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Do you believe there's more to heaven and earth than meets the eye? Or is the concept of ghosts as fictional as Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales? Whichever you favour, you should read this week's blog post about ghosts at Kronborg Castle, which almost sounds like one of the Paranormal Activity films set in real life.

One of our Mystery Hunt destinations also happens to be one of the castles in Denmark where paranormal activity and unexplained events have been observed. Over the years, Kronborg Castle has been visited by both clairvoyants and other mediums who have attempted to exorcise the ghosts experienced by guests and staff. Employees report bottles clinking in the cognac room and visitors see figures in the dark. The guards at the castle have also experienced aggressive slamming of doors and windows over the years.

Back in 2005, the castle was visited by a clairvoyant who tried to make contact with the dead figures. She said she felt the presence of more than 18 ghosts in the castle, each with a different history. During the visit, the clairvoyant explained that the reason for the ghosts' aggressive behaviour towards staff and guests was rooted in dissatisfaction with the rebuilding of the castle that had been done. She also said that a German butler and an English diplomat's wife were among those who vandalised the castle. The oldest deceased person the clairvoyant came into contact with is registered dead as far back as 1711. During the clairvoyant's visit, she tried to get the ghosts to leave the castle by means of exorcism. After the intense act, the clairvoyant believed that 14 of the 18 ghosts had left the castle. But despite the exorcism, history still reports that ghosts have returned to Kronborg Castle. In 2015, two visitors posted a picture of the castle on Instagram, where a mysterious figure of a girl could be seen, which no one has been able to explain. Maybe it's one of the last four ghosts left at Kronborg that the clairvoyant failed to scare away? Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the fact is that unexplained events still take place at the castle to this day.

Still not convinced that Kronborg Castle is haunted? Then book your Mystery Hunt now and judge for yourself.

Escape rooms continue to grow in popularity both as cultural experiences and as a teambuilding method. But why? What is it about escape rooms that results in stronger teamwork? 

1. SELF-CONFIDENCE IS BUILT

As you solve the many intricate tasks, each player will begin to trust their own ability to think outside the box, notice small things, communicate, and have a voice and purpose for the team.

2. SHARED AHA MOMENTS

When we humans solve a task, puzzle or answer a question correctly, endorphins are released in our body, giving us the so-called aha experience. Endorphin is the substance that, among other things, makes us smile and feel good. In addition, the sense of community and belonging is strengthened when, as a group, you get The 'aha' experience together.

3. CONTRIBUTES TO AN INCREASED SENSE OF WORTH

All players in an escape room are needed to complete the task as quickly as possible. We all think differently, which comes in handy in an escape room where each mindset can be used at different times. What is obvious to one person might be a city in Russia to another. It's not one specific set of skills that will be helpful in an escape room, but the combination of all the different skills represented in a team. This also means that each person is valuable in the task of escaping an escape room.

4. A COMMON GOAL

A number of tasks in an escape room can only be solved collaboratively, for example, by one player pressing a button while another turns a key. Working together to solve a task and having a common goal is very much a reflection of how a team also works in the workplace. While daily reports and budgets may have been replaced by puzzles and codes, the atmosphere that comes alive during an escape room session will certainly benefit your team spirit in the office. It's where "I" becomes "we".

5. JOINT ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF WORKING HOURS RESULT IN MORE EFFICIENT EMPLOYEES

A study from Teglkamp & Co shows that employee dissatisfaction costs the company on the bottom line. Whereas happy employees who thrive are more hardworking. Other theories and studies also suggest that if we have a good relationship with the people we work with, we perform at our best at work. And what better way to build relationships than to escape a mad scientist's basement before time runs out?

Not only will you and your team get a good laugh, chill, or brain teaser out of an escape room session, but it will also benefit employee efficiency and the company's bottom line in the long run.

Since the first escape room was developed, the competition and creativity has only intensified. Puzzlers and mystery masters around the world create wilder and more complicated escape rooms every year. We've compiled a list of 10 of the world's wildest escape rooms that are guaranteed to make you pack your bags and book a plane ticket to one of these 10 destinations.

