain muscles!

After leveling up your skills with these brain-boosting games, why not try them out at 60out and see if you have what it takes to escape before time runs out!

Keep Reading

• Are Escape Rooms A Good Form of Exercise? — Learn how escape rooms can be a unique way of exercise. Discover why they’re an engaging and fun way to stay active.
• Escape Room Guide: Do’s and Don’ts for First Timers — Learn proper escape room etiquette so you can tackle your first (or tenth) room with the confidence of a seasoned pro.