Game · 30-40 minutes
Marshmallow and spaghetti tower
Teams build the tallest free-standing tower from spaghetti, tape, and string - with a marshmallow on top.
Read more All team quizzes & games
Problem solving
DIY escape room challenge
Teams solve a chain of puzzles and clues in a locked-room story to “escape” before the timer runs out.
- Players
- 8-48, in teams of 4-8
- Duration
- 60-90 minutes
- Energy level
- Medium
- Works online
- Yes
How to play - step by step
- 1
Choose a story: a missing report, a vault in the finance room, or a project-launch emergency.
- 2
Create five to seven linked puzzles - riddles, number codes, a cipher, a jigsaw, a map clue.
- 3
Seal clues in numbered envelopes and prepare hint cards for stuck teams.
- 4
Start a 40-minute timer and let teams work in separate areas.
- 5
Teams may ask for hints at a small point penalty.
- 6
Rank teams by escape time and debrief what helped them succeed.
Benefits
- Practises communication, planning, and collaboration under time pressure.
- Shows who listens, who leads, and how the team shares information.
- Gives managers real examples to discuss in debriefs.
- Turns a fun task into a lesson that carries back to work.
What you need
- A story, five to seven linked puzzles, and a final code or key.
- Envelopes or boxes with locks (or numeric codes), hint cards, and paper.
- A timer, a host, and a safe room or meeting space.
Rules
- No forcing locks or damaging materials.
- Only use the clues provided; nothing outside the room.
- Hints cost points, not the chance to continue.
Scoring and winning
- Time to escape is the main score; each hint adds one minute.
- Bonus for the team with the best teamwork, chosen by the host.
Puzzle ideas
- A cipher where each letter shifts by three.
- A calendar with circled dates that form a four-digit code.
- Rearranging sentence strips to reveal a location.
- A mini jigsaw with a final clue on the back.
- A UV pen message revealed under a torch.
Variations
- Mini version: three puzzles in 20 minutes for small groups.
- Online version using slides with hidden clues and a shared answer form.
- Company-themed: clues drawn from company history and values.
Playing it online
- Build the puzzle chain on slides with hyperlinks and a final password form.
- Use breakout rooms and let teams message the host for hints.
Tips for the host
- Time the test run and aim for 70% of teams to finish.
- Make the story fun and the clues fair.
Mistakes to avoid
- Puzzles that are too hard or unrelated to each other.
- Not testing the flow with two colleagues first.
- No hint system - stuck teams give up.
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