Fifteen ways to make them work for it.
Every format runs in the browser, checks its answer on the server (a melody to repeat excepted, since players must hear it) and works with a keyboard where the mechanic allows it.
What is a challenge lock?Best lock types for a homemade escape room
Building a game at home or in a classroom with real padlocks? These are the classic locks, what each one is good for, and the clue that usually goes with it. Each has an online version you can try in your browser.
| Physical lock | Best for | Typical clue | Online equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-digit combination padlock | A first, quick lock | A number hidden in a picture or a sum | Number code |
| 4-digit combination padlock | Dates and the main code of the game | A date, a year or four clues in order | Number code |
| Letter or word lock | Riddles with a one-word answer | A riddle, an anagram or a hidden word | Written answer |
| Directional lock (arrows) | Maps, mazes and younger players | A path on a map or arrows in a picture | Direction sequence |
| Key padlock and a hidden key | Searching the room | The key itself, hidden in a book or a box | The lock's QR code, hidden where the key would be |
| Combination lockbox | Holding the final reward | The code gathered from the earlier locks | Number code, with the reward behind it |
| Hasp (several locks on one box) | Making teams solve several puzzles to open one box | One clue per lock, solved in parallel | Several steps chained in one game |
| UV or invisible ink, with any lock | A twist late in the game | A code that only shows under a UV torch | Any format: the clue stays on paper |
- Start with 3 or 4 locks for a 45 to 60 minute game.
- Mix lock types, so a code found for one lock cannot simply be tried on another.
- A digital lock saves buying padlocks and resets itself for the next group.
Step by step: DIY escape room step by step
- Numeric code (PIN)Most usedThe default for anything a player can read as digits: a date, a count, a room number, a result.Learn more →Try it
- NumberA quantity rather than a code: how many sweets are in the jar, what year the bridge opened, how far it is to the lighthouse.Learn more →
- Written answerMost usedA written-answer lock (often called a password lock) asks players to type a word or short phrase that answers a riddle or a clue.Learn more →Try it
- Direction (8 ways)The same idea with diagonals, which doubles the space and lets a sequence trace a recognisable shape rather than a path..Learn more →Try it
- Username and passwordTwo fields instead of one, which lets you split a secret across two clues or two people.Learn more →Try it
- Musical sequenceA melody to listen to, then play back on a piano, or a tune to recognise and name.Learn more →Try it
- Real GPS positionThe player's real position, verified against a coordinate and a radius.Learn more →
Which lock type for which game
A good escape room mixes formats: a quick code to start, a word for the riddle, a sequence for the objects in the room, and the hardest lock for the final reveal.
| Format | Difficulty | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Numeric code (PIN)Dates, counts and codes hidden in a riddle | Medium | Dates, counts and codes hidden in a riddle |
| NumberEstimates and quiz answers, with a margin | Easy | Estimates and quiz answers, with a margin |
| Direction (4 ways)Young players, maps and mazes | Easy | Young players, maps and mazes |
| Touch patternA shape hidden in a picture or on a card | Medium | A shape hidden in a picture or on a card |
| Written answerRiddles with a one-word answer, proposals and gifts | Medium | Riddles with a one-word answer, proposals and gifts |
| Direction (8 ways)Compass and treasure-map puzzles | Hard | Compass and treasure-map puzzles |
| Colour sequenceObjects in the room, paint pots, children | Easy | Objects in the room, paint pots, children |
| SwitchesLogic clues: which ones on, which ones off | Medium | Logic clues: which ones on, which ones off |
| Username and passwordTwo clues to combine, spy and hacker themes | Hard | Two clues to combine, spy and hacker themes |
| Ordered switchesInstructions to follow step by step | Hard | Instructions to follow step by step |
| Musical sequenceMusic lessons and melodies to repeat | Medium | Music lessons and melodies to repeat |
| Grid 4x4Pictures and letters drawn on a grid | Medium | Pictures and letters drawn on a grid |
| Real GPS positionOutdoor hunts: players must reach the place | Easy | Outdoor hunts: players must reach the place |
| SudokuA puzzle that needs no clue to write | Hard | A puzzle that needs no clue to write |
| WordleVocabulary lessons and word games | Medium | Vocabulary lessons and word games |
Questions about lock types
What are the best lock types for a homemade escape room?
Mix three or four. Start with a numeric code, the fastest to enter on a phone. Use a written answer for a riddle, and a colour or direction sequence for objects players can find in the room. Keep the hardest one, a login or an 8-direction sequence, for the final reveal.
Which lock type is the hardest to guess?
A written answer and a username and password pair: there is no list of combinations to try. Among codes, length does the work: 3 digits make 1,000 combinations, 8 digits make 100 million. Three digits only hold with a good riddle in front of them.
Are all lock types included?
Yes. One plan includes every format, sudoku and Wordle too, along with the looks, the filmed openings, the timer and the leaderboard. You can build and preview any of them before paying. See current plans and features on the pricing page.
Can one game use several lock types?
Yes. A game chains several locks, and each step can use its own format: a code, then a word, then a colour sequence. Players open them in order from the same link.
Do players need an app?
No. Every lock opens in the phone's browser, from a link or a QR code, without an account.
What locks do I need for a homemade escape room?
Three or four are enough for a 45 to 60 minute game: a 3- or 4-digit combination padlock, a word lock, a directional lock and a key padlock with its key hidden in the room. A combination lockbox makes a good final chest for the reward.
Can I use online locks instead of real padlocks?
Yes. Each classic lock has an online version that opens in the phone's browser from a link or a QR code, with no app and no player account. There is nothing to buy, and the lock resets itself for the next group. The answer is checked on the server, so it cannot be read in the page.
Build your lock in two minutes
Pick a format, set the answer, share the link or the QR code. Players need no account.