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Countdown Vault

Countdown Vault is a 10-minute online escape game with four locks: a year on a plaque, a sudoku, three switches in the right order and a Latin word. Players open one link on their phone, no account needed, and race a clock kept on the server.

Made for
Teams and training
Difficulty
Medium
Duration
10 min
Steps
4
Locks used
Numeric code (PIN), Sudoku, Ordered switches, Written answer
Play the example
Countdown Vault: Numeric code (PIN), Sudoku, Ordered switches, Written answer

Try it before you copy it

What this template contains

  1. step 1 · Numeric code (PIN)

    The plaque

    🔐 The brass plaque reads:
    "Sealed the year one small step became a giant leap for mankind."

    ⏳ Four digits, and the clock is ticking.

  2. step 2 · Sudoku

    The grid

    🧩 Every row, every column and every 3x3 box holds 1 to 9 exactly once.

    🚪 The door only slides for a perfect grid, so breathe and fill.

  3. step 3 · Ordered switches

    The switches

    📜 The note says:
    "Start in the middle. Then the very first. Then the one just right of where you started."

    🎚️ Flip three switches in that order.

  4. step 4 · Written answer

    The alchemists' word

    🧪 Gold is Au on the periodic table, after its Latin name.

    🔤 Five letters: AU, then the letter a pirate growls (Arrr!), then the last two letters of "album".

Ideas to make it yours

  • Replace the Moon landing year with the year your company was founded
  • Make the last word your product name or this year's team motto
  • Open an offsite with it: the fastest team picks the lunch spot

How to use this template

  1. 1

    Play it here first, exactly as your players will.

  2. 2

    Copy it into the builder, then change the codes, the clues and the locked content.

  3. 3

    Publish and share the link or the QR code. Players need no app and no account.

Open it in the builder →

Questions about this template

Is the sudoku hard?
No, it is an easy grid, there to change the pace rather than stop anyone. Wrong cells show in red, so a team sees exactly which digit to fix without losing its nerve against the clock.
Can we use it as a team-building race?
Yes. Give each team the link on one phone. Each device plays once and gets its own ten minutes, so compare finishing times at the end and crown the fastest safecrackers.
Do players need to know Latin or chemistry?
No. The last lock spells its word out letter by letter from clues anyone can follow: the symbol Au, a pirate's growl and the end of a common word. The Moon landing year is the only general knowledge question.
Is this template free?
Playing it and editing it in the builder are free for everyone, and players never pay. See current plans and features on the pricing page.
Can I change the answers and the texts?
Yes. Every code, clue, hint and piece of locked content opens in the builder, and nothing is saved until you publish.
What do players need?
A phone or a computer with a browser. They open your link or scan your QR code, and never create an account.
How long does it take to play?
About 10 minutes, from the first lock to the locked content.

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