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Create intrigue with this cleverly disguised alphabet puzzle font, designed specifically for lanyards used in high-stakes escape room games. Featuring 25 stylized letters (with one deliberately omitted), the font challenges players to decode what's missing. Originally adapted from the free ‘Arcade’ typeface, this retro-inspired design adds both nostalgia and gameplay depth.

Part of the Escape Key series, this lanyard puzzle challenges players to identify a missing letter from a disguised, scrambled alphabet. Using mirrored digital fonts and subtle visual misdirection, it’s designed to slow recognition and spark curiosity. While the card on the lanyard seems like the obvious clue, the real key lies in what’s often overlooked—the lanyard itself. A blend of design and deception, this tactile puzzle rewards lateral thinking and sharp eyes. Ideal for escape rooms, educational settings, or puzzle collectors.

There’s something quite satisfying about making a font, and for this challenge, I wanted to create one that solved a problem I often encounter when giving hints in puzzles. Hints are essential for players, but they can be tricky to manage. On one hand, you want them to be readily accessible. On the other, they need to be disguised so they’re not too obvious. No one enjoys a puzzle where the answers—or even the hints—are sitting in plain sight. There are lots of ways to approach this. Some puzzlers set up online forums or webpages where hints can be accessed....

This week’s project takes a tactile turn as we explore hidden relief plates that sit beneath your desk, designed to be discovered by touch alone. From 3D printing challenges to laser-cut precision, follow the journey of building a satisfying, secret puzzle you can feel before you see. A must-read for escape room makers, puzzle lovers, and creative tinkerers alike.

This week, the focus was on building a custom air vent grill for the Escape Key project—designed to hide a secret message revealed when the grill is slid open. Behind the vent, LEDs flash through holes spelling out letters, drawing attention and encouraging discovery. While a diffuser and switch are planned for future versions, this prototype is already functional.

The grill was designed using both Shapr3D (powerful but frustrating due to a steep learning curve) and Tinkercad (simple and ideal for basic shapes). After seven design iterations, the pieces were successfully 3D-printed using a Bambu X1 Carbon printer, with each part costing around £1 each in PLA.

The design fits a standard UK wall junction box, making it easy to install. The lighting circuit was built using an Arduino Uno and seven LEDs. A challenge arose with light bleeding through the plastic, which was solved by applying insulating tape to block stray light and highlight the letters.

Future improvements include:

• Using diffuser plastic for better light distribution

• Adding a foil switch to trigger the light only when the grill is moved

• Being more careful with measurements to avoid reprints

The project blends storytelling, electronics, and hidden-in-plain-sight puzzle design—an exciting step forward for the Escape Key series.