1. "Kingdom of Cats - Aldgate, England

We all have that friend. He or she who is just A little bit Too crazy about cats. Can't place which of your friends it is? Then you're probably that friend. Put aside the eternal discussion about cats versus dogs and head to Aldgate in England for a cat-crazy escape room. In this escape room story, you're trapped in the mysterious "Cat Kingdom" - a fantasy land where giant cats rule and no human is to be found for miles. You have been caught trespassing and the penalty for humans is death by 1000 scratches. You must work with the other animals in the kingdom and solve puzzles to escape before King Jasper's judgement falls upon you. With a 4.5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor, it's widely agreed that "Kingdom of Cats" is a cat-tastic delight.

2. "Paradox Project - Athens, Greece

What's the first thing you think of when someone says Athens? Hercules? The Acropolis? Or maybe a Greek salad? FORGET THOSE THINGS. Say goodbye to the traditional escape ROOM and say hello to the Paradox Project's escape HOUSE. The Greek story takes place in an entire two-storey house just outside Athens. And there's no game master to greet you, because as soon as you step through the entrance, the game starts. Instead, video instructions pull you into the story. Through SMS hints and rooms where you have to use all your senses, you and your team must fight your way out of the house before the three hours are up. With a slightly longer game length than traditional escape rooms, "Paradox Project" is generally anything but traditional. Reviews from TripAdvisor also state that there are three different kinds of solutions that trigger three different ending videos, but the website doesn't say what else the escape room involves or deals with. Mysterious enough for you?

3. "Steal The Car" - Montreal, Canada

Don't let the northern destination fool you, because the "Steal The Car" escape room has a mafia storyline in the best Italian style. "Steal The Car" is one of four parts of the so-called "Mafia Challenge". Like Mystery Makers' Mystery Hunt, the escape room takes place outdoors in and around the so-called Big Vanko's car. In this escape room, you have 20 minutes to prove your innocence to the police by finding evidence that the actual perpetrator is Big Vanko. The problem is that he is a man of mystery and all you know about him is what car he drives. The challenge for you and your team is to break into Big Vanko's car before he comes back. The materials needed to clear your name are just a car door away. With a rating of 4.7 out of 5 on TripAdvisor, the Canadian escape room is ideal for any Godfather fan.

4. "Death Row - Louisiana, USA

In America, everything is just bigger. This is not the case for this escape room, which starts with a confinement in a small, dark room. In this escape room, you are an inmate awaiting your turn in the electric chair, having been sentenced to the death penalty in true southern style. But because the prison is overcrowded, you have been placed in an abandoned section. The guards say that the section was closed due to a gas leak, but rumour has it that it was because another inmate once escaped. Now you must follow in his footsteps to escape being grilled in the electric chair. What sounds like a claustrophobic's nightmare is classified as EXTREME in their fear-factor categorisation according to the developers themselves, and the description alone makes the hairs on the back of our neck stand up.

5. "Arizona Sunshine Virtual Reality - Louisiana, USA

We stay in Louisiana, but we move into a slightly different world than the aforementioned escape room. Despite the cheerful and warm title, we might as well say now that it has nothing to do with the escape room storyline. Based on award-winning Virtual Reality technology, "Arizona Sunshine" is a digitally superior experience without cables. The story transports players directly into the heart of a zombie apocalypse. Move freely and interact with each other using full-body tracking, 4D effects and a wide range of weapons in a dystopian space. Can your team hold out long enough to set a new record against the brain-hungry undead?

6. Bates Motel - Pennsylvania, USA

Are you a fan of Hitchcock's horror classic Psycho? Or is the black and white 60s film too outdated for you and have you binge watched Bates Motel on Netflix instead? Whichever one you recognise, the escape room "Bates Motel" is definitely worth a visit. The escape room has been developed in collaboration with a handful of the people behind the award-winning film Psycho to resemble the motel as closely as possible. In addition to the classic puzzles, Bates Motel also features a series of rooms with incredibly detailed digital sound, lighting, CGI effects and hidden doorways that set the escape room apart from the norm. You and your team have 60 minutes to escape the hotel before Norman Bates finds you and replays the whole knife-in-the-shower scene.

