Oct 26 | ERA Mag

Dear Reader,

Every good puzzle has a moment where the penny drops. Ours came, appropriately, while we were trying to work out why World Escape Room Day falls on 1st October.

You’d assume someone picked a date at random, or that it marks the opening of the first-ever room. Not quite.

Here’s how it works. Give every letter its place in the alphabet (A=1, B=2, C=3, and so on) and spell out ESCAPE ROOM: 5+19+3+1+16+5 for the first word, 18+15+15+13 for the second. Add it all up and you get 110. Read that as a date, 1/10, and there’s your 1st of October.

If you want to go one level deeper, and you know you do, 110 in binary is 1101110. Read that as a date and time and you get 1/10 at 11:10. The day has a built-in Easter egg, which is more than most calendar events can claim.

I love this because it captures what makes escape rooms special. Nobody hands you the answer. The clue is hiding in plain sight, in the name itself, and it rewards the person who stops, looks again, and counts on their fingers like a child.

That’s the spirit of this issue. Inside, you’ll find rooms that make you want to whisper, teams who have survived (and failed) in glorious fashion, and a few tips for anyone who has ever spent 40 minutes trying to open a box that turned out to be decoration.

So this 1st October, book a room. Take the colleague who claims to be “brilliant at puzzles.” Take the friend who reads every clue aloud in a dramatic voice. Take someone who’s never done one before and let them have the moment when the lock clicks open.

Just remember: if someone says, “it’s probably nothing,” it’s definitely something.

Happy escaping,

The Editor

We are always open to feedback to help improve this magazine feel free to email us at:

era@eludegames.com.au

Enthusiasts and GamesMasters feel free to send us your stories, we would love to hear about them.

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Owners, please keep us updated on any new rooms you have opening, we would love to promote them for you.

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Mission Identity

For years, you faithfully served Section 9 as elite agents, never questioning the organisation that shaped your lives.

But everything you’ve ever known has been carefully constructed.

You are not who they say you are… or even who you believe yourself to be.

The truth lies hidden within Section 9. Your mission is to uncover your identity before it’s lost forever.

Please note: This game was designed by Expedition Sydney and relocated from Gladesville and Canberra. Narrow Escape Rooms have added our own twist, with approx 25% of change to the game.

We recommend at least 4 players for Mission Identity due to the number of puzzles, but can be booked with as little as a team of 2.

Players: 2-8
Difficulty: Hard
Suggested Ages: Children 8 to 12 will require an adult in the room. 13 to 16 will require an adult to stay on the premises.

Duration: 60 Minutes

Visit -Narrow Escape Rooms

Live Stream

A famous livestreamer known for exploring haunted locations has invited you to join his biggest investigation yet. To revive his fading popularity, he plans to broadcast live from one of the city’s most infamous haunted apartment buildings.

For years, rumours have surrounded the abandoned building. Strange noises echo through the halls, shadowy figures appear in the darkness, and those who enter often leave with stories they can never explain.

Tonight, you’ll step inside with cameras rolling, determined to uncover the truth.

Features

Highly Immersive Horror Environment
Story-Driven Puzzles
Cinematic Live NPC Performance
Interactive Live Streaming Experience

* Important Information:

Due to the nature of it being a horror-themed room, there are some restrictions on the participants. Participants with any of the following conditions are not suitable to do the horror-themed rooms:

– Pregnancy
– Heart Conditions
– Claustrophobia
– Nyctophobia
– Epilepsy or Photosensitive Epilepsy
– Requires disability access

– Under the influence of alcohol

– Under the influence of drugs

Players: 2-7
Difficulty: 4.5/5
Suggested Ages: 14+
Horror Level: Intense / Mild Horror
Style: Paranormal / Live Stream

Duration: 75 Minutes

Visit -Be Escape Room- Chinatown Venue

Seoul Haunt

Hidden in a quiet alley near Dongdaemun, Seoul, an abandoned clothing store has become the centre of a chilling urban legend.

