Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of puzzles are these?

Similar to The Game or the MIT Mystery Hunt, these are not typical “puzzles”. They are often direction-less, and may incorporate traditional puzzles like crosswords, word searches, cryptograms, jigsaw puzzles, word play and logic problems. If you like any sort of logic or word puzzle, you’ll like these.

How much does it cost?

It's free to play! Food and drink are on you, though. And if you ever wanted to buy your Game Control volunteers a round of drinks, they'd probably appreciate it.

Can we form teams?

Yes! The event is intended for people to solve in teams of 3-5 people, though pairs also work. Some people solve in the same team each time; others team up with new people every month. Some teams split up the puzzles and solve in parallel, while others solve all the puzzles together. Some teams eat while they solve and others wait until they're done. Do whatever works for you.
 
If you don't have a team, we can introduce you to other puzzlers who want to join forces. And if you get stuck at any point, hints are always free!

Should I bring anything?

It's always good to be prepared. Definitely bring pens, pencils and erasers, as well as some scratch paper. Other tools that may come in handy: highlighters, a ruler or straight edge, scissors and tape. (Depending on your city, the folks running the event may have some to borrow.)  
 
Some puzzles require knowledge that you might not already have in your head. Smartphones are allowed and encouraged, but you were probably going to bring those anyway.

What happens if I can’t solve the puzzle that leads me to the bar?

Check the hints on this web site. If those aren't helpful, you can also tweet @PuzzledPint on the day of the event. We want you to have fun, so we will help you solve it!

Do I need to know anything about the theme?

Each month's puzzles have a theme, but you do not need to know anything about the theme's source material to solve the puzzles. Even if you've never heard of a month's theme, you should be fine.

How do I win?

You don’t. Though some organized puzzle hunts have winners based on completion time, this is a low-key, fun event.

If there is no winner, then what is the point?

To have fun. If this sounds even remotely interesting to you, you’re going to love it.