7. "The Architect - Amsterdam, Holland

The Dutch escape room developed by Sherlocked-The Architect has a slightly different, less horror-influenced storyline that is perfect for the gamer with bad nerves. The reviews speak for themselves, as "The Architect" has been rated 5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor. The mystery takes place in an old office that hasn't been used since 1934 and used to be the office of architect HP Berlage. Rumour has it that Berlage was a member of a super secret lodge for architects - the Society of the Crossed Keys. A group that supposedly guarded the world's most powerful secrets until Berlage died in 1934. No one has seen or heard of the lodge or their secrets since. It is now suspected that the remaining secrets of the Lodge may be hidden inside the escape room, which you and your teammates must investigate.

8. "The Elevator Shaft - Los Angeles, USA

Los Angeles is known for Hollywood and the epicentre of creativity, which is evident in the idea behind "The Elevator Shaft" escape room. The story behind this escape room is deeply disturbing and technically complex. Three months ago, the story's protagonist, Edward, hired a man named John Peterson to help him make some technical modifications to an elevator shaft on the property. John quickly realised that the changes he was being asked to make were actually a little too creepy. When he confronted Edward, he was told that he couldn't leave until the project was complete or his wife and daughter would pay the price.

The project is complete and John is long dead. You are locked in the lift shaft and must follow the steps John left for you before you are crushed under the weight of a 6 tonne steel lift. According to the reviews, the escape room brings a wild sense of realism and intensity. They also warn that players may get wet, so leave the tuxedo and expensive dress at home if you decide to hop to California to try this intense escape room.

9. "Very Bad Night" - Paris, France

Many people take a weekend trip to Paris, but instead of the boring walks in the French capital, take a look at this escape room. "Very Bad Night" is a slightly atypical escape room, yet perhaps related to a situation many of us have been in. In this escape room, the story unfolds with you waking up in an unknown apartment. It seems you drank too much the night before and you have no idea what happened. In fact, you don't even know where you are. But time is running out and it's up to you players to get the situation under control before the owner of the apartment returns. The escape room also contains elements and puzzles that are below the belt, making this experience ideal for you and your friends. Maybe you can even use your own experiences?

10. "Ghosthunter Brandon Darkmoor - Berlin, Germany

The last escape room on the list is for those who want an experience with the supernatural. The German escape room caters specifically to fans of Ghostbusters and The Twilight Zone. In this escape room, players take on the role of interns with the famous ghost hunter Brandon Darkmoor. You were expecting an ordinary internship, but encountered the exact opposite. On your very first day, you are sent to a case in a building that used to be an asylum centre. The centre suffered a terrible fire in 1987, in which everyone survived - except one person. Former opera singer Anna Morana has haunted the basement ever since. It's up to you and your teammates to help her soul find eternal peace.

There are a whole host of wild escape rooms out there in the big wide world. If you're not ready to pack your suitcase and travel far for an entertaining escape room, you can of course also try one of our escape rooms in Copenhagen.

What is a game for some is a challenge for others. Solving puzzles is a nightmare for some. It's too difficult and even more stressful if it's timed. Are you one of those people who sigh more than you cheer when talk of an escape room comes up? Fear not - we've put together five strategies that will lead you and your team to victory the next time you head to the escape room.

1. MAKE SURE YOU SPREAD OUT

This is one of the strategies that can be the easiest to forget. You enter the escape room as a team, but that doesn't mean you all have to work on one task. In order to crack all the codes before time runs out, it's important that you spread out and work on multiple puzzles at the same time. That way, you'll get through the entire escape room in less time. This is a great way to cover more ground in less time, which will most likely lead you to a faster victory.

2. FOCUS ON WORKING TOGETHER

While you should spread out, you should still remember to work together. Firstly, some puzzles require multiple people to solve. Secondly, escape room 100% is all about teamwork and co-operation. Make sure you put your heads down at the right time. For example, you might find yourself with a puzzle in the escape room that is missing a piece. Ask your teammates as they might have the information or materials you need.

3. DON'T JERK THE CLUES

Escape rooms are in some ways like giant jigsaw puzzles. However, all escape rooms are different from each other. Some escape rooms are designed in such a way that the placement of the clues has a meaning. You need to pay attention to the order of the puzzles, the place in the room they are placed and the direction they are facing. For example, it could be a clock at a certain time or files in a certain order. You should avoid moving too much on a series of clues. Above all, it's important that you analyse each part of the room before moving the clues. This fail-proof strategy will help your team keep the situation organised and on track for the way out.