Locals speak of shadowy figures wandering the store at night, and mannequins that mysteriously change position when no one is watching.

A young girl asks for your help to uncover the truth behind her lost memories.

Features

Authentic Korean Horror Atmosphere
Story-Driven Puzzles
Emotional & Immersive Performance
Inspired by Korean Urban Legends

* Important Information:

Due to the nature of it being a horror-themed room, there are some restrictions on the participants. Participants with any of the following conditions are not suitable to do the horror-themed rooms:

– Pregnancy
– Heart Conditions
– Claustrophobia
– Nyctophobia
– Epilepsy or Photosensitive Epilepsy
– Requires disability access

– Under the influence of alcohol

– Under the influence of drugs

Players: 2-7
Difficulty: 4.5/5
Suggested Ages: 14+
Horror Level: Intense / Mild Horror
Style: Korea/Urban Legend

Duration: 75 Minutes

Visit -Be Escape Room- Chinatown Venue

Silence

In 1936, a remote mansion became infamous for hiding a priceless treasure.

As a group of desperate thieves struggling to survive, you decide to break into the long-abandoned estate and claim the treasure for yourselves.

But what awaits you inside is far more terrifying than fortune.

Here, silence is your only chance of survival.

Features

Intense Chase Experience
High-Intensity Horror
Stealth & Survival Gameplay
Relentless Monster Encounters

* Important Information:

Due to the nature of it being a horror-themed room, there are some restrictions on the participants. Participants with any of the following conditions are not suitable to do the horror-themed rooms:

– Pregnancy
– Heart Conditions
– Claustrophobia
– Nyctophobia
– Epilepsy or Photosensitive Epilepsy
– Requires disability access

– Under the influence of alcohol

– Under the influence of drugs

Players: 2-7
Difficulty: 4.5/5
Suggested Ages: 14+
Horror Level: Intense / Mild Horror

Duration: 75 Minutes

Visit -Be Escape Room- Chinatown Venue

Clown

An old cinema. A forgotten urban legend.

Every Christmas Eve, Hall 6 of BE Cinema is said to screen a mysterious midnight film. No one knows who made it. No one knows what it is about. Everyone who watched it disappeared without a trace.

Years later, the cinema has reopened, and the legend has slowly faded.

Until tonight.

You and your team will enter BE Cinema to uncover the truth behind the cursed midnight screening… if you can make it back out.

Features

Adrenaline-Pumping Chase
Dark Circus Horror
High-Intensity Scares
Immersive Horror Story

* Important Information:

Due to the nature of it being a horror-themed room, there are some restrictions on the participants. Participants with any of the following conditions are not suitable to do the horror-themed rooms:

– Pregnancy
– Heart Conditions
– Claustrophobia
– Nyctophobia
– Epilepsy or Photosensitive Epilepsy
– Requires disability access

– Under the influence of alcohol

– Under the influence of drugs

Players: 2-7
Difficulty: 4.5/5
Suggested Ages: 14+
Horror Level: Intense / Mild Horror
Style: Cinema

Duration: 75 Minutes

Visit -Be Escape Room- Chinatown Venue

The Serial Killer Returns

Walking around Surfers Paradise at night, you finally felt safe. You thought it was over? If only life was that easy. He has returned, and he is scarier that ever. Locked away in his basement, can you find a way out before the Serial Killer Returns and finishes things for good?

Players: 2-6
Difficulty: 4/5
Suggested Ages: 12+

Duration: 60 Minutes

Visit -Padlockd Escape Rooms- Beachfront

Spirits in the Attic

While exploring the attic of the old Macintosh Mansion, you uncover an ancient ouija board and awaken the spirits within. Cursed to take their place, you must banish the ghosts and break free before a malicious spirit escapes into the world of the living…

Players: 2-6
Difficulty: 3/5
Suggested Ages: We recommend our rooms for players who are 10+. If you are under 10 you may still play however the puzzles are designed for older ages. There must be at least one person over the age of 15 in each session in case there is an emergency.

