The Clue IQ Vault

Conspiracy

Active: May 2017 – October 2020 (One of our original games!)

Description: In “Conspiracy,” players were plunged into a thrilling, high-stakes mission. A mysterious figure, who had compiled vital intelligence on a shadow group manipulating global events, suddenly disappeared. Your team had 60 minutes to infiltrate their hidden safehouse, unravel a web of intricate clues, and recover the hard drive containing all their explosive secrets before it was permanently destroyed.

Highlights: This original Clue IQ experience, first launched in 2017, took players on a captivating journey through popular conspiracy theories, from the moon landing to JFK and MK Ultra. Our passion for this world led us to entirely rewrite, redesign, and rebuild the game in Spring 2018, followed by a major facelift in Spring 2019, ensuring the adventure remained fresh and immersive. (Fun Fact: The final code to recover the hard drive was owner Lisa’s birthday!)

Legacy: “Conspiracy” closed its doors to make room for “Operation Jingle Bells,” but it remains a beloved chapter in our history. It was a story we had immense fun exploring, and who knows, we might just revisit this compelling world with a brand new take one day!

Holiday Hijinx

Active: December 2018 – February 2019 (Our First Holiday Pop-Up Event!)

Description: Step into a whimsical North Pole adventure where Christmas hung in the balance! In “Holiday Hijinx,” players embarked on a festive mission to save the holiday after Slappy, the notoriously mischievous elf, “misplaced” Santa’s magical hat. Teams explored Santa’s workshop and his cozy office, unraveling cheerful puzzles to ensure presents were delivered and Christmas was saved!

Highlights: This game holds a special place in our history as our very first holiday pop-up, marking a delightful departure from the typically serious themes prevalent in escape rooms at the time. We wanted to create something purely whimsical and fun, and we were curious how a holiday game would be received. With no available space at our main facility, with the help of the Downtown Frederick Partnership, we were connected with Cowork Frederick, who supplied the temporary space. Our team then transformed a 150-year-old apartment there into a festive wonderland. This entire project came together in under two weeks with the help of a puzzle friend flown in, and immense support from our dedicated staff and family. Though a simpler, more lock-based game compared to our usual high-tech builds, “Holiday Hijinx” was crafted with boundless creativity and love, proving to be incredibly popular and spreading immense joy and holiday cheer to countless players.

Legacy: “Holiday Hijinx” was such a smash hit that it inspired a sequel! We returned to the same unique space the following year for “Holiday Hijinx Part 2” (a completely new game and story, still featuring our mischievous elf, Slappy). 

Holiday Hijinx – Part 2

Active: November 2019 – February 2020 (Our First Sequel!)

Description: The mischievous elf Slappy was back for another festive challenge in “Holiday Hijinx Part 2”! This time, he’d managed to scramble the settings on Santa’s crucial sleigh command center and, even worse, “misplaced” the key to the sleigh itself. Teams had 60 minutes to restore the controls and locate the missing key, ensuring Santa’s Christmas Eve delivery mission could proceed without a hitch!

Highlights: After the resounding success of our first holiday pop-up, we were fortunate that the exact same unique space was available, allowing us to return for another season of holiday magic. With improved preparation – beginning off-site construction in September 2019 – we had ample time to craft an entirely new game. While set in the same physical location, this was a completely fresh 60-minute adventure (an upgrade from Part 1’s 45 minutes!). The extra time allowed us to integrate even more complex puzzles and technical wizardry into the experience, making for a truly enchanted and memorable holiday game.

Legacy: “Holiday Hijinx Part 2” continued to build on the beloved whimsical theme, proving the popularity of our festive pop-up adventures. It further cemented the mischievous Slappy’s place in Clue IQ lore, leading to his return in our permanent game, “Operation Jingle Bells.” As a fun nod to eagle-eyed players, a few props and Easter eggs from Part 1 even made their way into Part 2 and “Operation Jingle Bells,” cleverly repurposed and used in entirely new ways each time!

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