4. COMMUNICATE MORE THAN ENOUGH

Anything found in the ecape room must be shared with all teammates. Things can get hectic as your hour ticks away. People are so focused on what they are doing that they develop tunnel vision. Use a clear and loud voice to make sure you capture everyone's attention. And make sure you articulate your ideas clearly and quickly.

5. JOKE AND HAVE FUN

It seems obvious and should probably be number one on the list, but an escape room is an explosion of entertainment whether you win or lose. In other words, you're a winner either way, as long as you have fun while doing it. An escape room is an intelligent form of entertainment where your brain is put to the test. Have fun with your team and joke with each other, whether you make it out of the escape room on time or lose in style.

With these strategies in mind, there's no excuse not to try an escape room adventure - book your experience today.

Bimini Road - The road to Atlantis?

Everyone has heard the story of the sunken city of Atlantis, but have you heard of the mystery behind Bimini Road before?

In 1968, an underwater road and wall-like formation was discovered near the North Bimini Islands in the Bahamas. It was first thought that the underwater tunnel was created by nature, but due to the unusual placement of the stones, many believe it is part of the lost city of Atlantis. The stones have amazed natives, mystics and scientists for generations. Since the stones were discovered, the investigations have been characterised by both weird and real science, all of which have only served to intensify the mystery. A number of scientists believe that similar rock formations can be found in other parts of the world and therefore point to them being man-made by ancient civilisations. In a recent expedition, amateur archaeologist Dr Greg Little discovered a second series of rocks in the same formation just below the first, leading him to believe that the road is actually the top of a wall. The question remains: a wall around what? Bimini Road stretches for approximately 800 metres and has a J-like format. The stones are rectangular and are almost 20 metres underwater.

Stonehenge - The great stones that came out of the blue

We stay in the world of geology, but move a little closer to Denmark to the Stonehenge phenomenon in England.

People interested in conspiracy theories and mysteries may be familiar with Stonehenge, considered by many to be the world's most mysterious site. This set of stones was laid in a horseshoe-shaped ring on the empty Salisbury plain more than 4000 years ago. The stones are of the Sarsen type, which is a hard type of sandstone weighing more than 25 tonnes. So where's the mystery in a couple of giant stones, you might ask? The reason Stonehenge is shrouded in mystery is because no one is quite sure who built the monument and how they went about it. A popular theory advanced in the 19th century was that the Druids, a people who existed in Britain before the Roman conquest, had built it as a temple. However, modern archaeologists have investigated this theory further and have shown that the construction of Stonehenge was completed at least 1,000 years before the Druids came to power. Despite this, modern Druids have claimed Stonehenge and hold an annual ceremony at the summer solstice. However, several studies have proven that Stonehenge dates back as far as 11,000 years, so in short, no one is sure how the cave's heavy stones were placed there and why.

The Nazca Lines - The drawings no one will stand by

In the desert of Peru lies one of the most mystifying monuments in the world - the massive geoglyphs known as the Nazca Lines. From geometric patterns to 'drawings' of various animal and human-like forms that can only be seen from high above, they leave generations speechless. Who built them and what was their purpose? Are they just old crop circles? Or perhaps landing strips for alien gods/astronauts? Or have aliens been at play and created a giant astronomical calendar? There are even theories that this is the work of a cult.

The Nasca lines are located in the Pampa region of Peru. The desolate plain of the Peruvian coast that includes the Pampas of San Jose (Jumana), Socos, El Ingenio and others in the province of Nasca, located 400 km. South of Lima covers an area of approximately 450 square kilometres of sandy desert and the slopes of the contours of the Andes.

The lines were first discovered when commercial airlines began flying over the Peruvian desert in the 1920s. Passengers reported seeing 'primitive landing stripes' in the ground below. No one knew who had built them or why. Since their discovery, the Nazca lines have inspired fantastic explanations. The Nazca plain is almost unique for its ability to preserve the markings on it due to the combination of the climate (one of the driest on Earth, with only twenty minutes of rainfall per year) and the flat, rocky ground that minimises the effect of wind on the ground surface. With no dust or sand to cover the plain and little rain and wind, the lines remain maintained. Many of the lines form geometric shapes: angles, triangles, clusters, spirals, rectangles, wavy lines, etc. Other lines form concentric circles. Many of the lines are random and seem to have no pattern to them. They are seen scattered seemingly at random across the desolate plain, crossing and intersecting for no apparent reason.

