Site Redesign Coming Soon

January 28, 2020 Brian Gondek 0

The last few months have been a gauntlet – multiple weddings (including my own) and my busiest season for work – and now that everything appears to finally be back to normal, I’ve got some thoughts on redesigning the site’s format.

Red Bull Mind Gamers Strategy Recap

January 19, 2020 Brian Gondek 0

Round 1 of the Red Bull Mind Gamers challenge is complete. Congrats to Mark O for collecting the most votes and earning a spot at Red Bull’s Discovery Lab this May. And thanks to everyone who voted for me- I got the second most votes!

From 2019 to 2020

January 2, 2020 Brian Gondek 0

A lot happened in 2019, both in general and in my personal life.  When the year started, I had set my eyes on twelve projects for twelve months.  Instead… I got married. I think that’s worth taking a detour from my original goal for the year.

Uphill Battles from Around the World

December 28, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

One of the things I love about escape rooms is needing to problem solve in a variety of circumstances.  It adds a unique twist to the game and tests skills you never new you had. I’ve reflected a little on my handful of most unusual uphill battles from around the world, and I’ve rank-ordered the list below.

Staying Informed About New Rooms

December 17, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

I’m surprised by how difficult it is to keep apprised of which escape room businesses are opening new rooms.  Every business has its own newsletter, but most of these get dumped into the Gmail “promotion” folder and get lost in the shuffle, especially given how many of the escape rooms I signed up for send out “remember we exist” emails that drown out more important announcements.  So what’s the best way to stay informed?

Racine, WI: Seven Keys to Escape – Critter Craters

December 8, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

Seven Keys to Escape in Racine, WI has a special distinction for me and my dad- their “Nana’s Room” game was the first escape room the two of us lost together within the United States.  Nana’s Room was filled with loads of content and it was tough for a team of two to get through all of it, but we were still itching for another try, and we finally got that try when Seven Keys opened their new Critter Craters room.  A visit to Seven Keys to Escape made sense as the perfect birthday gift for me to give to […]

Puzzle for a Buck

December 2, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

Hunting deer isn’t something I’d previously thought of as a puzzle, but this season, I’ve started to see it a little bit differently.

Public or Private?

November 19, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

I’ve seen more and more escape rooms advertising that they offer only private experiences.  While in general this is a nice perk, I have to admit I have conflicted feelings about it. While some of my worst experiences have been getting dumped in with other groups, I’ve also got a lot of great memories from this kind of arrangement.

Louisiana Blitz

November 13, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

I had heard legends of the escape rooms in Louisiana. The first mention I encountered was in St. Louis about three years ago. After solving an escape room with a pretty neat design, the owner mentioned that the only rooms cooler than his were in Louisiana.