We are often asked “how hard is this escape room,” and were initially stumped in trying to formulate an answer, as there is no formal (or even informal) rating system for escape room difficulty. With the release of our newest escape room adventure, NOIR, we decided to take a run at answering this question. Ultimately, there are only two real metrics you can use to determine an escape room’s difficulty: its completion percentage and the “I CAN’T BELIEVE I MISSED THAT” test.

Our number one test for any puzzle in our escape rooms is that, during testing, groups either solve the puzzle, or, when shown the answer afterward, they say, “OH, MY GOSH! I CANNOT BELIEVE I MISSED THAT!” The OMG Test.

The OMG test is the deciding factor on what guests feel makes sense. If we showed players the answer to a puzzle that gave them difficulty, and their reaction was, “Ok, but how was I supposed to know that,” then we would take that puzzle back to the drawing board to rework it. If it doesn’t make sense when you know the answer, how is it supposed to be solved when you don’t know the answer? A puzzle must pass this test to make it into an ESCAPE! Alaska escape room.

So, where do THE TOMB and NOIR fall on these two scales?

-All puzzles in both rooms pass the OMG Test.

-The success rate in NOIR, however, is still a bit less than THE TOMB. As of this posting, THE TOMB sits at 72% success rate, and NOIR is at 51%.

And then there’s the question of hints. Since only 4% of groups have ever beaten THE TOMB with no hints at all, it stands to reason that groups who do not ask for help do not have the odds in their favor, if their goal is to make it out of the room in an hour. It’s still early in data collection for NOIR, but as of this writing, not one group has made it out without hints. A couple of teams have come super close, though!

(UPDATE: Two months into NOIR data, we now have 2% of groups complete the room with no hints - half as many as in THE TOMB - and a completion rating of 45%.)

The biggest stumbling block for players in NOIR seems to be simply not paying attention to detail. Remember, you’re playing the part of a detective trying to solve a murder, so every word counts. You can’t skim a clue and hope to be right in your conclusion. Timeline is important.

You don’t gotta be Humphrey Bogart to beat NOIR, but slowing down and paying attention to detail can go a long way toward making you FEEL like the star of your very own 1930s Detective Noir.