Bermuda Triangle - Where did people go?

Also known as the Devil's Triangle, the Bermuda Triangle is an area bounded by points in Bermuda, Florida and Puerto Rico where ships and planes are alleged to mysteriously disappear into thin air - or deep water?

The term "Bermuda Triangle" was coined in 1964 by author Vincent Gaddis. "The Bermuda Triangle." The mystery has since been promoted in thousands of books, magazines, TV shows and websites. Over the years, many theories have been proposed, all attempting to explain the mystery. Some authors have expanded on the idea that Atlantis lies at the bottom of the ocean under the Bermuda Triangle and it is Atlantis' crystal energies that cause ships and planes to sink. Other, more fanciful suggestions include time portals, where a rift in the universe's space-time structure opens up in this particular triangle area, and rumours of alien bases underwater.

Still others believe that the explanation lies in some kind of extremely rare, geological or hydrological explanation. It involves ships and aeroplanes being destroyed by pockets of flammable methane gas that react when lightning or other electrical sparks come into contact with the sea. Other theories include mysterious geomagnetic abnormalities causing navigational problems that confuse pilots and somehow cause them to plunge into the sea. The theories are countless, so it's really just a matter of choosing which one you favour.

Area 51 - The area we all want to know exists

If you have access to the internet, you've probably seen the sea of memes, reddit threads and tweets about the infamous Area 51. But what's it all really about?

The US military base, located in an undisclosed location in the desert, has long been the centre of a conspiracy among alien fans and ufologists (people who search for UFOs). Somewhere in the middle of Area 51's vast desert expanse, they believe there is a heavily protected underground laboratory where the government holds and examines captured alien aircraft and perhaps even aliens. The belief that Area 51's military base is a cover for alien research has been completely mythologised by pop culture over the years. A number of entutastic alien fans even plan to visit Area 51 on their own. However, the US military has gone on record stating that those who arrive hoping to find parked flying saucers and green aliens will surely be disappointed for two reasons. The first is that no one is allowed to approach the site, which is located in the state of Nevada. The second is that Area 51 is the headquarters of the US surveillance programme. In the 1950s, it was the place where some of the most important spy planes in American history were assembled, tested and ultimately sent on missions. Experts say it's likely to remain an area for the Air Force and US spy agencies to develop the next generation of aircraft and other weapons of war. It's no wonder the secrets of Area 51 are buried so deep. But the lack of information about what actually goes on at Area 51 has allowed the many rumours and myths about the place to flourish. These myths have led many Americans to believe that they deserve to know about what happens there.

Amelia Earhart - The plane that disappeared

Amelia Earhart is one of history's most prominent figures in aviation and has been the inspiration for numerous films, books and plays. Born in 1897, Earhart rose to fame due to her astonishing achievements as a female pilot. At the time, being both a woman and a pilot meant facing many obstacles, and even her own family discouraged her from learning to fly. Despite these challenges, she set countless aviation records and became the first female pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

However, it's her unfortunate disappearance after she began her ambitious global flight in 1937 that has captivated people to this day. On 1 June 1937, Earhart and Fred Noonan, her navigator, set off on their transcontinental flight in a twin-engine Lockheed Electra aircraft. Less than a month later, they reached Lae, New Guinea, having flown 22,000 miles and with 7,000 more to go before reaching Oakland again. After departing Lae, they had to fly another 2,500 miles before reaching their next stop - Howland Island, an incredibly small island in the Pacific Ocean - to refuel. Unfortunately, cloudy skies, radio problems and low fuel meant Earhart and Noonan didn't reach their destination. Despite extreme efforts to locate the plane, which ended up being the most expensive air and sea search in American history, there was no sign of Earhart or Noonan anywhere. Earhart was officially pronounced dead on 5 January 1939. What happened after the crash is still unclear. Several theories have emerged that are still debated to this day. One theory suggests that Earhart was a secret agent for the US government and that she was captured by the Japanese for trying to spy on Japanese-occupied islands. The more common theory is that Earhart and Noonan reached an uninhabited island, Nikumaroro, where artefacts such as tools and plane wrecks were later found. No theory has ultimately been proven true, and Earhart's disappearance remains one of the most popular mysteries in American history.