Duration: 60 Minutes

Visit -Padlockd Escape Rooms- Beachfront

Patient Zero: The Cure

The world has fallen into chaos. Deep within a secret research facility, a cure to the zombie virus is waiting to be completed. With the infected closing in, you must finish the formula and restore humanity before it’s too late…

Duration: 60 Minutes

Visit -Padlockd Escape Rooms- Beachfront

Visit -Red Lock Coomera

CarnEVIL

Your team of vampire hunters has been sent into an ancient crypt to destroy the evil hiding within. Search the shadows, uncover the secrets, and complete your mission before darkness takes over.

Best for: Families, couples, and teams wanting an immersive adventure
Players: 2-6
Difficulty: 4/5
Wheelchair Accessibility: No
Suggested Ages: Players of all ages are welcome however at least one adult participant is recommended to join player groups under 12.

Duration: 60 Minutes

Visit -Red Lock Chermside

Magic University

It’s all in your head…

Enveloped by padded walls and total darkness, you hear the sharp clink of chains and feel the bite of cold metal handcuffs. A voice breaks the silence: “Heeellloooo my FAVOURITE patients! I make therapy FUN, but I can’t let you out until you’re all better!” Can you escape your cell whilst surviving twisted treatments before whoever he is returns for your final procedure?

Highlights
🏆 Based on an internationally recognised, Morty Award-winning experience
💊 Loved by more than 15,000 players across Sydney and Perth
🩸 Created by the winner of Best Immersive Experience Provider 2026
💉 Begin chained up inside a padded cell in complete darkness
🤡 A must-play for horror-film fans, featuring themes of confinement, psychological torment and clowns
🧠 Strictly adults-only and one of Australia’s most extreme escape experiences

Players: 2-4
Difficulty: 8/10
Suggested Ages: 18+ with valid ID

Duration: 60 Minutes

Visit -Escape This- Melbourne CBD

Zombie Apocalypse

Edge of Extinction
The world has fallen to the undead. Seeking refuge, you’ve discovered a laboratory once on the verge of a miracle – now deserted after a horde breach, leaving the cure unfinished. From the containment chamber you hear the guttural snarls and heavy pacing of the only remaining test subject. As humanity’s final hope, you must stabilise the volatile bio-tech before the power and containment fails. Will you synthesize the cure, or doom yourself and humanity forever?

Highlights
☣️ A post-apocalyptic horror adventure
🧟 Loved by more than 11,000 players across Sydney and Perth
🧠 Created by the winner of Best Immersive Experience Provider 2026
🧪 A great choice for couples, double dates and small groups of friends

Players: 2-4
Difficulty: 7/10
Suggested Ages: 15+ with valid ID

Duration: 60 Minutes

Visit -Escape This- Melbourne CBD

Meat Grinder

Bone Appetite

The stench of blood and bleach hits as you wake on the cold concrete floor. Rusted meat hooks sway overhead, while somewhere deeper in the house, steel crashes against steel. Your last clear memory is dinner – and thinking there is something off about your waiter.

Suddenly, memories of seemingly unconnected missing-person reports flood back to you, and it all makes horrifying sense.

He wasn’t serving dinner. He was choosing it!

Will you escape the cannibal’s slaughterhouse, or become tomorrow’s special?

Highlights
🔪 Melbourne’s best cannibal-themed escape experience
🥩 Extreme serial-killer, body-horror and slasher themes—strictly 18+
🪓 Prequel to Cannibal, loved by more than 40,000 players across Australia, but playable independently
🍖 An Escape This production exclusive to Melbourne

Players: 2-8
Difficulty: 8/10
Suggested Ages: 18+ with valid ID

Duration: 60 Minutes

Visit -Escape This- Melbourne CBD

Click Image for Answer

The Adventure of the Second Brain

This edition will have you thinking outside your brain-box: by using collective intelligence. What’s that? It is the ability of a team as a whole to think and solve problems, learning and adapting as a group in order to make better decisions. We’ll have a look at some elements of great teams and how you can get your squad to a higher level.

