Make a puzzle sheet
Unlock the box
Name:
Each shape is the part of the grid that holds a letter. Match the shapes to the key.
Pigpen key
Unlock the box: answer key
THE KEY IS TAPED UNDER THE THIRD CHAIR
Using the puzzle maker
Type a title and the message players should find, pick a cipher, and the sheet appears below exactly as it will print. Each letter gets a blank underneath for the answer. Leave the key on for younger players, or take it off and give it out as a separate clue. The answer key prints as a second page, so you can keep it back.
Instructions are filled in for each cipher, and you can write your own. Print gives you A4 or US Letter, with nothing else from this page on the paper. Your message stays in your browser: it isn't sent or saved anywhere, so there's nothing for anyone to find.
Puzzle ideas that work on paper
A code to crack. The classic: a message in pigpen, Morse code or a Caesar shift, with the key hidden somewhere else in the room. Finding the key is half the puzzle.
A number lock. Turn the answer into a code: four letters through A1Z26 give four numbers for a padlock. Or hide the digits in the message itself.
A cryptogram. A sentence where every letter has been swapped for another, with a few letters given away. It suits older players and anyone who likes word puzzles.
A grid. The Polybius square and tap code turn letters into pairs of numbers, which can be hidden as page numbers, times on clocks or seat numbers.
A message in plain sight. Write the first letter of each line of a note to spell a word, or circle letters in a printed page. Players have to notice there's a puzzle at all.
Chaining puzzles into a room
An escape room is a chain: each solved puzzle gives what's needed for the next, and the last one opens the way out. Three to five puzzles fill 30 to 45 minutes for a class working in teams. Plan the chain backwards from the final answer, then write each sheet so its answer points to the next clue.
Mix the kinds of thinking, so a team that's stuck on a code can still make progress on a search or a sum. Keep one hint card per puzzle to hand out if a team stalls for more than a few minutes, and test the whole chain yourself before the lesson.
In the classroom
Escape rooms work as revision as much as fun: put a quiz answer at the end of each code, or make the message a fact from the topic. A cipher sheet also works on its own, as a starter or a reward. For a whole class, print one set per team and number the sheets so teams can't swap answers.
Questions
How do I make an escape room puzzle?
Choose the answer first, then hide it: write it in a code, and put the key somewhere players have to find it. The maker above does the code and the sheet.
Which cipher is easiest for kids?
Pigpen and A1Z26 with the key on the sheet. Morse and Polybius take longer, and a cryptogram is the hardest.
Is the message saved anywhere?
No. It stays in your browser and is gone when you close the page.
Can I print in black and white?
Yes. The sheets are designed for a black and white printer.
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