Crop circles

Crop circles - strange patterns that mysteriously appear overnight in farmers' fields - leave people wondering. The circles are mostly found in the UK, but have spread to dozens of countries around the world in recent decades. The mystery has inspired countless books, blogs, fan groups, scientists (called "cereologists") and even Hollywood films. Despite being studied for decades, the question remains: Who - or what - creates them?

Some claim that the first crop circles (although they weren't called that at the time) appeared near the small town of Tully, Australia. In 1966, a farmer said he saw a flying saucer rise from a swampy area and fly away. Crop circles only really started to appear in the 1970s, when simple circles began to appear in the English countryside. The number and complexity of circles increased dramatically, reaching a peak in the 1980s and 1990s when increasingly detailed circles were produced, including those illustrating complex mathematical equations. In July 1996, one of the world's most complex and spectacular crop circles appeared in England across a motorway from the mysterious and world-famous Stonehenge monument in the Wiltshire countryside (wait, didn't we just read about that?). It was an astonishing pattern, later called the Julia Set. The complexity of the Julia Set initiated theories about whether or not the creators were of human intelligence. Generally, theories suggest that aliens were responsible for the UFO and ripping up the fields. However, it remains a controversial position. What's worth noting about crop circles, however, is that unlike other mysterious phenomena such as psychic powers, ghosts or Bigfoot, there is no doubt that crop circles are "real". The evidence that they exist is clear and overwhelming.

Can't get enough of mysteries either? Then book your Mystery Hunt today.

Since 2010, more than 1,035 escape rooms have been created and the number is growing every year. But how did the idea for the first escape room actually start?

Escape rooms as we know it today is actually an evolution of a Japanese video game from 2004. The game "Crimson Room" was developed by Japanese Toshimitsu Takagi and was the first escape room video game on the market. The game, as we know it from today's escape rooms, was about solving puzzles and clicking around a room to escape the room before time ran out. Three years after the game was released, Japanese company SCRAP Entertainment was inspired to create an analogue concept that later became an escape room. They adopted the idea that players had x number of minutes or hours to escape a room. Puzzle solving, mystery and brain twisting were the developers' keywords. The escape room became so popular that the rest of Asia, Europe and the US were eager to try and develop the new game. In 2010, SCRAP Entertainment opened their first escape room in San Francisco, USA. Just two years later, 367 escape rooms were registered nationwide in the US.

Escape rooms have since evolved tremendously and mystery makers across the globe are constantly working to build even wilder, more innovative and unique escape rooms. Because escape rooms are a unique segment of the market and continue to grow in popularity, a number of marketers have also researched the phenomenon. In 2015, for example, a study was conducted that showed the types of puzzle and clue designs most commonly found in escape rooms:

Physical objects hidden in space: 78%

Team communication: 58%

Using something in an unusual way (out-of-the-box thinking): 47%

Searching for objects in images: 43%

Mounting a physical object (such as a puzzle): 40%

Algebra and other maths: 39%

Pattern identification (such as visualising a shape in a set of dots): 38%

Mirrors: 26%

Strategic thinking (like chess): 20%

Whether you're more interested in the more video game-like escape rooms or those where your maths knowledge comes into play, we're sure to have the right escape room for you. Contact us today to find out more.

The whole point of an escape room is to look for clues and solve puzzles, which is entertaining and fun for many. But in addition to escaping rooms being an enjoyable activity, it's also good for memory and creativity. Problem solving and puzzles benefit both brain function and brain activity.

It's no secret that escape rooms are probably one of the most fun activities, but solving puzzles has actually been proven to improve your mood. An article in USA Today explains that solving puzzles increases our brain's production of dopamine, which helps regulate our mood. Every time we solve a puzzle correctly, dopamine is released in our brains. No wonder escape rooms are so much fun! The production of dopamine in our brain also helps regulate stress.
The USA Today article also describes that problem and puzzle solving helps improve memory by strengthening the existing connections between our brain cells. As a result, we can improve our mental speed and thought process. This also makes sense in an escape room as it can often be necessary to remember where certain clues were found, or perhaps in what order these clues were found. Furthermore, it is of course obvious that having fast thought processes will benefit you in an escape room, as the game is timed.