Trust your team’s variety
Recognise the mix of talents your team has, don’t just rely on one person trying to do it all.
A variety of people sharing skills and knowledge is the key here. A team with the world’s smartest person cloned six times is going to run into the same problems: the different journeys your teammates have been on are your strength!
Any escape room of quality is going to have a variety of puzzles, so don’t just stack your squad with mathematicians or crossword fiends only.

Communicate well
Having this mix means nothing if you don’t use it and everyone stays silent. My golden rule for escaping better is always “think out loud”! Even a wrong answer can move you closer to the correct one.
But communicating also means listening. If no one listens and everyone talks over each other = chaos.

Challenge each other constructively
Psychological safety is the buzzword here. Your team should be a safe space, encouraging better participation through testing out the ideas of others, even if that means disagreeing. Using statements such as “I think I see how we could do it differently” or “we missed something”, or humbly just admitting that you made a mistake, or asking for help, all make for a stronger team based on openness.

Contribute openly
You can help group dynamics by aiming to have everyone take equal part equally. A good Games Master will help by highlighting a ‘hero’ moment for everyone in their postgame debrief. But recognising and complementing your teammates as you go helps motivate them when they know their input – whether big or small – is noticed and appreciated. It will encourage them to keep taking part in the puzzle solving.

Coordinate and act
Think and analyse things as a team, but make sure you do keep moving forward: the good thing with Escape Room puzzles is that you don’t even need a perfect consensus – if you have an idea you can test it immediately.
After you’ve escaped, always do something else as a team: grab a meal, drinks or do another Room. Don’t just leave the experience behind you: reflect on what you did well together, and what you’ll improve for next time.

Collective intelligence is something that can be improved for the same group over time, but even if you are mixing up your team for every Escape Room, you can be the driving force in making the team function better through promoting a safe space for different brains to talk, analyse and challenge better together.

Roman Numerals & Chronograms

Hello code fans, this episode we’re winding back the clock – provided that clock has Roman numerals! This might sound MILD, but we’re going to introduce a little bit extra to help disguise numbers as letters as words.

Magnificent Seven

Okay so as a quick refresher, before Hindu-Arabic numbers were adopted, the Romans picked a bunch of letters to use for counting with. Using combinations of these seven letters in a set structure allows this system to count up to 3999 (we’ll cover larger numbers later).

What Have The Romans Ever Done For Us?
Our cherry on top is a system called a ‘chronogram’. This means ‘time writing’ in Greek, and is a way that dates can be hidden in words.
Using an anagram/Scrabble solver can give you some options based on this limited set of letters, but this vivid mix from livid to mild and civil terms won’t get us very far. For example “MIX” gives a value of 1009, but not all of these words are in a ‘proper’ order.

To get more options, start adding in filler letters until you get to a real word, and let your players pick out our required ones. It can be tricky to get proper sentences with words that have the combinations in the right order, so consider putting letters in bold or with some other marking.

Expanding the Empire
Keep in mind that this set-up only gets us as high as number 3999. If you want to use bigger numbers in the room then a different letter needs to be added, but just make sure it gets included in your guide somewhere with the others. Also, consider that there’s no zero! (although some historic mathematicians have suggested ‘N’ for ‘null’).

Veni Vidi Solvi
When decoding, look at which set of letters are depicted differently. As we only have the core seven (pending designer additions), it shouldn’t be too crazy to spot a pattern. From there, your Escape Room will have a guide to counting located somewhere. For designers, be clear on how numbers are divided up in the ciphertext.

Here are two numbers for you to figure out:

Happy escaping!

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