How to be the Best Escape Room Player (Hint: It's Not About Being Smart)

Posted on January 16, 2026
by Faith Neece
 When people talk about being “good” at escape rooms, they usually mean one thing: solving puzzles fast.
And yes, that matters. But here’s the secret most players don’t realize:
The best escape room players aren’t just the smartest people in the room. They’re the ones everyone wants on their team.
They notice things others miss. They keep track of what matters. They communicate clearly. They stay positive under pressure. And they make the whole experience more fun.
In other words, being great at escape rooms takes two kinds of skills:
  1. Technical skills (your puzzle brain)
  2. People skills (your team brain)
Let’s break both down.

The Technical Skills That Power Puzzle-Solving

These are the skills most people think escape rooms are all about. They’re important, but they’re only half the story.
1. Attention to Detail

This is your ability to notice clues, symbols, oddities, and patterns hiding in plain sight.
Great players:
  • Scan the room deliberately instead of randomly.
  • Notice when something feels “off” or intentionally placed.
  • Recognize patterns in colors, shapes, numbers, and layouts.
  • Filter out distractions and focus on what might actually matter.
You don't need to have perfect eyesight to have good attention to detail. You need to slow down, look closely, and stay curious.
2. Working Memory
Working memory is your mental scratchpad. It’s how you hold multiple clues and ideas in your head at the same time.
Great players:
  • Remember which locks are still unsolved.
  • Track which numbers, symbols, or keys have already been used.
  • Keep mental notes like “we saw something like this in the other room.”
  • Don’t lose information the moment they walk away from it.
This skill is why saying things out loud helps. When you verbalize what you’ve found, you help both you AND your team stay organized.
3. Logical Reasoning
This is the engine behind solving puzzles.
Great players:
  • Use patterns and rules to draw conclusions.
  • Eliminate possibilities that don’t fit the clues.
  • Test ideas, observe the result, and adjust.
  • Look for cause-and-effect relationships.
This is also where patience matters. The best players don’t panic when an idea doesn’t work. They treat it as data and move on.

The People Skills That Make Teams Win

Here’s where escape rooms become more than a puzzle game.
You can be brilliant and still be terrible for a team if your people skills are missing. And you can be average at puzzles and still be a fantastic escape room player if your people skills are strong.
1. Communication
Escape rooms are a team sport. Information only matters if it gets shared.
Great players:
  • Say what they find out loud.
  • Describe clues clearly instead of vaguely (“I found a key” vs. “I found a small brass key with a triangle on it”).
  • Listen when others speak.
  • Repeat important discoveries so nothing gets lost.
A team that communicates well feels like it’s moving together instead of in five separate directions.
2. Leading and Following
Every successful escape room team needs both.
Great players:
  • Step up to coordinate when things feel chaotic.
  • Help refocus the group when people get stuck or scattered.
  • Are willing to follow someone else’s lead when it makes sense.
  • Don’t need to be “the boss” to feel useful.
The magic happens when leadership flows naturally from moment to moment.
3. Emotional Awareness
This is the underrated superpower.
Great players:
  • Read the room.
  • Notice when someone is frustrated or discouraged.
  • Keep the vibe light when tension rises.
  • Don’t snap at teammates when things get stressful.
  • Celebrate small wins along the way.
Escape rooms are more fun when the team stays positive. And teams that stay positive solve more puzzles.

The Real Secret to Being the Best Player

Here it is:
The best escape room player isn’t just the smartest person in the room.
They’re the one who:
  • Calls out clues.
  • Encourages others.
  • Trusts their teammates.
  • Stays calm under pressure.
  • Makes the experience better for everyone.
They combine:
  • Observation
  • Organization
  • Logic
  • Collaboration
That’s what actually makes teams escape.
So… How Do You Get Better?
Next time you play, try this:
  • Slow down and really look at the room.
  • Say what you find out loud.
  • Listen more than you talk.
  • Be willing to drop your idea if it’s not working.
  • Encourage your teammates when they solve something.
  • Keep things fun, even when you’re stuck.
Winning is great, and escaping is exciting. But the best part of an escape room is solving something together.
Be clever, curious, and collaborative. That’s how you become the best escape room player.