Another fantastic benefit of escape room activities is that they accelerate ingenuity. This means that as we solve puzzles and search for clues, our brains are forced to create new ideas to come up with a solution. For example, when we work through a puzzle, we are actually working through a series of guesses, using creativity to test our theories. This type of problem solving encourages us to be creative and innovative in a unique way. Through problem solving and working through puzzles, we get the opportunity to use our brains in a unique way and strengthen different parts of the brain. We are able to become more creative, improve our memory and relieve stress! If simply solving puzzles can help the brain function better, just think what an hour in an escape room can do for you!

We've scoured reddit for the strangest, most incredible and funniest stories from escape rooms around the world. Here are 10 of the best.

#10: The escape room trip that resulted in a headache the next day
This happened to one of my colleagues the last time we were in an escape room. In the room was this fake door whose purpose was to make people think it was the entrance and exit to the escape room (we were blindfolded as we were led into the room). One guy was so happy that he found the door in record time that when he tried to open the fake door, he banged his head so hard into it that the group in the next room got scared.

- magnolious, reddit

#9: Those who help are communists
I once observed a young couple in one of our most difficult escape rooms. They couldn't solve any of the puzzles, so instead they took off their shoes, sat down and started talking about everything. When I sent them clues to get them playing again, the woman started calling me a communist. It was strange, since I'm not a communist and the escape room doesn't have a communist theme.

- Hussain300, reddit

#8: Where nothing ventured, nothing lost
Employee here. I had a group once who gave up after five minutes and decided to just drink beer for the rest of the game. They paid 1100 kroner for the game.

- Tcimmi, reddit

#7: Time for a nap
There was once a player who emptied all the boxes in the escape room, dismantled the table in the corner, laid it down and then lay down on it to take a nap until the rest of the group escaped the room.

- AnArmedPenguin, reddit

#6: Escape rooms and love may not be a good cocktail
I've seen a relationship almost fall apart in an escape room. A couple insisted on trying our most challenging escape room, just the two of them. I told them it probably wasn't a good idea as the room is best suited for larger groups as it requires a lot of players, but they didn't care. It was very clear that the guy really wanted to impress the girl, but none of them were very sharp. I was forced to sit for an hour watching them get nowhere in the game while they argued over who was the dumbest. I offered to help them along the way, but they refused to accept help.

- WildyMegaWolf, reddit

#5: The mum who "carried" the team
I was in a space-station escape room where we were grouped with a mum and her two adult sons. The sons did a good job, but the mother was clueless. There was a fire extinguisher prop in the escape room that she was SURE was going to be used for something. She wandered around carrying the fire extinguisher for an hour and we didn't use it once throughout the game.

- Darwin57, reddit

#4: Files must be hiding INSIDE the computer
I work in an escape room and one of my colleagues once saw a group of players getting really destructive in one of our rooms. They started throwing the computer that was placed in the room on the floor to see if there were any clues hidden inside it. Of course there weren't, they should have just used the magnifying glass to read the monitor.

- RayRay223, reddit

#3: Policemen never take a day off
I visited an escape room where they had hired an actor to play a spy. The mission in the room was to solve the mystery of who the traitor in the room was. After we finished the game, it turned out that the traitor was actually the spy played by the actor. At the reveal, the spy pulls out a gun, which is very clearly a toy gun. This causes one of the players, who works as a policeman, to tackle and detain the actor until he realises that this is part of the game.

- IntenseItalian, reddit

#2: Elastic Girl exists
In our prison themed escape room, we have a laser maze that players have to crawl/climb through to deactivate and move on. Two players are needed to deactivate the laser maze (or so I thought) because there are 3 buttons to press, with the third button being out of reach from the other two.
A family came in to play our game, consisting of a younger boy, a girl in her mid-twenties, their parents and their grandfather who was on crutches. They are playing the game and come to the laser maze as they are a bit pressed for time. The girl gets through relatively easily, but they have to move quickly as time is running out. The young boy then has a great idea. "Here! Use grandpa's crutch!" he exclaims, before taking grandpa's crutch and throwing it to the other side of the lasers, to his sister. Although the crutch can now help her sister hit all three buttons simultaneously, it's still not quite enough. The girl decides to find the right spot on the floor, plants one foot there while walking in a perfect perpendicular line and places her other foot on the button, her hand on the centre button and the crutch on the last button.
The family came out of the room so proud and the sister bragged to the family about her daily yoga. She almost convinced me to sign up for yoga too because it was so impressive.

- Emjov, reddit

#1: The kid who wanted to propose to his girlfriend
In our escape rooms you can also arrange to propose. One day a guy calls to get it all organised, to which I ask which escape room he wants etc. I tell him the total amount to book the whole room for the proposal, but he insists on just booking two tickets for him and his girlfriend. The problem is that when you propose in an escape room, it stops the whole game and we can't have strangers who have nothing to do with the proposal interrupting the game they paid for. However, he refuses to pay, so I send him to my manager. For the next three weeks, the guy calls EVERY. EVERY. DAY to check that everything is (still) on schedule. We repeatedly tell him that there are no more things to plan and that we know what we're doing, but the guy continues his countless calls. The big day finally arrives and he has planned to come earlier so he can hide in the escape room. When we see the guy, however, we get a huge surprise. He's a teenager, no older than 16. We wonder if we should advise him against getting married at such an early age, but decide it's too late at this point. The teenager is hiding in the escape room when his girlfriend arrives and works her way through the game to the room where he is hiding. All the staff are gathered around the monitor to witness what is about to happen. The guy jumps out of the hidden room, holding a sign that reads: "will you go with me to PROM?". All of us employees boil with rage. For weeks this teenager has been getting on our nerves and all it took was a PROM posal?
By the way, the girl said no thanks to going to the prom with him.

- simonjester523, reddit

Note: All threads have been translated from the original English.

Are you looking for a little warm-up before you try your hand at an escape room? Then you can try out the three mystery games we've found for good reason!

Our mystery lean colleagues from escape room company "Time's Up" in Australia have developed three sets of escape room inspired games that you can print out and play at home. We think they're awesome, so we've decided to share them with you. Both games are in English, so we've put together a little guide so that even those who are not fluent in English can join in.

1. Roaring Prohibition

The game takes place in the fabulous 1920s when an experiment that makes all consumption and sale of alcohol illegal takes place in the USA. In the game, you are a thirsty soul who wants to go to one of the secret parties where alcoholic drinks are still available. The mission is to get the clues to form a location, date, time and a password. All the elements needed for you to find the place and get in. You start from the newspaper clipping at the top, which contains patterns that will reveal how to decode the different clues. We don't want to give too much away, of course, but we will say one thing: Remember that in English, months are capitalised.

2. Crime Scene Investigation

In this mystery game, you are a police officer who has to crack the code of who committed the murder of the body you have just found. You've narrowed it down to six suspects, so it's up to you to find out which number of suspects is the perpetrator, what his name is, his murder weapon, the date, time and location. There is only one witness who caught a brief glimpse of the killer before he disappeared. Can you piece together the clues and catch the killer before he strikes again? Actually, you don't need a lot of instructions for this game as there is a whole file of clues that we don't want to spoil the mystery and excitement of the game. However, we would like to emphasise that it's important to keep your tongue firmly in your cheek when it comes to converting currency. And we haven't said too much.

3. Treasure Hunt

In this pirate escape game, you and your team must find the missing treasure they call La Noche Triste. The treasure contains endless amounts of gold, so whoever finds it first can look forward to endless riches. The problem is that none of the pirates who originally helped dig it up are still alive. You have to crack the code yourself and the game starts with finding out which country the treasure was last seen in. The first puzzle can be a bit tricky to crack, so we'll help you get started. Think about the name of the treasure - what language does it sound like it comes from? And where is that language spoken? But then we won't help you any more!

You can download the three games and clues here: https://timesup-er.com.au/printable-escape-games/

Once you've got your blood pumping after playing the two games, you can book an escape room with us and try your hand at a real-life escape room.